{"id":13382,"date":"2013-11-14T16:25:04","date_gmt":"2013-11-14T16:25:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mbcpathway.local\/?p=13382"},"modified":"2014-02-06T13:22:46","modified_gmt":"2014-02-06T19:22:46","slug":"did-jesus-ever-claim-to-be-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2013\/11\/14\/did-jesus-ever-claim-to-be-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Did Jesus ever claim to be God?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"rob\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Muslims, Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses and atheists often argue, \u201cJesus never claimed to be God.\u201d They assert that Christians have corrupted or misinterpreted the New Testament, or they reject the Bible outright.<\/p>\n

But for those willing to consider the eyewitness testimony of the New Testament writers, and the convincing evidence that their words are accurately preserved, we may point our unbelieving friends to seven ways that Jesus does, in fact, claim deity.<\/p>\n

First, Jesus calls Himself God.\u00a0In John 8:58 He tells the religious leaders, \u201cI assure you: Before Abraham was, I am.\u201d These words hark back to Exod. 3 where God reveals Himself to Moses in the burning bush as I AM, or YHWH. The Jewish leaders clearly understand Jesus\u2019 declaration of deity.<\/p>\n

Second, Jesus claims equality with God.\u00a0In John 10:30 He states, \u201cThe Father and I are one.\u201d His frequent reference to God as Father \u2013 especially by the intimate Aramaic term Abba, or Father dearest \u2013 rankles the religious leaders. John writes, \u201cThis is why the Jews began trying all the more to kill Him \u2026 He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God\u201d (John 5:18).<\/p>\n

In His high priestly prayer, Jesus anticipates once again sharing the glory He had with the Father before the world existed (John 17:5). This is a telling claim, for the Old Testament makes it clear that God does not share His glory with anyone (Isa. 42:8, 48:11).<\/p>\n

Also note that more than four dozen times Jesus calls Himself the Son of Man \u2013 a term that illuminates the Messiah\u2019s deity (Dan. 7:13-14).<\/p>\n

Third, Jesus receives worship.\u00a0After Jesus\u2019 resurrection, Thomas examines Jesus\u2019 hands and side and declares, \u201cMy Lord and my God\u201d (John 20:28). Jesus commits blasphemy if He receives Thomas\u2019 worship unless He really is God. Similarly, when Peter declares Jesus to be the Messiah, the Son of the living God, Jesus\u2019 reaction is not to correct Him but to affirm the truth of Peter\u2019s statement (Matt. 16:13-17).<\/p>\n

Fourth, Jesus forgives sins.\u00a0When He tells a paralytic man, \u201cSon, your sins are forgiven,\u201d the scribes immediately think, \u201cWhy does He speak like this? He\u2019s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?\u201d Jesus exposes their private thoughts and demonstrates His authority to forgive sins by healing the paralyzed man (see Mark 2:1-12).<\/p>\n

Fifth, Jesus teaches with divine authority.\u00a0In\u00a0John 8 the Pharisees say to Him, \u201cYou are testifying about Yourself. Your testimony is not valid.\u201d Jesus responds, \u201cMy judgment is true because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent Me judge together. Even in your law it is written that the witness of two men is valid. I am the One who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me\u201d (see John 8:13-20).<\/p>\n

Sixth, Jesus affirms the apostles\u2019 statements of His deity.\u00a0He promises the apostles that the Holy Spirit will guide them into all truth and bring to their minds the things He says and does. In effect, He confirms what they write later. For example, John calls Jesus God and says He is the Creator who took on human flesh (John 1:1-3, 14). Paul tells us that in Jesus the fullness of deity dwells bodily (Col. 2:9); that He added to His deity sinless humanity (Phil. 2:5-11); and that He is the Creator (Col. 1:15-16). The writer of Hebrews records the deity of Jesus (Heb. 1:1-4).<\/p>\n

Seventh, Jesus fulfills the attributes unique to God.\u00a0In John 16:30 His disciples exclaim, \u201cNow we know that you know everything\u201d (omniscience). In Matt. 28:20 Jesus assures His followers He is with them always (omnipresence). And in Matt. 28:18 He claims all authority (omnipotence). In addition, He is eternal (John 1:1), immutable (Heb. 13:8), and the judge of all people (John 5:22). Even the Father calls Jesus God (Heb. 1:8).<\/p>\n

Finally, the names used to portray God in the Old Testament \u2013 Alpha and Omega, Lord, Savior, King, Judge, Light, Rock, Redeemer, Shepherd, Creator \u2013 are applied to Jesus in the New Testament.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Muslims, Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses and atheists often argue, \u201cJesus never claimed to be God.\u201d They assert that Christians have corrupted or misinterpreted the New Testament, or they reject the Bible outright. But for those willing to consider the eyewitness testimony of the New Testament writers, and the convincing evidence that their words are accurately preserved, we […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":11936,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_wpscp_schedule_draft_date":"","_wpscp_schedule_republish_date":"","_wpscppro_advance_schedule":false,"_wpscppro_advance_schedule_date":"","_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_selected_social_profile":[]},"categories":[35,38,5,8,28,30],"tags":[197],"yoast_head":"\nDid Jesus ever claim to be 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