The Savior – The Person of Jesus Christ
The Deity of Christ
The Deity of Christ – What Does the Bible Say?
It is no surprise to one who has read the New Testament that Jesus is affirmed in Scripture as God Himself. Indeed anyone who embraces the “Trinity” (that God is One being expressed in three persons), would affirm this teaching. Jesus is God the Son, the second member of the Godhead, with all of the divine attributes of God. This is explicitly taught in Colossians 2:9.
Colossians 2:9 – 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, NASB
In seeking then a biblical understanding of Jesus, let us consider that Jesus is not just a man, but is indeed the God-man. As we have stated already, He is “fully man and fully God.” The Bible teaches that He is God in the flesh and makes emphatic and explicit statements about Christ’s Deity, using the term “theos” (God) to speak of Him.
John 1:1-2 – 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. NASB
Titus 2:13 – 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; NASB
Romans 9:5 – 5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. NASB
John 20:28 – 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" NASB
Hebrews 1:8 – But of the Son He says, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever,
And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. NASB
2 Peter 1:1 – Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: NASB
At times when referring to Jesus, the Bible uses names of God to refer to Christ. An example of this in the Old Testament is in Isaiah 9 where the coming Christ child is spoken of as the “Mighty God” and “Eternal Father.” See also Isaiah 40:3, Micah 5:2.
Isaiah 9:6 – For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. NASB
We might also note here that in John 12:41, John speaks of Isaiah’s vision of God in chapter 6 as a vision of the exalted Christ upon His throne in Heavenly glory.
Isaiah 6:1-3 – In the year of King, Uzziah’s death, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory." NASB
In many places, the term “Lord” is used to refer to Jesus. This term Lord is known in the Old Testament as the very title of God Himself, a translation of the word “Yahweh” or “Jehovah.” In Greek the term is “kyrios” and can be used of a polite greeting or as the title denoting authority. But in these passages speaking of Jesus, the term implies the very title of God.
Luke 2:11 – 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. NASB
Matthew 22:41-46 – 41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, "What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?" They said to Him, "The son of David." 43 He said to them, "Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, 44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Until I put Thine enemies beneath Thy feet"’? 45 "If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?" 46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question. NASB
1 Corinthians 12:3 – 3 Therefore I make known to you, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. NASB
Revelation 19:16 – 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." NASB
There are also clear passages in the New Testament speaking of Jesus Christ as the very image of God, that is, the physical, visible image of God in human flesh.
Colossians 1:15 – 15 And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. NASB
2 Corinthians 4:4 – 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. NASB
Or consider statements in Hebrews chapter one where He is referred to as the “exact representation of God’s nature,” and also the very radiance of the glory of God. In these passages Jesus Christ is also seen as the One who created the heavens and the earth and is sustaining the universe by His own power.
Hebrews 1:3 – 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; NASB
Hebrews 1:10-11 – 10 And, "Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Thy hands; 11 They will perish, but Thou remainest; And they all will become old as a garment, NASB
The New Testament in many places makes explicit statements about the fact that Jesus is the “One through whom the world was made,” describing Him as the very Creator of all things.
Hebrews 1:2 – 2 in these last days has spoken to us in HisSon, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. NASB
Hebrews 2:10 – 10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. NASB
1 Corinthians 8:6 – 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. NASB
These texts which speak of Jesus as Creator, also describe the extent of His creation being universal. His work of creation includes “everything that has come into being.”
John 1:1-3 – 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. NASB
Colossians 1:16 – 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created by Him and for Him. NASB
Jesus Himself made many claims to deity. He describes Himself as the fulfillment of Messianic Prophecy, which of itself places Him in the place of deity.
Wayne Grudem points this out… “Further evidence of claims to deity can be found in the fact that Jesus calls himself “the Son of man.” This title is used eighty-four times in the four gospels but only by Jesus and only to speak of himself (note, e.g., Matt. 16:13 with Luke 9:18). In the rest of the New Testament, the phrase “the Son of man” (with the definite article “the”) is used only once, in Acts 7:56, where Stephen refers to Christ as the Son of Man. This unique term has as its background the vision in Daniel 7 where Daniel saw one like a “Son of Man” who “came to the Ancient of Days” and was given “dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away” (Dan. 7:13–14). It is striking that this “son of man” came “with the clouds of heaven” (Dan. 7:13). This passage clearly speaks of someone who had heavenly origin and who was given eternal rule over the whole world. The high priests did not miss the point of this passage when Jesus said, “Hereafter you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matt. 26:64). The reference to Daniel 7:13–14 was unmistakable, and the high priest and his council knew that Jesus was claiming to be the eternal world ruler of heavenly origin spoken of in Daniel’s vision. Immediately they said, “He has uttered blasphemy….He deserves death” (Matt. 26:65–66). Here Jesus finally made explicit the strong claims to eternal world rule that were earlier hinted at in his frequent use of the title “the Son of man” to apply to himself.”
