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-“Jesus Never Said He Was God”–a Biblical Response
by Dr. D ~ January 28th, 2012
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It has become culturally fashionable to make the claim that “Jesus never said he was God.”
Lots of folks would like to claim Jesus as their own but his divinity gets in the way. The Muslims claim Jesus was a great prophet to the Jews but far less than even their prophet Muhammad. Some Jewish folks would like to acknowledge him as an ancient Jewish rabbi teacher if they could leave out the God thing and ignore the terrible treatment many Jews have received from some of his misguided followers over the centuries.
Even Hindu and eastern gurus like to make the claim that Jesus traveled to India and learned everything from them. Then there is the strange case of Richard Dawkins who wants to claim that Jesus Would Be An Atheist Today.
The real problem is that the Bible gets in the way and supports the divinity of Jesus. Not only that, but Jesus clearly indicated on a number of different occasions that he was the “I am” God of the Old testament. The response of those who heard him at the time confirms it.
One is left to choose whether Jesus was a liar, just crazy, or whether he was telling the truth. Really there is no middle ground or justification for claiming that he was some kind of ethical teacher or prophet of God if he lied about something as basic as who he really was.
Here’s an excellent article from the Apologetics Guy summarizing what Jesus had to say about himself: “Did Jesus Say He Was God?”
If you happen to be talking to someone who makes the claim that “Jesus never said that he was God,” there are 3 key scriptures that I usually refer to in a pinch as a Biblical response:
1. John 8:58: “ Before Abraham was “I am” “
If you missed it, this is what the God of the Old Testament told Moses when he asked for a name. Those listening didn’t miss what he was claiming by their response in verse 9:
“they picked up stones to stone him”
2. John 10:30: “I and the Father are One”
Again those listening to him understood his claim and picked up stones to kill him (Verse 33):
“…for Blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
If you can’t remember where the first 2 scriptures are, here is the easiest one to find. Turn to the first book of the New Testament- Mark and find the record of his trial before the Sanhedrin toward the back of the book in chapter 14.
Here, the religious leaders respond to the claims of Jesus during his trial.
3. Mark 14:61-65: The Trial of Jesus
Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"
"I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked.
"You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as worthy of death. –NIV
Obviously the religious authorities believed that Jesus was claiming to be divine and deemed him worthy of death for his blasphemy.
These are just 3 key scriptures that prove that Jesus claimed to be God. Again, for more and for greater details and a good short summary of the Biblical evidence, read the Apologetics Guy’s article:
“Did Jesus Say He Was God?” *Top
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April 3rd, 2012 at 10:02 am
TIME and again, Jesus showed that he was a creature separate from God and that he, Jesus, had a God above him, a God whom he worshiped, a God whom he called “Father.” In prayer to God, that is, the Father, Jesus said, “You, the only true God.” (John 17:3) At John 20:17 he said to Mary Magdalene: “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” (RS, Catholic edition) At 2 Corinthians 1:3 the apostle Paul confirms this relationship: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Since Jesus had a God, his Father, he could not at the same time be that God.
The apostle Paul had no reservations about speaking of Jesus and God as distinctly separate: “For us there is one God, the Father, . . . and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 8:6,) The apostle shows the distinction when he mentions “the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels.” (1 Timothy 5:21, RS Common Bible) Just as Paul speaks of Jesus and the angels as being distinct from one another in heaven, so too are Jesus and God.
Jesus’ words at John 8:17, 18 are also significant. He states: “In your own Law it is written, ‘The witness of two men is true.’ I am one that bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” Here Jesus shows that he and the Father, that is, Almighty God, must be two distinct entities, for how else could there truly be two witnesses?
Jesus further showed that he was a separate being from God by saying: “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.” (Mark 10:18,) So Jesus was saying that no one is as good as God is, not even Jesus himself. God is good in a way that separates him from Jesus.