Did Jesus Claim to Be God?
A Bible study exploring the deity of Jesus Christ.
1. Jesus' Implicit Claims to Deity
1.1 Acceptance of Worship
Verses: Matthew 14:33; John 9:38
- Jesus accepted worship, which would be blasphemy if He were not divine. He never rebuked those who worshipped Him.
- Examples include the disciples worshipping Him after He calmed the storm (Matthew 14:33) and the man healed of blindness (John 9:38).
1.2 Use of the Divine Name 'I AM'
Verses: John 8:58; John 8:59; Exodus 3:14
- Jesus used the divine name 'I AM', a direct reference to God's self-revelation to Moses.
- In John 8:58, Jesus declared, 'Before Abraham was, I AM,' claiming pre-existence and divine identity.
- The Jews understood His claim and sought to stone Him for blasphemy (John 8:59).
2. Jesus' Divine Authority and Power
2.1 Authority to Forgive Sins
Verses: Mark 2:5-12; Luke 5:20-26
- Jesus claimed authority to forgive sins, a power belonging only to God.
- He demonstrated this authority by healing the paralytic (Mark 2:5-12), proving His power to forgive sins.
2.2 Claim to Judge All Mankind
Verses: John 5:22; Matthew 25:31-46
- Jesus claimed to be the Judge of all mankind, a role reserved for God.
- He stated that the Father has committed all judgment to the Son (John 5:22).
3. Jesus' Relationship with the Father
3.1 Seeing Jesus is Seeing the Father
Verses: John 14:9
- Jesus stated that seeing Him is equivalent to seeing the Father.
- In John 14:9, He told Philip, 'He who has seen Me has seen the Father.'
3.2 Oneness with the Father
Verses: John 10:30; John 17:21
- Jesus declared that He and the Father are one.
- This oneness is not merely unity of purpose, but a unity of being (John 10:30).