It’s a great question! Where does Jesus say he is God? It’s important.
This text is geared to followers of Islam as they are the ones who ask this the most. But it also applies to Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses and anyone who wants to see where Jesus proclaims his deity.
In this handout, you will see 20 places of the deity of Christ from Scriptures. Be sure to read the opening “foundations” first.
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Foundations
Mutually Fair Comparison
If we insist that Jesus speak in words that we make up such as, “I am God, worship me,” it is imposing a modern day phrase interjected into a different culture and time. That’s not sound practice for any faith.
It would be like saying the Quran must have exactly the words, “I am Allah, worship me.” Or “I am Allah’s prophet and the best moral exemplar, follow me.” Someone could equally respond, “that’s proof that Allah isn’t God and Islam’s Prophet isn’t his messenger because it doesn’t say it word for word.”
In both cases, it isn’t the exact wording that matters. It is what the text says conceptually. We cannot force a text to say what we want it to say. Let the text speak for itself in its own words with the meaning in its context.
2) The Actual Triune Nature of God
The nature of God as Son is not that God had sex with Mary and produced Jesus. That is despicable to every Christian and a false representation.
The trinity is the oneness of God as seen in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is in the same way that humans are three in one — body, soul and spirit.
With that, what does Jesus say about himself? What did the people in the context thinks words meant?
1) He Uses the Old Testament Name for God (John 8:56-60)
“Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”
57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple” (John 8:56-60).
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Jesus states he saw Abraham. The Jews understood this (v. 57). Not only that but he was before Abraham even existed.
He also used the word, “I AM.” This is the Old Testament name for Yahweh, “I AM” and comes from Exodus 3:13-14:
13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
If there is any doubt that that Jesus was claiming anything less than deity, then look at the clearly stated words in John 10.
2) The Jews Knew What He Meant (John 10:24-33)
24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:34-33).
Did you see it? They were stoning him BECAUSE YOU, A MERE MAN, CLAIM TO BE GOD.
The Jews knew exactly what he was saying. The statement that “I and the Father are one” are something only God can say. Then they say plainly that his claims to deity are the very reason they are stoning him. 2-9) Jesus Makes 7 Statements of Deity (Gospel of John)
3-10) Jesus Makes 7 Claims to Deity (John)
The Hebrew name for God that God gave to Moses was the name “I AM” as we saw previously. Jesus uses this throughout the book of John as a title for deity.
“I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me”” (John 8:18)
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35)
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12)
“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9)
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11)
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25)
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser” (John 15:1)
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6)
Each of these names and titles in itself is a claim to deity. No man can say, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” Or “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.”
11) Jesus says He is the Giver of Eternal Life (John 17:1-5)
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he [Jesus] might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do (John 17:1-5).
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand (John 10:27-28).
Further more it says Jesus is the giver of eternal life (v. 2). Only God can grant someone eternal life. This is a clear claim to Jesus’ deity.
12) Jesus’ Glory Was Before the World Began (John 17:5)
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he [Jesus] might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began (John 17:5).
He says clearly in verse 5
He shared his glory with the Father
His glory was “before the world began”
Only God has glory. Furthermore no man existed prior to the beginning of the world. This is a complete statement of His Deity.
13) He had Glory and Was Loved Before the Foundation of the World (John 17:24)
“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world” (John 17:24).
He had glory before the foundation of the world. He was loved before the foundation of the world. No man can say that. Only God can say such things.
14) Jesus made a Clear Statement of Deity that Even Line up with the Quran (Revelation 1:17; 2:8)
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last” (Revelation 1:17).
“These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again” (Revelation 2:8).
Even the Quran affirms this:
He is the First and the Last, the Evident and the Immanent: and He has full knowledge of all things (El-Hadid 57:3).
The First and Last is a statement of Deity. Only God can be First and Last. No other.
15) Jesus Judges the World (John 5:22)
Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son (John 5:22).
Jesus judges the world. Only Jesus. The Father gave that authority to the Son. No human can judge the world as no human is sinless like Jesus. And no angel can judge the world as they don’t have that authority. Only the uncreated God can judge the world.
16) Jesus holds the Keys to Death and Hades (Revelation 1:18)
I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades (Revelation 1:18).
Can a man, even a good man, hold the keys to Death and Hades? Only God has that right, privilege and role.
Furthermore, Jesus says he was raised from the dead. And he is alive forever and ever. He is the Living One. The Sinless One. And the One with glory before the world began.
17) They Asked Him Plainly. He Answered Plainly (Mark 14:61-64).
61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 “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.”
63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
They all condemned him as worthy of death” (Mark 14:61-64).
One more time he uses the “I AM” statement as it is the name of God in Exodus 3 which we have pointed out in earlier chapters. But Jesus takes it one step further. He went on to quote the Scripture saying that he was the fulfillment of Daniel 7:13-14, coming in the clouds of heaven.
“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed (Dan 7:13-14).
Why was Jesus condemned to death here? Because he claimed to be the fulfillment of Daniel 7. In this Scripture the Son is given dominion, glory, worship and a kingdom that is everlasting and will never pass away.
This is a clear claim of deity. They knew it. And condemned him to death for it. They said he was blaspheming which meant he was claiming to be God.
18) Even the Jews said Only God Can Do This – (Mark 2:1-12)
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?
10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:1-12).
The Jews said it. Only God can forgive sins. And Jesus was like me show that this is true. And he not forgave the man’s sins, he healed him.
19) Jesus Welcomed Worship (Matthew 14:33; 28:9-10; John 20:26-29)
33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33).
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9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:9-10).
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26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:26-29).
In a number of places Jesus received worship. He was sinless. And yet he received this worship.
Even with Thomas who doubted. After his resurrection, he invited Thomas to find out if he was real and true. Thomas touched his crucifixion wounds. Then he proclaimed, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus, the sinless one, received that worship. And he blessed him.
20) Jesus Exercised Authority and Power in Ways Only God Could Do
Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8) and only the LORD their God is LORD of the Sabbath (Exodus 20:10-11)
Jesus is LORD of the temple (Matthew 21:12-13) and called it “My house”
Jesus is the second person in the trinity (Matthew 28:18-20)
He had a miraculous catch of fish (power over nature) (Luke 5)
He multiplied the loaves and the fishes (Matthew 14:13-21)
He walked on water (Matthew 14:22-33)
The wind and the waves obeyed him (Luke 8:25)
He casts our demons, even a legion of demons (Mark 8)
Jesus sends prophets (Matthew 23:34-49) which is the action of God (Jeremiah 1:4-5)
He commands angels (Matthew 13:41-42).
Jesus did things no ordinary man had the right to do. Nor the power to do. Only Jesus could do such things as God in the flesh.