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We invite you to pray with us, before beginning this lesson:
Almighty Lord,
You have guided us, by Your Holy Spirit, in our study of Your inspired Word.
We humbly ask You to continue to do so, as we study the subject of the nature of Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Open our hearts and our minds to Your precious truth. We pray in the name of Jesus our Savior.
Amen.
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Mark 8:29
[Jesus] said to [His disciples],
«But whom say you that I am?»
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This question, which Jesus asked His disciples, could still be asked today, especially about His divine nature.
In fact, many people don’t know what to think about this.
On the one hand, some say that Jesus is God, equal with the Father. On the other hand, some deny His divinity, teaching that He is only the Son of God, and not God the Son.
As for us, we will choose to let the Bible enlighten us on this subject.
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Matthew 1:23
«Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, “God with us”.»
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The Word of God asserts at different places and in different ways that Jesus Christ is truly God.
First, let us look at the verses directly testifying to the divinity of Jesus. Then, we will compare verses from the Old and the New Testament, which will bring us to the same conclusion.
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John 1:1,14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (...)
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us.
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John 5:18
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.
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Many times, the Gospel according to John testifies to the divinity of Christ.
From the very first verse, it presents the Word as being God: the rest of the chapter clearly shows that John was speaking of Jesus.
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John 20:28
And Thomas answered and said to [Jesus], «My Lord and my God!»
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John 10:30,33
[Jesus said,] «I and My Father are one.» (...)
The Jews answered Him, saying, «For a good work we stone You not; but for blasphemy; and because that You, being a man, make Yourself God.»
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Let us note that Jesus never corrected Thomas’ exclamation, nor the Jews’ interpretation, both bringing out His divinity.
If Jesus were not God, He certainly would have corrected such clear and straightforward declarations!
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Romans 9:5
Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever.
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Colossians 2:9
For in [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
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Hebrews 1:8,9
But to the Son [God] said, «Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever.» (...)
Therefore God, even Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness.
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In his epistles, the apostle Paul clearly testifies to the divinity of Jesus Christ.
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Isaiah 9:6
For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be on His shoulder.
And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
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«Mighty God, Everlasting Father...» The prophecies of the Old Testament, announcing the coming of the Messiah, also confirm the divinity of Jesus.
Let’s look at other examples of this in the book of Zechariah.
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Zechariah 11:12,13
They weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
And the Lord said to me, «Cast it to the potter: a goodly price that I was priced at of them.»
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Zechariah 12:1,10
The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, said the Lord, (...) «They shall look on Me whom they have pierced.»
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The words of the prophecy about Judas’ betrayal for thirty pieces of silver, just like those about the crucifixion of Jesus, are pronounced by God concerning Himself, although they concern Christ.
The only possible conclusion: Jesus is God.
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John 14:8-11
Philip said to Him,
«Lord, show us the Father, and it suffises us.»
Jesus said to him,
«Have I been so long time with you, and yet have you not known Me, Philip? He that has seen Me has seen the Father; and how say you then, “Show us the Father”?
Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? (...) Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me.»
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We will now see that even before the creation of the world, Jesus Christ was already working at the Father’s side.
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John 17:5
[Jesus said,]
«And now, O Father, glorify You Me with Your own self with the glory which I had with You before the world was.»
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John 1:3
All things were made by [the Word]; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
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Just like God the Father, Jesus exists «from everlasting» (Micah 5:2): He had no beginning.
«Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.» (Hebrews 13:8)
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Hebrews 1:2
[God] has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds.
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Colossians 1:16
For by [the Son] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers.
All things were created by Him and for Him.
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The Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ played an essential role in the creation of the world.
All things were created by Him.
This having been established, let us take a close look at the following verse...
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Isaiah 44:24
Thus said the Lord, your Redeemer, and He that formed you from the womb,
«I am the Lord, that makes all things, that stretches forth the heavens alone, that spreads abroad the earth by Myself.»
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On the one hand, God asserts that He alone created the world.
But on the other hand, the Bible declares many times that Jesus Christ created all things.
Again, the only possible conclusion: Jesus is God.
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Luke 2:11
For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
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1 John 4:14
The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
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Ephesians 1:7
In [Christ] we have redemption through His blood.
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We know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, our Redeemer.
Yet, just the same as for the title of Creator, these titles are reserved only to God, as the following verses will demonstrate...
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Isaiah 43:11
I, even I, am the Lord, and beside Me there is no savior.
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Hosea 13:4
I am the Lord your God (...); there is no savior beside Me.
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Isaiah 54:5
Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall He be called.
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Since Jesus Christ is God, He can be called Savior, Redeemer of men.
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Luke 4:8
You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.
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Revelation 19:10
And I fell at [the angel’s] feet to worship him. But he said to me,
«See you do it not: I am your fellow servant, and of your brothers that have the testimony of Jesus.
Worship God.»
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We must worship God, and God alone. This is a very clear point established in all the Scriptures.
Now, let us note the following verses...
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Hebrews 1:5,6
For to which of the angels said [God] at any time, «You are My Son (...). Let all the angels of God worship Him.»
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Revelation 5:12,14
[The angels were] saying with a loud voice, «Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.» (...)
And the four beasts said, «Amen.»
And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped Him.
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The Lamb, who is Jesus, is worshiped because He is God.
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Exodus 3:14
And God said to Moses, «I AM THAT I AM.»
And He said, «Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”»
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John 8:58,59
Jesus said to [the Jews],
«Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.»
Then took they up stones to cast at Him.
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Jesus used the conjugation «I am» instead of the one that would have been appropriate, that is, «I was». Doing this, He presented Himself as the great «I AM» who is God.
Recognizing that, the Jews then wanted to stone Him.
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Isaiah 44:6
Thus said the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts,
«I am the First, and I am the Last; and beside Me there is no God.»
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Revelation 1:17,18
«I am the First and the Last.
I am He that lives, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for ever more. Amen.»
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In addition to the name «I am,» Jesus uses «the First and the Last,» another name which designates God.
The expression «I was dead; and behold, I am alive for ever more,» clearly shows that it is Jesus who is speaking here.
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Revelation 1:8
«I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End,» said the Lord, «which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.»
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Revelation 22:12,13
«And behold, I come quickly. (...)
I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.»
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Again, Jesus presents Himself under the same title as God, «Alpha and Omega,» that is, «the First and the Last,» since Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.
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Psalm 24:10
Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.
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1 Corinthians 2:7,8
(...) the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world to our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
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Need we say more?
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1 Timothy 6:13-16
I give you charge in the sight of God (...) that you keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: which in His times He shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only has immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach to; whom no man has seen, nor can see.
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The context clearly indicates that here, «the King of kings, and Lord of lords» designates God the Father.
Now, let us see the following verses...
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Revelation 17:14
[The ten kings] shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings.
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Revelation 19:13,16
[He who sat on the white horse] was clothed with a clothing dipped in blood: and His name is called the Word of God. (...)
And He has on His clothing and on His thigh a name written,
KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
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«King of kings, and Lord of lords»: another title given to God and to Jesus Christ, without distinction.
Yes, truly, Jesus is God.
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John 8:24
[Jesus said,]
«If you believe not that I am He, you shall die in your sins.»
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It is very important to accept Jesus not only as our Savior, but also as our God.
Jesus, Creator, Savior, King of kings and Lord of lords, King of glory, the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Almighty «I AM», worthy to receive worship from all.
Yes, truly, Jesus is God!
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Let us thank God for having guided us during this lesson:
Dear Savior,
We thank You for Your Word, and Your Holy Spirit who guides us as we study Your Word.
Now that we know that Jesus Christ is God, we can repeat Thomas’ words, and like him we
can answer, «My Lord and my God!» (John 20:28).
May Your name be glorified forever and ever, our Almighty Lord!
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.
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