The most plain reading of the Bible reveals unequivocally and unquestionably that Jesus is God. When I say that, I mean that Jesus is the human version of the invisible God. However, some groups do teach people that Jesus is not God. But that is not a conclusion that one reaches from the Bible. That is a conclusion that one is told before they read the Bible. This view was exposed as heretical by the Council of Nicaea and has mostly been stomped out aside from a few fringe groups, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses. But there are several passages in the Bible proving Jesus is God.
1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 The plainest interpretation of this passage is just to say that the Word (Jesus) is God. Jehovah’s Witnesses translate this, “the word was a god.” There are obviously grammatical problems with this translation, which I will not get into. But the most significant problem is that if Jesus was merely a god, that would mean that the jealous God of Israel wanted us to take another god before him. Since idolatry is a sin, we are left with the only conclusion that Jesus is God.
2 – “Thomas said, ‘my Lord and my God.'” John 20:28 After Jesus rose from the dead, Thomas said that he refused to believe that he really had risen until he could feel the wounds on his hands. So Jesus allowed him to, and then he believed and cried out what he find here, “my Lord and my God.” Thomas told Jesus that he was his God, and Jesus did not rebuke him. All of the great prophets and even angels quickly and sternly rebuke men when they call them God. But Jesus did not.
3 – “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13 What is interesting about this passage is that Paul is clearly referring to Jesus. But he is quoting an Old Testament passage that refers to God. He was clearly using a very clever way to indicate the deity of Christ. The apostles do this numerous times. A few examples of this phenomenon: Romans 10:13, compared against Joel 2:23. 1 Corinthians 1:31, compared against Jeremiah 9:24. 1 Corinthians 2:16, compared against Isaiah 40:13. 1 Corinthians 10:26, compared against Psalms 24:1. 2 Corinthians 10:17, compared against Jeremiah 9:24.
“4 – Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?” John 8:46 Jesus argued that he was not guilty of sin, and that they could not prove him to be guilty of sin. For good measure, the Bible makes it very clear that Jesus was without sin. The following scripture do indicate that Jesus is, in fact, good: Hebrews 4:15, Hebrews 7:23, Hebrews 9:14, 1 Peter 2:22/Isaiah 53:9, 1 John 3:5 5, 2 Corinthians 5:21, John 8:46. This is significant because the Bible teaches us that God alone is good. But if God alone is good, and Jesus is good, is follows logically and inescapably that Jesus is God.
5 – “Before Abraham was born, I am!” John 8:58 In Exodus 3, God revealed to Moses that his name was Yahweh. Translated into English, this literally means I Am. This name was sacred. When Jesus used this phrase, the Pharisees knew precisely what he meant, that is, that he was claiming to be the I Am of Exodus. If he were merely claiming to have existed in some prior state, it would not have incited the charge of blasphemy.
6 – “For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.” Colossians 2:9 Following the flow of the argument, Paul is encouraging men to not be take captive by hollow and deceptive philosophies of men. They do not follow after Christ but after human tradition. Instead we need to follow after Christ. Why is that? Because in Christ, is all of the fullness of God in human form. We need to have communion with him, rather than human rulers and their philosophies.
7 – “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.” Colossians 1:15 This is often a point that Muslims, Jews, and some fringe Christian cults tend to be confused about. When we say that Jesus is God, we do not mean that God is removed from Heaven and placed here on earth. That would be a Pagan conception of an incarnation, perhaps even idolatrous. Instead, we mean that Jesus is the human version of the invisible God, which is precisely what Paul says here. God the Father has no form (Deuteronomy 4:15), but the Son does. Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He is the human version of God. What could be more clear?
8 – “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” Matthew 21:9 The word ‘Hosanna’ is a way of saying praise and glory and honor in the highest. This is definitely a form of worship. When realizing who he was, the disciples also worshipped him (Matthew 14:33). Throughout the New Testament, we see Jesus being worshipped. But he did not rebuke them in their worship. Instead, he received their worship. He allowed them to worship him as though he were God.
“9 – …while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13” Paul’s and Peter’s letters typically open with, “Grace and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,” indicating clearly a distinction between the Father and the Son. Which is, of course, Jesus is the human version of the invisible God as I pointed out above. But here, Paul offers deeper insight into the nature of Christ, saying unquestionably that Jesus Christ is his great God and Savior.
10 – He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2 When Jesus was murdered, all of God’s wrath went out upon him for the sins of the world. He absorbed the punishment that we deserve. Three days later he rose again. But how could a finite being absorb sins against an infinite God? The answer is that Jesus Christ is the human version of the invisible God – God in the flesh, God the Son. He was the Messiah of the Jews. He was worth so much than any mere man or prophet. Since he was God, he was therefore able to absorb the infinite penalty that we deserve. But if he was not God, then he could not have done that.
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