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Did Jesus Explicitly Claim to Be God?

Writer's picture: Edward D. AndrewsEdward D. Andrews
Oct 21, 202410 min read

Updated: Oct 23, 2024

The identity of Jesus as God is a central tenet of Christian theology. However, the question of whether Jesus explicitly claimed to be God is often debated. Did Jesus clearly assert His divine nature during His earthly ministry, or is this a later theological interpretation? In answering this question, we must examine the words and actions of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels, along with how His contemporaries—both His followers and His opponents—understood His claims. This article will delve into the scriptural evidence, the reactions of the religious leaders, and the broader biblical context to determine if Jesus explicitly claimed to be God.



The Old Testament Foundation for Understanding God


To properly address the question of whether Jesus claimed to be God, we must first understand how God is revealed in the Old Testament. Jehovah is portrayed as the one true God, the Creator, the Lawgiver, and the Sovereign over all the earth. His name, Jehovah, which is represented by the Tetragrammaton (JHVH), is used over 6,000 times in the Old Testament, signifying His personal, covenantal relationship with His people (Exodus 3:14-15; Psalm 83:18). The Scriptures are clear that Jehovah alone is God: "I am Jehovah, and there is no other; besides me, there is no God" (Isaiah 45:5).


The Old Testament makes a sharp distinction between Jehovah and all created beings. Angels, prophets, and kings might be used by Jehovah to fulfill His purposes, but none of them were ever considered equal to God. The Jewish understanding of God’s absolute unity (Deuteronomy 6:4) meant that any claim to divinity by a human being would have been considered blasphemous.



Jesus’ Use of the Divine Name "I AM"


One of the most explicit ways in which Jesus claimed divinity is through His use of the divine name "I AM." In the Old Testament, when Jehovah appeared to Moses in the burning bush, He revealed His name as "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). This name, representing God’s eternal and self-sustaining existence, became central to Israel’s understanding of Jehovah.


In John 8:58, Jesus makes a remarkable statement: "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." This declaration goes far beyond a simple claim to preexistence. By using the phrase "I am," Jesus directly applies the divine name to Himself. The Jewish leaders immediately recognized the significance of this claim, as they picked up stones to stone Him for blasphemy (John 8:59). In their eyes, Jesus was equating Himself with Jehovah, which was an unforgivable offense under the Law.


This is not the only instance where Jesus uses the phrase "I am" in a way that implies divinity. In John 13:19, Jesus says, "I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he." The Greek phrase used here, ego eimi (ἐγώ εἰμι), is the same as in John 8:58, further linking Jesus with the divine identity revealed to Moses.


Explore a fresh perspective on Jesus's use of I AM in John 8:58. Uncover insightful interpretations and implications.



Jesus’ Authority Over Creation


Another way in which Jesus demonstrated His divine nature is through His authority over creation. In the Old Testament, only Jehovah is described as having control over the natural world. For example, Psalm 89:9 declares, "You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them." Jehovah’s ability to calm the seas and command the forces of nature is a clear demonstration of His sovereignty over all creation.


In the New Testament, Jesus exercises this same authority. In Matthew 8:23-27, Jesus calms a storm on the Sea of Galilee with a simple command: "Peace! Be still!" (Mark 4:39). The disciples, witnessing this miracle, are filled with awe and ask, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?" (Matthew 8:27). The power to control the elements is a divine prerogative, and by exercising this power, Jesus is implicitly claiming the authority of Jehovah.


Similarly, in John 2:1-11, Jesus turns water into wine at the wedding in Cana. This miracle, the first recorded in the Gospel of John, demonstrates Jesus’ authority over the natural world in a way that recalls Jehovah’s creative power. The transformation of water into wine is a sign of Jesus’ divine authority, pointing to His identity as the Creator (John 1:3).



Jesus’ Authority to Forgive Sins


In addition to His authority over creation, Jesus also claimed the authority to forgive sins—an authority that belongs to Jehovah alone. In the Old Testament, only Jehovah has the power to forgive sins, as seen in passages like Isaiah 43:25: "I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins."


In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus heals a paralytic man, but before doing so, He declares, "Son, your sins are forgiven" (Mark 2:5). The scribes, who were present, immediately accuse Jesus of blasphemy, reasoning, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (Mark 2:7). Jesus then responds by asking, "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" (Mark 2:9-10). Jesus proceeds to heal the man, providing physical proof of His divine authority to forgive sins.


By claiming the power to forgive sins, Jesus is doing more than performing a miracle. He is asserting a divine prerogative that the Jewish leaders understood as belonging exclusively to Jehovah. Their accusation of blasphemy further confirms that they recognized the implications of Jesus’ words.



Jesus’ Unity with the Father


One of the clearest statements of Jesus’ divinity comes in John 10:30, where He declares, "I and the Father are one." This statement is a profound assertion of unity with Jehovah. The context of this passage is crucial, as Jesus had been teaching about His role as the Good Shepherd, a role that was closely associated with Jehovah in the Old Testament (Psalm 23:1; Ezekiel 34:11-16). By claiming to be one with the Father, Jesus is not merely expressing agreement with God’s will; He is claiming equality with God in essence and nature.


The reaction of the Jewish leaders confirms that they understood Jesus’ words as a claim to divinity. John 10:31-33 records that they again picked up stones to stone Him, saying, "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." This response shows that Jesus’ audience clearly interpreted His words as a claim to be God.



The Trial Before the Sanhedrin


One of the most significant moments in which Jesus explicitly affirms His divine identity occurs during His trial before the Sanhedrin. In Matthew 26:63-64, the high priest asks Him, "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus responds, "You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."


Jesus’ response is a direct reference to Daniel 7:13-14, where the Son of Man comes with the clouds of heaven and is given dominion and glory by Jehovah. By applying this passage to Himself, Jesus is making a direct claim to divine authority. The high priest’s reaction—tearing his robes and accusing Jesus of blasphemy—indicates that he understood Jesus’ statement as a claim to be God.


Additionally, Jesus’ use of the phrase "seated at the right hand of Power" further emphasizes His divine status. In Jewish thought, to sit at the right hand of Jehovah was to share in His authority and glory. By placing Himself in this position, Jesus is claiming a unique relationship with Jehovah that no mere human or prophet could claim.



The Reactions of Jesus’ Contemporaries


The reactions of those who heard Jesus speak provide further evidence that He claimed to be God. As noted earlier, the Jewish leaders repeatedly accused Jesus of blasphemy, recognizing that His words and actions implied a claim to divinity. In John 5:18, after Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath and referred to God as "My Father," the Jews sought to kill Him "because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God."


Even Jesus’ followers gradually came to understand His divine identity. In John 20:28, after Jesus’ resurrection, Thomas addresses Him as "My Lord and my God!" Jesus does not correct Thomas or deny the title; instead, He accepts it, affirming that Thomas’ declaration is correct. This response further indicates that Jesus saw Himself as more than a mere prophet or teacher—He accepted worship as God.



The Witness of the New Testament Writers


The New Testament writers consistently affirm Jesus’ divine identity, further supporting the claim that Jesus saw Himself as God. In John 1:1, the apostle John opens his Gospel with the declaration, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Later in the same chapter, John identifies the Word as Jesus: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father" (John 1:14). This passage clearly identifies Jesus as God incarnate, affirming both His preexistence and His role in creation (John 1:3).


Paul also affirms Jesus’ divinity in numerous places. In Colossians 1:15-17, Paul writes, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible... And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." This passage emphasizes that Jesus is not a created being but is Himself the Creator, holding the same authority and power as Jehovah.


In Philippians 2:5-7, Paul speaks of Jesus as existing "in the form of God" but humbling Himself by taking on human form. This passage underscores the reality that Jesus, though fully divine, chose to humble Himself for the sake of humanity’s salvation. The term "form of God" indicates that Jesus possesses the very nature of God, not merely a resemblance to Him.


The letter to the Hebrews also presents Jesus as divine, stating that He is "the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature" (Hebrews 1:3). This description emphasizes that Jesus perfectly reflects the nature and character of Jehovah, affirming His full divinity.



The Resurrection as Confirmation of Jesus’ Divinity


The resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate confirmation of His divine identity. Throughout His ministry, Jesus predicted His death and resurrection, pointing to these events as the ultimate proof of His claims. In John 2:19, Jesus says, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." John later explains that Jesus was speaking of the temple of His body, predicting His resurrection from the dead (John 2:21-22).


The resurrection vindicated Jesus’ claim to be God, as Paul states in Romans 1:4: "He was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead." The fact that Jesus conquered death, an event that only Jehovah has the power to accomplish, serves as the ultimate proof of His divine nature.



Did Jesus Explicitly Claim to Be God?


Based on the biblical evidence, it is clear that Jesus did explicitly claim to be God. Through His use of the divine name "I AM," His authority over creation and the forgiveness of sins, His unity with the Father, and His acceptance of worship, Jesus consistently presented Himself as more than a human prophet or teacher. The reactions of His contemporaries, both in their accusations of blasphemy and in their worship of Him, further support the conclusion that Jesus claimed divinity.


The New Testament writers, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, affirmed Jesus’ identity as God, and His resurrection provided the ultimate confirmation of His divine nature. Far from being a later theological development, the claim that Jesus is God is rooted in His own words and actions, as recorded in the Gospels.


Jesus’ explicit claim to be God is foundational to the Christian faith, and it is this claim that sets Him apart from all other religious leaders and prophets. The Bible presents Jesus as Jehovah in the flesh, the one through whom all things were created, and the one who offers salvation to all who believe in Him.


About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220 books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).


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