Talking with people from various religious groups as a young person, I was challenged on the deity of Jesus Christ. I decided to find the truth for myself. This study came out of my personal Bible study. Hopefully it will be a help.

Verse Passage Note
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Jesus is referred to as God.
1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. In the context of John 1:14, Jesus (the Word) is God.
1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. God was manifest in the flesh when Jesus was born.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. Jesus is not created in the image of God, He is the image of God.
2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Could be translated as “The righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
Acts 3:14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you. Holy One (Psalm 103:1, Isaiah 57:15), Just One (Isaiah 45:21, Zephaniah 3:5)
Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. This passage equates Jesus, who shed his blood, with God.
Colossians 1:15-19 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him 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. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell. Jesus is the image of God. In him all the fullness of God dwells. He is also the creator and sustainer of all things.
Colossians 2:8-10 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: Jesus is God in a body.
Hebrews 1:10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands. Jesus is here stated to be the creator of the earth. In Genesis 1:26, the creator is God.
Hebrews 1:1-3 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Verse three clearly states that Christ is the “exact representation” of God.
Hebrews 1:6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. In Luke 4:7-8, Jesus himself quotes the Old Testament and makes it clear that the only person who we worship is Jehovah God.
Hebrews 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. God calls Jesus God.
Hebrews 4:15 (1 Peter 2:22, Hebrews 9:14, 2 Corinthians 5:21) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. If Jesus were not God, he could not have been sinless according to Romans 3:10, Psalm 14:1, Psalm 14:3, Psalm 53:1, Psalm 53:3, Romans 3:12, Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53:6.
Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. John 1:23 shows that this verse clearly refers to Jesus.
Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith 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. This is exactly what Jesus said in Revelation 2:8, Revelation 1:17-18.
Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. In John 12:41, John explains that it was Jesus that Isaiah saw in the temple.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Immanuel means “God with us”. This is clarified and verified in Matthew 1:23.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Jesus is called “the mighty God.”
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word is clearly defined as Jesus in John 1:14.
John 1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. (see also John 1:30) John the Baptist was born before Jesus. His reference here is to the eternality of Jesus Christ.
John 10:30 I and my Father are one. Jesus claims to be God. This is clearly seen in John 10:33 where his enemies state the same.
John 14:8-9 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Whoever has seen Jesus, has seen God.
John 18:6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. We can’t be dogmatic on this, but it is likely that this was a claim by Jesus to be the “I AM.” -Jaeggli
John 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Thomas called Jesus God.
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. The people of Jesus’ day understood that Jesus claimed to be God. They also knew that every claim to be the son of God was a claim to complete deity.
John 8:56-58 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Jesus here calls himself “I am”. This is distinctively God’s name in Exodus 3:14.
Mark 2:5-11 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. When the scribes were angry that he was claiming to be God, Jesus validated his claim and his power to forgive by healing the man.
Matthew 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Jesus clarifies with this man that by calling him good, he is calling him God.
Matthew 8:2(Matthew 9:18, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 15:25, Matthew 28:9, Matthew 28:17, Mark 5:6, John 9:38) And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. Jesus often allowed others to worship him, however in Acts 10:25-26 Peter tells Cornelius not to worship him because he is only a man.
Matthew 9:14-15 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. Jesus openly claims that prayer in fasting is talking to himself. Prayer can only be to the omnipresent God.
Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Clearly, Jesus is the fulfilment of this prophesy, and in being “from everlasting” is God.
Philippians 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Jesus was equal with God.
Revelation 1:8 (Revelation 22:13, 16) I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. This title is the exclusive title of God in Revelation 21:6-7. (see verse 7, 12, 20 for evidence that Jesus is speaking here.)
Romans 1:1-4 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. “According to the flesh” is set in direct contrast to “And declared to be the Son of God” making this a direct claim to deity as well as humanity.
Romans 9:5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. “God blessed” refers to Christ before it. [Granted the Greek is ambiguous, but it is a legitimate and the most likely reading.]
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ equals “the great God and our Saviour.”

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About Jason Harris

Dr Jason Harris is a writer, pastor, and academic. He has authored multiple books, articles, and papers including his book Theological Meditations on the Gospel. Jason has a PhD from James Cook University as well as degrees in theology, music, accounting, and research. Jason has lived in Cairns, Australia since 2007 and serves as pastor at CrossPoint Church. You can contact Jason at jason@jasonharris.com.au.

2 Comments

  1. Keith Foster 1 November, 2008 at 1:36 am - Reply

    What about the prophesies of Jesus Christ left unfulfilled?

    A. Build the Third Temple (Ezekiel 37:26-28).

    B. Gather all Jews back to the Land of Israel (Isaiah 43:5-6).

    C. Usher in an era of world peace, and end all hatred, oppression, suffering and disease. As it says: “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall man learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4)

    D. Spread universal knowledge of the God of Israel, which will unite humanity as one. As it says: “God will be King over all the world — on that day, God will be One and His Name will be One” (Zechariah 14:9).

    The historical fact is that Jesus fulfilled none of these messianic prophecies!

  2. Jason 1 November, 2008 at 11:34 am - Reply

    “The historical fact is that Jesus fulfilled none of these messianic prophecies!”

    But He will!

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