The question: “Is Jesus God?” is a central tenet of Christian theology, and the doctrine of the divinity of Christ is foundational to the Christian faith. The Bible provides numerous passages that affirm Jesus’ divine nature, His identity as God, and His unique relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Biblical Evidence for Jesus’ Divinity
Explicit Claims to Divinity
John 1:1, 14 (NIV)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… 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.
John 8:58 (NIV)
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
- In this passage, Jesus uses the phrase “I am,” which directly references God’s self-identification in Exodus 3:14, where God says to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.”
John 10:30-33 (NIV)
“I and the Father are one.” Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
Implicit Claims and Titles
Colossians 1:15-17 (NIV)
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Colossians 2:9 (NIV)
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.
Hebrews 1:3 (NIV)
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Jesus’ Actions and Attributes
- Forgiving Sins: Only God can forgive sins, yet Jesus forgives sins in passages like Mark 2:5-7.
- Receiving Worship: Jesus accepts worship from His followers (e.g., Matthew 14:33, John 9:38), whereas worship is due to God alone.
- Performing Miracles: Jesus performs miracles, demonstrating power over nature, illness, and death (e.g., calming the storm, raising Lazarus from the dead).
- Authority Over Life and Death: Jesus claims authority over life and death, as seen in John 11:25-26 and John 10:17-18.
Theological Perspectives
The Doctrine of the Trinity
The doctrine of the Trinity states that God exists as three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—but is one being. This means that Jesus (the Son) is fully God, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:19 (NIV)
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Historical Creeds
The early church creeds, such as the Nicene Creed (325 AD), were formulated to affirm the divinity of Jesus and to combat heresies that denied His divine nature.
Nicene Creed
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.
Relevance for Today’s Christian
Assurance of Salvation
Believing in the divinity of Jesus is crucial for understanding the efficacy of His atoning sacrifice. Only God could bear the weight of humanity’s sin and provide a means of reconciliation.
John 14:6 (NIV)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Personal Relationship with God
Jesus being God means that Christians can have a personal relationship with God through Jesus, who mediates between God and humanity.
1 Timothy 2:5 (NIV)
For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.
Empowerment for Christian Living
The divinity of Jesus assures believers of His presence, guidance, and power in their lives through the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:20 (NIV)
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Understanding and affirming the divinity of Jesus is foundational to the Christian faith, shaping theology, worship, and daily living.