Dave M
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JESUS’ CLAIM TO DEITY
Perhaps the first thing to examine is what Jesus said; that is, did He claim to be God? According to Scripture, He did indeed.
Jesus’ first claim to deity is found in His confrontation with Satan. In Matthew 4, Scripture says that Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by Satan. The temptations demonstrate that Satan knew Jesus was God, as do Jesus’ responses.
“8 Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’””
Jesus here claims that God alone is to receive worship. Yet, later in the gospels, Jesus receives worship but does not tell His disciples to stop. The angel in Revelation stopped John from worshiping him, saying worship God, yet Jesus does not prohibit people worshiping Him.
A good example is Matthew 28:9:
“And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.” (see also John 9:38, 20:28, Matthew 8:2, 9:18, 15:25)
In John 5, by calling God His own Father, Jesus made Himself equal with God and, as a result, the Jews sought to kill Him. Furthermore, Jesus claims to be able to do the same things the Father does, which only God can do, namely, raise the dead and give life. Finally, He claims that He will receive the same honor God the Father receives. This could not be a more clear claim to deity:
“18 For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. 19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. 22 For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. 24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
Confirming that only God can put to death and gives life. Deuteronomy 32:39 says,
“‘See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, And there is no one who can deliver from My hand.”
In the John 5 above, Jesus claims this same power, making Himself equal with God. In John 8, Jesus again makes His claim of deity to the Pharisees:
“39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. 40 But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do…. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.”
When Jesus said, “I am”, He was claiming the name of God. This is what God told Moses was His name, and the reaction of the Jews shows they clearly understood what Jesus was claiming.
In John 14, Jesus also claims equality with God:
“7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” 8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.”
In John 10, Jesus is even more direct:
“26 But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.””
Notice Jesus claims He does the same as the Father (gives life, claims equality with the One who is greater than all). Proving that He indeed was claiming to be God, we continue reading in John 10 that the Jews tried to kill Him for making this claim:
“31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.””
Only God can forgive sins, yet Jesus made the same claim. In Mark 2, we read,
“5 And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?””
Clearly, Jesus’ own words show that He claimed to be God.
www.versebyverseministry.org
Perhaps the first thing to examine is what Jesus said; that is, did He claim to be God? According to Scripture, He did indeed.
Jesus’ first claim to deity is found in His confrontation with Satan. In Matthew 4, Scripture says that Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by Satan. The temptations demonstrate that Satan knew Jesus was God, as do Jesus’ responses.
“8 Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’””
Jesus here claims that God alone is to receive worship. Yet, later in the gospels, Jesus receives worship but does not tell His disciples to stop. The angel in Revelation stopped John from worshiping him, saying worship God, yet Jesus does not prohibit people worshiping Him.
A good example is Matthew 28:9:
“And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.” (see also John 9:38, 20:28, Matthew 8:2, 9:18, 15:25)
In John 5, by calling God His own Father, Jesus made Himself equal with God and, as a result, the Jews sought to kill Him. Furthermore, Jesus claims to be able to do the same things the Father does, which only God can do, namely, raise the dead and give life. Finally, He claims that He will receive the same honor God the Father receives. This could not be a more clear claim to deity:
“18 For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. 19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. 22 For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. 24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
Confirming that only God can put to death and gives life. Deuteronomy 32:39 says,
“‘See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, And there is no one who can deliver from My hand.”
In the John 5 above, Jesus claims this same power, making Himself equal with God. In John 8, Jesus again makes His claim of deity to the Pharisees:
“39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. 40 But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do…. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.”
When Jesus said, “I am”, He was claiming the name of God. This is what God told Moses was His name, and the reaction of the Jews shows they clearly understood what Jesus was claiming.
In John 14, Jesus also claims equality with God:
“7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” 8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.”
In John 10, Jesus is even more direct:
“26 But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.””
Notice Jesus claims He does the same as the Father (gives life, claims equality with the One who is greater than all). Proving that He indeed was claiming to be God, we continue reading in John 10 that the Jews tried to kill Him for making this claim:
“31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.””
Only God can forgive sins, yet Jesus made the same claim. In Mark 2, we read,
“5 And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?””
Clearly, Jesus’ own words show that He claimed to be God.
Is Jesus Really God? | Verse By Verse Ministry International
Investigate the pivotal question of Jesus' divinity. Analyzing historical accounts and scriptural evidence, understand why many believe Jesus claimed to be God and the profound ramifications this has for faith and belief.
