Jesus Christ's Disciples Understood Him to Be the Creator
The book of Hebrews speaks of the Son as the Being through whom God
created the worlds (Hebrews 1:2) and who "sustains all things by
his powerful word" (verse 3, NRSV). Only God is great enough to
do such things.
John confirms that Jesus was the divine Word through whom God created
the universe: "All things were made through Him, and without Him
nothing was made that was made" (John 1:3; see verses 1-3, 14).
Paul states quite clearly that "God ...created all things through
Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 3:9). He elsewhere writes of Jesus: "For
by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities
or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him" (Colossians
1:16). He adds in verse 17, "and in Him all things consist."
The Old Testament presents God alone as Creator of the universe (Genesis
1:1; Isaiah 40:25-26, 28). When the early followers of Christ say Jesus
is the One through whom all things were created, they are clearly saying
that Jesus is God.
Jesus claimed to be all that God is, and the disciples believed and
taught it. They understood that Jesus was "the express [exact] image
of His [God's] person" (Hebrews 1:3) and "the image of the invisible
God" (Colossians 1:15), and that "in Him the whole fullness of deity
dwells bodily" (Colossians 2:9, NRSV).
They understood precisely who He was and still is from His own words
and actions. There was no question in their minds. They had seen Him
prove it time and time again. They would go to their martyrdom firm in
this conviction.
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