Firstly....because while I believe Jesus existed, I also know the historical facts. Any emporar of Rome at his time was refered to as a "Son of God" because they were the only ones with the "authority" to speak on Gods behalf. When Jesus began his prophesising, preaching and healing (something many people do today) he was not the only one - there were a few about - but his followers began calling him "Son of God" in reference to his leadership of them, his seemingly divine powers, and perhaps as an intentional insult to the Roman Emperor of the time. That is why he was crucified....he grew too popular and was used as an example to others like him.
Thank you so much for your post
Augustus was seen as a God (like other "Gods" today) as was others but that doesn't take away the fact that Jesus was the true God.. how come? he was prophied to come to earth and so far, everything has happened and there is more to come!
His birth was prophesied in the Old testament, hundreds of years before his birth. (Sorry for the length)
PROPHECY:
Jesus Birth
Gen. 3:15, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
FULFILLED:
Matt. 1:20, "But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.'"
PROPHECY:
Born of a Virgin
Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
FULFILLED:
Matt. 1:18,25, "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary...was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit... But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus."
PROPHECY
Son of God
Psalm 2:7, "I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, 'You are my Son, today I have become your Father.'"
FULFILLED:
Matt. 3:15, "And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'"
PROPHECY:
Seed of Abraham
Gen. 22:18, "and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."
FULFILLED:
Matt. 1:1, "record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham."
PROPHECY:
Son of Isaac
Gen. 21:12, "But God said to him, 'Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.'"
FULFILLED:
Luke 3:23-34, "Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli...the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor."
PROPHECY:
House of David
Jer. 23:1, "The days are coming, declares the LORD, 'when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.'"
FULFILLED:
Luke 3:23-31, "Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli...the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David."
PROPHECY:
Born at Bethlehem
Micah 5:2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."
FULFILLED:
Matt. 2:1, "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem."
PROPHECY:
He shall be a Prophet
Deut. 18:18, "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him."
FULFILLED:
Matt. 21:11,"The crowds answered, 'This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.'"
PROPHECY:
He shall be a Priest
Psalm 110:4, "The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.'"
FULFILLED:
Heb. 3:1, "Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess."
Heb. 5:5-6, "So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father.' And he says in another place, 'You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.'"
PROPHECY:
He shall be a King
Psalm 2:6, "I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill."
FULFILLED:
Matt. 27:37, "Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS."
PROPHECY:
He shall judge
Isaiah 33:22, "For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us."
FULFILLED:
John 5:30, "By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me."
PROPHECY:
He would be preceded by a Messenger
Isaiah 40:3, "A voice of one calling: 'In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.'"
FULFILLED:
Matt. 3:1-2, "In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.'"
PROPHECY:
Rejected by His own people
Isaiah 53:3, "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not."
FULFILLED:
John 7:5, "For even his own brothers did not believe in him."
John 7:48, "Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him?"
PROPHECY:
His side pierced
Zech. 12:10, "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one mourns for an only son."
FULFILLED:
John 19:34, "Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water."
PROPHECY:
Crucifixion
Psalm 22:1, Psalm 22:11-18, "For the director of music. To the tune of "The Doe of the Morning." A psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?...Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan. Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing."
FULFILLED:
Luke 23:33, "When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals -- one on his right, the other on his left."
John 19:33, "But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs."
John 19:23-24, "When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 'Let's not tear it,' they said to one another. 'Let's decide by lot who will get it.' This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, 'They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.' So this is what the soldiers did."
