Is Jesus really God?
Yes, in the plainest terms Scripture can manage. Jesus is called God outright, claims the divine name 'I AM,' does divine works, and receives the worship that belongs to God alone.
This question arose from studying Who is Jesus?.
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What the Scripture says
He is called God outright
John opens with 'the Word was God.' Thomas, a Jew who knew exactly what he was saying, called the risen Jesus 'My Lord and my God,' and Jesus received it. And in Hebrews, the Father Himself says to the Son, 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.'
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom.
He claimed the divine name: 'I AM'
'Before Abraham was, I AM.' Not 'I was' but 'I AM,' the name God spoke from the burning bush in Exodus 3:14. The crowd understood perfectly; they picked up stones to kill Him for blasphemy. Jesus also said that unless you believe that He is, you will die in your sins.
He does divine works
All things were made through Him, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. He forgave sins, which the scribes rightly said only God can do. Creation, forgiveness, and sustaining all things are works of God, and they are His.
All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made.
His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” But there were some of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
He receives divine worship
Angels are commanded to worship Him. The risen disciples worshiped Him. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord, worship that the Bible gives to God and to no one else, given freely to Jesus.
When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.”
When they saw him, they bowed down to him, but some doubted.
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The fullness of deity dwells in Him
Paul puts it beyond ambiguity: 'In him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.' And He is the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's nature. To see Jesus is to see God.
For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily,
His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
Studying the Word naturally opens more of it. Follow what you just read: it leads somewhere.
We haven't written this one yet. Take it to your church or small group: the Word answers it wherever it is asked. If we study it here later, all the better.
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Verses to meditate on
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM.”
For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily,
His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
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