JESUS

Is Jesus God?

“No man has seen God at any time.”—John 1:18.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

Many people believe that Jesus is not God. Still, others point to Bible verses that supposedly indicate that Jesus is equal to God.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

The Bible does not portray Jesus as being Almighty God or equal to God. On the contrary, it clearly teaches that Jesus is inferior to God. For example, the Bible records Jesus’ own words: “The Father is greater than I am.” (John 14:28) The Bible also says: “No man has seen God at any time.” (John 1:18) Jesus cannot be God because many people did in fact see Jesus.

Jesus’ early followers did not claim that he was God. For example, the Gospel writer John said concerning the things he recorded: “These have been written down that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God.”—John 20:31. *

 When was Jesus born?

“There were . . . shepherds living out of doors and keeping watches in the night over their flocks.”—Luke 2:8.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

Some people observe Christmas on December 25—thought by some to be the date of Jesus’ birth. Others observe the birthday of Jesus in early January.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

The Bible does not state the date on which Jesus was born. However, it does say that at the time of Jesus’ birth, “there were . . . shepherds living out of doors and keeping watches in the night over their flocks.” (Luke 2:8) It is very unlikely that those shepherds would have kept their flocks outside at night during December and January. Why?

The area where Jesus was born experiences some of its coldest weather during December and January. Regarding that time of year, the Bible reports that people were “shivering . . . on account of the showers of rain.” (Ezra 10:9, 13; Jeremiah 36:22) That would have been no time of year for shepherds to be “living out of doors” with their flocks.

Did Jesus really come back to life after he died?

“God raised him [Jesus] up from the dead.”—Acts 3:15.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

Some people believe that it is impossible for anyone, including Jesus, to have come back to life after death.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

Jesus taught his followers that he would “suffer many things . . . and be killed, and on the third day be raised up.” (Matthew 16:21) The Bible reports that after he was killed and resurrected, Jesus appeared to upwards of 500 people. (1 Corinthians 15:6) Those eyewitnesses were convinced beyond doubt that he had been raised from the dead. They were even willing to die for that belief!—Acts 7:51-60; 12:1, 2.

WHY IT MATTERS

The Bible teaches that Jesus’ death and resurrection opened the way for all humans to benefit from the Bible’s promised Paradise on earth. (Psalm 37:11, 29; Revelation 21:3, 4) We have the prospect of enjoying a happy, unending life in that earthly Paradise thanks to the love shown by Jesus and his Father, the Almighty God, Jehovah.—John 3:16; Romans 6:23.

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