Did Jesus claim to be God?
If so, when did he claim to be God?
Believe it or not, many say Jesus never claimed to be God, like these confused
people.
Others say Jesus Christ’s claims of divinity were carefully veiled. But the scriptures tell a much different story.
Many of Jesus Christ’s many blatant claims to be God go unnoticed. But this is a great time to pull back the veil.
Read on, and you will see a few of the many Bible verses that remove all doubt.
Once we’re finished, it will be clear and obvious that Jesus -many times- claimed to be God, and gave plenty of evidence to back up his claims.
He made his claims boldly, directly and overtly. And the people of that place and time understood him perfectly.
But some of the language he used might not be as obvious to a 21st century
reader.
Here’s a clue to look for. Just ask these 3 questions:
1) What did Jesus Christ say about himself?
2) What did others say about Jesus during his ministry?
3) What do the scriptures say about him?
Let’s look at a few verses together:
The Jews answered him,
“It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” John 10:33, ESV (emphasis added)
So we have testimony right here that Jesus made himself God. Later, when they crucified Jesus, they put a sign above his head on the cross.
Here’s one of the scripture quotes from that post:
19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”
John 19:19-22, (Emphasis Added)
But we’re just getting started. There are plenty of verses showing Jesus’ many
clear and blatant claims of Godhood.
Let’s look at more of them now!
Where in the Bible Does Jesus Claim to be God?
Jesus claims to be God not on one or two, but on many, many occasions in the Holy Scriptures.
Let’s now open the Bible, head over to the New Testament and take a closer look at the four Gospels to see exactly where Jesus claims to be God Himself.
1. Jesus Claimed to be God in the Gospel of Matthew
The first of the Gospels provides some brilliant examples such as Matthew 11:27.
Here Jesus emphasizes only he knows our Heavenly Father and that he gets to choose who God will be revealed to.
Also, Christ says that “all things” have been given to him by God.
Think about it – no one knows the thoughts of God except God and only He has control over everything. Thus, Jesus makes himself equal to God.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
In this verse, Jesus lets the disciples know that he’s been given all authority on earth and in heaven.
And who can possibly have authority over everything, both on earth and in heaven if not God?
2. Jesus Claimed to be God in the Gospel of Mark
The Gospel according to Mark provides a striking example of Jesus displaying a kind of authority that only God has:
5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Jesus not only heals the paralytic, but he also forgives his sins and logically, some of the scribes begin questioning the words of Christ.
Indeed, if only God can forgive sins… then Jesus is God!
3. Jesus Claimed to be God in the Gospel of Luke
Since the Gospel of Luke is one of the Synoptic Gospels (along with Matthew and Mark), the example we have here is quite similar to the one found in Mark:
4. Jesus Claimed to be God in the Gospel of John
John’s account provides a different take on Jesus’ life and his works than the Synoptic Gospels and as a result, it contains some incredible examples of him claiming to be God.
There’s no way to explain this except as totally inconceivable unless Jesus really is God:
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. 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, I am.”
Here the evidence is indisputable. Jesus Christ lets the Jews know that he pre-exists Abraham, which would imply that he is God as this would be impossible for a mere man.
John 10:30-39 is where Jesus reveals to the Jews that the Father is in him and he is in the Father.
That’s why they wanted to stone Christ, due to supposedly “blaspheming”. But it wasn’t his time yet.
Where Does the Bible Prophesy the Coming of Christ in Advance?
There are many Prophecies in the Old Testament related to the birth of Jesus, the promised King and these are the particular verses that point to the soon-coming Redeemer:
I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near:
a star shall come out of Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the forehead[a] of Moab
and break down all the sons of Sheth.
Numbers 24:17
This is one of the earliest examples in the Old Testament pointing to Christ.
On one hand, we have the “star” reference and we know that Jesus is the bright morning star –Revelation 22:16.
But also, the appearance of a star was the sign of the Messiah’s coming.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14, ESV
Here we learn that a virgin will give birth to a son who will be called Immanuel, meaning “God with us” in Hebrew.
Talk about a crystal clear sign.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon[a] his shoulder,
and his name shall be called[b]
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6, ESV
Okay, Isaiah gives us even more obvious hints here that simply scream Jesus.
The child that is going to be born will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Hmm, wonder who that might be?
The entire 53rd chapter of the book of the prophet Isaiah is probably the most complete and conspicuous prophecy about Jesus in the entire Old Testament.
This chapter of Isaiah reveals how Christ would be despised by men and suffer for our iniquities to make intercession for the transgressors.
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
from ancient days.
Micah 5:2, ESV
So, a ruler will spring from the tribe of Judah and who will rule over Israel.
King David, maybe? Nope.
The last part of this inspired text says “whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” – the soon-to-come ruler is the one who lives for all eternity -Jesus Christ.
Prophecies of Jesus in the Old Testament
We read about John the Baptist in the New Testament. But he was really the last prophet of the Old Testament.
There are two major things about John the Baptist that are absolutely amazing. First is what Jesus said about him.
Jesus said “there is no greater than John the Baptist.” You can read the entire verse here: Matthew 11:11, ESV.
But what’s really off-the-charts amazing is the spirit-filled, Old Testament-based proclamation John the Baptist made about Jesus Christ. Few know it, but only John the Baptist had the right qualifications and the right priesthood to be able to say what he did.
It’s such an incredible pronouncement -with such stunning implications- that I wrote a whole post about it that you can find here. John the Baptist had such a unique and profound understanding that it’s no wonder Jesus said of him “there’s no greater man born of a woman…” (Luke 7:27-29)
Other dramatic and insightful claims come from the disciples who were with him throughout his ministry. They were eyewitness of his majesty.
What did they say?
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son,[a] with whom I am well pleased,”
2 Peter 1:16-17, ESV
First, we see that there were multiple eyewitnesses of Jesus’ majesty.
But you know what else? God the Father Himself also made the same unmistakeable pronouncement!
How Did Jesus Claim to be God’s Son?
Jesus revealed that he’s the Son of God on many occasions in the Bible, especially in the Gospel according to John.
And here are a few of the specific verses where Christ lets everyone know that he is indeed God’s only begotten Son:
Early in the Gospel of Luke [Luke 2:49] we read that Jesus, who was still a boy at the time, got separated from his human parents during the Feast of Passover.
Eventually, they find him at the temple where he says to them with “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”, again implying that he is God’s Son.
John 5:17-18 is one of the famous passages where Jesus calls God his Father, making himself equal to God. This made the Jewish religious establishment very uncomfortable.
They were very sensitive to blasphemy and this claim sure sounded like it to them.
But if you’re looking for one of one of those really blatant claims of Godhood, this is probably the one you’re looking for:
22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
A lot of people are really hung up on this one -even today.
Here Jesus says that all judgment has been given to him and that whoever doesn’t honor him, doesn’t honor God.
If Jesus isn’t God, then who is he? Leave it to one of the 20th Century’s brightest minds to explain it:
“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. C.S. LEWIS, “Mere Christianity”
[You can get C.S. Lewis’ “Mere Christianity” in Paperback at Amazon by clicking this link. With over 1.5 Million 5-star reviews, it’s a classic that should be on every thinker’s bookshelf!]
Now let’s go back to what Jesus said above about all judgment being given to him. He doesn’t stop there.
Look what he says just a few chapters later:
Verse number 30 begins with “I and the Father are one” and Jesus continues the Son of God theme all the way to verse 38.
If people tell you Jesus never claimed to be God, this is a great passage to show them.
John 14:6-13 is another one of those indisputable claims Jesus made to be God. Here’s an excerpt of it:
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.[a] From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
John 14:6-7, ESV
Not only does Christ inform the disciples that no one comes to the Father except through him, but he also lets them know that knowing him means knowing the Father.
In verse 11 he also states he is in the Father and the Father is in him:
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. John 15:26, ESV
Again, Jesus speaks about his connection to God the Father as Christ will send the Holy Spirit from the Father to all believers.
As if this isn’t already enough, the Biblical evidence for Jesus’ Godhood just keeps piling up:
Matthew 16:13-17
What we have here is another striking example of Jesus confirming that he is God’s Son.
On one hand, we have Simon Peter who confesses that Jesus is Christ and the Son of the living God, but Jesus himself confirms it. He blesses Peter and tells him that this was revealed to him by Jesus’ Father who is in heaven.
John 17:5
If this isn’t blatant, I don’t know what is!
This chapter of John describes what’s known as The High Priestly Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and this was Jesus’ longest prayer to his Father. Apart from the clear Father and Son relationship, we also learn that the glory between Jesus and the Father existed even before the world.
Mark 14:61-62
The high priest wants to know if Jesus really is “the Son of the Blessed.”
Our Lord and Savior gives him the very definitive answer “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
We’re definitely talking blatant here.
Matthew 28:19
This is the next to last verse of the entire Gospel according to Matthew and here Jesus points to the Holy Trinity.
The disciples are instructed to “make disciples of all nations” and to baptize them in the name of the Holy Trinity – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Christ is not only the Son of God the Father and one with Him, but he is also one with the Holy Spirit.
There are many more Bible passages where other eyewitnesses claim Jesus is God. But now you have seen the most blatant, bold and shocking claims Jesus made of his Godhood.
And his fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, his miracles and the testimony of eyewitnesses throughout the New Testament give us mountains of evidence that he is who he said he is.
Is your Faith Founded on Fact? Have you committed to follow Jesus?