No individual in the course of human civilization has influenced the world in the manner that Jesus of Nazareth has. How could the son of a carpenter, who lived 2,000 years ago in an irrelevant and insignificant part of the world, have created such a dramatic global impact on us today?
One plausible explanation suggests that this individual was more than just a man. Fulfilled prophecies, miraculous events, and a resurrection explain why history has forever been altered by his existence.
Nevertheless, many religions deny that Jesus is the eternal Creator of all things–Yahweh (God first revealed his name as Yahweh to Moses in Exodus 3:13-15). This is why I wanted to write this article. It is not necessarily intended for the atheist, but rather for individuals from various religious backgrounds who believe in some kind of god, but deny that Jesus was God.
For example, the Mormons say that Jesus is a god of this world, but claim he hasn’t existed eternally as God; rather, he is one of Elohim’s spirit children. Muslims believe that Jesus was only a great man and prophet. Jehovah Witnesses believe that Jesus is a created being who is actually Michael the Archangel. The Jews think that Jesus was a religious teacher. The Buddhists and Hindus claim that Jesus was just a good spiritual teacher.
Many non-Christians, especially Muslims, love challenging Christians by saying something like, “Show me in the Bible where Jesus said, ‘I am God, worship me.’” They believe they have stumped the Christian as that exact sentence isn’t stated in the Bible.
All of these individuals use proof texts (verses taken out of context) within the Bible attempting to prove their claims. Let’s see what a proper interpretation of the Bible has to say about Jesus, and who Jesus thought himself to be.
Biblical Evidence for the Divine Jesus
To gain a better understanding of who Jesus was, it will be beneficial to see how he was viewed by himself, his enemies, and his followers. There are numerous occasions where all three indicated that he was more than just a man. So, the next time your religious non-Christian friend says, “Show me in the Bible where Jesus ( _______ ),” you can review some of the following information with them!
(1) Jesus Forgave Sins
Jesus stated that he had the ability to forgive sins and we saw him do so throughout the Gospels (Mark 2:10; Luke 7:48); however, this was something only Yahweh had the ability to do (Isaiah 43:25). John the Baptist also exclaimed that Jesus was here to absolve the world of their sins against God, crying, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”[1] (John 1:29, ESV).
(2) Messianic Status
Jesus affirmed his Messianic position (Mark 10:45), predicted his own death (Matthew 16:21), and how it would be performed based on the prophecy of Isaiah (Is. 53:5). Prominent theologian and historian Michael Bird explains that
“Jesus’ birth, teachings, miraculous deeds, prophetic actions, death, and resurrection are put in service of a theologically embedded narrative that defines and defends the notion that Jesus is the Messiah.”[2]
This Messianic position is important because it links Israel to Christianity and finally delivers Israel’s long-awaited redeemer that the Hebrew Scriptures promised. This means Christianity could not be some new mystery religion influenced by Hellenistic pagan cults, but rather a “new” movement rooted in historical Judaism which existed centuries before the Greco-Roman era. Jesus was Israel’s Messiah, just not the one everyone expected due to his shameful death on a cross, and a resurrection occurring before the end of the world.
(3) Divine Authority
Jesus spoke with divine authority in a completely different fashion than all of the other prophets before him. Those prophets began their declarations with a command from God, making it clear that their message wasn’t derived from themselves. The great theologian Joachim Jeremias points out that
“‘Thus says the Lord’ which is used by the prophets to show that their words are not their own wisdom, but a divine message. In a similar way, the ‘verily I say unto’ that introduces the sayings of Jesus expresses his authority.”[3]
In other words, when Jesus was speaking, it showed that he was standing in place of God while giving certain commands. Theologian William Lane Craig adds,
“But it’s not just that Jesus placed his personal authority on a par with that of the divine Law. More than that, he adjusted the Law on his own authority.”[4]
While many Jewish scholars have attempted to show that all of Jesus’ teachings were in harmony with traditional Judaism, they have been unsuccessful. Craig says,
“Jesus’ opposition of his own personal authority to the divine Torah given through Moses is the rock upon which all such attempts are finally broken.”[5]
When we see Jesus’ personal authority outweighing the Torah, you can understand why those attempts fail.
Jesus clearly demonstrated this when adjusting the Mosaic Law regarding divorce in Matthew 5:32. Here, Jesus references the Law in Deuteronomy 24, and overrides it based on his own authority and changes it. Nobody, no matter their God-given status, could ever have the right, or ability, to modify the Torah, unless it was God himself. Jesus did just that.
(4) Eternality of Jesus
When speaking with the Pharisees, Jesus spoke of his eternality and claimed divine personhood when saying, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). This parallels the encounter in Exodus 3:14 when Yahweh revealed himself to Moses, stating, “I AM hath sent me to you.”
Moreover, in John 1:1-3, Jesus is showing a co-eternal status with God, which is an attribute only belonging to God (Psalm 90:2). John 1:1 highlights the eternality of Jesus, saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This declares Jesus as the eternal Word who is now personified in flesh.
Biblical scholars G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson state,
“Instead of ‘In the beginning God created,’ John has ‘In the beginning [i.e., prior to creation] was the Word.’ This locates Jesus’ existence in eternity past with God and sets the stage for John’s lofty Christology.”[6]
Biblical scholar Mark Gundry explains that we see the Word (Jesus) and God preexisting together in the beginning before all of creation, saying that Jesus and God are identical yet distinguishable. Regarding John 1:1, Gundry notes,
“‘With God’ distinguishes the Word from God and indicates a close, face-to-face relation with him. How close? And the Word was God. So close that the Word was identical with God at the same time as distinguishable from him.”[7]
This can only make sense if the doctrine of the Trinity is true.
Lastly, Jesus is said to have created everything in existence: invisible and visible, thrones, powers, rulers, dominions, and so forth (Colossians 1:16), which is something only Yahweh, the eternal Creator did, and had the ability to do (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-3). The Father and the Son worked together in creation.
(5) Son of Man
A powerful claim that Jesus made to show that he is God, is found in Mark 14:60-64. Here, we have Jesus at his trial, and when the high priest asks him, “‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am: and you will see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven.’ Then the high priest tore his clothes, and said, ‘What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy: what do you think?’ And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.”
By making this claim, Jesus is referring to himself as the divine figure seen in Daniel 7:13-14, who would ultimately judge the world, have all nations serve him, and sit at the right hand of God the Father (right hand is a sign of power). This is how the Jews were able to send Jesus to the Roman authorities to be charged with treason and killed.
Renowned theologian Gerald O’Collins explains another element concerning the Son of Man status that Jesus held and how he is credited the title of Alpha and Omega, noting,
“The ‘one like a son of man’ (Rev. 1:13; a direct allusion to Dan. 7:13) is described as having hair and a head ‘white as white wool, white as snow’ (Rev. 1:14), a description taken from Daniel’s vision of God as the Ancient of Days (Dan. 7:9). When the exalted Christ proceeds to call himself ‘the first and the last’ (Rev. 1:17), he makes the same claim as the Lord God does in Revelation 1:8.”[8]
The only being in the universe to possess the title Alpha and Omega or “the first and the last,” was the Almighty eternal God–Yahweh.
(6) Jesus Performed Miracles
When Jesus performed miracles, he was implicitly claiming divinity. He performed these on his own doing, rather than relying on a source of higher power as other individuals did. Jesus also displayed power over natural laws that govern our universe, demonstrating his sovereignty over nature when he calmed the blustery winds and stilled the violent waves (Mark 4:39). This kind of power of nature was indicative of the One true God.
Additionally, when Jesus healed the deaf, blind, lame and raised people from the dead, this was symbolic of wielding the very power of Yahweh. It was representative of the God of Israel coming to earth himself to heal their nation and redeem mankind.
(7) Authority Over Demons
The divine nature of Jesus was also conveyed by his complete authority over demonic beings as they cried out before him acknowledging his divinity (Mark 1:24). Luke 4:41 says, “And demons also came out of many, crying, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.” Jesus maintained preeminence and control over all angelic beings which is something only their Creator could do.
(8) Jesus Was All-Knowing
Another attribute shared between Yahweh and Jesus is their omniscience. Other than God, there is no being in the universe that possesses infinite knowledge. Jesus reveals his divine knowledge by analyzing the internal thoughts of the Pharisees as they conspired against him (Luke 5:22), along with the inner struggles and concerns of his disciples. Peter also said that Jesus knows all things (John 21:17). The only other being to possess infinite knowledge is the God of the Old Testament (Psalm 139:2; 147:5). It is evident that Jesus possessed a divine nature equivalent to Yahweh’s.
But what about a verse like Matthew 24:26 which states, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” Doesn’t this show that Jesus is not all-knowing? Nope. This is because Jesus possessed two natures: one human and one divine, hence this is why he’s referred to as: The God-man.
Jesus was truly God and truly man which allowed him to increase in knowledge in his human nature (Luke 2:52), while possessing all power in heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18). Any other way of trying to understand this concept known as the hypostatic union would be completely irrational and nonsensical.
(9) Jesus’ Enemies Believed He Claimed to be God
The enemies of Jesus certainly believed he was claiming divine status. The Pharisees attempted to kill him for blasphemy when Jesus unified himself with God the Father. They justified their attack by telling Jesus, “because you, being a man, make yourself God” (John 10:33). Ultimately, Jesus was crucified because the Jews recognized that he was equating himself with God (John 5:18).
(10) Jesus Accepted Worship
The Israelites had been commanded all throughout Scripture to never worship any other thing besides God (Exodus 20:3, 34:14; Deut. 5:7; Jer. 25:6; Matt. 4:10). Nothing in the universe was to receive worship apart from the One true living God.
When angels made proclamations to individuals, the immense power and sheer magnificence of these creatures initiated a reaction in some people, causing them to fall down and begin worshiping. However, these messengers would make it explicitly clear that they were not to be worshiped and would have that person stop bowing and stand up (Rev. 22:8-9).
Yet, the disciples of Jesus worshiped him when Jesus walked on water approaching them: “And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God’” (Matt. 14:33). Jesus did not stop them from worshiping. When Thomas cried out “My Lord and My God!” (John 20:28), Jesus accepted his worship and affirmation. Furthermore, the angels were instructed to worship him (Hebrews 1:6), and the Magi worshiped him in the Christmas story (Matt. 2:11). To worship any other being besides God would be considered idolatry–a major sin.
The most unmistakable time when Jesus receives worship takes place in Revelation 5:11-14. Go read these verses! Here, we see the ultimate form of worship expressed directly toward God the Father and Jesus by all creation. “And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’” (v. 13).
(11) Jesus Identified as Yahweh in the Gospel of John
One of my personal favorite examples of Jesus being directly referred to as God, is a passage that is often overlooked while reading the Gospel of John. Theologian James White explains the profundity of this passage, describing that in John 12:37-41, John cites two passages from Isaiah to a group of individuals that did not believe in Jesus.
John first quotes from Isaiah 53, which prophesies the future ministry and suffering of Jesus. John says the unbelieving Jews were a fulfillment of this passage because they didn’t believe in Jesus, even after witnessing His miracles and signs.
John then quotes from Isaiah 6 when Isaiah saw Yahweh God sitting on the throne in His temple where the angels were crying out, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3). In this temple vision, Isaiah is commanded by God to deliver a message of judgement to the unbelievers of his day. John knows this passage is as a prophetic fulfillment and applies it to the unbelieving Jews of his day.
Then John says, “These things said Esaias (Isaiah), when he saw his glory, and spake of him” (John 12:41). The immediate context here refers to Isaiah 6 and the temple vision. White notes,
“Therefore, if we ask Isaiah, ‘Whose glory did you see in your vision of the temple?’ he would reply, ‘Yahweh’s.’ But if we ask the same question of John, ‘Whose glory did Isaiah see?’ he would answer with the same answer—only in its fullness, ‘Jesus.’ Who, then, was Jesus to John? None other than the eternal God in human flesh, Yahweh.”[9]
(12) Early Church Identifies Jesus as Yahweh
Moreover, the divine name Yahweh was attributed to Jesus by the early church in the first century. Cambridge historian Richard Bauckham explains the use of an early Christian phrase found in Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians and 2 Timothy, stating that
“The Old Testament phrase means to invoke God by his name YHWH, but the early Christian use of it applies it to Jesus. It means invoking Jesus as the divine Lord who exercises the divine sovereignty and bears the divine name.”[10]
It is clear that Jesus’ followers believed Jesus was God because of the Old Testament name for God that they applied to him. Michael Bird adds,
“At any rate I am convinced that Jesus’s own conception of his mission, work, and ministry was indeed formative and constitutive for the primitive christological reflection of the early church.”[11]
In other words, because Jesus believed he was God and proved it through his words, works and resurrection, the early church believed he was God. So much so, that all of Jesus’ disciples and thousands of others would pay for it with their own lives throughout the first 300 years of its origin due to horrendous persecution under the Roman Empire. Historian Michael R. Licona notes,
“After Jesus’ death, the disciples endured persecution, and a number of them experienced martyrdom.”[12]
Professor Sean McDowell, whose entire PhD dissertation focused on the fate of the disciples, adds,
“In fact, we do have reliable historical evidence to trust the ancient and uniform testimony that (1) all the apostles were willing to die for their faith, and (2) a number of them actually did experience martyrdom.”[13]
Eminent historian Larry Hurtado and others have proven historically that Jesus was worshiped as God by the early church within 20 years after the crucifixion.[14] This would not successfully allow for legendary embellishment to occur, which is when a story evolves into a fictional fairytale over an extended period of time.
The Facts Remain
After looking at the data provided, which is merely scratching the surface, we can clearly see that the Bible proves that Jesus is God, and that Jesus believed himself to be God. So, although we do not see the exact statement where Jesus says, “I am God, worship me,” we don’t need to.
This is very misleading because the imposition is trying to confine what the text has already said in a hundred other different ways. And it’s important to understand that the hundred other ways are much more robust and richer in their context, shouting out that Jesus is God.
Besides, if those reasons I gave do not satisfy the demands of the religious non-Christian, i.e. Muslim, Jehovah Witness, etc., then I can assure you that the sentence they desire to see in the Bible would never satisfy them. Their false beliefs are only being reinforced by their current misinterpretation of Scripture. And this is the reason why you should share with them some of content within this article.
There are literally tens of thousands of Christians who have left Mormonism, Islam, Jehovah Witnesses, Oneness Pentecostalism, and Judaism because of the information you read in this article (again, this information was only the tip of the iceberg!). It’s amazing to hear their stories and see how excited they are to escape the heavy chains of their former religious ideologies while expressing their new-found liberty in Christ.
Now, it will take a lot time and effort in sharing it, and you may personally never see someone accept the true Christ because of it, but don’t let that discourage you from doing it. There are countless testimonies of Christians today who ended up receiving salvation because of the evangelistic efforts of their former co-workers and neighbors who were Christians; and yet, these Christians who initially witnessed and shared that information with them never knew they came to accept Christ.
So, keep that in mind, keep planting seeds, and keep pressing on!
Blessings,
Andrew Drinkard
[1] Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the English Standard Version.
[2] Michael F. Bird, Jesus Is the Christ: The Messianic Testimony of the Gospels (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2013), 141.
[3] Joachim Jeremias, Characteristics of the Ipsissima Vox, James D. G. Dunn, and Scot McKnight, Historical Jesus in Recent Research (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2005), 113.
[4] William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith, 3rd ed (Wheaton: Crossway Publishing, 2008), 320.
[5] Craig, Reasonable Faith, 320
[6] G. K. Beale, and D. A. Carson, eds., Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2014), 421.
[7] Robert H. Gundry, Commentary on the New Testament (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 2010), 347.
[8] Gerald OCollins, SJ, Christology: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Study of Jesus (Oxford: Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 2009), 109.
[9] James R. White, The Forgotten Trinity (Minneapolis: Baker Publishing Group, 1998), 143-146, Kindle.
[10] Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the God of Israel (Grand Rapids: Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008), 25.
[11] Michael F. Bird, Are You the One Who Is to Come?: The Historical Jesus and the Messianic Question (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009), 137.
[12] Michael R. Licona, The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2010), 366.
[13] Sean McDowell, The Fate of the Apostles: Examining the Martyrdom Accounts of the Closest Followers of Jesus (Burlington: Ashgate Publishing, 2015), 2.
[14] Larry W. Hurtado, One God, One Lord: Early Christian Devotion and Ancient Jewish Monotheism (London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2015), 138.
