Benjamin B. Warfield — the Introductory Note to Is Jesus God? Or, Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory: An Argument (New York: Doran, 1912), pp. vii-viii, transcribed from the Internet Archive scan.
Warfield explains how the little volume arose: the members of a Princeton Seminary class, in the Centennial Session of 1911-1912, answered a series of six questions leading from what the Church teaches of the Deity of Christ to the conclusion that Christ is God. He says why one essay is printed on each of the earlier questions and two on each of the later, and commends the work of these young men to a candid reading.
This little volume offers a constructive argument for the Deity of Christ. It owes its origin to an attempt by the members of a class in Princeton Theological Seminary, during the session of 1911-1912—the Centennial Session of the Seminary—to give a reasoned answer to a series of inquiries. These, taken in sequence, raised the salient questions which every one must face who undertakes to investigate historically the evidence for the Deity of Christ. These inquiries, in their order, were:—
- Does the Christian Church teach the Deity of Christ?
- Has the Christian Church always taught the Deity of Christ?
- Do the New Testament writers teach the Deity of Christ?
- Do the Evangelists represent Christ as Himself teaching His Deity?
- Did Jesus teach His own Deity?
- Is Christ God?
A considerable number of essays were presented on each of these topics. Those here printed were selected because they seemed to fit well into one another, and together to present a solid argument for the ultimate conclusion. Naturally, the essays should be read consecutively and with regard to their relation to one another, that their force may be felt. As the importance of the topics increases progressively, it has been thought well, while but one essay is printed on each of the earlier, to print two on each of the later of them. This entails some slight repetition, but it is hoped will be found to add strength to the general presentation of the argument.
It is with great confidence that I place these essays by a company of earnest young men, seeking (and finding) the truth, before a larger public than that for which they were prepared, asking for them a candid—I scarcely need ask an indulgent—reading.
BENJAMIN B. WARFIELD.
PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY,