In today’s world, there is a lot of confusion about exactly who the Messiah (Christ) was claiming to be, where his power came from, and what his relationship to the Father is. However, if we read the Bible in its entirety, allowing God’s spirit to guide us through prayer and petition, we will see that the Bible is quite clear on this topic.
The focus of this article will be the relationship of Jesus and God and where Jesus got his power from. For more information on who Jesus was claiming to be, read Was Jesus Shouting He’s God from the Rooftops?.
The Bible is clear that Yahweh (God) is the “Most High” God (Luke 1:35, Psalm 7:17, Psalm 82:6, Psalm 57:2, Acts 7:48, Hebrews 7:1, Acts 16:17, etc.) and that Jesus is the “Son of the Most High” God (Mark 5:7, Luke 1:32). Jesus (Yahshua) is never called the Most High God in Scripture, but is referred to as the Son of God over 40 times and the Son of Man over 70 times. For additional information on whether Jesus was the Son of God or God the Son, please see The Message I am Called to Share and other articles listed under the Did You See Our Shirt? tab.
The Bible teaches that Jesus is the firstborn of all creation and that Yahweh, the one and only God, is his father (Deuteronomy 4:39, Colossians 1:3, 15; Hebrews 5:5-6). This is one reason why Jesus is special. He was Yahweh’s very first creation, which means that Jesus came before the creation of the heavens and the Earth. As the first creation, Jesus “is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). He is like his father in every way because he submits to and fears, or respects, his father (John 5:30, John 5:19, Isaiah 11:2-3). In fact, all of creation that wants to be a child of the Most High God must fearfully submit to their Father in heaven (Philippians 2:12). The angels, who also fear and submit to Yahweh, are called the sons of God in Job 1:6 and 38:7. And finally, those of us here on Earth who choose to fear, or respect, and submit to God’s will in their life, likewise are called sons and daughters of God (2 Corinthians 6:18, Romans 8:14, Matthew 5:9). As a result, Yahweh has many sons and daughters, but only one that he created special and from himself, similar to how Eve was made from Adam. When we realize this, it brings clarity to how God’s family works. All of us who choose Yahweh are his sons and daughters, and Jesus is like our awesome big brother, which is why he said he wasn’t ashamed to call us brothers and sisters (Hebrews 2:11).
Proverbs 9:10 explains that “the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.” In other words, respect for our creator is the foundation that helps us grow and learn from our Father in Heaven. As we choose His will more and more each day, we grow in our faith and strive to bear all the fruits of the spirit and to be in perfect submission to Him (see Are we called to do God’s will? and What does it mean to have Faith?). The more in submission to him we are, the more he pours out his spirit on us, and the more powerfully he works through us. (see What Happens When We are Saved, and Why Jesus and the Disciples were able to Perform Miracles). Jesus had perfect faith, was sinless, and had the favor of God (2 Peter 1:17). Accordingly, Yahweh poured out his spirit on Jesus “without measure” and has given him everything because Jesus is faithful and Yahweh loves him (John 3:34-35). We find that this is where Jesus got his power, from tapping into Yahweh’s power given to him through that spirit being poured out on him (Acts 10:38, Matthew 26:53-54). More specifically, it is revealed that it was actually Yahweh doing the miracles through Jesus, just as he can do miracles through us today (Acts 2:22). Reasonably then, we are told to rely on that power just as Jesus did (2 Timothy 1:8, 2 Corinthians 13:4). That same spirit and power that filled Jesus, fills us, too (Colossians 2:9-10); and Jesus told us that we would do all the things he did and more (John 14:12).
Let us focus on three things that will help us further understand the relationship of the Father and the Son: 1) That Yahweh gives life to all things (1 Timothy 6:13, Psalm 36:9); 2) That Yahweh gave life to Jesus (John 5:26); and 3) That Yahweh gave authority to Jesus, so that he can give life to others (Matthew 28:18; John 5:21). We see this pattern of Yahweh giving power and authority, or His agency, to Jesus to act on his behalf with all things, as all things are through Jesus (1 Corinthians 8:4-6). We are made without blemish and reconciled to God through Jesus (Colossians 1:20, Jude 1:24-25); everything was created through Jesus (Colossians 1:16); we trust in God through Jesus (1 Peter 1:20); our understanding of God is given to us through Jesus (1 John 5:20); and with Jesus as our “mediator,” we can have a relationship with Yahweh through Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus was clear that he did not abuse this power. He submitted to Yahweh’s will and only spoke the things he was told by his father to speak (John 5:19, John 12:49-50). In fact, Yahweh calls him His servant (Matthew 12:18, Acts 4:30). The Bible tells us that although all things are through Jesus, everything still comes from the Father (2 Corinthians 5:18-21, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, 2 Timothy 1:8-9, 1 Peter 1:20-21), and will be returned to the Father in the end (1 Corinthians 15:21-24, 27-28).
We have to realize that we have the same calling as our awesome big brother. Yahweh works in us in the same way that he worked in Jesus. He gives us that same power through His Son, as we saw with the disciples who also performed miracles and healings (Matthew 10:1). We are called to follow in our big brother’s footsteps: respecting, obeying, and serving Yahweh. In following Jesus’s example that he set for us, we will also partake in both his blessings and his suffering (Philippians 1:29, Romans 8:17). (see Why do Christians Suffer?). Remember though, we have power from God to overcome the trials we face. We access that power through Jesus, and we use it to become a “living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is our reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). If we are “faithful to death” in these things, we will be given the “crown of life” (Revelation 2:10), and in every way, will have become just like our big brother (Luke 6:40).
