Table of Contents
In part 4 of “Why Believe in Jesus,” We look at statements contained in the fifth chapter of John where Jesus of Nazareth declares clearly He is God.
As a quick recap, in part one we looked at the uniqueness of Jesus of Nazareth as revealed in the New Testament. Part two shows the trustworthiness of the Bible and part three was a closer look into the credibility of the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Unless otherwise noted, all scriptures are from the Modern English Version translation (MEV).
Most Famous and Most Controversial Person
Almost everyone who has heard of Jesus has an opinion about Him. This is to be expected for He is not only the most famous person in world history but also the most controversial. Most of the popular views about Him can be reduced to two:
Either He was God in human flesh, or He was merely a good man. Both cannot be right.
If He was not God but claimed to be, then He was not good; rather He was either deranged or utterly evil.
Because of Jesus’s upright character and charitable deeds, hardly anyone considers Him in a negative light. Even those who bristle at His name.
Hegel, Voltaire. Stalin, Mao Zedong, and Marx to name a few were unable to ignore Him. Some were even respectful of Him. Yet they knew His teaching and their own could not coexist so they spared no effort in a futile attempt to stamp out His influence. It boils down to this:
If Jesus was God in human flesh, then He should be worshipped. If He is not, He should be forgotten and labeled an impostor or lunatic.
The Most Crucial Decision
Over the past 2000 years, billions of people have indeed worshipped Jesus. Billions of others have never heard of Him or have not gained access to the evidence of who He is.
Many in this latter group have formulated their opinions about Him based on the claims of others. This is dangerous, for a prejudicial view can lead to an erroneous conclusion.
According to the Bible, the eternal plan of God for man is the most crucial decision facing every individual. “Who is Jesus?” is the most important question any person can ever answer. It determines where you will spend eternity when you take your last breath.
Most Jews have rejected Him as their Messiah. However, they cannot and do not deny His existence in history. Many of them today concede that He is the greatest Hebrew since the close of the Old Testament.
Even those who do not accept Jesus’ claim to be God admit that He left an indelible impact on humanity. Therefore, let’s look into who Jesus said He was.
Jesus Declares Clearly – Was Not Confused
The human beginnings of Jesus can be traced to the humble carpentry shop in the obscure village of Nazareth. Yet despite His little lowly stature, at no time was He confused about His person or purpose.
Almost immediately upon beginning His public ministry, He began to teach and demonstrate that He was more than human, that in fact, He was God come in the flesh. When His enemies recognized the significance of His claims, they took up stones to kill Him (see John 8:59 and John 10:31).
Jesus knew exactly who He was: the divine Son of God, the second person of the Trinity.
Jesus Declares Clearly – the Samaritan Woman Encounter
Those who claim Jesus was confused about His identity must never have read the gospel records. There is no doubt Jesus knew He was the Messiah; the reported encounter in John chapter 4 between Jesus and the Samaritan woman proves this. You can read it for yourself here.
Notice that the Samaritan woman said “I know that Messiah is coming (who is called Christ). When He comes, He will tell us all things.” – John 4:25
Jesus’ response: “I who speak to you am He.” – John 4:26
The importance of this conversation cannot be overemphasized for it proves that even lay people (those who were not Jewish leaders) in that day knew about the coming Messiah.
Jesus’ statement is a clear and forthright admission by Himself that He was the Messiah for whom the people were looking.
This text makes it clear Jesus was not confused about who He was. Moreover, this also makes it clear, those who say He never claimed to be God are in grave error!
Jesus Declares Clearly – Six Specific Claims in John:5
The 5th chapter of John contains some of the clearest of Jesus’ claims to be found anywhere in the New Testament. However, they are not the only ones in the Gospels.
John an eyewitness to the events of Jesus’ life, on a single day, heard Jesus proclaim these six characteristics of His deity. Taken together, they prove He believed He was more than a man, and that in fact, He was God in human flesh.
These six assertions of deity were delivered to a hostile audience of Jewish leaders who objected when on the Sabbath Jesus healed an invalid. Jesus was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, which all Israelite men were required to observe annually. While there, He visited the pool of Bethesda where:
“A great crowd of invalids, blind, lame, and paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water” – John 5:3
You can read the account here.
The teaching that followed this event was precipitated by the Jew’s ardent commitment to Sabbath keeping, In response to the 4th commandment. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8).
They were so upset by this miracle being performed on the Sabbath day that some wanted to kill Jesus, even though that would have been a violation of the 6th commandment. “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13).
To them He had committed the unpardonable sin: He had made Himself “equal with God.” Jesus justified His actions by making the following six classic assertions of His deity.
Jesus Declares Clearly:
1. To Be God in the Flesh
“Jesus answered them, “My Father is working still, and I am working.” So the Jews sought even more to kill Him because He not only had broken the Sabbath but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.”
– John 5:17-18
See for yourself: 21 Quotes of Jesus Regarding His Purpose
2. Power to Raise the Dead
“For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He will…“Do not marvel at this. For the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”
– John 5:21, 28-29
Other than the Sadducees the Jews of Jesus’ day believed that only God could raise the dead. However, in the passage above Jesus claimed that He will be the one to raise the dead.
There are four illustrations in scripture of others used by God to raise the dead. However, in each instance, these men did not proclaim that they raised the dead in their own power. They made it clear it was God who was using them to accomplish the miracle. They were:
- Elijah
- Elisha
- Paul
- Peter
Jesus raised the dead in His own power and is the only one who raised a man who had been dead for four days. Jesus not only raised three people but claimed He would raise both the righteous and the unrighteous on judgment day.
His audience was thoroughly familiar with Daniel’s prediction that there were two resurrections coming “Some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt” – Daniel 12:2
Such a claim could only be made by God or a mentally deranged person and since Jesus’ life teachings and ministry show no signs that He was mentally deranged we are left to conclude that:
Jesus was the unique Son of God
in human flesh.
3. To Be the Future Judge of ALL Men
“The Father judges no one but has committed all judgment to the Son.”
– John 5:22
Jesus of Nazareth considered Himself divine and openly taught that one day, ALL human beings will appear before Him for judgment. Jesus clearly taught that a final judgment is coming, and we know from the scriptures that the verdicts will last for eternity.
See for Yourself: 25 Quotes of Jesus Regarding His Return aka Second Coming
Anyone who believes that God will overlook his sinful ways and his rejection of Christ is basing his beliefs on something other than the Bible, for scripture makes it clear:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
– John 14:6
“There is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
– Acts 4:12
“How much more severe a punishment do you suppose he deserves, who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded the blood of the covenant that sanctified him to be a common thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine,” says the Lord, “I will repay.” And again, He says, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
– Hebrews 10:29-31
JESUS IS the ONLY WAY of SALVATION
4. Equal Honor With God
“All men should honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”
– John 5:23
With Jesus’ statement in the above verse, He was making another claim that denies He possessed a merely human nature.
Proof that the Jews considered His statement gross blasphemy is seen in their subsequent attempt to kill him.
Honor and worship of God were a centuries-old part of the Jewish faith. They so revered God they would not even say His name aloud. Yet here was Jesus, plainly affirming that His equality with God earned Him the same honor given to God.
5. Authority to Dispense Eternal Life
“Truly, truly I say to you, whoever hears My word
and believes in Him who sent Me
has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation
but has passed from death into life.”
– John 5:24
A universal desire stamped indelibly on the human heart is the wish to live forever. Only thoroughly indoctrinated secularists can say, “When you’re dead, you’re dead” with any sense of confidence.
All religions of the world are inadequate when addressing how people can be assured of gaining access to eternal bliss and living forever. Invariably they prescribe a system of good works or self-effort to attain eternal life.
This is not so in Christianity. The key here is to believe that Jesus was sent by God and can give life to those who believe in Him (that is, put their faith in Him). Jesus claimed to be the proper object of faith and the dispenser of salvation.
This, of course, is nonsense if Jesus were only a man. But if Jesus is God, as He claimed, then, of course, He has the capacity to bestow eternal life. Jesus pointedly said He had the authority to impart eternal salvation. That’s what God does!
See for yourself: 33 Quotes of Jesus Concerning Eternal Life
6. To Be the Source of Life
“For as the Father has life in Himself,
so He has given to the Son to have life in Himself,
and has given Him authority to execute judgment also
because He is the Son of Man.”
– John 5:26-27
Jesus boldly claimed He shared the divine nature of God and that He was the source of life.
The Jews had an expression for that divine trait, which was used by God Himself when He spoke to Moses at the burning bush. When the people asked Moses, “What is His name?” he was instructed to say, “I AM has sent me to you.” – Exodus 3:13-14
That was and is the ultimate name for an expression of God.
It means that God is “the uncaused cause of all things.” For Jesus to claim that he possessed “life in himself,” even as did the Father was tantamount to equating Himself with “I AM,” the uncaused cause of all things.
Therefore, it is no surprise when Jesus stated in John 8:58 “That before Abraham was, I AM.” Throughout His ministry, Jesus elaborated on that title.
See for Yourself: I AM statements of Jesus.
Closing Thoughts
After reading this list of six claims we cannot evade the conclusion that Jesus was never content to think of Himself as a mere human being. He knew that He was the Son of God and that all power and authority resided in Him. That is why, in the great commission given after His resurrection…
“Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying,
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
– Matthew 28:18
This shows quite clearly that within weeks of leaving His humble carpenter shack in Nazareth, Jesus unwaveringly proclaimed who He was: God in human flesh.
Read Josh McDowell’s What Turns Skeptics into Believers?
The claims examined above prove clearly that Jesus thought of Himself as God in human flesh. Jesus never recanted any of those claims. He declared these statements in public so others could reach that same conclusion. Those who accepted His words became ardent followers; Others however rejected them and went on their own way.
People today respond the same way. Many after encountering Jesus accept Him for who He is and follow Him. Others choose to reject Him to their own eternal peril. Our loving God gives us the freedom to choose for ourselves.
Jesus Christ is the soon-returning Messiah who will set up His righteous kingdom on this earth. Are you ready for His return? Will you willingly acknowledge Him as Creator, Savior, and Lord before it becomes too late? Time is running out…
Do you have a relationship with the King of kings, Jesus Christ?
Maranatha! Until next time, I am Passionately Loving Jesus, the Anchor of my Soul.
Read the complete series here.
Recommended Resources
Lee Strobel
The Case for Christ Explained in 16 Minutes.
Lee Strobel, a former atheist turned Christian who wrote the book The Case for Christ, shares how he went from skeptic to believer. This 16-minute explanation explores the truth he uncovered about the resurrection, the gospel accounts, and the controversies he had to overcome to support the evidence for Christ and make a case for the foundational belief in Christianity.
Jesus as God by Murray J. Harris
Jesus: A Biblical Defense of His Deity by Josh Mcdowell & Bart Larson
Jesus Was a Jew by Arnold Fruchtenbaum
