In a culture that has increasingly reshaped Jesus into whatever we want Him to be, Pastor Victoria takes us backwards—to the Jesus the disciples walked with, the Jesus the Pharisees confronted, the Jesus the scribes questioned, and the Jesus the Jewish people were forced to reckon with.

Who did Jesus claim to be?

Not simply a teacher.
Not merely a prophet.
Not just a good man.
Not a revolutionary.
Not a spiritual example whose teachings we can selectively apply.

Jesus claimed an identity that demanded a response.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus speaks and acts with an authority that belongs to God alone. He forgives sins. He commands creation. He exercises authority over demons. He receives worship. He declares Himself Lord of the Sabbath. He speaks of glory He shared with the Father before the world existed. And He makes statements that His hearers understood as extraordinary claims about His divine identity.

The disciples weren't simply following a good teacher—they were coming to recognize the Messiah, the Son of God, the Word made flesh.

The Pharisees and scribes weren't merely offended by His personality. They recognized that Jesus was making claims about authority, righteousness, Scripture, the temple, forgiveness, and ultimately His relationship with God that could not be treated as ordinary.

And the question Jesus eventually puts before His disciples is the question every generation must answer:

“But who do you say that I am?”

That question is still standing.

In this episode, Pastor Victoria goes deeper into the biblical and historical context surrounding Jesus to strip away the modern caricatures and confront us with the Christ revealed in Scripture.

We will examine:

• Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God
• His divine authority and His relationship with the Father
• Why the Pharisees and scribes responded so strongly to Him
• What the disciples were actually coming to understand about Jesus
• Why His claims were so radical within first-century Judaism
• Jesus’ authority to forgive sins, judge, save, and give life
• The significance of Jesus receiving worship
• The “I AM” statements and their theological weight
• Why Jesus cannot be reduced to merely a prophet or moral teacher
• The humanity and divinity of Christ—fully God and fully man
• Why our understanding of Jesus determines our understanding of salvation

Because if we get Jesus wrong, we get the Gospel wrong.

If Jesus is merely a teacher, then Christianity becomes a philosophy.

If Jesus is merely a prophet, then His claims become something we can negotiate.

If Jesus is merely a moral example, then the cross becomes little more than an inspirational sacrifice.

But if Jesus is the Son of God—God the Son who took on flesh—then everything changes.

His commands matter.
His words carry eternal authority.
His death was more than martyrdom.
His resurrection was more than symbolism.
His blood was more than an example of love.

He is Lord.

This isn't about creating a Jesus who fits our politics, culture, preferences, emotions, or theology.

It's about surrendering our version of Jesus and asking Scripture to reveal who He actually is.

Because the Jesus of the Bible does not ask us to simply admire Him.

He calls us to believe in Him, follow Him, worship Him, obey Him, and confess Him as Lord.

Who is Jesus really?

Not who have we made Him?

Not who does culture say He is?

Not who would we prefer Him to be?

Who did He say He was?

And what will we do with that truth?

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