In this post-modern world, Jesus is viewed in many different ways: as a historical figure by some, as a prophet by certain religious groups, or simply as a good man by others. Often, we might hear the question: Is Jesus God? For us as Christians, yes, undoubtedly, He is God. But how do we respond to those who ask, “Is Jesus God?”
This article will help you understand how to answer that very question. I am going to address this in two ways and later provide links to articles that tackle questions challenging the divinity of Jesus.
- Humanity of Jesus Christ
- Divinity of Jesus Christ
Humanity of Jesus Christ
According to the New Testament, Jesus Christ is the Incarnate word of God, the creator and the saviour of the world, and He Lived a sinless and exemplary life.
- Jesus is the “Personal Name.”
- Christ is the “Title.”
Jesus is the Greek Equivalent for the Hebrew Word, “Joshua.” The Name was Divinely appointed.
Matthew 1:21 NIV
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Since the name was common in His lifetime, He was usually referred to in a more specific way, such as “Jesus of Nazareth.”
“Christ,” or the anointed one, is a title that acknowledged that he is the expected messiah of Israel. In the Gospels, Jesus is usually identified as “the Christ.” After Peter’s sermon at Pentecost in Acts 2:38, He was usually referred to as “Jesus Christ.” This name combined formed the historic name that we know today, figuring with the messianic role that prophetic expectation and early Christianity knew that He possessed.
Biblical Sources
Biblical sources to the historical life of Jesus include the Gospels and Acts, as well as major parts of the rest of the New Testament.
- Four Gospels
- Acts
- Epistles
- Revelations
Verses about his earthly life.
Acts 10:39 NIV
“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross,”
Acts 1:21 NIV
“Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us,”
Romans 1:3–4 NIV
“regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”
1 Corinthians 11:23–25 NIV
“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Galatians 4:4 NIV
“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,”
When viewed as a unified whole, the New Testament presents a consistent portrait of Jesus as the One prophesied in the Old Testament and revealed in the New. This highlights a crucial truth: the New Testament is not a disconnected record, but rather the continuation and fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan for humanity through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Non-Biblical Sources
Let’s look at some sources outside the Bible to study about His existence. Jesus was mentioned by only three Graeco-Roman authors:
- Pliny (Epistles 10.96): Pliny wrote Emperor Trajan about the Christian “superstition” and Christ as an object of ridicule.
- Tacitus: Tacitus noted that Christ was executed under Pilate.
- Suetonius: And Suetonius noted Jewish restlessness under “Crestus.”
We also have the Jewish Historian Josephus (Antiquities). Josephus’ statements validate John the Baptist’s execution—and a contested passage refers to Jesus as a wise man with a significant following who appeared to His followers after His resurrection, as the prophets had predicted. Some dispute these statements made by Josephus.
New discoveries are made periodically, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Gnostic Scriptures at Nag Hammadi, but immensely valuable as they are, they tell us nothing new about Jesus.
Divinity of Jesus
Biblical and early nonbiblical writings affirm that Jesus truly lived. But the New Testament explicitly and implicitly testifies that the earthly Jesus considered himself as God incarnate.
Incarnate Definition:
1in•car•nate \in-ˈkär-nət, -ˌnāt\ adjective
[Middle English incarnat, from Late Latin incarnatus, past participle of incarnare to incarnate, from Latin in- + carn-, caro flesh—more at carnal] 14th century
a: invested with bodily and especially human nature and form
b: made manifest or comprehensible: embodied 〈a fiend incarnate〉
Biblical Sources
John’s Gospel, in particular, offers a wealth of Jesus’ self-claims concerning his divine identity. In fact, the entire Gospel seemingly appears as a legal defense of Jesus’ divine sonship.
Jesus gives his own testimony
John 8:14 NIV
“Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.”
In fact, when Jesus testified about himself, He knew how the Jewish audience were. According to the law, witness without a confirmation in valid, so Jesus said:
He used his works that he did to demonstrate his Divinity
John 5:36 NIV
“I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me.”
John 10:25 NIV
“Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,”
John 10:38 NIV
“But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
John 14:11 NIV
“Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.”
John 15:24 NIV
“If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.”
Jesus uses Old Testament Scripture
John 8:17–18 NIV
“In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”
Jesus was Pre-Existent
John 1:15 NIV
“(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”)”
Non-Biblical Sources
Pliny the Younger
Pliny the younger was the Roman governer of Bithynia in Asia Minor. In one of his letters dated around AD 112, he writes to ask Trajan’s advice about the appropriate way to conduct legal proceedings with this new group known as Christians. Pliny felt the need to consult the emperor because a great number of people of every age, class and gender turned to follow Christianity.
He wrote in his letter as follows.
“They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food – but food of an ordinary and innocent kind.”
This passage provides us with a number of interesting insights into the beliefs and practices of early Christians.
- We see that Christians regularly met on a certain fixed day for worship.
- Their worship was directed to Christ, demonstrating that they firmly believed in His divinity.
One scholar interprets Pliny’s statement that “hymns were sung to Christ”…. “as to a god”. He stated this as a distinguishing fact of their gathering. What was different from other religious groups was at that time was that Jesus whom they worshipped was an actual person who had lived on earth compared to other religious groups who worshipped gods or deity that physically did not walk on earth.
Pliny’s letter helps us understand what early christians believed about Jesus’ as a person. He also mentions that they, “bound themselves by solemn oath not to violate various moral standards”. These moral standards find their source in the ethical teachings of Jesus. Such practices reveal that they held the teachings of Jesus in high esteem. In addition, Pliny also talks about the custom of sharing a common meal, probably, referring to communion and love feast.
Because of the practice of communion, christians were accused of participating in ritual cannibalism. It was obvious Pliny and other misunderstood the practice of communion. The early christians humbly defended themselves against such accusations. A reminder for us to learn to defend our faith whenever required.
Lucian
Lucian of Samosata was a second century Greek satirist. In one of his works, he wrote of the early Christians as follows:
“The Christians … worship a man to this day – the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account…. [It] was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws.”[27]
Although Lucian is joking here at the early Christians, he does make some significant comments about their founder. For instance, he says the Christians worshipped a man, “who introduced their novel rites.” And though this man’s followers clearly thought quite highly of Him, He so angered many of His contemporaries with His teaching that He “was crucified on that account.”
Although Lucian does not mention his name, he is clearly referring to Jesus. But what did Jesus teach to arouse such wrath? According to Lucian, he taught that all men are brothers from the moment of their conversion. That’s harmless enough. But what did this conversion involve? It involved denying the Greek gods, worshipping Jesus, and living according to His teachings. It’s not too difficult to imagine someone being killed for teaching that. Though Lucian doesn’t say so explicitly, the Christian denial of other gods combined with their worship of Jesus implies the belief that Jesus was more than human. Since they denied other gods in order to worship Him, they apparently thought Jesus a greater God than any that Greece had to offer!
Conclusion
There is enough or more evidence from both biblical and non-biblical sources to prove that Jesus is God. To those who doubt His humanity and divinity, these answers provide sufficient proof to answer those who genuinely question, ‘Is Jesus God?’
Jesus is God. He is the Father’s redemptive plan for mankind and our Savior who gave His life so that we can receive His free gift of salvation.
