Divinity of Jesus Christ

The NT writers affirm Jesus Christ’s divinity

Hebrews 1:8 NA28

πρὸς δὲ τὸν υἱόν· ὁ θρόνος σου ὁ θεὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος, καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς εὐθύτητος ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου.

See also Ps 45:6; Jn 1:1–2; Jn 1:18; Ro 9:5 NIV footnote has alternative translations: “Christ who is over all. God be for ever praised!” Or: “Christ. God who is over all be for ever praised!”; Php 2:6; Tt 2:13; 2 Pe 1:1

Statements which imply Jesus Christ’s divinity

Matthew 1:23 NA28

ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει καὶ τέξεται υἱόν, καὶ καλέσουσιν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἐμμανουήλ, ὅ ἐστιν μεθερμηνευόμενον μεθʼ ἡμῶν ὁ θεός.

See also Is 7:14; Lk 1:35; Col 1:15; Col 2:2; Col 2:9; 1 Ti 1:17; 1 Jn 5:20

Jesus Christ’s names and titles point to his divinity

Jesus Christ as judge

Jn 5:27 In the OT, final responsibility for judgment is assigned to God.

See also Mt 25:31–33; Mk 8:38; Ac 17:31; Ro 2:16; 2 Co 5:10

Jesus Christ as “I am”

Jn 11:25 “I am” is the meaning of God’s name in the OT (see Ex 3:14).

See also Jn 6:35; Jn 8:12; Jn 10:7; Jn 10:11; Jn 14:6; Jn 15:1; Jn 18:5–6

Jesus Christ as Saviour

Ac 5:31 According to the OT, God alone can save.

See also Ac 4:12; Eph 5:23; Heb 7:25

Jesus Christ as Lord

Ro 10:9 “Lord” was equivalent to God’s name in the OT.

See also Lk 1:43; Lk 2:11; Jn 13:13; 1 Co 12:3; 2 Co 4:5; Re 19:16

Jesus Christ as creator

Colossians 1:16 NA28

ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· τὰ πάντα διʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται·

See also Jn 1:3; Jn 1:10; Ac 3:15; Ro 11:36; 1 Co 8:6; Heb 1:2; Heb 1:10; Ps 102:25

Jesus Christ as shepherd

Heb 13:20 “Shepherd” was a well-known OT name for God.

See also Jn 10:11–16; 1 Pe 2:25; 1 Pe 5:4

Those who recognised Jesus Christ’s divinity

The disciples

John 20:28 NA28

ἀπεκρίθη Θωμᾶς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ὁ κύριός μου καὶ ὁ θεός μου.

See also Mt 16:16

The demons

Mk 3:11; Lk 4:41

The consequences of recognising Jesus Christ’s divinity

Jesus Christ is worshipped as God

Lk 24:52 The fact that no-one but God may be worshipped is fundamental to Judaism.

See also Mt 2:11; Mt 28:9; Mt 28:17; Jn 9:38; 2 Ti 4:18; 2 Pe 3:18; Re 1:5–6; Re 5:12–13; Re 7:10

Prayer is addressed to Jesus Christ

Ac 7:59–60; Ac 9:13; 1 Co 16:22; Re 22:20

Jesus Christ’s unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit in the Godhead

Matthew 28:19 NA28

πορευθέντες οὖν μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος,

See also Jn 14:16; 2 Co 13:14; Eph 1:13–14; Eph 2:18; Eph 2:22; Eph 3:14–17; Eph 4:4–6

Jesus Christ’s eternal nature indicates his divinity

Jesus Christ precedes creation

Colossians 1:17 NA28

καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν πρὸ πάντων καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν,

See also Mic 5:2; Jn 17:5; Jn 17:24; 2 Ti 1:9; 1 Pe 1:20; 1 Jn 1:1; 1 Jn 2:13

Jesus Christ is everlasting

John 8:58 NA28

εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἰησοῦς· ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι ἐγὼ εἰμί.

See also Heb 1:12; Ps 102:27; Heb 7:3; Heb 7:24; Heb 13:8; Re 1:8; Re 5:13; Re 22:13

Jesus Christ’s pre-existence indicates his divinity

John 6:62 NA28

ἐὰν οὖν θεωρῆτε τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἀναβαίνοντα ὅπου ἦν τὸ πρότερον;

See also Jn 3:13; Jn 3:31; Jn 6:41–42; Jn 13:3; Jn 16:28

Jesus Christ’s manifestation of God’s glory indicates his divinity

Hebrews 1:3 NA28

ὃς ὢν ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ, φέρων τε τὰ πάντα τῷ ῥήματι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, καθαρισμὸν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ποιησάμενος ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν ὑψηλοῖς,

See also Mt 17:2; Jn 1:14; 1 Co 2:8; 2 Co 4:4; Jas 2:1

Jesus Christ’s divinity in the OT

The divinity of the coming Messiah

Is 9:6; Is 40:3; Je 23:6; Mal 3:1

NT passages which apply OT passages about God to Jesus Christ

Romans 10:13 NA28

πᾶς γὰρ ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου σωθήσεται.

See also Joe 2:32; Jn 12:40–41; Is 6:10; Ro 9:33; Is 8:14; Eph 4:8; Ps 68:18

Jesus Christ’s claims to divinity

He claimed to be one with the Father

John 5:17–18 NA28

Ὁ δὲ [Ἰησοῦς] ἀπεκρίνατο αὐτοῖς· ὁ πατήρ μου ἕως ἄρτι ἐργάζεται κἀγὼ ἐργάζομαι· διὰ τοῦτο οὖν μᾶλλον ἐζήτουν αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀποκτεῖναι, ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἔλυεν τὸ σάββατον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πατέρα ἴδιον ἔλεγεν τὸν θεὸν ἴσον ἑαυτὸν ποιῶν τῷ θεῷ.

See also Jn 10:30–33; Jn 10:36–38; Jn 12:45; Jn 14:7; Jn 14:9–11; Jn 17:11; Jn 17:21

He demonstrated his authority to forgive sin

Luke 5:20–24 NA28

καὶ ἰδὼν τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν εἶπεν· ἄνθρωπε, ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου. καὶ ἤρξαντο διαλογίζεσθαι οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι λέγοντες· τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὃς λαλεῖ βλασφημίας; τίς δύναται ἁμαρτίας ἀφεῖναι εἰ μὴ μόνος ὁ θεός; ἐπιγνοὺς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς αὐτῶν ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· τί διαλογίζεσθε ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν; τί ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν· ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου, ἢ εἰπεῖν· ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει; ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας — εἶπεν τῷ παραλελυμένῳ· σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειρε καὶ ἄρας τὸ κλινίδιόν σου πορεύου εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου.

See also Lk 7:47–48

Jesus Christ’s actions imply his divinity

Matthew 8:26–27 NA28

καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· τί δειλοί ἐστε, ὀλιγόπιστοι; τότε ἐγερθεὶς ἐπετίμησεν τοῖς ἀνέμοις καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ, καὶ ἐγένετο γαλήνη μεγάλη. οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποι ἐθαύμασαν λέγοντες· ποταπός ἐστιν οὗτος ὅτι καὶ οἱ ἄνεμοι καὶ ἡ θάλασσα αὐτῷ ὑπακούουσιν;

See also Mt 12:8; Lk 8:39

Jesus Christ’s resurrection confirms his divinity

Acts 2:36 NA28

ἀσφαλῶς οὖν γινωσκέτω πᾶς οἶκος Ἰσραὴλ ὅτι καὶ κύριον αὐτὸν καὶ χριστὸν ἐποίησεν ὁ θεός, τοῦτον τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὃν ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε.

See also Ro 1:4; Php 2:9–11