Jesus was a controversial figure in His days on earth, and He still is today. When he rode a donkey into Jerusalem in fulfillment of prophecy (Zech 9:9), the people asked, "Who is this (Mt 21:10)?" When He forgave the the man sick with the palsy, His enemies asked the same question (Lk 5:21). When He forgave the woman who came into the house of Simon, they again asked this question (Lk 7:49). When Herod heard of the miracles of Jesus, he asked this (Lk 9:9). When Jesus called Himself the Son of man, the people asked, "Who is this Son of man (Jn 12:34)?" People have been asking this question about God for millenia. Pharaoh asked it of Moses (Ex 5:2). Nebuchadnezzar asked it of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Dan 3:15). The scribes and Pharisees asked Jesus (Lk 20:2), as did the man born blind (Jn 9:36). The book of Psalms asks 5 times who is like God (35:10, 71:19, 77:13, 89:8, and 113:5). This is a rhetorical question, because there is none to compare to Him (Is 40:18, Is 44:8, Is 46:5). This question is asked about men in the Bible so as to say, "who does he think he is (1Sam 17:26, 1Sam 25:10, 2Chr 2:6, Job 38:2)?"

Jesus asked His disciples who people were saying He is (Mt 16:13-16). Some said He was John the baptizer, some said Elijah, and some said He was one of the prophets. All of these would be miraculous. John was beheaded and buried (Mt 14), Elijah had gone to heaven about 900 years earlier (2Ki 2), and the prophets had all been dead for hundreds of years. Then Jesus asked the question we all must answer. "But whom say ye that I am?" As in those days, there is much confusion today about who Jesus is. Some say He was good man and even a prophet. Some say He was an impostor. Some say He never even existed. Some say He is part of the Godhead. Some say they represent His teachings, but are actually twisting them. Is it possible to know who Jesus really is? It is not only possible, it is essential. Jesus and the apostles warned that many would come and present a false version of Christ (Mt 24:4-5 & 11 & 23-27, 2Cor 11:4 & 13-15, Gal 1:6-9, 2Thes 2:3-12, Jude 3-4, Rev 13). This can be in the form of a total impostor, or misrepresenting what the scriptures teach under the guise of true Christianity, which is particularly dangerous. People try to insert things into the Bible and twist what it says in order to try to show that it supports their agenda. They will be held accountable for this (Rev 22:18-19). People try to make Jesus into someone who He is not to justify themselves. They do this to their own damnation.

The real identity of Jesus is clearly revealed to us in the scriptures, and can be readily understood by those who are truly seeking to know Him as He is. He is the heavenly Father manifested in the flesh to be our Savior (Jn 1:1-3 & 14, Jn 10:30, Jn 14:7-11, 2Cor 5:19, Col 2:9, 1Tim 3:16). He did not come to validate people's personal agendas, especially those that violate the principles of the Bible. He came to save us from our sins (Mt 1:18-21, Mt 18:11, Jn 12:47, 1Tim 1:15). That is what the name Jesus means: Jehovah has become salvation. He came so that we could know Him as He is (1Jn 5:20). Who is this? He is the God of the Old Testament come in the flesh to bring us into a relationship with Him as His children so we can be who God created us to be. Now He can live inside us by His Spirit (Jn 14, Acts 2:1-4 & 38-39, Rom 8).