The Deity of

Jesus Christ

    1. CHRIST’S ATTRIBUTES PROVE HIM TO BE DIVINE
      1. He Is Eternal
        1. Pre-existence
          1. John 17:5 – He shared glory with the Father before the world was created. (John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word…”)
          2. John 6:38 – He came down from heaven (He was IN heaven before the incarnation) [John 3:16,17,31; 7:29; 8:42] (see also Col 1:17 – he was creator, therefore, he existed before creation)
          3. John 8:58 – Before Abraham was “I am.”
          4. John 3:12-13 – He was still in heaven during the incarnation
          5. Pre-existence is also seen in His pre-incarnate appearances
        2. Eternal existence
          1. Micah 5:2 – from everlasting
            • Merril Unger: “Of old, from everlasting is to be translated “the days of eternity ” and the terms convey the strongest assertion of infinite duration of which the Hebrew language is capable…”
          2. Isa.9:6 – The “Son” is called the “everlasting father” = the father of eternity.
          3. John 8:58 – Before Abraham was “I am” (not “I was”) – indicates the timelessness of His Person.
      2. He Is Omnipotent
        1. John 1:3 – all things were made by Him
        2. Luke 8:25 – the wind and the waves obey Him
        3. Matt.8:14-15 – power to raise the dead
        4. Matt.8:16 – power over all sickness & demons
        5. Matt.12:25-29 – power over Satan and his hosts
        6. Matt.28:18 – all power is given unto Him (authority over all)
          “power” here indicates both ability and authority
      3. He Is Omnipresent
        1. John 14:20,23 – Christ dwells in every believer
        2. Mark 16:19 – Yet He is at God’s right hand!
        3. Matt.18:20 – He is wherever two or three gather
      4. He Is Omniscient
        1. Rev.2:23 cf. Jer.17:10 – Words describing the omniscience of God are ascribed to Christ [The “I” of this section is the Son of Man in 1:13-18]
        2. John 2:24-25 – Jesus knew what was in man (the word “man” was added by the translators)
        3. John 6:64 – Jesus knew who believed not
        4. John 10:15 – He knows the Father to the same degree that the Father knows Him—infinitely!
        5. John 16:30 – We are sure that thou knowest all things!
        6. John 18:4 – Jesus, knowing all things that were to come upon Him…
        7. John 21:17 – thou knowest all things
      5. He Is Immutable
        1. Heb.1:10-12 – Christ changes not
        2. Heb.13:8 – Jesus is the same…compare with:
        3. Mal.3:6 – I am the Lord; I change not
      6. Every attribute of the Father belongs to the Son (John 16:15)
    2. CHRIST’S WORKS PROVE HIM TO BE DIVINE
      1. He is Creator
        • John 1:3, Col 1:16-17, Heb 1:2,10
      2. He Is the Preserver of the Universe
        • Hebrews 1:3
      3. He is the Savior
        1. Isa.43:11 GOD is Savior (cf. I Tim.4:10) He is the Savior
          • I John 4:14 CHRIST is Savior
        2. Rom.6:23 – eternal life is the gift of GOD
          • John 10:28 – Jesus is the Giver of eternal life!
        3. Titus 2:13 – He is the great God and Savior (Great God = Our Savior because two nouns followed by a definite article means they refer to the same thing)
      4. He Forgives Sin
        • Mark 2:5-10 – Only God can forgive sin, and Christ forgives sin here
      5. He Answers Prayer
        • John 14:14 “I will do it”
      6. He Has the Power to Raise the Dead
        • John 5:21- the power wasn’t granted to Christ, it is His, because He does it to ‘whomsoever he will’ (John 11:25)
      7. He Is the Judge of All Men
        • John 5:22,27 vs. Psalm 50:6
    3. CHRIST’S TITLES PROVE HIM TO BE DIVINE
      1. God
        1. Isa.9:6 – the mighty God (vs. Isaiah 10:21 and Deuteronomy 10:17)
        2. John 1:1 – the Word was God
          • Jehovah’s Witnesses translate this: “the Word was a god.” Even if this were a correct translation, there is only ONE true God (John 17:3) and only ONE wise God (Jude 25)
        3. John 20:24-28,31 – He is called “My Lord and my God” and accepted it
        4. Romans 9:5 – who is over all, God!
        5. I John 5:20 – He is called the true God!
        6. Titus 2:13 – He is called the Great God
      2. Lord (Romans 10:9)
      3. Alpha & Omega (Rev 1:8)
      4. First & Last (Isaiah 44:6) “…and beside me, there is no God”
      5. I AM (John 8:58 vs. Exodus 3:14; also, John 8:28 – “he” was added by the translators)
      6. The Holy One (Acts 3:14-15)
      7. Lord of Glory (I Cor 2:8 vs Psalm 24:7-10)
    4. HIS EQUALITY WITH JEHOVAH PROVES HIM TO BE DIVINE
      1. The Old Testament clearly reveals that Jehovah is the exclusive name of Deity.
        1. Ex.3:13-15 How God revealed Himself to Israel
        2. Ps.83:18 – Thou whose name ALONE is Jehovah
        3. Isa.42:5,8; 45:5-7 – Jehovah shares this glory with no one else!
      2. Jesus Christ is Jehovah-God
        1. Zech.12:10 – An obvious reference to Christ (vs. John 19:34-37)
          • Cf. 12:1,4 – Jehovah is speaking!
        2. Isa.44:6 – Jehovah is the “First and the Last”
          1. Jehovah = the King of Israel and the Redeemer!
            • Jesus is the Redeemer (Eph.1:7; Heb.9:12)
            • Jesus is the King of Israel – (John 12:13-16)
            • Jesus is the First & Last; Jehovah! – (Rev.1:8,11,17-18; 22:13)
          2. Isa.6:5 – Isa. saw the King – Jehovah of hosts
            • Cf. John 12:41 – John says it was Christ’s glory he saw!
          3. Ps.23:1 – Jehovah is the Great Shepherd of the sheep
            • Cf. John 10:11,14; Heb.13:20 – Jesus is the Great Shepherd!
          4. Deut.32:3-4,18; Ps.18:2; 62:1-2 – Jehovah is Israel’s Rock
            • Cf. I Cor.10:4 – Christ was that Rock!
          5. Isa.43:10-11; 45:21,22 – Jehovah is the only Savior
            • Acts 4:12 – Jesus Christ is the only Savior
          6. Isa.45:23 – Every knee shall bow to Jehovah God
            • Phil.2:9-11 – Every knee shall bow to Jesus Christ!
          7. Isa.24:23; Zeph.3:15-17 – Jehovah is the King who will reign in Jerusalem in the Kingdom.
            • Rev.19:11-16; 20:4-6 – Jesus is that King!
          8. Isa.40:3 – the forerunner prepares the way of Jehovah God.
            • Mark 1:1-3 – Mark interprets that to refer to John the Baptist paving the way for Jesus!
          9. Isa.8:13-14 – the stone of stumbling is Jehovah God
          10. I Pet.2:7-8 – Peter applies that to Christ – the Stone of stumbling!
          11. Joel 2:32 – Salvation/deliverance is promised to all who call upon the name of the Lord Jehovah!
            • Rom.10:13; Acts 2:21,36 – Salvation is promised for all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!
          12. Jer.23:5-6 – Jehovah is our Righteousness; the Branch
            1. Christ is the Branch – Rev.5:5 – Root of David
              • Rev.22:16 – Root & offspring of David
              • Heb.7:14
            2. Christ is our Righteousness – I Cor.1:30; II Cor.5:21
      3. Other related passages equating Jesus with GOD
        1. Col.1:15 – He is the image of the invisible God
        2. Col.2:9 – in Him dwells ALL the fullness of the Godhead bodily
        3. Heb.1:3 – He is the express image of the Father
        4. John 5:23 – honor the Son AS one honors the Father
        5. John 10:30 – I and my Father are one
        6. John 14:8-9 – to know the Son = knowing God
        7. John 14:9 – to see the Son = seeing God
    5. HIS ACCEPTANCE OF WORSHIP SUPPORTS HIS DEITY
      1. Holy angels refused worship (Rev.19:10; 22:9)
      2. Holy men of God refused worship (Acts 10:25-26)
      3. Christ received worship
        1. Angels – Heb.1:6; Rev,5L8
        2. Thomas – John 20:28
        3. Apostles – Matt.14:31-33
        4. Woman from Canaan – Matt.15:25-28
        5. Man born blind – John 9:35-39
        6. After resurrection – Matt.28:9
        7. All men – Phil.2:10-11
      4. John 5:23 – He is to be honored AS the Father is honored.

(Material compiled from various resources including Chafer’s Systematic Theology, Walvoord’s Jesus Christ our Lord, Ryrie’s Basic Theology)