At the heart of the Christian faith is Jesus’ question to his disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29) How we answer that question makes all the difference in the world. If Christ is just a great prophet or teacher, then he has no power to directly connect us to God. If he is God, then we can be reconciled to him and receive eternal life. Our future depends on who we think Jesus is.
One objection some people have to the divinity of Christ is that in the New Testament, Jesus nowhere says “I am God.” Yet there are plenty of examples where Jesus makes clear he is God without saying it directly. Let me give just one example.
Throughout the Old Testament, there are many references to blindness. Blindness was considered a defect in Israel, but God’s law provided for the care and compassion of people without sight. There are a number of miracles recorded in the Old Testament, but no record of anyone being healed of blindness.
The prophet Isaiah wrote that in the day that God comes to his people, “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.” (Isaiah 35:4-5). In Psalm 146:8, we read “The Lord gives sight to the blind.”
As Jesus began to travel around Israel, he would heal many people, including the blind. According to the Old Testament, who is able to heal the blind? When questioned about his identity, Jesus’ reply was “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” (Luke 7:22)
These signs and miracles were intended to confirm that the Messiah had arrived, the Saviour of the world. People can come to their own conclusions about Jesus, but the Scriptures are very clear. Many people are blind to this, but to those who believe in him, he gives the gift of life.