Don Stewart :: Does the New Testament Give Direct Evidence That Jesus Is God?

The Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus Christ was true humanity. In modern times, however, there remains the question concerning His Deity. Was He more than just a man?

Jesus Was Fully Human And Fully God

The Scriptures testify that Jesus was fully human and fully God in human flesh. This can be observed from Jesus' own testimony, and the testimony of others. We find this to be true in both direct and indirect statements about Him.

Some Direct Statements Of Christ's Deity

There are a number of direct statements in the New Testament concerning the Deity of Christ.

1. The Testimony Of The Four Gospels

The gospels make the following statement about Jesus.

Jesus Was In The Beginning With God

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1).

This statement is clear. Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God because He was God. The imperfect tense of the verb stresses the fact that Jesus continually existed. As far back as one goes in time Jesus Christ is already there.

He Is God The One And Only

No one has ever seen God, but God the one and only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known (John 1:18).

Here Jesus is called God the one and only.

Jesus Is Equal With God

For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God (John 5:18).

The Jews wanted to kill Jesus because they understood He was claiming equality with God.

Jesus Existed Before Abraham

Although Jesus was born as a babe in Bethlehem He claimed to have existed two thousand years earlier.

"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:58).

While angels existed before Abraham Jesus never claimed to be a mere angel. Thomas' Confession Of Jesus

Jesus made Himself equal with God.

Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28).

Thomas confessed to Jesus' Deity. Jesus did not rebuke Him for this. To the contrary He said.

Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe" (John 20:29).

2. The Testimony Of The Book Of Acts

In the Book of Acts, written by Luke, we have a direct statement about Christ's Deity.

The Blood Of God

The Bible speaks of the blood of God.

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood (Acts 20:28).

It was the blood of Jesus Christ that paid the penalty for sin. Yet here it says that the church was bought with the blood of God. Consequently it is saying that Jesus Christ is God.

3. The Writings Of Paul

The apostle Paul made a number of statements about Jesus Deity.

Jesus Is God Over All

Paul said that Jesus was God over all.

Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen (Romans 9:5).

Jesus Is Yahweh (Lord)

He wrote to the Romans that Jesus is Lord.

That 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 (Romans 10:9,10).

A person needs to confess Jesus as the Lord - that is Yahweh or Jehovah, the divine name for God.

Jesus Has The Same Nature As God

Jesus Christ has the same nature as the one, true God. Paul wrote.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped (Philippians 2:5,6).

He Is The Visible Image Of The Invisible God

Jesus is the image of the invisible God. He is pre-eminent over all creation. In addition, He is before all things. This stresses His eternal existence.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:15-17).

Jesus Has All The Fullness Of Deity

All the fullness of Deity is in Jesus.

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form (Colossians 2:9).

Jesus Is The Great God And Savior

Jesus is the great God and Savior. Paul wrote.

While we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).

Christ is the great God and Savior. The verse is not speaking of the appearing of two distinct persons the great God and the Savior rather it speaks of the appearing of one person - Jesus, the great God and Savior.

It Is Beyond All Doubt In Original Greek

This is clear beyond any doubt in the original Greek. There is a rule in Greek grammar known as the Granville-Sharp rule. It can be simply stated as follows: when two nouns are joined by the word "and" (kai in Greek) and the first noun has the article in front of it, and the second does not, both nouns refer to the same thing. In Titus 2:13 we have this type of construction. The first noun "God" has the article in front of it. The second noun "Savior" does not. They are joined together by the word "and." Therefore the great God and Savior are the same person - Jesus Christ. There is no getting around this grammatical rule.

4. The Testimony Of The Book Of Hebrews

The writer to the Hebrews accepted the Deity of Christ.

Jesus Is Addressed As God

But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom" (Hebrews 1:8).

The Son is directly called God. The Father says that His throne will last forever and ever.

5. Peter

Peter, one of Jesus own disciples, confessed to His Deity.

Jesus Is Both God And Savior

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours (2 Peter 1:1).

Jesus is both God and Savior. This Greek construction is another example of the Granville-Sharp rule. God and Savior speak of the same Person - Jesus.

6. John

From the First letter of John we have another statement about the Deity of Christ.

Jesus Is The One True God

John wrote.

We know also 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 - even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life (1 John 5:20).

According to John, Jesus is the one true God.

Summary

As we survey the New Testament we find direct statements about the Deity of Christ from five different New Testament writers. John, Luke, Paul, the writer to the Hebrews, and Peter. They all testified directly that Jesus Christ was more than a mere human being - He was God almighty.

Jesus is acknowledged as being God in the beginning, He is called the one and only God. Jesus also claimed equality with God. Thomas worshipped Him as God. While the Bible says that Jesus' blood paid the penalty for sin it also says that the blood of God bought the church. Paul said that all of the fulness of God resided in Jesus. Both Peter and Paul say that Jesus is the great God and Savior. John says that He is the one, true God. Jesus is directly addressed as God in the Book of Hebrews.

It is clear that the writers of the New Testament believed that Jesus was God Himself.