Did Jesus claimed to be God?
Yes! In many passages. But at the beginning of His life on earth, He didn't shout it out from the rooftops, because He was waiting for the right time. Timing was very important for all the prophecies of the Old Testament to be fulfilled.
So, let's see what Jesus said about Himself.
John 8:57 - Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"
John 8:58 - Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was I AM."
John 8:59 - Then they took up stones to throw at Him
What a statement, right? "Before Abraham was, I AM." Is no greater statement than that, claiming deity. These are the same words that Yahweh spoke in
Exodus 3:14 - "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, "I AM Has sent me to you."
And you can only look at the Jews reaction here, by wanting to stone Jesus after what He said.
Why did they want to stone Him?
For blasphemy. For claiming to be God. And their law commanded them to stone someone who blasphemes against God.
Leviticus 24:16 - And whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him.
And then Paul was also like one of these religious people who didn't believe, that Jesus Christ was just the Messiah. That He was indeed God, and that is why he persecuted Christians. Before he was Paul, his name was Saul. And then on the road to Damascus, Jesus just revealed Himself to Saul. And Saul, he became a Christian. He converted, because at that moment, he believed that Jesus Christ, is God
John 10:23-24 - And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, "How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly."
Now for those, who do not no, the Christ, means Messiah. So they were asking Jesus, to tell them if He was indeed, the Messiah.
John 10:25- Jesus told them, "I told you, and you do not believe.
So it's very clear here, that He already told them, that He is the Messiah.
John 10:25 - The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of me.
John 10:26-27 - But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice
John 10:27-28 - and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
John 10:28-29 - Neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me, is greater them all;
John 10:29-30 - and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one."
John 10:31 - Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.
I and My Father are one. He can't be any clearer than that. And then again, they wanted to stone Him, for what? Why did they want to stone Him? Because He claimed to be God.
John 10:33 - For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a man, making Yourself God.
And then, of course, we know that this is also the only reason why they crucified Jesus at the end. Why? Because He claimed to be God.
Luke 22:70 - Then they all said, "Are You then the Son of God?" "You rightly say that I am."
Luke 22:71 - And they said, "What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it oirselves from His own mouth."
And then they took Him to Pilate, the Roman governor at that time. And he asked Jesus the following.
Luke 23:3 - "Are you the King of the Jews?" He answered Him and siad, "It is as you say."
Luke 23:24 - So Pilate said to the chief priest and the crowd, "I find no fault in this Man."
So Jesus never, not even once, denied it. When people asked Him, "Are you God?", "Are You the Son of God?", "Are you Messiah?", He always affirmed it in the positive.
Not only Jesus, but also His followers.
John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 - And the Word becmae flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, all of grace and truth.
Isn't that just amazing? John. Describing how Jesus, God, lived among them. How they beheld His glory. Imagine, you were alive at that time, and you could see Jesus as the disciples did.
Thomas said in
John 20:28 - "My Lord and my God!"
2 Peter 1:1 - To those who have obtained precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:13 - looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing ot our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Simon Peter answered and said in
Matthew 16:16-17 - "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven."
So it is very clear that Bible says that, Jesus Himself, and those who followed Him, clearly said that He is God.
You know, Jesus knew exactly who He was. Even at 12 years old when Joseph and Maria, He was lost. They were looking for Him. They couldn't find Him for three days. And He was at the temple teaching.
Luke 2:46 - after three days they found Him in the temple court, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
Luke 2:47 - Everyone who heard Him was amazed at His understanding and His answers.
Luke 2:48 - When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You"
And listem to what He answered to them
Luke 2:48 - "Why were ypu searching for Me? Didn't you know I had to be in My Father's house?"
So Jesus always knew, who He was. There was not even one moment that He was a little bit uncertain. He knew exactly. Compare that to any other religious leaders. Muhammad, for example, he wasvery uncertain. He had no self awareness. He claimed when he got the revelations, or the visions. He wasn't even sure what was really happening. Then he went to his wife. He told his wife about the whole story, and his wife convinced him that it is an angel. And you have to go and listen to him. But Jesus, He knew exactly, who He was!
"Before Abraham was, I AM." And He also says in
Johm 14:6 - I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
So the question that you should ask, is not, "Did Jesus claimed to be God?" Because He clearly did. But the question you should be asking are, "Why did Jesus come to earth, in the flesh? And what makes Him so different, than other religious founders?"
