Who Jesus is, is fundamental to having eternal life or eternal damnation in the next life. The Holy Spirit reveals this identity of Jesus to those who are called to believe. Not everyone can see him for who he truly is and scripture records that perfectly. Here we list 13 proofs of Jesus' deity.
- Jesus makes himself equal to God (John 10:30) and the reaction of the religious leaders makes this clear that is how he meant it (John 10:33). They respond "being man, make yourself God" though the 'religious' leaders could not see his true identity and thus did not believe him. The Morphological Greek text and Textus Receptus both use the word "theos". In a monotheistic culture, that word can only mean THE God and not 'a god'. Thus, they knew Jesus was claiming to be equal to The God.
- One of the clearest claims of deity of Jesus is when he made the claim of the title that only God can have (John 8:58). "I AM". This was known as "the name" of God (Ex 3:14). So holy of a title and name that anyone who blasphemes it is killed (Lev 24:16). Jesus goes right ahead and calls himself "the name", I AM (John 8:58). The Mesoritic Text and The Septuagint both render Exodus 3:14 as: "I AM who I AM... You shall say to the sons of Israel I AM has sent you". Following making that declaration, the Jews wanted to kill him because of the magnitude of that claim (John 8:59). The argument that the Pharisees wanted to stone Jesus because he claimed to be Older in age than Abraham is attempted (John 8:57-58). Clearly
they rejected what Jesus was saying and could not see past his bodily
form. In the body they see age and their minds were only set on worldly
understandings. How can Jesus be divine if he looks like hes younger
than 50 years old? They knew he was claiming to be divine and having
existed before Abraham was born, but they could not see the truth to
this beyond his physical appearance. The reason for
stoning him was not because of his age claim but relates to his
preexistence claim. Jesus simple claim to them was that he existed
before Abraham. But why would that require a sentence of stoning
(death)? Because of what he said AFTER his preexistence claim, when he
then claimed THE name of God, "I AM". This claim, unless from God
himself, is what requires a death penalty for blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16). Next argument is that 'some bible translations do not have "I AM" (John 8:58)' We
must look at what is contained in the biblical manuscript text types.
The Textus Receptus and Morphological text types both contain ἐγὼ εἰμί which translates "I am". Which means 'to exist, to be' is the same word used in Exodus 3:14 in Hebrew הָיָה in the Masoretic Text and same exact word used in the Septuagint text.
Jesus is recorded using the exact same words and phrase that Moses
recorded God stating in Exodus.
- The apostle John fully understood the identity of Jesus, He makes it perfectly clear who Jesus is and straight up says "the word was God" (John 1:1). That God himself clothed himself in flesh, but was still God (John 1:14). John 1:1 in a literal translation reads thus: "In beginning was the
word, and the word was with the God, and God was the word." Notice that
it says "God was the word." This is the actual word-for-word
translation but for a fluid understanding in English, "the Word was God"
is translated. An "a" inserted into John 1:1 to render it "was a god" is not in any biblical manuscripts. This is a
added word in the failed New World translation. The Alexandrian Text types and
Byzantine Text Types both say θεός (theos) or "God". There is no "a".
- We see that Luke expresses that God bought the church with his own blood, the blood of Jesus. That makes Jesus God (Acts 20:28). With whos blood? God's "own blood". The greek word, in both
Alexandrian texts and majority texts, ἴδιος idios literally means "His
own". Some add the word "son" to render the verse "His own son" but that is not in the text. The author knew the difference between God and
his Son, yet, purposely did not include the distinction of the son and
God different here; for the simple fact that even though the Son and
Father are unique, they are still The Triune God.
- Testimony of others in scripture also reveals how people understood Jesus as. Thomas bluntly declared Jesus as "my Lord and my God" (John 20:28). Jesus did not correct or rebuke Thomas' confession but instead embraced it. In the Greek, in John 20:28, Thomas
said to Jesus, "ho kurios mou, kai ho theos mou," - "The Lord of me, and
the God of me." If Jesus was not God, or just "a" god, then should Jesus
have corrected Thomas? Should Jesus have said, "No,Thomas, I am
not the God. I am a god." or "I am not a god, please do not worship me for it is blasphemy to do so"? But Jesus did not. He embraced what Thomas explicitly said.
The correct translation of this verse is important. Some will argue that Thomas was just surprised and exclaimed "oh my gosh" kind of remark. This is a failed western view that a religious Jew would not have said given that phrase was not in that culture. Without adding to context that isn't there of John 20:28,
there is no getting around the fact that Thomas called Jesus 2 things,
Lord AND God. Separating the two is assuming what is not stated. The
combination of the two is.
- Peter declares in 2 Peter 1:1 that we obtain righteousness from "our God and savior Jesus Christ". The Alexandrian text types and Textus Receptus texts literally states: τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Which translates to: "of our God and Savior Jesus Christ". Peter purposefully and literally connects God to Jesus.
- Isaiah understood that God himself was coming to earth in the form of a man. Isa 9:6 states "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and
the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace". Some will ignorantly argue that "mighty god" and "Almighty God" are two different gods. But when we look at other places in scritpure and given the context we see this is not the case here. Isa 10:21 states "The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God". The same word for God as 'mighty' is used. Same word is used in Jeremiah 32:18 describing God. Both refer directly to God The Father; which is the same word referring to Jesus in Isa 9:6.
- Only God deserves worship. Throughout scripture we see instances of people worshiping Jesus and Jesus accepts their worship (Matthew 2:11; 14:33; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38). Some will argue that they mearly 'bowed down'. The failed New World Translation attempts to re-translate the words in an attempt to erase the worship of Jesus. But they did worship Jesus. Matthew 2:11 specifically states: "and fell down, and worshiped him" not only did they "bow down" but ALSO/AND "worshiped HIM". Matthew 14:33 specifically uses the literal word "worship" προσκυνέω proskyneō. Also the same specific word in Matthew 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38.
The New World Translations attempts to render Matthew 2:11 as "and falling down, they did obeisance to him". Sounds good right? Welp, that is not what ANY of the biblical manuscripts say. Yes they fell down, as stated, but then they bowed again after falling down? The word obeisance is used because if "bowed down" was used, it would expose the absurdity of the translation. The translation in and of itself does not make sense, "and falling down, they bowed down to him"? Secondly, this word, is the same word used in Rev 7:11, 11:16; and occurs 65 times in the Textus Receptus New Testament for the same word describing worship of God.
The authors could have used different wording to describe their actions
but chose that specific word of worship. These actions were rebuked by
Peter when people worshiped Peter "As Peter was about to enter,
Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him. 26 But Peter
helped him up. “Stand up, he said, “I am only a man” myself. " The same
word, with the same meaning and purpose is used. Jesus never rebuked
anyone who did the same act of worship. Some people will probably argue that
yes, he is worshiped as 'a god' but not THE God. That idea, again, is
foreign in scripture. But Jesus says that only God is to be worshiped (John 4:24) and the same word to describe the action is used.
- The author of Hebrews 1:8 makes this connection. First, he says "but of the Son [Jesus] He [God] says". Then goes into what God says about His Son: "Your throne O God is Forever and ever". God even declares that the Son is God. So, rendered in plain english: But of the Son He Says your throne O God is forever and ever. That they are one and the same.
- Titus 2:13 is much like other instances in scripture where Jesus is equated to God himself. "the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus". These two are purposefully put together. Jesus Christ is both God and Savior according to Paul when writing to Titus.
- Isaiah 7:14 gives an interesting name to the child who will be born from a virgin. The name is Immanuel- which literally means "God with us" as defined in Matthew 1:23. Jesus was then born from a virgin and called Immanuel. The Magi understood what Isaiah said and the meaning of this name. When they saw baby Jesus, they bowed down AND worshiped him (Matthew 2:11). The word here used for their action of worship is the same word used when describing others worshiping God.
- Colossians 2:9-10 Paul could not make it anymore clear to that church when he said "in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form". Another elegant way of saying "...the word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14) without calling him by his name 'Immanuel' (see #11).
- Mark 10:17 states "“As Jesus started on his way, a man ran
up to him and fell on his knees before him. ‘Good teacher,’ he asked,
‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘Why do you call me good?’
Jesus answered. ‘No one is good – except God alone." At first glance without thought (being told what to think) it is easy to assume that Jesus is denying that he is God. Except, Jesus is actually challenging him to consider what he is saying. First, notice Jesus did NOT say HE was NOT Good. 1 Peter 2:22 states that Jesus never sinned (also Hebrews 4:15; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5) and 1 Peter 1:19 said he was without blemish. Jesus calls himself The GOOD Shepard (John 10:11). God's creation was 'good' before sin entered the world. Thus, because Jesus was sinless, he IS good. Jesus kept leading people to this cross road of his true identity (John 8:46). Since Jesus IS good, and he said that only God is good than Jesus guides us to the conclusion that Jesus is God. Jesus' statement is true and does NOT disprove his deity but instead leads to that very conclusion.
- Logic helps us correctly see the identity of Jesus. Jesus existed prior to the creation of ALL things. John 1:1,3 explains that Jesus is the creator in that he existed before ALL THINGS were created. If Jesus was a created thing, than ALL things could not exist since everything was created THROUGH him. Therefore he is outside of creation and existing eternally since ALL created things came into existence through him already existing. There is only ONE God who exists eternally; thus, Jesus must be God in order to exist prior to ALL things created. Time is a created thing, for Jesus to have created time, he must exist outside of it; Jesus is eternal. The New World Translation, in Colossians 1:16-17, then adds the word "other" in the text to insinuate that Jesus was first created and then everything else was created. First, this is not in agreement with John 1:3 and second the word "other" in Colossians is not in ANY biblical manuscript. The Konie Greek word used in other places in the bible is ἄλλος. This word is purposely NOT used in Colossians 1:16-17. Next logical deduction is the authority and power of Jesus. Besides his authority and power to create (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17), He alone had the authority to forgive (Ps. 130:3-4) sin as though he was The righteous Judge (which he does claim in Matthew 25:31-33). Even the teachers of the law found this offensive because only God has that divine authority; which is why they said it was blasphemy (Matthew 9:1-8). Jesus has the divine authority to be the one who gives eternal life (John 10:28). No one besides God has the absolute authority to declare these. God the Father is able to give him absolute divine authority because after all he is God (Matthew 28:18). Thus, God remains the absolute authority in all the universe.
- Jesus declared it, the Apostles understood it, and Jews hated him for it, and the later church teachers through history also believed it- that Jesus is God. Ignatius of Antioch (105AD), a disciple of the Apostle John stated this:
"God Himself was manifested in human form for the renewal of eternal
life" He later states "Continue in intimate union with Jesus Christ our
God" and "I pray for your happiness forever in our God, Jesus Christ". Justin Martyr (150AD) stated this: "The Father of the universe has a
Son. And He, being the first-begotten Word of God, is even God".
Irenaeus of Lyons (185AD) stated "He indicates in clear terms that He is
God, and that His advent was in Bethlehem… God, then, was made man, and
the Lord Himself save us". And "He is God for the name Emmanuel
indicates this". Hippolytus (203AD) stated this: "The Logos alone of
this One is from God Himself. For that reason also, He is God. Being of
the substance of God. In contrast, the world was made from nothing.
Therefore, it is not God". Tertullian (213AD) even declared "For the
very church itself--properly and principally--the Spirit Himself, in
whom is the Trinity [trinitas], of the One Divinity: Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit". Origen (228AD) stated "Saving baptism was not complete except by the
authority of the most excellent Trinity of them all. That is, it is made
complete by naming the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In this, we join
the name of the Holy Spirit to the Unbegotten God (the Father) and to
His Only-Begotten Son".
From day zero with Jesus declaring it, all the way up to year 228AD with Origen and beyond, we see that Jesus has always been declared as God in the true Christian faith.
What Does Holy Scripture tell us about the Identity of Jesus?
- Jesus claimed God's title and name
- The religious leaders understood Jesus was claiming to be God
- The apostles believed Jesus was God
- People confessed and worship Jesus as God.
Also read
The Triune God of Christianity
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