Some will say Jesus was just a man. Is that true? Some say He was more than a man, but He is still a created being (like an angel), and is not God. Some will say that Jesus is God and He lived as God in the flesh while on earth.
What does the Bible say about Jesus’ deity?
- Jesus claimed to be the “I AM.” In fact, Jesus made claims that no human has the right to make. The claims that Jesus made would be considered blasphemy if you or I made them (Matthew 26:65). He claimed to be the Judge of eternal life (John 5:28-29). He claimed to be the “Way” to heaven (John 14:6). He claimed to be perfect and sinless (John 8:29,46). Jesus said that if you do not believe in Him and do everything He says, you will be condemned to hell (John 8:24; 12:48). Incredible claims! Jesus made it very clear who He was. ”Before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58). The “I AM” was a known and accepted term for Jehovah God (Exodus 3:14).
- Jesus received worship. From cradle to grave and after His resurrection, Jesus was worshiped (Matthew 2:11; 14:33; 15:25; 28:9,17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38). Jesus Himself said to the Devil that, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve” (Matthew 4:10). Jesus said, “Worship God!” So, for Jesus to receive worship is an incredible thing. Either He believed Himself to be God, or He was a walking contradiction. Angels told people not to fall down before them (Revelation 19:10; 22:9), and ministers like Paul or Peter refused such worship (Acts 10:25-26; 14:15).
- Jesus forgave sins. While on earth, He would say to those in His presence, “Your sins are forgiven you” (Mark 2:5; Luke 7:48). This statement brought serious controversy among the Jewish religious leaders, because as they rightly questioned, “Who can forgive sins but God alone” (Mark 2:7; Luke 7:49)? Jesus did not back away from His statements, instead, He performed miracles to prove His authority on earth to forgive sins (Mark 2:8-12). Only the person offended can do the forgiving, and since our sins are against God, only God can forgive (Isaiah 43:25). Jesus, as God, stood on earth and decided who was forgiven. He has that power today.
What others said about Jesus:
- Colossians 2:9. In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form. Jesus, according to Paul, was all God and all man while on earth.
- John 12:39-41. Isaiah saw the glory of Jehovah in Isaiah 6:1-10, but who did He see? John, in writing his gospel account of Jesus, said that Isaiah saw the glory of Jesus the Messiah, and spoke of Him.
- John 1 – John said that Jesus is the Word, and that the Word was with God and is God (John 1:1-3). John continued that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and by seeing Jesus we saw God (John 1:14,18; 14:9).
What would make these claims to be true?
- Romans 1:4 – He was declared to be the Son of God (God in the flesh) by the resurrection from the dead. If He rose from the dead, all His claims are true, if He is still in a grave in Jerusalem, then all of Christianity is a lie.
Philippians 2:5-11
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
