Is Jesus God?

Some who deny that Jesus is God make the claim that Jesus never said that He is God. It is correct that the Bible never records Jesus saying the precise words, “I am God.” This does not mean, however, that Jesus never claimed to be God.


Is Jesus God? — Jesus claimed to be God.

Take, for example, the words of Jesus in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” We need only to look at the Jews’ reaction to His statement to know He was claiming to be God. They tried to stone Him for this very reason: “You, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33, emphasis added). The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was claiming—deity. When Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one,” He was saying that He and the Father are of one nature and essence. John 8:58 is another example. Jesus declared, “Very truly I tell you . . . before Abraham was born, I am!” This is a reference to Exodus 3:14 when God revealed Himself as “I AM.” The Jews who heard Jesus’ statement understood that He was applying God’s name to Himself. They responded by taking up stones to kill Him for blasphemy, believing they were following the Mosaic Law (see Leviticus 24:16).

Is Jesus God? — His followers declared Him to be God.

John reiterates the fact of Jesus’ deity: “The Word [Jesus] was God” and “the Word became flesh” (John 1:1, 14). These verses clearly indicate that Jesus is God in the flesh. Paul instructed the Ephesian elders to “be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood” (Acts 20:28). Who bought the church with His own blood? Jesus Christ. And this same verse declares that God purchased His church with His own blood. Therefore, Jesus is God.

Thomas the disciple addressed Jesus as “my Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Jesus does not correct him but instead accepts the worship. Titus 2:13 encourages us to wait for the coming of “our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (see also 2 Peter 1:1). The author of Hebrews points out that the Son of God is called “God” in the Old Testament: “But about the Son he [the Father] says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom’” (Hebrews 1:8, quoting Psalm 45:6). So, the Father Himself refers to Jesus as “God.”

In the book of Revelation, an angel instructs the apostle John to worship only God (Revelation 19:10). Several times in Scripture Jesus receives worship (Matthew 2:11; 14:33; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38). He never rebukes people for worshiping Him. In allowing people to worship Him, Jesus was making a tacit claim to deity.

Is Jesus God? — The reason Jesus must be God.

The most important reason that Jesus must be God is that, if He is not God, His death would not have been sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). A created being could not pay the infinite penalty required to forgive sin against an infinite God. But Jesus is an uncreated being; as God, He could pay an infinite penalty. As the Holy One, Jesus is sinless and could take on the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21). As God in human flesh, He could die and be resurrected, proving His victory over sin and death.

Is Jesus God? Yes. Jesus declared Himself to be God. His followers believed Him to be God. And the provision of salvation only works if Jesus is God. Jesus is God incarnate, the eternal Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8; 22:13), and God our Savior (2 Peter 1:1).