Resurrection

Jesus’ risen appearance was experienced as divine power in human history, and unequivocally implied His divine status. Paul’s recounting of an early Christian kerygma (proclamation) makes this connection between resurrection and divinity quite clear:

the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by His resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord…. (Rm 1:3-4)

Does Jesus’ transformed embodiment and glorified appearance exhaust the evidence for His divinity? Though it is very powerful evidence, it does not. As the above passage from Romans implies, the apostolic Church had access to another entrance of God into history, namely, the Holy Spirit, who was experienced as the personified power of God, and was possessed by Jesus during His ministry, given by Jesus after His resurrection, and connected with the name of Jesus to this very day. James Dunn notes in this regard that:

“wonders and signs” are attributed variously [by Luke in Acts] to the Spirit of God, the name of Jesus and the hand of the Lord, without any attempt being made to explain the relationship of these concepts of power.^[21]