The central question of Christianity is not simply “Did Jesus exist?” but “Who is Jesus?” The answer to this question separates Christianity from all other religions. While many see Jesus as a great prophet, a wise teacher, or a spiritual leader, the Bible makes a far more audacious claim: Jesus is not just a man; He is God Himself, who came in the flesh.
These aren’t vague hints or subtle suggestions. The New Testament is filled with five bold, undeniable claims that prove Jesus’s divinity.
1. He Claimed to Be God
Jesus didn’t just hint at His divinity; He explicitly claimed divine titles and authority that only God could possess. The most powerful of these claims came when He identified Himself with the very name of God given to Moses.
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”
— John 8:58 (KJV)
By using the phrase “I AM” (Ego Eimi), Jesus was directly referencing the divine name of God revealed in Exodus 3:14. The Jews listening immediately understood this to be a claim of deity and picked up stones to stone Him for what they considered blasphemy. This wasn’t a misunderstanding; it was a clear claim to be God.
2. He Forgave Sins
In the Old Testament, the forgiveness of sins was an act reserved for God alone. When the religious leaders of Jesus’s day saw Him forgive a paralyzed man, they knew exactly what He was claiming.
“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?”
— Mark 2:5-7 (KJV)
The scribes were right. Only God can forgive sins. By claiming this authority, Jesus was making a direct claim to be divine. He demonstrated that His power wasn’t just for healing the body, but for healing the soul.
3. He Accepted Worship
Throughout the Bible, God’s servants, like angels and prophets, consistently refused to be worshipped. For example, when John tried to worship an angel, the angel said, “See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant… worship God” (Revelation 22:9). This stands in stark contrast to Jesus’s actions.
- When His disciples were in a boat after He calmed a storm, they worshipped Him (Matthew 14:33).
- When the man born blind was healed, he found Jesus and worshipped Him (John 9:38).
In every instance, Jesus accepted their worship without hesitation. He did not redirect their praise to God the Father; He accepted it as His due, because He and the Father are one. This is a profound truth about who Jesus is in the Gospels.
4. He Exerted Power Over Creation
Jesus’s miracles were not just amazing feats; they were a demonstration of power over creation that is biblically attributed to God alone. When He calmed the storm, His disciples were in awe: “What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41 KJV).
In the Old Testament, it is God who “bringeth the wind out of his treasuries” (Psalm 135:7) and “ruleth the raging of the sea” (Psalm 89:9). When Jesus demonstrated this same power, He was doing so as the Creator Himself. His authority to command nature was a direct testimony to His divinity.
5. He Is the Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
The Old Testament contains hundreds of prophecies about the coming Messiah. These prophecies described a figure who would be both human and divine. The New Testament writers directly identify Jesus as the fulfillment of these promises, using the same divine language used for God the Father.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
— John 1:1 (KJV)
The apostle John, writing his Gospel, leaves no room for doubt. He identifies Jesus as the eternal Word, the co-Creator, and God Himself. The entire story of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, points to this ultimate truth: that Jesus is not just part of God’s plan; He is God, who came to earth to live, die, and rise again, demonstrating a love that should make you rethink God’s love.
These five claims—His divine words, His authority to forgive sins, His acceptance of worship, His power over creation, and His fulfillment of prophecy—all point to one unshakeable conclusion: Jesus is truly God.
