Resources: The Ways Jesus Revealed He is God

This is an excerpt from the God Is Just Like Jesus book that I am working on.

In this book we are looking at Jesus’ human interaction with all types of people. I want to be quick to declare that, although Jesus was human, He was fully God. As we live in an increasingly polytheistic culture I think it is very important to underscore Jesus’ divinity.

This is a very powerful and profound understanding of reality. As I discuss the identity of Jesus with Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, New Agers, Pagans, Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Atheists and others this subject is radically relevant. I don’t think anyone comes to believe this reality easily. In fact, I don’t think anyone becomes a follower of Jesus easily. Many of Jesus disciples could not accept it (John 6:66). I didn’t want to. However, I became convinced that Jesus is real and that He is, in fact, God.

 

Therefore I wanted to present you with a list of ways that Jesus revealed He was God. Please note that Jesus claim to be God is different than His claim to be the long awaited Jewish Messiah. Both are true, however they are both very different claims.

 

• Jesus forgives sins – only God can forgive sins
  Some men bring a paralyzed man to Jesus to be healed. Jesus tells the man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven. (Lk 5:20)” Only God can forgive sins. Therefore Jesus is God. The Jewish leaders get very angry with Jesus because they say, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (vs. 21)  For this, and many other things, the Jewish leaders wanted to kill Jesus. They know Jesus is claiming to be God by forgiving sins. (Lk 5:17-26 & Mk 2:1-12)
• Jesus claims to be the One who has sent all the prophets and wise men into the world

“Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog…” Matt 23:34

 

Jesus claims to be God who has sent ALL the prophets and wise men into the world. Consider what Jesus claim means. Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah and all the prophets and wise men were sent by Him! No man or angel sent all these holy people into the world. God alone sent them into the world.

• Jesus receives worship from people. Only God is to be worshiped.

 

Angels do not receive worship. In Rev 22:9  and Revelation 19:10 John falls down to worship the angel who had been showing him these things. The angel refuses to let John worship him and tells John to worship God alone! “…I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. ⁹ But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!” Rev 22:9

 

However, Jesus receives worship on numerous occasions.

 

1. After Peter walks on the water with Jesus, they get back into the boat and the disciples worship Jesus. “And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matt 14:32-33
2. The wise men from the east worship the baby Jesus. “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matt 2:2 “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.” Matt 2:11
3. The man born blind is healed by Jesus and worships Jesus. “Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”  “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
4. The disciples worship Jesus as He ascends to Heaven. “While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.” Luke 24:51-52 “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus has told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him.” Matt 28:16-17
5. The Canaanite Woman Worships Jesus. “Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” (NKJV)

 

• Jesus clearly says that He gives eternal life to people
  “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life.” John 10:28 Only God can give life, therefore Jesus is God. No angel or man can do this.
• Jesus claims to have existed before Abraham was even born and He uses the Name of God, “I AM”
  “‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’ At this they picked up stones to kill him.” (John 8:58) The Jews knew Jesus was claiming to be God. That is why they instantly wanted to kill Him. (Note, Jesus is NOT claiming to be God in the Hindu or New Age sense that “everyone is God.”) Jesus calls Himself God “I AM.” This is the name God used to reveal Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14 ‘Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you ,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them? God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
• Jesus verbally claims to be God and the Jews know it, and want to kill Him for blasphemy

 

“I and the Father are one.” Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, ³² but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

 

• Many other passages declare that Jesus is God

 

1. “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form…” Col 2:9
2. “For God was please to have all his fullness dwell in him [Jesus]…” Phil 1:19
3. John calls Jesus God, “My Lord and my God!” John 20:28
4. “… while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us…” Titus 2:13
5. “But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever,…’” Heb 1:8
6. The entire text of John 1:1-18 talks about Jesus having always existed and that all things were made through Him.
7. That all should honor the Son just as the honor God, “… that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.” John 5:23
8. Jesus is omnipresent, because He is God, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matt 18:20
9. Jesus declares that He is our very food, the Bread of Life. “I am the bread of life.” John 6:35,41,48,51
10. Jesus declares that He is “the life” John 14:6 and “the resurrection and the life” John 11:25

This is a short list and there are many other passages that declare that Jesus was 100% man and 100% God. The only reason that Jesus could bear our sins on the cross was because He was 100% sinless and 100% God. No angel, man, woman or child could have absorbed the “just” wrath of God against the evil humanity has committed… and lived. It is only because Jesus is God that He could even survive.