JESUS IS GOD
Commentary
Scripture References
Multiple proofs in Scripture declare that Jesus Christ is God. He is identified as the “great God and Savior” and “eternally blessed God,” the Creator of all things, the "I AM" of the Old Testament, the One who received and accepted worship, the “First and the Last" of the Old and New Testaments, the Father's one and only Son, and He who forgives sins.
The first evidence that proves Jesus' divinity is the Bible's definitive description of Him as God. Titus 2:11-14 undeniably ascribed Jesus Christ as "our great God and Savior," citing His first and futuristic second comings to Earth as identifying markers and conclusive evidence. These verses state, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (NASB). This fact is corroborated in 2 Peter 1:1, which also described Jesus as “our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Additionally, Romans 9:5 identified Jesus as “the eternally blessed God” who is supreme over all. It reads, “According to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen."
The second proof of Jesus' divinity is that He created everything in existence. The Old Testament says in Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (NASB). It also states in Psalm 33:6, "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host" (NASB). Additionally, it says in Isaiah 44:24, “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, ‘I, the Lord, am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself and spreading out the earth all alone’” (NASB). In the New Testament, the Lord God who created everything in existence is specifically identified as Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:16 says of Jesus, “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” (NASB). John 1:1-3 says of Jesus, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being” (NASB). God the Father says of Jesus in Hebrews 1:10, “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands” (NASB). Acts 14:15 confirms that the Creator of all things [i.e., Jesus] is the living God by stating, “Turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them” (NASB).
The third piece of evidence demonstrating Jesus' divinity is God the Father’s affirmation of it. In Hebrews 1:8, God said of Jesus, "Your throne, O God is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom." In Hebrews 1:10, God the Father also called Jesus "Lord" and described His glorious works of creation. This passage directly referenced Psalm 8:1-9, where David spoke of Jehovah, the LORD who created the heavens and the earth. David said, "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place; What is man that You think of him, and a son of man that You are concerned about him?"
The fourth proof confirming Jesus' divinity is the proclamation made by Peter and Thomas, which was recorded in Acts and John under divine inspiration. Peter described Jesus to the men of Israel as the "Holy One" in Acts 3:14. This title was a direct reference to Yahweh, the God of Israel; the LORD; the “I AM,” and was used more than 40 times in the Old Testament in this manner. Thomas declared Jesus as his Lord and God, with Jesus affirming his declaration immediately afterward (John 20:28). If Jesus were not God, He would have sinned by not correcting or denying Thomas' claim—yet the Scriptures confirm Jesus was sinless (1 John 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15).
The fifth piece of evidence that establishes Jesus' divinity is found in Zechariah. In Zechariah 12:10, God Almighty declared and identified Himself as the One who was pierced, which was a direct reference to Jesus' future sacrifice on the cross. In John 19:37, John confirmed that Jesus fulfilled this Old Testament prophecy when He died on the cross, quoting this very passage while recounting the crucifixion in his gospel.
The sixth proof establishing Jesus' divinity is found in Exodus. In Exodus 3:14, God declared Himself as "I AM" and "I AM WHO I AM." This exclusive title is used for God Almighty in the Old Testament, and Jesus used it for Himself in the New Testament, declaring Himself as God. He said to the Jews, "Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am" (John 8:58). Jesus' statement was not blasphemous or heretical but clearly expressed His divinity and equality with the Father. Jesus affirmed this truth again in John 10:30, stating, "I and the Father are One." Both of Jesus’ claims were understood by the Jews, who picked up stones to kill Him for “blasphemy” because they did not believe His declaration.
The seventh evidence that verifies Jesus' divinity is God the Father’s command for the angels to worship Jesus at His human birth (Hebrews 1:6). God’s mandate and the angels' worship clearly established Jesus' deity because worshipping anyone other than God is forbidden by God in the Ten Commandments. In Exodus 20:3-5a, God said, "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God." Therefore, by commanding the angels to worship Jesus, God the Father explicitly and unequivocally confirmed Jesus was God and rightfully worthy of worship.
Additionally, when Jesus received worship from others on Earth, He did not stop them like mere men and angels rightly did when in similar situations (Acts 10:25; Acts 14:11-15; Revelation 19:9-10). Jesus also never experienced consequences for accepting worship as Herod did when worms devoured him after allowing people to claim his voice was “the voice of a God and not of a man” (Acts 12:21-23). If Jesus were exclusively human as Herod, He would have sinned by allowing others to worship Him—rendering Bible passages declaring His sinlessness false.
Furthermore, the Scriptures declare that Jesus receives worship in heaven by millions of angels, the four living creatures, the twenty-four elders, and every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the sea (Revelation 5:11-14). This worship occurs in the Father's presence without protest as He sits on His throne. If Jesus were not divine, these acts of worship in heaven could never occur because heaven is a place of perfect holiness continually. Additionally, if Jesus were not God and these individuals attempted to worship Him in heaven, God the Father would immediately cast them out for sinning. Yet, Jesus willingly received and accepted their worship with the Father’s endorsement because heaven is where God is worshipped.
The eighth proof demonstrating Jesus' divinity is His designation as "the First and the Last." In Isaiah, the title "the First and the Last" exclusively referred to Jehovah God, the LORD (Isaiah 41:4; 44:6). God Himself declared that, apart from Him, there is no God (Isaiah 45:5). In Revelation, “the First and the Last" spoke to John while he was exiled on the island of Patmos. His exact words to John were, "I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen" (Revelation 1:17-18). This statement directly referenced Jesus Christ, who died for the world's sins and was raised again. He also said to John in Revelation 22:13, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End,” and identified Himself as Jesus in verse 16 of that same chapter. Therefore, the God identified as “the First and the Last” of the Old Testament is revealed as Jesus Christ in the New Testament.
The ninth piece of evidence that verifies Jesus' divinity is His title, “God’s only begotten Son." This classification is significant because it sets Jesus apart as the One and Only Son of God, as opposed to believers who are God's sons and daughters by adoption (Ephesians 1:5). The Greek word for the phrase "only begotten Son" (monogenes) has two primary definitions. The first pertains to the only one of its kind or class ("single of its kind only" according to Strong's Greek Lexicon). The second conveys the only one of its kind concerning their parents ("used of only sons or only daughters in relation to their parents"), according to Strong's Greek Lexicon). Therefore, Jesus is God's Son and shares His divine nature and all His attributes.
The tenth proof that confirms Jesus' divinity is His power and right to forgive sins. The Scriptures declare that only God is qualified to forgive sins (1 John 1:9; Hebrews 9:13-14; Luke 5:18-26; Colossians 1:13). Jesus forgiving people for sinning against God and each other is further evidence of His deity and authenticates His divine nature.
(See the Scripture References link at the top of the page.)
Note: Acknowledging and believing Jesus is God is required for salvation. Romans 10:9 states, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Likewise, Romans 10:13 says, “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” As stated above, the Greek word identifying and ascribing Jesus as Lord is “kyrios,” which is used throughout the New Testament to reference Jehovah—the proper name of the one true God (see Matthew 1:20-24; 2:13-19; 4:7-10; Acts 2:39; 2:47; and 3:22).
Those who reject Jesus’ deity cannot be saved because they deny what the Scriptures declare of Him. This fact is evidenced by 1 John 2:22-23, which states, “Who is the liar except the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.” Additionally, 1 John 5:10 states, “The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son.”