In the Bible, did Jesus claim to be God?

[GentleDove]

In Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis wrote this about Jesus (emphasis mine):

• "I am trying to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I am ready to accept Jesus as the great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on a level with the man who says he is a boiled egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

Some debaters on the site have written that Jesus did not claim to be God and/or Biblical authors did not claim that Jesus was God.

Yet, it is an orthodox Christian doctrine, claimed to be Biblically-based, that Jesus was man and God in one person.

Questions for debate:

In the Bible, did Jesus claim to be God?
Did the Biblical authors claim that Jesus was God?

[Cathar1950]

The bible does not contradict.
The Word of God
is sharper than any two edged sword.
It has two angles
that form one SHARP point.

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:12-13, ESV)

I agree that the bible is non-contradictory, but the Word of God is Christ not Scripture. This verse says nothing about biblical inerrancy.

That reference was not intended to show biblical inerrancy.
It was a comparison between the Word of God and a two edged sword.

Pss.33
[4] For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.

My main point was that the Word of God in Hebrews 4:12-13 is Christ and not Scripture.

If Hebrews 4:12 does not apply to scripture
then scripture is not from God.
But because Jesus is the Word of God,
we know that verse applies to his words.

Just to clarify.
The Word of God
existed prior to the scriptures.
But the scriptures are the word of God.

That does not clarify anything.
It mixes metaphors and only confuses the questions and issues.

[Pastor4Jesus]

Did Jesus claim to be God? It is my contention that Jesus is a temporal agent for God. Is Jesus God? What does that mean? We are partially God, made in his own image (I feel that means in spirit and soul more than form). That spiritual component never leaves us it is ‘us’. In Jesus the spiritual component was raised as high at as it could possibly be and Jesus still remain in the temporal universe.

Jesus is never documented in the Bible as saying the precise words, “I am God.� That would have been an inaccurate statement. He could of said I am part God in a mans body. And he does in the language of the day. Lets have a look at John 10: 30. Jesus said “I and the Father are one.� That is clearly stating that he is God and man in one. He is saying that he is a large measure of God in a mans body. We only have to look at his adversaries reactions ( the Jewish authorities) to understand the sweet profundity of that statement! The outraged authorities claimed "you, a mere man, claim to be God� (John 10:33). The Jewish authorities knew full well what Jesus was saying. According to the Mosaic Law, he was guilty of blasphemy of the highest degree, and should be stoned according to the old law ie Leviticus 24:15.

The Jewish authorities knew Jesus was claiming deity! Another proof that Jesus claimed to be God in mans body was that Jesus does not refute the claims of his accusers, rather he agrees that he and God are as one being. Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one�. There are other examples, six or seven, but for sake of brevity I wont mention them now.

Thanks for your ears..

P4JC

[Cathar1950]

Did Jesus claim to be God? It is my contention that Jesus is a temporal agent for God. Is Jesus God? What does that mean? We are partially God, made in his own image (I feel that means in spirit and soul more than form). That spiritual component never leaves us it is ‘us’. In Jesus the spiritual component was raised as high at as it could possibly be and Jesus still remain in the temporal universe.

Jesus is never documented in the Bible as saying the precise words, “I am God.� That would have been an inaccurate statement. He could of said I am part God in a mans body. And he does in the language of the day. Lets have a look at John 10: 30. Jesus said “I and the Father are one.� That is clearly stating that he is God and man in one. He is saying that he is a large measure of God in a mans body. We only have to look at his adversaries reactions ( the Jewish authorities) to understand the sweet profundity of that statement! The outraged authorities claimed "you, a mere man, claim to be God� (John 10:33). The Jewish authorities knew full well what Jesus was saying. According to the Mosaic Law, he was guilty of blasphemy of the highest degree, and should be stoned according to the old law ie Leviticus 24:15.

The Jewish authorities knew Jesus was claiming deity! Another proof that Jesus claimed to be God in mans body was that Jesus does not refute the claims of his accusers, rather he agrees that he and God are as one being. Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one�. There are other examples, six or seven, but for sake of brevity I wont mention them now.

Thanks for your ears..

P4JC

Of course you are dependent upon your interpretation of the unknown author of John. The other gospels don't have Jesus saying any such thing. Given the last gospel high Christology and identification of Jesus with the Logos of God is should surprise us that many Christians use John to interpret the others as it comes to their theology.

[Goat]

Did Jesus claim to be God? It is my contention that Jesus is a temporal agent for God. Is Jesus God? What does that mean? We are partially God, made in his own image (I feel that means in spirit and soul more than form). That spiritual component never leaves us it is ‘us’. In Jesus the spiritual component was raised as high at as it could possibly be and Jesus still remain in the temporal universe.

Jesus is never documented in the Bible as saying the precise words, “I am God.� That would have been an inaccurate statement. He could of said I am part God in a mans body. And he does in the language of the day. Lets have a look at John 10: 30. Jesus said “I and the Father are one.� That is clearly stating that he is God and man in one. He is saying that he is a large measure of God in a mans body. We only have to look at his adversaries reactions ( the Jewish authorities) to understand the sweet profundity of that statement! The outraged authorities claimed "you, a mere man, claim to be God� (John 10:33). The Jewish authorities knew full well what Jesus was saying. According to the Mosaic Law, he was guilty of blasphemy of the highest degree, and should be stoned according to the old law ie Leviticus 24:15.

The Jewish authorities knew Jesus was claiming deity! Another proof that Jesus claimed to be God in mans body was that Jesus does not refute the claims of his accusers, rather he agrees that he and God are as one being. Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one�. There are other examples, six or seven, but for sake of brevity I wont mention them now.

Thanks for your ears..

P4JC

Well, you certainly make a lot of claims. However, those claims do not hold up to scruntiny. Even if you make quotes from scripture to attempt to back up your claims, I can certainly show that other sects of people who claim to be christian disagree with your interpretation.

[Cathar1950]

Did Jesus claim to be God? It is my contention that Jesus is a temporal agent for God. Is Jesus God? What does that mean? We are partially God, made in his own image (I feel that means in spirit and soul more than form). That spiritual component never leaves us it is ‘us’. In Jesus the spiritual component was raised as high at as it could possibly be and Jesus still remain in the temporal universe.

Jesus is never documented in the Bible as saying the precise words, “I am God.� That would have been an inaccurate statement. He could of said I am part God in a mans body. And he does in the language of the day. Lets have a look at John 10: 30. Jesus said “I and the Father are one.� That is clearly stating that he is God and man in one. He is saying that he is a large measure of God in a mans body. We only have to look at his adversaries reactions ( the Jewish authorities) to understand the sweet profundity of that statement! The outraged authorities claimed "you, a mere man, claim to be God� (John 10:33). The Jewish authorities knew full well what Jesus was saying. According to the Mosaic Law, he was guilty of blasphemy of the highest degree, and should be stoned according to the old law ie Leviticus 24:15.

The Jewish authorities knew Jesus was claiming deity! Another proof that Jesus claimed to be God in mans body was that Jesus does not refute the claims of his accusers, rather he agrees that he and God are as one being. Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one�. There are other examples, six or seven, but for sake of brevity I wont mention them now.

Thanks for your ears..

P4JC

Well, you certainly make a lot of claims. However, those claims do not hold up to scrutiny. Even if you make quotes from scripture to attempt to back up your claims, I can certainly show that other sects of people who claim to be christian disagree with your interpretation.

I think it has to do with the "Son of God" in Jewish thought being misunderstood or even misrepresented to Gentiles. Mark has Jesus being adopted as was David in the royal ideology and we can see from his use of the Hebrew writings this idea.
But it is still the author's words in the Gospel and I find it hard to believe that Jesus as a Jew would have made such a claim and it reflects later development.
I doubt if Jesus played the Greek word game with Peter going between the different forms of love in John.
"I and The Father are one" is about their unity in purpose and even that is doubtful that it was an actual expression of Jesus.
A better and more honest question would be "does the gospels say Jesus is God"?

[Goat]

Did Jesus claim to be God? It is my contention that Jesus is a temporal agent for God. Is Jesus God? What does that mean? We are partially God, made in his own image (I feel that means in spirit and soul more than form). That spiritual component never leaves us it is ‘us’. In Jesus the spiritual component was raised as high at as it could possibly be and Jesus still remain in the temporal universe.

Jesus is never documented in the Bible as saying the precise words, “I am God.� That would have been an inaccurate statement. He could of said I am part God in a mans body. And he does in the language of the day. Lets have a look at John 10: 30. Jesus said “I and the Father are one.� That is clearly stating that he is God and man in one. He is saying that he is a large measure of God in a mans body. We only have to look at his adversaries reactions ( the Jewish authorities) to understand the sweet profundity of that statement! The outraged authorities claimed "you, a mere man, claim to be God� (John 10:33). The Jewish authorities knew full well what Jesus was saying. According to the Mosaic Law, he was guilty of blasphemy of the highest degree, and should be stoned according to the old law ie Leviticus 24:15.

The Jewish authorities knew Jesus was claiming deity! Another proof that Jesus claimed to be God in mans body was that Jesus does not refute the claims of his accusers, rather he agrees that he and God are as one being. Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one�. There are other examples, six or seven, but for sake of brevity I wont mention them now.

Thanks for your ears..

P4JC

Well, you certainly make a lot of claims. However, those claims do not hold up to scrutiny. Even if you make quotes from scripture to attempt to back up your claims, I can certainly show that other sects of people who claim to be christian disagree with your interpretation.

I think it has to do with the "Son of God" in Jewish thought being misunderstood or even misrepresented to Gentiles. Mark has Jesus being adopted as was David in the royal ideology and we can see from his use of the Hebrew writings this idea.
But it is still the author's words in the Gospel and I find it hard to believe that Jesus as a Jew would have made such a claim and it reflects later development.
I doubt if Jesus played the Greek word game with Peter going between the different forms of love in John.
"I and The Father are one" is about their unity in purpose and even that is doubtful that it was an actual expression of Jesus.
A better and more honest question would be "does the gospels say Jesus is God"?

That too would be a matter of debate. The JW's and the Arians disagree with mainstream Christianity, and there is not one place the passage says "The God Jesus" that can be interpreted multiple ways.

[Cathar1950]

Did Jesus claim to be God? It is my contention that Jesus is a temporal agent for God. Is Jesus God? What does that mean? We are partially God, made in his own image (I feel that means in spirit and soul more than form). That spiritual component never leaves us it is ‘us’. In Jesus the spiritual component was raised as high at as it could possibly be and Jesus still remain in the temporal universe.

Jesus is never documented in the Bible as saying the precise words, “I am God.� That would have been an inaccurate statement. He could of said I am part God in a mans body. And he does in the language of the day. Lets have a look at John 10: 30. Jesus said “I and the Father are one.� That is clearly stating that he is God and man in one. He is saying that he is a large measure of God in a mans body. We only have to look at his adversaries reactions ( the Jewish authorities) to understand the sweet profundity of that statement! The outraged authorities claimed "you, a mere man, claim to be God� (John 10:33). The Jewish authorities knew full well what Jesus was saying. According to the Mosaic Law, he was guilty of blasphemy of the highest degree, and should be stoned according to the old law ie Leviticus 24:15.

The Jewish authorities knew Jesus was claiming deity! Another proof that Jesus claimed to be God in mans body was that Jesus does not refute the claims of his accusers, rather he agrees that he and God are as one being. Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one�. There are other examples, six or seven, but for sake of brevity I wont mention them now.

Thanks for your ears..

P4JC

Well, you certainly make a lot of claims. However, those claims do not hold up to scrutiny. Even if you make quotes from scripture to attempt to back up your claims, I can certainly show that other sects of people who claim to be christian disagree with your interpretation.

I think it has to do with the "Son of God" in Jewish thought being misunderstood or even misrepresented to Gentiles. Mark has Jesus being adopted as was David in the royal ideology and we can see from his use of the Hebrew writings this idea.
But it is still the author's words in the Gospel and I find it hard to believe that Jesus as a Jew would have made such a claim and it reflects later development.
I doubt if Jesus played the Greek word game with Peter going between the different forms of love in John.
"I and The Father are one" is about their unity in purpose and even that is doubtful that it was an actual expression of Jesus.
A better and more honest question would be "does the gospels say Jesus is God"?

That too would be a matter of debate. The JW's and the Arians disagree with mainstream Christianity, and there is not one place the passage says "The God Jesus" that can be interpreted multiple ways.

Granted there are a number of interpretations bu I find it doubtful Jesus as a Jew would have made such a claim and he would have thought in terms of adoption or even having been called with a mission.
There were Jewish groups that saw an apocalyptic figure such as in 1 Enoch bu t they would not have been God.

[Heterodoxus]

In the Bible, did Jesus claim to be God?

Not in any direct statement that I can locate in the Gospels.

Did the Biblical authors claim that Jesus was God?

So it might seem in places, but their understanding of what the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob should be, and how that God and his Messiah should act, undoubtedly influenced their pro-Judaism work products.

Nonetheless, answers to these types of questions are best determined by thoroughly examining each seemingly pertinent Bible verse in detail. Shooting from the hip in/during a public forum promotes vain contentions and strife: in-depth study promotes rightly dividing Bible truth from fiction.

Readers: send me your proof texts via a PM. I'll scrutinize them in the professional manner in which I'm trained to do and experienced in doing, and get back to you. I'm retired now, but I'm willing to do this for each of you.

[Heterodoxus]

Readers: send me your proof texts via a PM. I'll scrutinize them in the professional manner in which I'm trained to do and experienced in doing, and get back to you. I'm retired now, but I'm willing to do this for each of you.

Uh, folks, I've received no PM's. Was Dick Cavett right when he said --

[center]"It's a rare person who wants to hear what he doesn't want to here."[/center]

[InTheFlesh]

Did Jesus claim to be God? It is my contention that Jesus is a temporal agent for God. Is Jesus God? What does that mean? We are partially God, made in his own image (I feel that means in spirit and soul more than form). That spiritual component never leaves us it is ‘us’. In Jesus the spiritual component was raised as high at as it could possibly be and Jesus still remain in the temporal universe.

Jesus is never documented in the Bible as saying the precise words, “I am God.� That would have been an inaccurate statement. He could of said I am part God in a mans body. And he does in the language of the day. Lets have a look at John 10: 30. Jesus said “I and the Father are one.� That is clearly stating that he is God and man in one. He is saying that he is a large measure of God in a mans body. We only have to look at his adversaries reactions ( the Jewish authorities) to understand the sweet profundity of that statement! The outraged authorities claimed "you, a mere man, claim to be God� (John 10:33). The Jewish authorities knew full well what Jesus was saying. According to the Mosaic Law, he was guilty of blasphemy of the highest degree, and should be stoned according to the old law ie Leviticus 24:15.

The Jewish authorities knew Jesus was claiming deity! Another proof that Jesus claimed to be God in mans body was that Jesus does not refute the claims of his accusers, rather he agrees that he and God are as one being. Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one�. There are other examples, six or seven, but for sake of brevity I wont mention them now.

Thanks for your ears..

P4JC

Well, you certainly make a lot of claims. However, those claims do not hold up to scrutiny. Even if you make quotes from scripture to attempt to back up your claims, I can certainly show that other sects of people who claim to be christian disagree with your interpretation.

I think it has to do with the "Son of God" in Jewish thought being misunderstood or even misrepresented to Gentiles. Mark has Jesus being adopted as was David in the royal ideology and we can see from his use of the Hebrew writings this idea.
But it is still the author's words in the Gospel and I find it hard to believe that Jesus as a Jew would have made such a claim and it reflects later development.
I doubt if Jesus played the Greek word game with Peter going between the different forms of love in John.
"I and The Father are one" is about their unity in purpose and even that is doubtful that it was an actual expression of Jesus.
A better and more honest question would be "does the gospels say Jesus is God"?

The entire bible is consistent that Jesus is God.
And YES, Jesus does claim to be God.

John.5
[39] Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

And yes, the Son of God term
is commonly misinterpretated by "Christians".
The biblical Jews understood
the true meaning of "Son of God"
that is why they put him to death.
What were the charges against Jesus
if not that he claimed to be God?