The Apostles of Jesus explain the identity and purpose of Jesus

The Apostles, or Disciples, of Jesus were those who were closest to Him. They met Him, followed Him and listened to everything He said. They were from different backgrounds but all became captivated by His personality, changed by His teaching and astonished at what He did. What was their conclusion as to the identity and purpose of Jesus? What written account did they leave as their testimony for us?

Here are a few of the writings of the Apostles which clearly show they came to believe Jesus to be God's Son and the long awaited and promised Saviour and Messiah. These Bible verses amplify and develop everything Jesus said about who he was and his purpose in coming into the world and are often presented in the most awesome language leaving us in no doubt that those who were closest to Jesus saw His Perfect Manhood and Eternal Deity.

Bible Verses giving the Apostles explanation of the identity and purpose of Jesus

1. Son of the Living God become Man

In Caesarea Philippi Jesus asks his disciples who his listeners think he, the Son of Man is. The answer that is given indicates that there was confusion about the identity of Jesus. So Jesus asks the disciples what they think. It is Simon Peter that answers and he says that he believes Jesus is the promised Messiah and the Son of the Living God. Jesus accepts his answer, affirming it to be true.

Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 16:13,15-17

Having then a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let's hold tightly to our confession.
Hebrews 4:14

The Word became flesh, and lived amongst us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14

2. From Eternity

From the beginning, Jesus is the Word, the Word of God and Divine. Jesus was with God and was God as far back as it is possible to go. The Word helps to explain Jesus: he is God's message, God's speech, God's truth, bringing God's eternal will into existence.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1

3. Creator

Jesus, God's Son, was the one who created all things according to God the Father's will. He is the source of all life. He is the source of all truth; when he came into the world, truth came.

All things were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
John 1:3,4

4. The Lamb of God

Jesus is God's perfect Lamb. By his sacrificial death he makes atonement for sin.

The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:29

5. The Sinless High Priest

Jesus experience temptation but was without sin. He is the perfect High Priest and Mediator between Man and God.

For we don't have a high priest who can't be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:15

6. The heir of creation (the one who is legally entitled to the creation)

Every attribute of God the Father was made visible in his Son Jesus. Love, truth, light, righteousness, purity, holiness, justice. Jesus is the heir of all creation; it is his by right. Jesus is the creator of both the physical and spiritual universes and they exist for him and belong to him.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
Colossians 1:15

For by him all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible things and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things have been created through him and for him.
Colossians 1:16

7. Sustainer

Jesus existed before the creation and now sustains the creation. We do not know in what ways he does this but we understand that if Jesus were not to sustain it, we conclude the creation would revert to chaos.

He is before all things, and in him all things are held together.
Colossians 1:17

8. The First

Jesus is the first to rise from the dead, head of the church and the first in all things.

He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.
Colossians 1:18

9. Redeemer

Everything that is God the Father, is seen in his Son. In giving his life on the cross, Jesus has reconciled both earth and heaven to God - made possible complete restoration and harmony between God the Father and all creation.

For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him, and through him to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on the earth or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.
Colossians 1:19,20

10. Glory of the Father

The Son is the glory and image of the Father and the one who executes the Father's will. He has become the perfect mediator.

His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Hebrews 1:3

11. Unchanging

Jesus is eternal and unchanging. This testifies to his Deity.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8

12. Became a servant

When Jesus became man he put aside his rights as God's Son, taking the form of a servant to save mankind.

Who, existing in the form of God, didn't consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
Philippians 2:6-8

13. Mediator

Jesus Christ, God's Son is the only mediator between man and God the Father.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 2:5