By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute
Abstract
The identity of Jesus Christ as God incarnate stands at the heart of Christian doctrine and has been a foundational confession of the Church since its inception. The assertion that Jesus is truly God is not only central to orthodox Christology but is repeatedly attested to in the New Testament Scriptures, supported by prophetic anticipation in the Old Testament, and confessed in the earliest creeds. This article systematically presents 20 biblical evidences supporting the deity of Jesus, examining them in depth and engaging with scholarly sources to reinforce the historical and theological veracity of this claim.
Introduction
The question of Jesus' divinity is not a peripheral issue but rather the cornerstone of Christian faith. C.S. Lewis once stated, "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—or he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice." (Lewis, Mere Christianity, 1952). The following evidence seeks to demonstrate, from a biblical and theological perspective, that Jesus is indeed God, a truth affirmed by the earliest Christian communities and foundational to Christian doctrine.
1. The Fullness of God Dwells in Jesus Bodily
"For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form." (Colossians 2:9)
Paul's declaration is unequivocal: the entirety of God's nature, essence, and being is found in Jesus Christ, not in a partial or symbolic manner but in bodily reality. The Greek word theotēs (θεότης) used here denotes the very "essence of God," not merely divine qualities (O'Brien, Colossians, Philemon, Word Biblical Commentary).
2. Emmanuel: "God With Us"
"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel (which means, God with us)." (Matthew 1:23; cf. Isaiah 7:14)
Matthew identifies Jesus with the prophetic title "Immanuel," explicitly interpreted as "God with us." This is not merely a statement about God's presence, but a declaration that in Jesus, God Himself has come to dwell among humanity.
3. Universal Worship and Subjection at the Name of Jesus
"At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." (Philippians 2:10)
Paul applies to Jesus the universal worship language used of Yahweh in Isaiah 45:23, a clear identification of Jesus with the God of Israel.
4. "If You Have Seen Me, You Have Seen the Father"
"Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9)
Jesus' claim here transcends the role of a mere prophet or representative. He identifies Himself as the visible manifestation of the invisible Father (cf. Hebrews 1:3).
5. Jesus: The Creator of All Things
"Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." (John 1:3; cf. Colossians 1:16)
Both John and Paul declare that Jesus is not a created being, but the very agent of creation itself—a prerogative reserved for God alone (cf. Genesis 1:1).
6. Jesus’ Use of the Divine "I AM"
"Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." (John 8:58)
Jesus appropriates the divine name revealed in Exodus 3:14 (ego eimi), an explicit claim to eternality and deity. His audience understood the implication and sought to stone Him for blasphemy (John 8:59).
7. Jesus Received Worship
"And they worshipped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.'" (Matthew 14:33; Hebrews 1:6)
Only God is worthy of worship (Deuteronomy 6:13; Revelation 22:8-9). Jesus never rebukes those who worship Him, affirming His divine status.
8. Old Testament Passages Applied Directly to Jesus
The author of Hebrews applies Psalms and other OT texts, addressed to Yahweh, directly to Christ (Hebrews 1:8-12; Psalm 102:25-27). This transfer of divine attributes and roles underscores the early Church's recognition of Jesus' deity.
9. "I and the Father are One"
"I and the Father are one." (John 10:30)
The unity Jesus claims is not simply of purpose but of essence (hen in Greek is neuter, denoting unity of nature). The reaction of His hearers, who sought to stone Him for blasphemy, indicates their understanding of His claim (John 10:31-33).
10. Jesus Shares God’s Glory
"And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed." (John 17:5)
Jesus claims pre-existent, co-eternal glory with the Father, a direct affirmation of His deity (cf. Isaiah 42:8; God does not share His glory).
11. Thomas Calls Jesus "My Lord and My God"
"Thomas answered him, 'My Lord and my God!'" (John 20:28)
Jesus affirms Thomas’s confession rather than correcting him, demonstrating that the apostolic witness considered Jesus divine.
12. Pre-Existence Before Incarnation
"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." (Philippians 2:6-7)
The kenosis hymn asserts that Jesus existed in the "form of God" before His incarnation, voluntarily assuming humanity.
13. Jesus Forgives Sins—A Divine Prerogative
"But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." (Mark 2:10)
Only God can forgive sins (Isaiah 43:25; Psalm 51:4). Jesus’ authority to forgive directly manifests His deity.
14. The Visible Image of the Invisible God
"He is the image of the invisible God." (Colossians 1:15; cf. Hebrews 1:3)
Jesus is not simply God’s representative, but the exact representation and visible manifestation of God.
15. The Father Calls Jesus "God"
"But of the Son he says, 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.'" (Hebrews 1:8; cf. Psalm 45:6)
The Father Himself addresses the Son as "God," using language reserved for Yahweh.
16. Prayer Offered to Jesus
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13; cf. Joel 2:32; Acts 7:59)
Praying to Jesus (as in Stephen’s prayer at his martyrdom) demonstrates the early Christian conviction of His divinity.
17. Jesus as Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." (Revelation 1:17, 2:8, 22:13; cf. Isaiah 44:6)
Titles and prerogatives of Yahweh in Isaiah are claimed by Jesus in Revelation, emphasizing His eternality and supremacy.
18. Jesus as the Source of Creation
"These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation." (Revelation 3:14)
The Greek arche can mean "source" or "origin," not merely "beginning," signifying Jesus as the very originator of all creation.
19. Jesus Commands Prayer "In My Name"
"Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." (John 14:13-14)
To pray in Jesus’ name is to recognize His authority and divine mediation, a role assigned to God alone.
20. John’s Prologue: Jesus as the Pre-Existent Divine Word
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1)
The most explicit identification of Jesus with God comes in John’s prologue, establishing His full divinity and eternal existence.
Conclusion
The cumulative weight of the biblical evidence, as systematically presented above, leaves no room for reductionist or purely human understandings of Jesus. The earliest Christian writers, the apostolic community, and the New Testament itself consistently and unambiguously confess Jesus as God. This affirmation is not a later doctrinal development but is woven into the fabric of Christian Scripture and experience.
In the words of the Nicene Creed (325 A.D.), which remains the touchstone of orthodoxy:
"We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father."
May all who seek truth encounter the reality of Jesus, not only as the greatest of prophets or a profound teacher but as the eternal God, worthy of worship and devotion.
References
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Bauckham, R. (2008). Jesus and the God of Israel. Eerdmans.
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O'Brien, P.T. (1982). Colossians, Philemon (Word Biblical Commentary).
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Wright, N.T. (1996). Jesus and the Victory of God. Fortress Press.
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Harris, M.J. (1992). Jesus as God: The New Testament Use of Theos in Reference to Jesus. Baker.
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Hurtado, L.W. (2003). Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity. Eerdmans.
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Brown, R.E. (1977). Jesus: God and Man. Macmillan.
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The Holy Bible, ESV, NIV, NASB.
Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
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