Who Is Jesus, According to Paul?

One of the most compelling pieces of evidence for the Christian faith is the life of the Apostle Paul and the profound transformation that occurred in him after his conversion to Christianity. Before his salvation, Saul, as he was then called, was a strict Pharisee with a zeal for the religion of his fathers. Because of his Pharisaic education, he regarded Jesus of Nazareth, like his teachers did, as a false Messiah, a rebel, a blasphemer, who was justly condemned to death. And he acted according to his conviction. He took a prominent role in the persecution of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, and delighted in his death.

Not satisfied with this, he obtained from the Sanhedrin, which had the oversight of all the synagogues and disciplinary punishments for offences against the law, full power to persecute and arrest the scattered disciples of Christ. And being armed with this power, he set out for Damascus, the capital of Syria, which had many synagogues. He was determined to exterminate the dangerous sect called 'the Way ' from the face of the earth, for the glory of God.

However, what happened on that road to Damascus changed Paul's life forever, as well as the course of history and the future of the Christian faith. He met the risen Christ.

But just what is it that Paul now believed about Jesus that he didn't believe before his encounter with him? We said in an earlier article that Jesus Christ was the center of Paul's theology. Since that is true, we need to flesh out what Paul actually taught regarding who this person is, called Jesus of Nazareth.

What Paul preached about Jesus was still considered heresy by his fellow Pharisees, and it was 180 degrees different from what he had taught before the miraculous meeting he had with the Lord on the Damascus Road.

Paul believed, first of all, that Jesus is God in the flesh. The first Christian writings that we have in existence are believed by most scholars to be from the pen of the apostle Paul. Paul’s first writings start around A.D. 51 when he penned the book of First Thessalonians. This was about 20 years after the death of Jesus in A.D. 30. Interestingly, Paul’s views on Jesus were without precedent in the Judaism of his time.

As we read his writings, there is no systematic attempt to prove that Jesus is God. He seems to merely assume Christ's deity throughout.

For instance, Colossians 2:9 tells us this about Jesus:

"For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily."

And, even though some scholars argue over the translation of Romans 9:5, it appears to be directly calling Jesus God and would fit the rest of Paul's theology. The apostle, in talking about Israel as a nation, says:

“Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.”

Paul had a high view of Jesus, in which he receives worship and devotion reserved only for the one true God. Also, one way he shows Christ's deity is by taking the monotheistic passages in the Old Testament reserved for Yahweh alone and applying them to Jesus.

Monotheism, of course, is the belief that there is only one God. That is opposed to polytheism, which is a belief in many gods. There are many Pauline passages that we could name, but one that sticks out is 1 Corinthians 2:16, which alludes to Isaiah 40:13. Isaiah 40:13 is in the context of some of the most explicit monotheistic statements in the entire Old Testament. This verse says:

“Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor has taught him?”

In I Corinthians 2:14-16, Paul says this:

"But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."

In this passage, to have the mind of Christ is to have the mind of the Lord. Once again, Paul repeats this pattern throughout his writings. Another clear reference to this is Romans 10:13, which states:

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

This verse is referring back to Joel 2:32. Joel says:

“And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD will be delivered; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as the LORD has said, even among the survivors whom the LORD calls.”

Joel, here is talking about Yahweh, the God of the Jews. Paul applies it directly to Jesus. If we put the evidence all together, there is no escaping the fact that Paul believed that Jesus was Yahweh, the God of the Old Testament.

However, Paul's view of Christ goes well beyond this understanding. Jesus is also seen as the pre-existent Creator of the universe. Let's turn to that next.

Though the term Trinity isn't in the Bible, the idea that there are 3 persons called God, while at the same time there is only one God, certainly is there. And Paul is no exception to that fact. Further, by showing Jesus as not only being there in the beginning, but the originator of the beginning, we can see that Paul is ascribing to him a status greater than merely a created being like the rest of creation. He is the Creator from whom all things have come.

We see this very well in the book of Colossians. In Colossians 1:13-18. Paul says:

"Giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence."

These are things Paul could never have said in his days as a Pharisee. They could only be said of the one true God, Yahweh.

Beyond being the pre-existent Creator, Paul calls Jesus the Lord to whom every knee will one day bow. In Scripture, the term "Lord" is an important word. Its meaning goes beyond a simple title; it encapsulates authority, divinity, and a profound relationship between God and humanity.

In the Old Testament, the name "Yahweh" is frequently translated as "LORD" in all capital letters, denoting the unchanging, self-existent nature of God. Exodus 3:14 reveals God's name as "I AM WHO I AM," illustrating His eternal presence and authority over all creation. This reinforces the idea that God is not just a ruler but the ultimate authority who governs the universe.

The term Lord also embodies the idea of a personal covenant relationship. Psalm 100:3 tells us:

"Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who made us, and we are His."

This idea of Lordship is taken from the context of the Ancient Near Eastern world from which the Bible came. Kings then were often referred to as Lords.

However, the Bible elevates this title to describe the divine kingship of God. In 1 Chronicles 29:11, it states:

"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty."

Here, the biblical authors distinguish the true God from earthly rulers, emphasizing His unmatched power and glory. Well, Paul applies this same title to the resurrected Jesus Christ. This can be seen very nicely in Philippians 2:5-11. Paul is exhorting his followers to copy Christ's humility while, at the same time, showing us how Christ is the exalted Lord. It says:

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

The sad thing is that the Christian church has reduced this concept of Jesus' Lordship to whether or not you have to accept him as Lord to have him as your Savior. In Paul's theology, it is not something you either accept or deny. It is a fact that Jesus is Lord, whether you accept it or not. And one day, he will return to this earth, and all will have to acknowledge it and bow before his throne.

Another concept that should be looked at in seeing how Paul viewed Jesus after his conversion to Christ is a teaching that helps us connect the Old and New Testaments. Paul believed that Jesus was Israel's rejected Messiah who would one day fulfill all of God's promises to his covenant people.
Messiah comes from the Hebrew word mashiach and means “anointed one” or “chosen one.” The Greek equivalent is the word Christos or, in English, Christ. The name “Jesus Christ” is the same as “Jesus the Messiah.” In biblical times, anointing someone with oil was a sign that God was consecrating or setting apart that person for a particular role. Thus, an “anointed one” was someone with a special, God-ordained purpose. Jesus is Israel's long-awaited messiah-king who will reign on Israel's throne forever.

Paul is very open with this title in his writings and even calls himself a bondservant of Jesus Christ. For instance, Romans 1:1-6 states:

"Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ."

It was because Israel rejected Jesus as their messiah that this nation was temporarily set aside, and Paul was raised as an apostle to the Gentiles. The term Gentiles means 'nations' and was used of anyone who was not part of God's people Israel.

He was given the revelation of the mystery of Jew and Gentile alike being saved by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, and they being placed into a new group called the Church, the Body of Christ (Ephesians 3:1-12).

However, Paul also teaches that God is not finished with Israel as a nation and will yet fulfill his promises made to them and their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Romans 9-11 says that, after the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, all Israel will be saved and turn to their Messiah. And he will sit on the throne forever.

This teaching regarding Jesus Christ and Israel has become a central part of Paul's understanding of end-time events, which makes it a major part of his theology.

A final aspect of Paul's theology that we need to discuss is the fact that Paul thought of Jesus as the Second Adam. (Romans 5:14-19; 1 Corinthians 15:45-47; cf. Philippians 2:6). Paul looks at him as the ideal, model man. He is the start of a new humanity. Adam, on the other hand, is seen as the fallen man who brought sin and ruin to the earth and all of humanity. What Adam lost through his fall, Jesus more than gained by means of his obedient, righteous life, suffering, and atoning death for us.

It is through this lens of the first Adam and the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, that Paul pictures the resurrection of the saved dead. I Corinthians 15:20-22 informs us:

"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

One day, those who trust in Christ will be conformed to the image of the Second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, and all of humanity will finally fulfill its purpose of bringing glory to the God who created us.

As we conclude this part of our study about the theology of the apostle Paul, we can conclude that he taught that nothing in this universe is as important as having a relationship with Jesus Christ. As the apostle to the Gentiles himself would say,

"All things were created by him and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." (Colossians 1:16b-17).

At the heart of Christianity, Jesus is recognized, not just as a historical figure but as the very core of our faith. His life, death, and resurrection serve as the foundation of our belief system.

The question is: "How is your relationship with Jesus Christ doing? If you haven't accepted him as your Savior from the sin that separates you from God, then you don't have a relationship at all, and the sooner you get that taken care of, the better off you will be. It will begin an eternal connection with God that will lead to never-ending joy in heaven, which has been prepared by a loving God for his children.

If you have already accepted Christ, then make it your ambition to grow in your relationship with him every day. Too many Christians take their relationship with Jesus Christ for granted. But we cannot get away with that with the Christ that Paul pictures in his writings. As believers, one day, we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and have to answer for what we did with the lives that he gave us. Paul says we will either be rewarded or we will suffer loss.

But if we truly love the Lord Jesus Christ, the greatest loss of all should be for him to be disappointed in us because we wasted the time that could have been used in serving him and bringing more souls to know our Savior.

For those of you who are faithfully serving our Savior, I leave with you the words of the apostle Paul in Galatians 6:9. He tells us:

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

We serve the pre-existent God and Creator of he universe. We serve the Lord to whom every knee will bow. May we thank him every day for that privilege and responsibility, and give him the glory for all that he has done for us.