If the Divinity of Christ is so important to Christian faith, why is he not stating it overtly?

Jesus Christ has never stated overtly that He is God, and this has to do with some reasons. First of all, Christ’s mission has to be attentively and considerately focused. He empties himself and humbly comes, showing his subordination to the Father and obeying what the Father sends him to do. Jesus was sent to this earth for the salvic work, and it is clearly not a part of his message that He has to announce it.

For the prophetic fulfillment’s sake, Christ does not explicitly declare his divinity. There are many prophecies found in the Old Testament prophesying about Christ’s advent and his works on earth as a human. Jesus Christ was fulfilling what had scripturally been said about Him. If He is to publicize his divinity, he will be doing what is contradictory to the biblical truths, and void the creditability of the whole bible. Jesus was born under the laws-abiding period that people were so concerned and cautious of the usage of the term “God”. God was seen as high and exalted, holy and divine that one could not just go near or just simply and freely refer to because doing so was regarded as blasphemy, and consequently stoning to death was the punishment. They would reject whatever man did as ascribing to God.

Furthermore, Christian faith is not based on what is explicitly stated or seen only. Often, Jesus talks about faith. Hence since faith is so vitally important for Christian, it does not sound good for Christ to overtly state his divinity. It will be so easy, then, if everything is plainly revealed that people do not have to spiritually exercise faith in following Him. He is a mysterious God that we will never be able to completely understand. It is still faith that works along the way as we continue to live on earth, waiting for his second glorious coming.

The importance and relevance of Historical Jesus to the Divinity of Christ

As much as Christians concern, the center of Christianity is all about Jesus Christ who is recognized and accepted as the true Lord and Savior. The movement of the Historical Jesus has played a challenging role to the divinity of Jesus Christ. Instead of frightening and confusing about the divinity of Christ, it opens the windows for Christians to know Christ, the real God even more. It pioneers a way for us to openly recognize the importance of the historical facts and to partially perceive the historical evidences to prove the reality of the divine Jesus. This movement presents and allows us to be watchful of different aspects, and it also urges us to learn to discern the truth about who Christ is humanly and divinely with regards to the faith that is required.