The Scriptures say that Jesus was God and that he became flesh (John 1:1 and 14).  He was “the exact imprint” of God (Hebrews 1:2).  Some have become confused about this and teach that Jesus and the God of the Old Testament were the same or sometimes I see articles claiming Jesus was an angel in the Old Testament.  Neither of these is what the Bible teaches.

As a student of the Word you will find that in the Old Testament, three names and several combinations appear.  YHWH, which is usually translated “Jehovah” in the English language or appears as “LORD” in many English Bible translations, was the powerful God who chose his people (Israel), led them out of Egypt and into the promised land, interacted with them in many ways through judges, kings, prophets, teachers and angels and let his presence/will be known in other ways.  The All Mighty God had the power over all beings to use them to accomplish his goals.

When Jesus came to earth he presented himself as the Son of God.  Throughout the four Gospels Jesus constantly consulted with another.  He referred to him as “Father” and encouraged his followers to do the same.  In John 17, Jesus’ prayer addresses God as someone separate from himself when he says, “Father, the hour has come: glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you” (John 17:2).  That he was not talking to or about himself is confirmed in the verses that follow including John 17:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, etc.  Read, and you will see the point I’m making.

Jesus was not an angel either.  While he had angels ministering to him and he was in a position to call angels to his side at every point, he was not an angel.

So who was Jesus?  He was the very Son of God, taking on human form and living a sinless life and providing the one perfect sacrifice for sins.  This was a once-for-all event on which all history focuses.  Jesus (the name means “Savior”) was God with us (“Emanuel”).  He was not YHWH (“Jehovah”) but rather a separate being who had a mission to fulfill, who worked in full cooperation between Jehovah and himself to provide salvation for us.  Jesus was “God with us” and came to be our savior.