It is not uncommon for skeptics of the Christian faith to say that “Jesus never claimed to be God.” They often try to insist that it was Jesus’s followers who “deified him” and that Jesus never actually made this claim about himself. However, this is easily shown to be false by both Jesus’s own words, the words of those who followed him, the miracles he performed, and the prophecies foretold about him. This post lists the Scripture passages that I have collected along with the commentary by a few other authors. These only scratch the surface. There are no doubt volumes written on this essential question. But for the reader who doesn’t want to get into the details, I will simply answer the subject question emphatically — YES, Jesus DID claim to be God! What will you do with that reality?
What Jesus said about himself
Jesus claimed to be able to give eternal life, and that he and the Father (God) were one and the same. That Jesus meant to say this was very clear by the reaction of the Jews who picked up stones to kill him because he committed “blasphemy” for making himself God.
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”
John 10:28-33 ESV
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” John 3:36
The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming he who is called Christ. When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” John 4:25-26
Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” John 9:35-37
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. John 8:53, 58-59
I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father. John 16:28
And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. John 17:5
But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” Matthew 9:4-6
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 16:16-17
But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” Matthew 26:63-66 ESV
“but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” Hebrews 1:2-3
Note: the entirety of Hebrews 1 makes the case through quoting other scriptures that Jesus is in fact God
You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. Hebrews 2:7-8,10
Colossians 1:15-17 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; and he is before all things, and in him all things consist. Colossians 1:15-17
“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:11-12 ESV
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:20
“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” Luke 10:16 ESV
Jesus claimed to be able to forgive sins, something only God could do
“And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ‘Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’” Mark 2:5-7 ESV
“And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:48-50 ESV
Jesus claimed to be able to give eternal life
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:28 ESV
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” John 5:24 ESV
Jesus claimed to be the ONLY way to eternal life
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John 3:16-18 ESV
“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 ESV
“The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.” John 12:48 ESV
Jesus’s Diety Confirmed by Miracles
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know” Acts 2:22
“Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me,” John 10:25 ESV
Jesus is the Savior of the World
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,” Titus 2:11 ESV
Jesus is attributed to setting the Israelites free from the Egyptians
“Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.” Jude 1:5 ESV
Jesus Became a Man to Redeem Mankind
“But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” Hebrews 2:9 ESV
“Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Hebrews 2:17-18 ESV
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 ESV
Book Quotes
“Jesus also speaks about himself as the Son of Man who will come in glory on the clouds (Mark 13: 26; 14: 62; Luke 21: 27), a clear reference to this passage from Daniel [7:13-14]. His audience would know exactly what he is saying.” Lois Tverberg, Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus
“The opinion of these authors [Gospel writers who wrote of Jesus’s divinity] would not mean much, however, if Jesus had shown no consciousness of his divine identity. But he did. All through the Gospels Jesus is constantly forgiving sin, which only God can do. He also claims, in various places, “I am going to come back to judge the earth,” and only God can do that. He claims to have mutual, equal knowledge with God the Father (Matthew 11: 27–28). At one point Jesus actually says, “Before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8: 58). He takes the divine name upon himself (cf. Exodus 3: 13–14). At many times and in many ways Jesus Christ, a Jewish man, said, “I am God,” and thousands believed him and came to worship him (Acts 2: 41).” Tim Keller, Hidden Christmas, pg 42:
“In this regard it is worth noting that, just as “the Name” was another expression for Yahweh, so “the Name” was used to refer to Jesus. For example, in Romans 10 we read: If you confess with your mouth “ Jesus is Lord ” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who is rich to all who call upon him. For “ everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom 10:9–13). The important thing to note here is that the quotation of verse 13 comes from Joel 2:32. In that Old Testament text we read: “everyone who calls on the name of the Yahweh shall be saved.” The apostle Paul deftly links “confessing Jesus is Lord” in verse 9 with the statement of the Old Testament prophet. This happens many times, especially in Paul’s writings. The Name and Yahweh were interchanged in Israelite theology, so that trusting in “the Name of Yahweh” meant trusting in Yahweh. Likewise, trusting in the name of the Lord, who is Yahweh in the Old Testament quotation, is the same as confessing Jesus as Lord.” Michael S Heiser, Unseen Realm, Pg 269
“The identification of Jesus and the Angel who is the visible Yahweh by virtue of embodying the Name is made explicit in Jude 5: Now I want to remind you, although you know everything once and for all, that Jesus, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, the second time destroyed those who did not believe.” Michael S Heiser, Unseen Realm, Pg 270