JESUS CHRIST: GOD-MAN - Vital Christianity

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Philip B. Payne, in his extensive research in the parabolic teachings of Jesus, notes that
Jesus continually makes reference to himself in these parables. Such a practice has no parallel
in rabbinic parabolic teaching. In the vast majority of the parables, Jesus also depicts Himself
through images which in the Hebrew Scriptures are used to refer to God. According to Payne,
there are ten Old Testament images found in twenty of the New Testament parables which are
evidences of this implicit claim to deity: the images of the sower, the shepherd, the bridegroom,
and several others. These will be looked at more closely later.2
Jesus' words were astounding! Without any thought of Himself or His audience, Jesus
spoke out fearlessly on every occasion, utterly heedless of the consequences to Himself. His only
concern was for truth and the delivery of His Father's message. The spiritual force of His
personality expressed itself in His amazing utterances and thus held His hearers in its enthralling
grasp.
Here is a sample:
● "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away" (Lk 21:33).
● "I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me
has eternal life and will not be condemned" (Jn 5:24).
● "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken
to you are spirit and they are life" (6:63).
● "If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether My teaching
comes from God or whether I speak on My own" (7:17).
● "I tell you the truth, if a man keeps My word, he will never see death" (8:51).
● "If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed
Of him when He comes in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of
the holy angels" (Lk 9:26).
Jesus never used the adverbs which characterize our daily conversation: "usually,"
"generally," "perhaps," and "maybe." He always said "verily" or "truly." Jesus was so certain of
the truth and validity of His teaching that He taught that people's eternal destiny was
dependent on their reaction to it.
Jesus' words in the last section of His Sermon on the Mount (Mt 7:13-27), as well as in
some of His other teachings, are spoken with the threat of Judgment. To respond positively is
to ensure eternal life, but to respond negatively is to ask for banishment to the eternal flames of
hell.