Notes compiled by Marty Zide and Steve McAtee
By Deity, we mean the Bible teaches that Jesus, while here on earth, was fully God. As the Son, He always was God and will continue to be God throughout all eternity.
The Deity of Messiah Jesus is derived directly from statements concerning Him in Scripture. The statements are so clear that even His enemies knew exactly what He was saying about Himself and what others were saying about Him.
A. Proven By Direct Scriptural Claims
The reaction of the listeners bears witness to the fact that Jesus claimed to be God and others said that he was God. One thing to note, when people got upset at Jesus for claiming to be God, He never corrected them by saying it was a miscommunication, or that they were misunderstanding Him.
The reaction of the listeners bears witness to the fact that Jesus claimed to be God and others said that he was God. One thing to note, when people got upset at Jesus for claiming to be God, He never corrected them by saying it was a miscommunication, or that they were misunderstanding Him.
1 Tim. 6:13-16 - I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Messiah Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, which He will bring about at the proper time He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
Titus 2:13 - looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Messiah Jesus.
John 20:28 - Thomas answered and said to Him, My Lord and my God!
Heb. 1:8-9 - But of the Son He says, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness above Your companions.
Rom. 9:5 - whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Messiah according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
1 John 5:20 - 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 the Messiah. This is the true God and eternal life.
Beyond any shadow of a doubt, these verses declare that Jesus the Messiah is God. Not only do we have these direct statements to prove this point, but we also have illustrations of the Deity of Jesus by some of the works He performed.
B. Proven By His Attributes
Since the Bible teaches that Jesus is God, we would expect that He would possess the same attributes as God the Father, which makes them equal.
These are some of His attributes:
(Specifically, those that are unique to God alone.)
Self-Existent
Eternal
Immutable
Omnipresent
Omniscient Omnipotent
SELF-EXISTENT
John 1:4 - In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
ETERNAL
Mic. 5:2 - But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.
OMNIPOTENT
Rev. 1:8 - I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
IMMUTABLE
Heb. 13:8 - Jesus the Messiah is the same yesterday and today and forever.
OMNIPRESENT
Matt. 28:19-20 - Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
OMNISCIENT
John 16:30 - Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God.
Col. 2:3 - in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
C. Proven By His Works
Since the Bible teaches that Jesus is God, we would expect that He would perform some works that would demonstrate that fact.
These are some of His works:
Creation
Sustaining Creation Forgiving Sins
Authoring Salvation
Divine Authority
Divine Judgment
CREATION
1 Cor. 8:6 - yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus the Messiah, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
Col. 1:16 - For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things have been created through Him and for Him.
SUSTAINING CREATION
Col. 1:17 - He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Heb. 1:3 - And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
FORGIVING SINS
Luke 7:47-49 - For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little. Then He said to her, Your sins have been forgiven. Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, Who is this man who even forgives sins?
Luke 5:20-25 - Seeing their faith, He said, Friend, your sins are forgiven you. The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? But
Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, Your sins have been forgiven you, or to say, Get up and walk? But, so that you may know that the
Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, He said to the paralytic I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home. Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.
AUTHORING SALVATION
Heb. 5:9 - And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him.
DIVINE AUTHORITY
Matt. 4:10-11 - Then Jesus said to him, Go, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only. Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.
DIVINE JUDGMENT
John 5:22-23 - For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
Coming Next – Proven By His Name