DID JESUS EVER CLAIM TO BE GOD?

 

This  question  has  been  a  concern  to  many  Christians  today.  Some  who  believe  in  the  Trinity  say  He  is God,  but  those  who  don’t  believe  in  the  Trinity  say  He  isn’t  God.   I  will  be  giving  some  points  from  the  bible,  after  which  you  can  draw  your  conclusions  as  to  whether Jesus  is  God  or  not. 

Now I’d  like  to  point  this  out;  We’ve  seen  biologically,  that  man  gives  birth  to  man,  though  positions  of authority  may  differ,  but  it  doesn’t  change  the  nature  of  the  being.  So,  if  man  gives  birth  to  man,  what about  God?  

If  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  isn’t  is  right  to  posit  that  He  is  God  too,  even  though  positions  of authority  differs?  Think  about  it. Inasmuch  as  the  bible  states  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  it  also  clearly  states  that  He  is  God  in  essence. Now before  I  talk  about  whether  Jesus  is  God,  let’s  talk  about  where  the  bible  says  He  is  the  Son  of  God. Just  for  those  who  believes  He’s  just  a  man,  a  prophet  and  nothing  more. It  was  Kevin  Van  hoozer  who  said:  "Jesus  understood  himself  to  be  the  beloved  Son  of  God  and  the forgiveness  of  Sins.  

Our  understanding  of  who  Jesus  was  must  correspond  to  Jesus'  own  selfunderstanding.  If  we  do  not  confess  Jesus  as  the  Christ,  then  either  He  was  deluded  about  His  identity  or we are"

 PLACES  IN  THE  BIBLE THAT  PROVES JESUS CONSIDERS HIMSELF TO BE THE SON OF GOD: 

1).  Before  Jesus  came,  there  had  been  prophesies  with  descriptions  of  His  coming.  Daniel’s  vision  in Daniel  7:13-14  points  out.  And  in  this  place,  Daniel’s  vision  described  Him  to  be  the  Son  of  God. 2).  Jesus  also  made  a  divine  Claim  when  He  forgave  the  sins  of  a  paralytic  man.  Mark 

 2.  For  one  to  truly forgive  you,  in  a  manner  the  brings  you  complete  redemption,  that  person  has  to  be  God.  "The  only person  who  can  say  that  sort  of  thing  meaningfully  is  God  Himself,  because  sin,  even  if  it  is  against  other people,  is  first  and  foremost  a  defiance  of  God  and  His  laws"  Observed  D.  A.  Carson.

 3).  Jesus'  self-understanding  comes  through  the  way  He  taught.  "Jesus  begins  his  teachings  with  the phrase  'Amen  I  say  to  you  (John  14:2  DRA),'  which  is  to  say,  'I  swear  in  the  advance  to  the  truthfulness  if what  I'm  about  to  say.'  This  was  absolutely  revolutionary",  Witherington  said.   

4).  Jesus  also  claimed  that  the  eternal  destiny  of  people  hinged  on  whether  they  believed  in  Him.  John 8:24.  Even  in  Luke  12:8-9.  William  Craig  puts  the  implication  of  that  verse  this  way:  "Make  no  mistake:  if Jesus  were  not  the  divine  Son  of  God,  then  this  claim  could  only  be  regarded  as  the  most  narrow  and objectionable  dogmatism.  For  Jesus  is  saying  that  people's  salvation  depends  on  their  confession  to Jesus  himself.  An  equally  over  assertion  of  divinity  is  found  in  John  10:39  "I  and  the  Father  are  one"   Now we’ve seen  points  with  scriptural  references  which  shows  Jesus  to  be  the  Son  of  God.   Now let’s  go  into  the  main  concern:  Is  Jesus  God?  Remember  the  philosophy  I  stated  above.  It’s  only logical  to  posit  that  a  God  will  give  birth  to  a  God  and  not  something  below  His  nature  or  essence.   

NOW LET’S LOOK AT THE PLACES IN THE BIBLE WHICH TALKED ABOUT HIS DIVINE  NATURE  OR ESSENCE:

1) The Bible called Him the Creator of the world. Not just the means of creation as some would put it, but the Creator too. Let’s look at Genesis 1: 26AMPC “God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the [tame] beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth”. 

 This verse shows that He wasn’t a means by which God (the Father) created the world. He is the creator as much as God the Father and the Holy Spirit is. 

2) John 1:1 confirmed His eternality and also that He was God when it stated that “…and the Word (Jesus) was God.” Finite beings cannot create infinite beings, but infinite beings can create finite beings. But John 1:1 shows us Jesus is not finite, He is as infinite as the Father. This shows He is the uncreated creator 

3) The Jews wanted to kill Him because He was making Himself equal (not in position of authority, but in essence) with God. John 5:17-18 ESV

 4) Jesus said He is the first and the last in Revelation 1:17, 22:13, same words God the Father used in Isaiah 44:6 

5) Col 2:9 Said He was fully man, but He was also fully God. And we know the Bible is inspired by God 

6) He claimed to have the authority to Judge the nations Matthew 25:31-46 

7) In Hebrews 1:8 the Father Himself specifically makes reference to Jesus as being God. Now this was God speaking 

8) Jesus also claimed that the eternal destiny of people hinged on whether they believed in Him. John 8:24. Even in Luke 12:8-9. William Craig put the implication of that verse this way: "Make no mistake: if Jesus were not the divine Son of God, then this claim could only be regarded as the most narrow and objectionable dogmatism. For Jesus is saying that people's salvation depends on their confession to Jesus himself. An equally over assertion of divinity is found in John 10:39 "I and the Father are one"

 9) Jesus also made a divine claim when He forgave the sins of a paralytic man. Mark 2. "The only person who can say that sort of thing meaningfully is God Himself, because sin, even if it is against other people, is first and foremost a defiance of God and His laws" Observed D. A. Carson. Only God can truly forgive sin in a way that shows redemption.

 10) Jesus also made claim to divinity when He applied the saying "I Am" to Himself. John 8:58( NLT). Now there were other phrases He could have used, but He chose that particular one. The same one God used in Exodus 3:14b, where God asked Moses to tell the people of Israel that “I AM” sent you. I could go on and on. Now the problem we have is that we want a sentence in the Bible where Jesus said “I am God”. Truth is, even though there is, we would not have believed that a man could be God. Besides that, there is no place that says Jesus “I am a great teacher”, or “I am a prophet of God”. But Jesus has given us practical reasons to Believe He is God, which is strong enough to conclude that He really is God. And now you’ve also seen them. 

 What is your conclusion? -

JOSEPH HOGAN.