Is Jesus God (with verses listed)?
Introduction
What does the Bible say about Jesus?
- Jesus is God in human form.
Jesus is not a created being;
Jesus always existed as God -- but, he voluntarily took an ‘inferior’ form, the form of a man, to effect our salvation.
What does the Bible say?
Jesus is referred to as God (in the Bible)
- Isaiah 9:6
- For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he [Jesus] is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- John 1:1
- In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word [Jesus] was with God, and the Word [Jesus] was God.
- John 20:28
- Thomas answered him [Jesus], "My Lord and my God!"
- 2 Peter 1:1
- Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ
- Titus 2:13;
- ... while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
- Hebrews 1:8
- But of the Son [Jesus] he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.
The Bible says that the fullness of God (deity/ divinity) dwelt in Jesus
- Col 2:9
- For in him [Jesus] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily...
Titles and functions of Yahweh-God are attributed to Jesus
- John 1:3 -- All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being ...
- Col 1:15-17 -- He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the [pre-eminent one] of all creation; for in him [Jesus] 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 [Jesus] and for him [Jesus]. He [Jesus] himself is before all things, and in him [Jesus] all things hold together.
- Hebrews 1:10 -- And, "In the beginning, Lord, you [Jesus] founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands;
- Rev 17:14 -- they will make war on the Lamb [Jesus], and the Lamb [Jesus] will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful."
- Rev 19:16 -- On his robe and on his thigh he [Jesus] has a name inscribed, "King of kings and Lord of lords."
- I Tim 6:14-15 -- ... to the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time—he [Jesus] who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
- Both Jesus and Yahweh-God are ‘The First and The Last’
[Yahweh: Isaiah 44:6; 48:12; 41:4]
- Isaiah 44:6 -- Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I [God] am the first and I [God] am the last; besides me there is no god.
- Isaiah 48:12 -- Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called: I am He; I [God] am the first, and I [God] am the last.
- Isaiah 41:4 -- Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I [God], the Lord, am first, and will be with the last.
[Jesus: Rev 1:17; Rev 2:8; Rev 22:13]
- Rev 1:17 -- When I saw him [Jesus], I fell at his feet as though dead. But he [Jesus] placed his right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I [Jesus] am the first and the last...
- Rev 2:8 -- And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of [Jesus] the first and the last, who was dead and came to life:
- Rev 22:13 -- I [Jesus] am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
- Both Jesus and Yahweh-God are ‘The Savior’
[Yahweh: Psalm 106:21; Hosea 13:4; Isaiah 45:21; Isaiah 43:3,11]
- Psalm 106:21 -- They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,
- Hosea 13:4 -- Yet I have been the Lord your God ever since the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior.
- Isaiah 45:21 -- Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord? There is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is no one besides me.
- Isaiah 43:3,11 -- For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you. ... I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior.
[Jesus: Acts 2:21; 4:12; Rom 10:9]
- Acts 2:21 -- Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord [Jesus] shall be saved.
- Acts 4:12 -- There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name [other than Jesus] under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved."
- Rom 10:9 -- because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
- Both Jesus and Yahweh-God are ‘The Judge of Mankind’
[Yahweh: Gen 18:25; Joel 3:12]
- Gen 18:25 -- Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?"
- Joel 3:12 -- Let the nations rouse themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I [God] will sit to judge all the neighboring nations.
[Jesus: 2 Tim 4:1; 2 Cor 5:10; Rom 14:10]
- 2 Tim 4:1 -- ... Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you...
- 2 Cor 5:10 --For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.
- Rom 14:10 -- Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
Passages referring to Yahweh-God (in the Old Testament) are quoted and applied to Jesus (in the New Testament).
- Isaiah saw the glory of Yahweh-God [Isaiah 6:1-10]
- Isaiah 6:1-10 -- 6:1
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple.
6:2
Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.
6:3
And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory."
6:4
The pivots F11 on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke.
6:5
And I said: "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!"
6:6
Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs.
6:7
The seraph F12 touched my mouth with it and said: "Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out."
6:8
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I; send me!"
6:9
And he said, "Go and say to this people: "Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand.'
6:10
Make the mind of this people dull, and stop their ears, and shut their eyes, so that they may not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and comprehend with their minds, and turn and be healed."
This same glory is described as being the glory of Jesus [John 12:31-42]
- John 12:31-42 -- 12:31
Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
12:32
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people F103 to myself."
12:33
He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
12:34
The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah F104 remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?"
12:35
Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going.
12:36
While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light." After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.
12:37
Although he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him.
12:38
This was to fulfill the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah: "Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
12:39
And so they could not believe, because Isaiah also said,
12:40
"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they might not look with their eyes, and understand with their heart and turn— and I would heal them."
12:41
Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke about him.
12:42
Nevertheless many, even of the authorities, believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue;
- Jesus accepted worship (only Yahweh-God is to be worshipped: Exodus 34:14/ Matt 4:10)
- Exodus 34:14 -- (for you shall worship no other god, because the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God).
- Matt 4:10 -- Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! for it is written, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.' "
- Hebrews 1:6 -- And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."
- Matt 14:33 -- And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God.
- Jesus has the attributes of Yahweh God
- He is eternal (Micah 5:2),
- Micah 5:2 -- But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.
- all powerful (Matt 28:18),
- Matt 28:18 -- And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
- sinless (John 8:46),
- John 8:46 -- Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?
- unchanging (Heb 13:8),
- Heb 13:8 -- Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
- knows things a mere human wouldn't (John 1:48; 2:25; 6:64; 16:30; 21:17).
- John 1:48 -- Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you."
- John 2:25 -- and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.
- John 6:64 -- But among you there are some who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him.
- John 16:30 -- Now we know that you know all things, and do not need to have anyone question you; by this we believe that you came from God."
- John 21:17 -- And he [Peter] said to him [Jesus], "Lord, you know everything..."
- Jesus performed certain works that point to His being God
- He forgives sin (Mark 2:5-7; Eph 1:7),
- Mark 2:5-7 -- 2:5
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
2:6
Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,
2:7
"Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
- Eph 1:7 -- In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace
- controls nature (Matt 8:26),
- Matt 8:26 -- And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm.
- gives eternal life (John 10:28; 17:2),
- John 10:28 -- I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.
- John 17:2 -- since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
- judges the world ..