🎙️ Show Notes: The Deity of Christ with Robert BowmanThis is a summary of the Apologetics 315 podcast episode featuring an interview with
Rob Bowman. Bowman is the president of the Institute for Religious Research (IRR) in Cedar Springs, Michigan, and the author or co-author of 15 books on topics including apologetics, Christology, and the Trinity.This conversation, hosted by Brian Auten and Chad Gross , explores the evidence for the deity of Christ and how believers can be equipped to explain this core doctrine.🔑 Key Takeaways & Topics
- Guest Information: Rob Bowman is the president of the Institute for Religious Research (IRR) and has written or co-authored 15 books, including works on Christology and the Trinity.
- Book Focus: The discussion is based on two of Bowman's books:
- Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ
- The Incarnate Christ and His Critics, a Biblical Defense
- The Deity of Christ: The hosts note that this is a critical topic. Bowman emphasizes that the goal for Christians is to have a "real tool" to use in conversations to explain why the New Testament teaches Jesus was God incarnate.
🤔 Addressing Skepticism: Did Jesus Explicitly Claim to Be God?A common skeptical question is why Jesus never explicitly said, "I am God". Bowman responds by noting that Jesus also avoided making other direct claims, such as:
- He never claimed to be Michael the Archangel or an angel of any sort.
- He generally avoided saying, "I am the Messiah".
- His favorite title for himself, "the Son of Man," is never used by him in a first-person singular claim ("I am the Son of Man").
Bowman suggests that Jesus'
reticence was because his identity needed to be
shown, not just told. He let his words and deeds "add up in people's minds" so that the full picture would be clear after his resurrection. Critics often commit the
fallacy of appealing to silence (carpeting what the Bible
doesn't say) instead of dealing with what the texts
do say.
🚨 Theological Confusion in the ChurchBowman highlights a concerning issue: how many evangelical Christians are actually confused about who Jesus is, with many believing he is a
created being. The main reason for this lack of understanding is a serious
lack of theological education in congregations. Many pastors avoid "stronger teaching" that challenges people's minds , but a lack of sound doctrine makes Christians vulnerable to "any wind of false doctrine" and skepticism.
🙏 The Apologetic Role of Christ's DivinityThe doctrine of Christ's divinity plays a crucial role:
- Personal Enrichment: Understanding Jesus' person and work is meant to enhance and enrich a Christian's personal relationship with Him, fostering appreciation and love for Christ.
- Honoring Jesus: Jesus is worthy of the same honor that is given to God the Father (John 5:23).
- Answering Skepticism: The evidence of Jesus' resurrection is "overwhelming historical evidence" that validates his claims and the claims of the early church. The incarnation shows that God is not distant, as he got involved in the world to "feel the pain of the world".
🖐️ The HANDS Acronym: A Case for Christ's DeityBowman and his co-author, Ed Komoszewski , created the
HANDS acronym as an effective and easy-to-remember way to categorize the lines of argument for the deity of Christ found in the New Testament.
H - HonorsJesus receives
divine honors such as worship, prayer (e.g.,
Maranatha, "Oh, Lord, come," a prayer used by the first Jewish Christians in Aramaic ), and glory. Jesus commanded disciples to love him more than their parents, which in an honor/shame culture, puts him at the level of God.
A - AttributesJesus possesses
divine attributes like being
eternal (not a created being) and
omniscience (knowing the hearts of people to judge them fairly ). He also exhibits human attributes in the Incarnation.
N - NamesJesus is given
divine names such as God (sparingly, but used) , Lord (in the context of the Old Testament name Yahweh/Jehovah) , Savior, and the First and the Last. Thomas called Jesus "my Lord and my God" after the resurrection (John 20:28).
D - DeedsJesus performs
divine deeds that only God can do. These include:
Creation (all things came into being through him) ,
Forgiving sins on his own prerogative (not merely as a delegate) ,
Casting out demons and
healing with effortless, direct authority, unlike the apostles who did so
in the name of Jesus Christ , and
Judging humanity at the end of the age.
S - Seat of God's ThroneJesus sits at the right hand of God the Father, ruling over all creation from the very
throne room of God. This is considered a "crowning point" in the overall case.The cumulative weight of all five points is what makes the case powerful, arguing that Jesus must be God, as no one else is permitted to do all these things. These points are not superimposed, but are found coordinated together in single passages of scripture, such as Matthew 28:16-20, John 1:1-18, and Colossians 1:12-20.
🔗 Connect with Robert Bowman
- Personal Author Website: robertboman.net
- Ministry Website (IRR): IRR.org for hundreds of free articles on Christianity and other religions
