The Divinity of Jesus Christ:
A New Apostle - Acts 1
Question: Does the New Testament identify Jesus as God?
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Overview
The divinity of Jesus is established in the New Testament by Jesus claiming divine attributes and divine authority. In addition to this, the New Testament authors apply to Jesus the exclusive titles and descriptions of God (Jehovah) from the Old Testament. It should be noted that although Jesus is God, Jesus is not the Father and Jesus is not the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Second Person of God: Father, Son (Jesus) and Holy Spirit.
The following is an example of Jesus being identified as God in the New Testament.
A New Apostle - Acts 1
Acts 1 can be divided into two sections. The first section describes the final departure and ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:1-14) and the second section the selection of a new apostle to replace Judas Iscariot and reconstitute the Twelve Apostles (Acts 1:15-26). In selecting a new apostle, the Eleven Apostles (as well as those gathered with them) choose two candidates and ask the Lord in prayer to make the correct choice known. Matthias, in contrast to Barsabbas, is then chosen to replace Judas.
Three considerations suggest that the prayer of the Eleven Apostles was addressed to Jesus as God.
First, the prayer identifies God as ‘Lord’. The Lord, according to Acts 1, is a title that applies to Jesus (Acts 1:6 & 1:21-22). It should be noted that God the Father is also identified as ‘Lord’ in Acts (Acts 4:23-31 & 17:16-34), which means that the context should be used to determine the person/subject in view.
Second, the prayer states that God must choose or select the apostle to replace Judas. It was Jesus, according to Acts 1, who previously selected and commissioned the Twelve Apostles (Acts 1:1-2, see also Luke 6:12-16).
Third, the prayer acknowledges that God knows the hearts of all people. Jesus, according to Revelation 2, searches the hearts and minds of all people (Revelation 2:18-29, see also Psalm 7:6-9 & Jeremiah 11:20). This is the divine attribute of omniscience or knowing all things.
In summary, the context of Acts 1 (the title of Jesus as ‘Lord’ and Jesus selecting the Twelve Apostles) as well as other considerations (Jesus knowing the hearts and minds of all according to Revelation 2) indicate that the prayer in Acts 1:24-25 was directed to Jesus as God. The Apostolic Church, and specifically the Eleven Apostles, were asking Jesus to continue directing the work of the Apostles on earth by exercising divine power from heaven. See additionally other occasions in Acts when Jesus performs miracles from heaven (Acts 9:32-35) and speaks with authority to those on earth (Acts 9:1-19).
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Bible Passages
Genesis 4:25-26
(25) Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” (26) Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the LORD.