For the next few weeks leading up to Christmas, I will consider the claims Jesus made about himself. Before I became a follower of Jesus Christ, I knew very little about him—despite the fact I grew up in America and thought myself a Christian.

The Bible presents four accounts of the birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The authors of those accounts proclaim that Israel’s long awaited Messiah, was Jesus Christ. They attest that the prophesies about the Messiah were fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Readers of the Bible—truly everyone—must answer the questions Jesus asks his own disciples,

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Matthew 16:15 (NIV)

The first claim Jesus made took place in a synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth…(Luke 4:16-21)

He (Jesus) went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

What about you? Who do you say Jesus is?