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see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the
clouds 1 of heaven.' It is impossible to misunderstand the meaning of
the claim here made. The words 'Thou hast said' alone would have been enough,
since they were equivalent to saying, 'What thou hast said is true.' But Christ
added the rest of the verse in order to prevent the possibility of any doubt on
the subject. Nor did those who heard His reply feel any doubt as to His meaning.
They understood that in the clearest manner He had claimed to be the promised
Messiah and the Son of God. Accordingly it is written: 'Then 2 the
high priest rent his garments, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy: what further
need have we of witnesses: what think ye? They answered and said, He is worthy
of death.' Death was the penalty enjoined by the Law
(توراة) of Moses for blasphemy
3: and the claim which the Lord Jesus had then made would have been
clearly blasphemous if it had not been strictly and literally true.
(3) On another occasion it is written that the Lord Jesus Christ claimed in
the most solemn manner to the manifestation
(مَظْهَرُ) of God, and claimed to reveal Him
in such a way as to make Him visible to believers in Himself, and to give
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PROOF OF THE DEITY OF CHRIST
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them true knowledge of God. Accordingly Christ said to His disciples: 'If
1 ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also: from
henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.' It seems that at least one of the
disciples failed to understand these words, for Philip said to Him, 'Lord,
2 show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.' But the Lord Jesus Christ was
resolved not to permit any one to entertain any doubt about the great truth
which He taught. He, therefore, replied: 'Have 3 I been so long time
with you, and dost thou not know me Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the
Father; how sayest thou, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the
Father, and the Father in me? the words that I say unto you I speak not from
myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works. Believe me that I am in
the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.'
Christ had said this before in almost the same words at different times. Thus it
is written that He said, 'He 4 that beholdeth me beholdeth him that
sent me.' And to the Jews He said: 'If 5 I do not the works of my
Father, believe me not. But if I do them, though ye believe not me, believe the
works: that ye may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the
Father.' On that occasion the Jews had understood what His
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