Jesus Cristo: quem é, o que ensinou e sua identidade divina

Quem é Jesus Cristo: Deus feito homem

Jesus Cristo é o Filho de Deus, o Salvador prometido nas Escrituras e a figura central da fé cristã. Ele é Deus que assumiu a natureza humana para reconciliar a humanidade com o Criador, vivendo sem pecado, morrendo na cruz pelos nossos pecados e ressuscitando ao terceiro dia.

No grego do Novo Testamento, Jesus é apresentado como o Logos — a Palavra ou o Verbo eterno —, que já existia antes da criação do mundo e que se fez carne. A teologia cristã afirma que Jesus não é uma criatura elevada nem um homem que virou Deus, mas o próprio Deus que se humilhou e tomou a forma humana.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; 2 this One was in the beginning with God; 3 all things happened through Him, and without Him not even one thing happened that has happened.(John 1:1-3)

14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of [the] only begotten of [the] Father, full of grace and truth.(John 1:14)

9 because in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, 10 and you are made full in Him, who is the head of all principality and authority,(Colossians 2:9,10)

5 For let this mind be in you that [is] also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, thought [it] not something to be seized to be equal to God, 7 but emptied Himself, having taken the form of a servant, having been made in the likeness of men,(Philippians 2:5-7)

O Messias prometido e Filho de Deus

O título "Cristo" não é o sobrenome de Jesus, mas a tradução grega do hebraico Messias, que significa "o Ungido". Durante séculos, o povo de Israel esperou pelo Rei que traria a redenção prometida por Deus aos profetas.

Nos Evangelhos, essa identidade fica evidente no nascimento virginal anunciado como Emanuel ("Deus conosco"), no batismo com o testemunho do Pai e na confissão dos discípulos. Diante do tribunal judaico e até mesmo no momento de sua morte na cruz, a autoridade de Jesus como Filho de Deus foi proclamada.

23 "Behold, the virgin will conceive, and she will bring forth a Son, and they will call His Name Emmanuel," which is, being interpreted, "God with us."(Matthew 1:23)

21 And it came to pass, in all the people being immersed, Jesus also being immersed, and praying, Heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit came down in a bodily appearance, as if a dove, on Him, and a voice came out of Heaven, saying, "You are My Son, the Beloved, in You I delighted."(Luke 3:21,22)

15 He says to them, "And you—who do you say I am?" 16 And Simon Peter answering said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus answering said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona, because flesh and blood did not reveal [it] to you, but My Father who is in the heavens.(Matthew 16:15-17)

61 And He was keeping silent and did not answer anything. Again the chief priest was questioning Him and says to Him, "Are You the Christ—the Son of the Blessed?" 62 And Jesus said, "I AM; and you will see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of Heaven."(Mark 14:61,62)

54 And the centurion, and those with him watching Jesus, having seen the earthquake, and the things that were done, were exceedingly afraid, saying, "Truly this was God’s Son."(Matthew 27:54)

6 And he says to them, "Do not be amazed, you seek Jesus the Nazarene, the crucified [One]: He rose—He is not here; behold the place where they laid Him!(Mark 16:6)

A reivindicação do "Eu Sou" e a autoridade divina

Quando Jesus declarou: "Antes que Abraão existisse, Eu Sou", ele usou deliberadamente a mesma expressão com que Deus se revelou a Moisés na sarça ardente (Yahweh, em Êxodo 3:14).

Os líderes religiosos da época compreenderam com clareza o que ele quis dizer: Jesus estava afirmando possuir a mesma eternidade, poder e honra que pertencem exclusivamente ao Pai. Por fazer essa afirmação de igualdade com Deus, os líderes tentaram apedrejá-lo.

13 And Moses says to God, "Behold, I am coming to the sons of Israel, and have said to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they have said to me, What [is] His Name? What do I say to them?" 14 And God says to Moses, "I AM THAT WHICH I AM." He also says, "Thus you say to the sons of Israel: I AM has sent me to you."(Exodus 3:13,14)

58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham’s coming—I AM";(John 8:58)

30 I and the Father are one."(John 10:30)

17 And Jesus answered them, "My Father works until now, and I work"; 18 because of this, then, were the Jews seeking the more to kill Him, because not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He also called God His own Father, making Himself equal to God.(John 5:17,18)

21 For as the Father raises the dead, and makes alive, so also the Son makes alive whom He wills; 22 for neither does the Father judge anyone, but all the judgment He has given to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son according as they honor the Father; he who is not honoring the Son, does not honor the Father who sent Him.(John 5:21-23)

25 Truly, truly, I say to you, [that] there comes an hour, and it now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those having heard will live;(John 5:25)

O Salvador e único mediador

A Bíblia ensina que a humanidade foi separada de Deus pelo pecado e que nenhum esforço próprio pode restabelecer essa comunhão. Por essa razão, a vinda de Jesus teve um propósito substitutivo: levar sobre si o castigo que pertencia ao ser humano.

Como o profeta Isaías antecipou séculos antes, o Messias foi traspassado pelas nossas transgressões. Pela sua morte e ressurreição, Jesus se tornou o único mediador entre Deus e a humanidade, oferecendo salvação pela graça àquele que crê.

6 For a Child has been born to us, || A Son has been given to us, || And the dominion is on His shoulder, || And He calls His Name || Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, || Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.(Isaiah 9:6)

4 Surely He has borne our sicknesses, || And our pains—He has carried them, || And we have esteemed Him [as] plagued, struck of God, and afflicted.(Isaiah 53:4)

5 And He is pierced for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, || The discipline of our peace [is] on Him, || And by His scourging we are healed.(Isaiah 53:5)

16 for God so loved the world that He gave the only begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him may not perish, but may have continuous life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world that He may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through Him; 18 he who is believing in Him is not judged, but he who is not believing has been judged already, because he has not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God.(John 3:16-18)

6 Jesus says to him, "I AM the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father, if not through Me;(John 14:6)

12 and there is not salvation in any other, for there is no other name under Heaven that has been given among men, in which it is required of us to be saved."(Acts 4:12)

5 for [there is] one God, also one mediator of God and of men—the man Christ Jesus,(1 Timothy 2:5)

3 who being the brightness of the glory, and the impress of His subsistence, bearing up also all things by the saying of His might—having made a cleansing of our sins through Himself, sat down at the right hand of the Greatness in the highest, 4 having become so much better than the messengers, as He inherited a more excellent name than them.(Hebrews 1:3,4)

17 for this reason it seemed necessary to Him to be made like the brothers in all things, that He might become a kind and faithful Chief Priest in the things related to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people,(Hebrews 2:17)

14 Having, then, a great Chief Priest having passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—may we hold fast the profession, 15 for we do not have a Chief Priest unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but [One] tempted in all things in like manner, [yet] without sin;(Hebrews 4:14,15)

2 looking to the Author and Perfecter of the faith—Jesus, who, for the joy set before Him, endured a cross, having despised shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God;(Hebrews 12:2)

25 Jesus said to her, "I AM the resurrection, and the life; he who is believing in Me, even if he may die, will live;(John 11:25)

O que significa crer e viver em Cristo

Crer em Jesus Cristo vai além de aceitar dados históricos sobre a sua passagem pela terra. O ensino dos apóstolos mostra que a fé bíblica envolve confiança pessoal na obra da cruz e submissão ao senhorio de Cristo.

Essa resposta se manifesta na confissão pública de fé e em uma transformação prática de vida. Viver em Cristo significa deixar para trás o domínio do egoísmo e do pecado, passando a caminhar em novidade de vida, fortalecido pelo amor fraterno e pela esperança da ressurreição.

9 that if you may confess with your mouth that Jesus [is] LORD, and may believe in your heart that God raised Him out of the dead, you will be saved,(Romans 10:9)

9 In this was revealed the love of God in us, because God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we may live through Him; 10 in this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son [as] the propitiation for our sins.(1 John 4:9,10)

15 whoever may confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God;(1 John 4:15)

8 he who is doing sin, he is of the Devil, because the Devil sins from the beginning; for this [reason] the Son of God appeared, that He may undo the works of the Devil;(1 John 3:8)

11 and this is the testimony, that God gave continuous life to us, and this life is in His Son; 12 he who is having the Son has life; he who is not having the Son of God does not have life.(1 John 5:11,12)

27 Then He says to Thomas, "Bring your finger here, and see My hands, and bring your hand, and put [it] into My side, and do not become unbelieving, but believing." 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"(John 20:27,28)

30 Many indeed, therefore, other signs Jesus also did before His disciples that are not written in this scroll; 31 and these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His Name.(John 20:30,31)

20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me; and that which I now live in the flesh—I live in the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me;(Galatians 2:20)

10 for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus on good works, which God prepared before, that we may walk in them.(Ephesians 2:10)

2 and walk in love, as the Christ also loved us, and gave Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a refreshing fragrance,(Ephesians 5:2)

15 and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were also called in one body, and become thankful.(Colossians 3:15)

4 for as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same office, 5 so we, the many, are one body in Christ, and members of one another—each one.(Romans 12:4,5)

15 but sanctify the LORD God in your hearts. And always [be] ready for defense to everyone who is asking of you an account concerning the hope that [is] in you, with meekness and fear,(1 Peter 3:15)

12 This is My command, that you love one another, according as I loved you;(John 15:12)

38 and whoever does not receive his cross and follow after Me, is not worthy of Me.(Matthew 10:38)

O Rei que há de voltar e o Reino eterno

A história bíblica não termina na cruz nem na ascensão de Jesus aos céus. As Escrituras prometem que ele retornará de forma visível e gloriosa para consumar o seu Reino, julgar a justiça e restaurar todas as coisas.

Para quem nele confia, essa promessa traz segurança: nem a morte nem qualquer poder terreno pode afastar as pessoas da mão de Cristo. Ele reina como Senhor e voltará como Rei dos reis.

11 And I saw Heaven having been opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who is sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war, 12 and His eyes [are] as a flame of fire, and on His head [are] many crowns—having a Name written that no one has known, except Himself, 13 and He is clothed with a garment covered with blood, and His Name is called, The Word of God. 14 And the armies in Heaven were following Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen—white and pure; 15 and out of His mouth proceeds a sharp sword, that with it He may strike the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron, and He treads the press of the wine of the wrath and the anger of God the Almighty, 16 and He has on the garment and on His thigh the name written: "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."(Revelation 19:11-16)

28 and I give continuous life to them, and they will not perish—throughout the age, and no one will snatch them out of My hand; 29 My Father, who has given to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch out of the hand of My Father; 30 I and the Father are one."(John 10:28-30)

57 and to God—thanks, to Him who is giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ;(1 Corinthians 15:57)

19 and my God will supply all your need, according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus;(Philippians 4:19)

21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [is] with all [[the holy ones. Amen.]](Revelation 22:21)