Why Jesus?
It’s an important question. Especially for those who are exploring faith and things of a spiritual nature. In the vast landscape of world religions, why should anyone consider Jesus? What sets Him apart, and why do billions around the world follow Him? The answer lies in how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament predictions of the Messiah, His deity, and His invitation to join God’s family and the Kingdom of Heaven.
This question isn’t just important for those who are seeking spiritual answers, but for those who claim the name of Jesus as well. If you go by the name Christian, but can’t answer the question ‘Why Jesus?’ then you should spend the time considering it as well.
The call to follow Jesus isn’t a simple mental assent to the truth of who Jesus claims to be. The Bible talks about faith and belief, but it means something deeper than mental assent when it uses these words. The way that faith and belief are used in the Bible is a call to action, it is belief that motivates action, if Jesus is who He claims to be and who His followers claim Him to be, then it requires more than mere mental assent, it requires a reorientation of our lives to Him and His kingdom and standard.
If the question ‘Why Jesus?’ is one you’ve asked, then keep reading and keep seeking!
Fulfillment of Old Testament Predictions
Why start here? Well, for me (Pastor Chris) this was foundational to whether I could trust the Bible or not. It is often argued that the numerous prophecies in the Bible were written after the fact and the prophets did not predict the future. When I was an atheist, this was my position as well. As I learned more about textual criticism, I found that this wasn’t true, but even before that, I knew that there was an undeniable break of 500ish years from the Old Testament to the New Testament. If it could be demonstrated to me that prophecies concerning Jesus from the Old Testament found fulfillment in his life, that would be a big step for me in believing what the Bible had to say.
The Old Testament contains numerous prophecies about the coming Messiah, a Savior who would deliver God’s people. Jesus of Nazareth is seen by Christians as the fulfillment of these predictions. Here are a few of the places where Christians have identified Jesus as the fulfilment of these prophecies.
Birth and Lineage
The prophet Isaiah foretold a virgin birth: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). This prophecy is echoed in the New Testament: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (Matthew 1:23).
Jesus’ lineage also fulfills Old Testament prophecies. Lineage was important in the ancient world and David was a revered King, but also it was promised that a king would rule from his line forever. The Messiah was to come from the line of David: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse (Jesse = David’s father); from his roots a Branch will bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1). The genealogy in Matthew 1 traces Jesus’ lineage directly to David, establishing His rightful place in this lineage. This ties Jesus directly to David and the promise of a King on the throne.
At the time of Jesus’ birth, the Jewish world was looking for this promised Messiah. The Christ. The Jewish people are longing to be delivered from the oppression of Roman rule and be a free state unto themselves again. They were looking for the promises that God has made to send a Messiah to liberate them and rule over them from the throne of David.
Place of Birth
The prophet Micah predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2). Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, as recorded in Matthew 2:1, aligns perfectly with this prophecy. It is important to note that this only takes place because Caesar Augustus initiates a census that brings Joseph and Mary (the parents of Jesus) from Nazareth to Bethlehem where Joseph’s family is from. If not for this census, Jesus would have been born in Nazareth.
Ministry and Death
As we continue in our brief and non-exhaustive exploration of some of the prophecies from the Old Testament concerning Jesus, we come to his life, ministry, and death. The book of Isaiah was likely written some time in 740 BCE, this is before we have any historical records of crucifixion.
Isaiah 53:2-3 tell us that the Messiah would not be exceptionally beautiful or majestic in appearance, it tells us that he would be despised and rejected, he would be someone acquainted with suffering and pain. A cursory reading of the Gospels shows us that Jesus was despised and rejected, the end of his life was definitely one of suffering and pain.
Isaiah 53 vividly describes the suffering servant who would bear the sins of many: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus’ crucifixion fulfills this prophecy, as detailed in the Gospels, notably in John 19:34 where Jesus is pierced, and in His atoning death described in Romans 5:8.
Isaiah 53:9 predicts that this Messiah would be “assigned a grave with the wicked” even though he had broken no law, and it goes on to say that he would be “with rich in his death”. If we go to the Gospel of Luke, we will find that Jesus was crucified with two other men, both of whom were criminals Luke 23:32-33. As we continue to read in the Gospel of Luke, we find that Joseph of Arimathea, who was a wealthy member of the council, went to Pilate to request that he be allowed to bury Jesus. His request is granted, and Jesus is laid to rest in Joseph’s tomb which had been cut for Joseph’s family and no one had yet used it Luke 23:50-53.
The Deity of Jesus
One of the core tenets of Christianity is the belief in the deity of Jesus Christ. This is not a concept that developed over time but is rooted deeply in the New Testament. The deity of Jesus is clear from the Gospel records which were written by two eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life and two disciples who were close associates of the Apostles.
Jesus as God
The Gospel of John was written by John the Apostle, believed to be the youngest of Jesus 12 Apostles. The opening of John’s Gospel declares Jesus’ divine nature: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). This statement unequivocally identifies Jesus as divine. This statement not only spoke of the deity of Jesus to Jews, but the concept of the divine Word was a Greek belief as well, so John is declaring his belief in the deity of Jesus to the known world in unequivocal terms.
Jesus made claims of divinity. In John 10:30, He says, “I and the Father are one,” a statement that led His opponents to accuse Him of blasphemy because He was claiming to be God (John 10:33). In Mark 2, we find a story that again demonstrates Jesus declaring himself God. In this account Jesus is teaching in a crowded house, people bring a paralyzed man and lower him through the roof and in front of Jesus. Jesus stops his teaching and addresses the man before him. Mark 2:5 “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”” It goes on to say that there were religious teachers present who were outraged and thought to themselves that only God can forgive sin. It goes on to say that immediately Jesus knew what they were thinking and addressed their thoughts, Mark 2:8-12 “…”Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man (how Jesus typically referred to himself) has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying “We have never seen anything like this!” “
The Transfiguration
There is another event that reveals again Jesus’ divinity, Christians refer to this as the Transfiguration. Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain alone. There Peter, James, and John witnessed Jesus in His divine glory, alongside Moses and Elijah. “His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light” (Matthew 17:2). This moment affirmed Jesus’ divine nature and His fulfillment of the Law (represented by Moses) and the Prophets (represented by Elijah). It is often easy to write off the ancients as simple people, but more and more archeology reveals that ancient humans were not dumb. These are eyewitness accounts of miraculous events, which if there is a spiritual reality to life, we would expect miraculous and supernatural accounts to be recorded.
Resurrection
The resurrection is the ultimate proof of Jesus’ divinity and it is the hope on which Christian faith is built! After being crucified and buried, Jesus rose from the dead, validating His claims of divinity and His power over life and death. The angel at the tomb declared, “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said” (Matthew 28:6). The resurrection not only confirms Jesus’ deity but also provides the cornerstone of Christian faith, as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15:17, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”
Jesus himself taught the Apostles leading up to his crucifixion in Jerusalem that the Messiah had to suffer and die and be raised again Matthew 16:21. Jesus also predicted his three days in the grave and resurrection when speaking to the Pharisees he tells them just like Jonah was in the belly of the fish for 3 days so too the Son of man will spend 3 days in the heart of the Earth Matthew 12:38-41.
Invitation to Join God’s Family and the Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus’ mission was not just to fulfill prophecy and demonstrate His deity but to invite all people into a relationship with God and His Kingdom. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God wishes that no one would perish, in other words, God wants all of His creation reconciled to Him, that is the heart of Jesus. God also has allowed us to freely choose or reject him, but Jesus came to reconcile any who were willing to accept His gift of reconciliation.
Invitation to All
Jesus’ invitation is inclusive: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He extends an open invitation to everyone, regardless of background, offering rest and peace. In Acts 2:21 Peter quotes from Joel in his sermon, he ends that quote with “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Everyone. Everyone who puts their faith, hope, and trust, in Jesus will be saved.
Becoming Children of God
The picture of this reconciliation is not impersonal, it is intimate. The Bible tells us that through Jesus not only are we saved through faith in Jesus, but rather we are invited to become children of God. John 1:12 states, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” This relationship is not based on our merit but on faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 8:14-17 tells us that when we have faith we are adopted into God’s family and we become heirs and co-heirs with Christ.
The Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus spoke frequently about the Kingdom of Heaven, describing it as a treasure worth more than anything else (Matthew 13:44-46). He taught that entry into this kingdom is through repentance and faith in Him: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17). The Kingdom of Heaven is characterized by justice, peace, and the presence of God. It begins in this life through a relationship with Jesus and will be fully realized in the age to come. Revelation 21:3-4 paints a picture of this future: “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Eternal Life
Jesus promises eternal life to those who believe in Him: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Again Revelation 21:4 …. “There will be no more death”. This promise is a cornerstone of Christian hope, offering assurance of life beyond this world.
Why Jesus?
Why Jesus? Because He is the fulfillment of ancient prophecies, the embodiment of God on earth, and the gateway to a transformative relationship with God. In short, He is who claimed to be. In Jesus we find the answer to the longing of our hearts, we find an invitation to come home and be a part of God’s family. Jesus declares “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Jesus is inviting you. Jesus came and died for you. Jesus loves you and wants you to spend eternity with him. He won’t force you and he will let you walk away.
If you read this and you are ready to follow Jesus, I am going to invite you to pray (prayer is simply talking with God) this prayer. But this isn’t a pray it and forget it kind of thing. As I talked about at the beginning, faith in Jesus isn’t simple mental assent to truth, it is devotion and loyalty to Jesus that impacts your life. True saving faith is faith that acts.
“Father God, I know that I am a sinner and that I am deserving of the punishment due for sin. I acknowledge and believe that You sent Your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins and that he was raised again on the third day. I believe that his death on the cross is sufficient to cover my sin and I here and now devote my life to you. Send your Holy Spirit to dwell in my heart and guide me. Lord, thank you for loving me, thank you for caring for me, help me serve you and show me what you want me to do.
It is in the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.”
Next Steps
If you prayed that prayer, shoot us an email or reach out to a local church. The Christian life is not done alone. The church is God’s family, and we are to live life together and help each other on this spiritual journey. Make sure you get in touch with someone at a church and let them know about your decision.