Jesus’ Deity
Many people doubt that Jesus is God. Like the Pharisees of the time, some people think that this is blasphemy. Others think Jesus never said He is God. Yet others think Jesus was being rhetorical, that He said it to make a point. Let me show you what I have learned about this. Bible quotes are from the New Living Translation.
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At the time when the devil was tempting Jesus when He was fasting in the desert, “the devil took Him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple and said: ‘If You are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, He will order His angels to protect You. And they will hold You up with their hands, so You won’t even hurt Your foot on a stone.’ Jesus responded, ‘The Scriptures also say, you must not test the LORD your God.’”
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From this (found in Matthew 4:5-7; also told by Luke 4:1-13) we can clearly see three things; the devil knows the Scriptures, the devil recognizes Jesus as the Son of God, and Jesus clarifies He is LORD. When the word LORD (in all caps) appears in the Bible, it means the unpronounceable name of God translated to Yahweh or Jehovah. In other words, Jesus says to the devil talking to Him, “you must not test Me your God.” Anywhere we read LORD or Jehovah in the Bible, we are reading about Jesus!
When Jesus was arrested and being interrogated in front of the Jewish Council, Caiaphas the high priest said, “I demand in the name of the living God – tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” Jesus replied, “you have said it. And in the future, you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
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This passage in Matthew 26:63-64 (also told by Mark 14:60-65, and Luke 22:66-71) was the proof the Jewish council needed to condemn Jesus to death for blasphemy. Many are led to believe that Jesus remained silent at this key question, but this is not true. Jesus confirms He is the Messiah, that He is seated at the right hand of God, and that He will come again this time not to forgive, but to condemn.
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At Capernaum, because the house where Jesus was staying was packed with visitors, four men carrying a paralyzed man on a mat decided to dig a hole on the roof of the house and lower him right down in front of Jesus. “Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven’. But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, ‘What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!’ Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so He asked them, ‘Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man your sins are forgiven or stand up, pick up your mat and walk? So, I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.’ Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!’”
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Mark 2:1-12 (also told by Matthew 9:1-8 and Luke 5:17-26) demonstrates that Jesus has the power by His simple will to forgive sins and to heal any disease or malady. Both of these actions are of supernatural origin, which is the exclusive realm of God. I find it funny that everyone, including the teachers of religious law, were fine when Jesus was doing all kinds of miracles, including the healing and raising people from the dead, but became enraged and threatened when He forgave people’s sins. Jesus did these things because He had the power and authority. He was God.
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John recorded instances that demonstrate Jesus is God. “For just as the Father gives life to those He raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone He wants. In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, He has given the Son absolute authority to judge, so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father.” (John 5:21-23). It is clear that only God has the power to produce miracles. If Jesus performed miracles, He is God. Also note, Jesus is the judge. Jesus will preside the Judgement Day.
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“’Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.’ The people said, ‘You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!’ At that point they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.” (John 8:56-59). I AM is the name God gave to Moses when he asked, during his encounter with God at the burning bush, who was sending him to liberate the Jews from slavery in Egypt. People were ready to stone Jesus to death because I AM is the name of Yahweh and by saying this, He was being blasphemous to their eyes.
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Another instance when Jesus referred to himself as I AM is in John 8:28. “So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I AM He.’” Jesus was being both prophetic about His sacrifice on the cross and suggesting the need for Him to die and resurrect in order to prove without a doubt that He is God. Also, it is only after returning to the Father that Jesus was able to provide us with the power of the Holy Spirit, which is what sustains the faith of His Church against evil powers and dominions over the centuries.
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Jesus had no problem using the name of God. Besides the most obvious ones described earlier, there are seven I AM’s that equate with the seven Spirits of God (Revelation 4:5): I AM the Bread of Life (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51); I AM the Light of the World (John 8:12, 9:5); I AM the Door of the Sheep (John 10:7, 9); I AM the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14); I AM the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25); I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6); and I AM the True Vine (John 15:1, 5).