The Scriptures unequivocally affirm that Jesus Christ embodied true humanity, leaving no room for doubt on this matter. However, in the contemporary era, the question persists regarding His Deity—was He more than merely a man?
The testimony of both Jesus Himself and others within the Scriptures attests that Jesus was not only fully human but also fully God. This truth is evident in both explicit declarations and indirect references found in various passages.
Numerous direct statements in the New Testament emphasize the Deity of Christ, with particular emphasis on the testimony presented in the four Gospels. For instance:
- The Testimony of the Four Gospels
The Gospels convey crucial information about Jesus, supporting the understanding of His divine nature. A few key points include:
A. Jesus Was in the Beginning with God
The Gospel of John commences with a profound statement underscoring the eternal existence of Jesus:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1 KJV).
This assertion is unequivocal, emphasizing that Jesus Christ existed from the very beginning alongside God because He is God. The continuous existence of Jesus in the past is emphasized through the use of the imperfect tense of the verb.
B. He Is God the One and Only
Another statement by John highlights Jesus as God the one and only:
“No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known” (John 1:18 TNIV).
In this passage, Jesus is uniquely referred to as God the one and only, underscoring His distinct relationship with God the Father.
C. Jesus Is Equal with God
Furthermore, Jesus Christ Himself claimed equality with God, as revealed in an account from John’s Gospel:
“This is why the Jews began trying all the more to kill Him: not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God” (John 5:18 HCSB).
The Jews sought to harm Jesus because they understood His claim of equality with God, recognizing the profound implications of His statements.
D. Jesus’ Existence Predates Abraham
Despite Jesus being born in Bethlehem as an infant, He asserted a preexistence dating back two thousand years before Abraham. John recounts Jesus’ profound statement:
Jesus conveyed to them, “I can assure you of this truth: Before Abraham was ever born, I am” (John 8:58 God’s Word).
While angels existed prior to Abraham, Jesus notably did not claim to be a mere angel.
E. Thomas’ Acknowledgment of Jesus
Jesus, having established equality with God, received a significant acknowledgment from Thomas. When the skeptical disciple witnessed the risen Christ, he declared:
Thomas responded, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28 NRSV).
Thomas openly confessed Jesus’ Deity, and instead of rebuke, Jesus responded:
Jesus replied, “Thomas, do you believe because you see me? Blessed are those who believe without seeing me!” (John 20:29 CEV).
Jesus validated Thomas’ confession, affirming His identity as both Lord and God.
- The Record in the Book of Acts
In Luke’s account in the Book of Acts, there appears to be a direct statement about Christ’s deity. The apostle Paul, speaking of the “church of God” purchased “with His own blood,” emphasizes:
Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among whom the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28 HCSB).
This statement implies that it was Jesus’ blood that paid the penalty for sin, indicating His identity as God. However, it’s crucial to note a manuscript variation, with some readings suggesting “blood of His own Son” instead of “His own blood.”
- Paul’s Declarations about Jesus’ Deity
The Apostle Paul, in various statements, attested to Jesus’ deity, emphasizing His divine nature.
A. Jesus Is God over All
Paul affirmed that Jesus is God over all, writing to the Romans:
Their ancestors were great people of God, and Christ himself was a Jew as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen (Romans 9:5 NLT).
Christ, as God, holds dominion over all things and deserves eternal praise.
B. Jesus Is Yahweh (Lord)
In addressing the Romans, Paul asserted that Jesus is Lord, equivalent to Yahweh. He stated:
If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. With the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation (Romans 10:9, 10 HCSB).
Confessing Jesus as Lord, the divine name for God, is integral to salvation, according to Paul.
C. Jesus Shares the Same Essence as God
The nature of Jesus Christ aligns with that of the one true God, as articulated by Paul in his letter to the Philippians:
“Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God” (Philippians 2:5, 6 NLT).
Even though Jesus is the one true God, His humility during His earthly sojourn is emphasized, as He did not insist on asserting all His rights as God.
D. He Is the Visible Representation of the Invisible God
In his communication with the Colossians, Paul highlighted significant aspects of Jesus’ identity. He proclaimed that Jesus Christ is the visible representation of the invisible God, preeminent over all creation, and existing before all things:
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him, all things hold together” (Colossians 1:15-17 NRSV).
The eternal existence of Jesus and His role as the Creator reinforce His full deity.
E. Jesus Possesses the Fullness of Deity
Further in Colossians, Paul explicitly stated that the complete fullness of deity resides in Jesus:
“For in Christ, the fullness of God lives in a human body” (Colossians 2:9 NLT).
This unequivocal declaration emphasizes that Jesus is both fully God and fully human.
F. Jesus Is Acknowledged as the Great God and Savior
Titus, in his epistle, identifies Jesus as the great God and Savior, anticipating His glorious appearance:
“At the same time, we can expect what we hope for—the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13 God’s Word).
This verse affirms the singular identity of Jesus as both the great God and Savior, challenging any notion of a distinction between the two.
- The Book of Hebrews Testifies
The author of Hebrews affirms the deity of Jesus Christ by directly referring to Him as God. The Father’s declaration regarding the eternal nature of the Son’s throne reinforces this:
“But to the Son, He says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom’” (Hebrews 1:8 NKJV).
In this proclamation, the Son is unmistakably addressed as God by the Father.
- Peter’s Confession
Peter, a devoted disciple of Jesus, acknowledges the deity of Christ by referring to Him as both God and Savior:
“Simeon Peter, a slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ: To those who have obtained a faith of equal privilege with ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 HCSB).
This construction aligns with the Granville-Sharp rule, reinforcing that God and Savior pertain to the same Person, Jesus.
- John’s Affirmation
John, in his first letter, provides a clear statement affirming the deity of Christ, declaring Jesus as the one true God and eternal life:
“We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we know the real God. We are in the one who is real, his Son Jesus Christ. This Jesus Christ is the real God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20 God’s Word).
John unequivocally asserts the deity of Christ through this statement.
In summary, the New Testament provides direct evidence, including explicit statements and affirmations, supporting the designation of Jesus Christ as “God.”
Does the New Testament Provide Clear Evidence of Jesus’ Deity?
Upon examining the New Testament, we encounter unambiguous declarations regarding the divinity of Jesus Christ from five distinct writers: John, Luke, Paul, the author of Hebrews, and Peter. Each of them directly attests that Jesus Christ transcends mere humanity; He is, unequivocally, God Almighty.
What emerges is a portrait of Jesus being acknowledged as God from the very inception of all things. His existence predates the commencement of creation, and the Scriptures affirm His role as the Creator of the universe.
The Gospel of John explicitly refers to Jesus as the one and only God, emphasizing a unique relationship with God the Father. Additionally, Jesus, throughout His ministry, asserted equality with God, a claim that stirred controversy among the religious leaders, as recounted by John.
The episode with Thomas, who worshipped Jesus as both Lord and God upon witnessing the risen Christ, serves as a poignant acknowledgment of Jesus’ divine nature.
Moreover, the New Testament intertwines the concepts of Jesus’ blood paying the penalty for sin and the blood of God purchasing the church. This logical connection reinforces the understanding that Jesus is indeed God.
Paul further contributes to this discourse by stating that the fullness of God resides entirely in Jesus—an assertion that sets Jesus apart in a category of His own.
Both Peter and Paul explicitly identify Jesus as the great God and Savior, leaving no room for ambiguity. John, in his first letter, unambiguously declares Jesus as the one true God.
In the Book of Hebrews, God the Father Himself addresses the Son as “God,” providing another testament to Jesus’ divine nature. These references collectively affirm that, according to the writers of the New Testament, Jesus is unequivocally God.