JESUS IS GOD ALMIGHTY

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba

Introduction

The question of the divinity of Jesus Christ has been central to Christian theology since the apostolic era. While some heretical movements have attempted to reduce Christ to a prophet, moral teacher, or angelic being, the canonical Scriptures consistently affirm His full deity. This article defends the claim that Jesus is God Almighty, drawing on key biblical passages, intertextual analysis, and Strong’s Concordance references to establish a scholarly foundation for this doctrinal truth.

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Jesus as the Alpha and Omega

In Revelation 1:8, the Lord declares:

“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.” (KJV)

The term Alpha and Omega (Greek: ἄλφα καὶ τὸ ὦ, alpha kai to ō, Strong’s G1 and G5598) is a metaphor for eternity and sovereignty. In the Hebrew Scriptures, Yahweh alone declares Himself the first and the last (Isaiah 44:6; 48:12). When Jesus later says in Revelation 22:13:

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last,”

He is directly identifying Himself with Yahweh, the God of Israel, thereby claiming the title of the Almighty (παντοκράτωρ, pantokratōr, Strong’s G3841).

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Jesus as “I AM”

In John 8:58, Jesus declared:

“Before Abraham was, I am.”

Here, He employs the divine name ἐγώ εἰμί (egō eimi, Strong’s G1473 & G1510), echoing God’s self-revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:14: “I AM WHO I AM” (Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh). The Jewish leaders understood this as a direct claim to deity, which is why they picked up stones to execute Him for blasphemy.

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Jesus as Creator and Sustainer

The apostle John identifies Jesus as the Creator in John 1:1–3:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”

The Greek word for “Word” is λόγος (logos, Strong’s G3056), which in Hellenistic and Jewish thought referred to divine reason and wisdom. Paul echoes this in Colossians 1:16–17, where Christ is described as the agent of creation and the one in whom all things consist (συνέστηκεν, synestēken, Strong’s G4921). Only God Almighty has such creative and sustaining power.

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Jesus as “The Mighty God” in Prophecy

Isaiah foretold the Messiah’s divine identity:

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given… and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

The Hebrew term for “Mighty God” is אֵל גִּבּוֹר (El Gibbor, Strong’s H410 & H1368), the same title used of Yahweh in Isaiah 10:21. Thus, the prophecy affirms that the child to be born—fulfilled in Jesus Christ—is none other than God Almighty.

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Thomas’ Confession of Jesus as God

When Thomas encountered the risen Christ, he declared:

“My Lord and my God.” (John 20:28)

The Greek text uses ὁ κύριός μου καὶ ὁ θεός μου (ho kurios mou kai ho theos mou). Thomas does not utter a mere exclamation but makes a direct confession of Jesus’ deity. Jesus does not correct him but blesses his faith, thereby affirming the legitimacy of recognizing Him as God Almighty.

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Paul’s Witness to Christ’s Deity

Paul unequivocally affirms the deity of Jesus:

• Titus 2:13 calls Him “our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

• Romans 9:5 identifies Him as “God over all, blessed forever.”

• Philippians 2:6 states that Jesus existed in the form of God (μορφῇ θεοῦ, morphē theou, Strong’s G3444 & G2316) before taking on human likeness.

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Jesus as the Judge of All

Scripture teaches that God alone is Judge (Genesis 18:25; Psalm 75:7). Yet Jesus Himself declares that He will judge all nations (Matthew 25:31–32). John 5:22–23 states:

“The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.”

To honor the Son equally with the Father confirms His identity as God Almighty.

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Patristic and Theological Commentary

Early Church Fathers consistently affirmed Christ’s divinity:

• Athanasius (4th century) declared, “If Christ were not truly God, He could not bestow divine life upon us.”

• Ignatius of Antioch (1st century) referred to Jesus as “our God” in his epistles.

From a systematic perspective, the ontological unity of the Father and the Son is essential for Christian worship and salvation. If Jesus were not God Almighty, worshiping Him would constitute idolatry. Yet Scripture commands worship of Christ (Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 5:12–14).

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Conclusion

The testimony of Scripture, affirmed by linguistic analysis and theological tradition, makes it unequivocally clear that Jesus is God Almighty. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the eternal “I AM,” the Creator, Judge, and Savior. The strong concordance of biblical terms—from El Gibbor in Hebrew to Pantokratōr in Greek—confirms that the titles of Yahweh in the Old Testament are applied to Christ in the New Testament. Any denial of His divinity is a departure from apostolic faith.

Therefore, the Christian confession remains unchanged across the ages:
“Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11).

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