The nature of Jesus Christ has been a subject of intense theological discussion for centuries. While some argue that Jesus was merely a good teacher or prophet, or some other created being, the weight of biblical evidence points to a far more profound truth: Jesus is God. This isn't just a matter of opinion; it's a claim rooted in scripture and supported by the early church's understanding.
One common argument against Jesus' divinity is that he never explicitly claimed to be God. However, this perspective overlooks the subtle yet powerful ways Jesus revealed his divine nature.
Jesus repeatedly exercised authority that belonged only to God. For example, he forgave sins, a power the Jewish leaders recognized as exclusively divine. Their outrage wasn't because he was a good person, but because he was claiming a power, they understood belonged to God alone.
Mark 2:5-7 NIV [5] When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” [6] Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, [7] “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
In John's Gospel, Jesus uses the phrase "I am" in ways that echo God's self-revelation to Moses.
Exodus 3:13-14 NIV [13] 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?” [14] 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.’ ”
Consider these examples (emphasis mine):
Jesus accepted worship, something a devout Jew would never do if he were not divine.
Matthew 14:33 NIV Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
John 20:28-29 NIV [28] Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” [29] Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus often spoke of his unique relationship with the Father, claiming to be one with him.
John 10:25-30 NIV [25] Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, [26] but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. [27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. [30] I and the Father are one.” (emphasis mine)
This is a powerful declaration of his divine unity.
Scriptural Testimony Beyond Jesus' Own Words
The New Testament provides further evidence of Jesus' divinity through the testimonies of his followers:
After seeing the risen Jesus, Thomas exclaimed, "My Lord and my God!" (see previous citation of John 10:28). Did you notice that Jesus did not rebuke him for this declaration.
The apostle Paul affirmed Jesus' divinity.
Philippians 2:5-6 NIV [5] In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; (emphasis mine)
The Gospel of John begins with a powerful affirmation of Jesus' divinity.
John 1:1-5, 14 NIV [1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was with God in the beginning. [3] Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. [4] In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
[14] The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Addressing Some Common Objections
Some argue that these passages are misinterpreted or that the concept of the Trinity, which is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, is a later invention. However, the early church fathers, who were much closer to the time of Jesus and the apostles, consistently affirmed Jesus' divinity.
The early church fathers, figures like Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian, who lived much closer to the time of Jesus and the apostles, consistently affirmed Jesus' divinity and a distinction of persons within the Godhead. For example, Ignatius, writing in the early second century, clearly refers to Jesus as "God," and Justin Martyr, in his dialogues, discusses the Logos as a distinct divine person. They also assert that while the precise terminology of the Trinity developed over time, the underlying concepts were present from the start, as evidenced by the New Testament's portrayal of Jesus' unique relationship with God the Father and the presence of the Holy Spirit. They contend that the development of Trinitarian doctrine was a process of clarifying and systematizing what was already believed, rather than introducing a completely new idea."
Dismissing the early church fathers' insights disregards their proximity to the apostolic era. They were inheritors of the oral and written traditions passed down from the apostles themselves, providing valuable context for understanding the scriptures. Therefore, while debates about specific passages will continue, the weight of early Christian testimony strongly supports the belief that Jesus' divinity and the seeds of Trinitarian thought were present from the very beginning."
The idea that Jesus is God is not a human invention, but a divine revelation. While the concept of the Trinity can be complex, it is a core tenet of Christian faith, supported by the weight of scriptural evidence. To dismiss Jesus' divinity is to ignore the powerful testimony of the Bible and the historical witness of those who knew him best.
One common argument against Jesus' divinity is that he never explicitly claimed to be God. However, this perspective overlooks the subtle yet powerful ways Jesus revealed his divine nature.
Jesus repeatedly exercised authority that belonged only to God. For example, he forgave sins, a power the Jewish leaders recognized as exclusively divine. Their outrage wasn't because he was a good person, but because he was claiming a power, they understood belonged to God alone.
Mark 2:5-7 NIV [5] When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” [6] Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, [7] “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
In John's Gospel, Jesus uses the phrase "I am" in ways that echo God's self-revelation to Moses.
Exodus 3:13-14 NIV [13] 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?” [14] 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.’ ”
Consider these examples (emphasis mine):
- John 6:35 NIV Then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
- John 8:12 NIV When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- John 8:58-59 NIV [58] Very truly I tell you, Jesus answered, before Abraham was born, I am! [59] At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. (This last statement, caused the Jewish leaders to try and stone him, as they clearly understood it to be a claim of divinity.)
- John 14:6-7 NIV [6] Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [7] If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Jesus accepted worship, something a devout Jew would never do if he were not divine.
Matthew 14:33 NIV Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
John 20:28-29 NIV [28] Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” [29] Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus often spoke of his unique relationship with the Father, claiming to be one with him.
John 10:25-30 NIV [25] Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, [26] but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. [27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. [30] I and the Father are one.” (emphasis mine)
This is a powerful declaration of his divine unity.
Scriptural Testimony Beyond Jesus' Own Words
The New Testament provides further evidence of Jesus' divinity through the testimonies of his followers:
After seeing the risen Jesus, Thomas exclaimed, "My Lord and my God!" (see previous citation of John 10:28). Did you notice that Jesus did not rebuke him for this declaration.
The apostle Paul affirmed Jesus' divinity.
Philippians 2:5-6 NIV [5] In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; (emphasis mine)
The Gospel of John begins with a powerful affirmation of Jesus' divinity.
John 1:1-5, 14 NIV [1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was with God in the beginning. [3] Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. [4] In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
[14] The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Addressing Some Common Objections
Some argue that these passages are misinterpreted or that the concept of the Trinity, which is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, is a later invention. However, the early church fathers, who were much closer to the time of Jesus and the apostles, consistently affirmed Jesus' divinity.
The early church fathers, figures like Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian, who lived much closer to the time of Jesus and the apostles, consistently affirmed Jesus' divinity and a distinction of persons within the Godhead. For example, Ignatius, writing in the early second century, clearly refers to Jesus as "God," and Justin Martyr, in his dialogues, discusses the Logos as a distinct divine person. They also assert that while the precise terminology of the Trinity developed over time, the underlying concepts were present from the start, as evidenced by the New Testament's portrayal of Jesus' unique relationship with God the Father and the presence of the Holy Spirit. They contend that the development of Trinitarian doctrine was a process of clarifying and systematizing what was already believed, rather than introducing a completely new idea."
Dismissing the early church fathers' insights disregards their proximity to the apostolic era. They were inheritors of the oral and written traditions passed down from the apostles themselves, providing valuable context for understanding the scriptures. Therefore, while debates about specific passages will continue, the weight of early Christian testimony strongly supports the belief that Jesus' divinity and the seeds of Trinitarian thought were present from the very beginning."
The idea that Jesus is God is not a human invention, but a divine revelation. While the concept of the Trinity can be complex, it is a core tenet of Christian faith, supported by the weight of scriptural evidence. To dismiss Jesus' divinity is to ignore the powerful testimony of the Bible and the historical witness of those who knew him best.
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