Can you find an instance in any version of the bible of Jesus claiming to be God?

Greetings,

First, to be fair your question is flawed because it demands too strict of an answer. It’s like the lawyer asking the man: “Have you stopped beating your wife–yes or no?” Your question could be turned around and demand just the opposite conclusion: “I want to be shown where Christ said ‘I am not almighty God.’” Just because we don’t get the exact evidence we demand doesn’t meant that there is no evidence.

Now, the preponderance of evidence from the Inspired Word of God itself makes it irrefutable that Jesus is not equal to Almighty God. As a divine person he is called "god" but never is he placed equal to his God and Father.

On the other hand, there is not one clear verse in the Bible that teaches that God is made up of three persons equal in power, knowledge or eternity. Even Trinitarian scholars realize that there is not one scripture which teaches the Trinity and that it was a later addition to True Christianity:

A Short History of Christian Doctrine; Bernhard Lohse:

"As far as the New Testament is concerned, one does not find in it an actual doctrine of the Trinity. "

Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics:

"At first the Christian faith was not Trinitarian...It was not so in the apostolic and sub-apostolic ages, as reflected in the N.T. and other early Christian writings."

There are hundreds of Scriptures which explicitly state that Jesus is inferior to Almighty God. For example:

Jesus has a *God* over him (Mic.5:4, Jn.20:17, Rom.15:6, Rev.3:12). Can Almighty God have a God? Anyone who is said to have a God over him must be less than Almighty!

Scriptures show that Jesus did not know what Almighty God knew on earth or in heaven (Mk.13:32, Rev.1:1; Mat 20:23).

He always had to be *given* power or authority from a superior! (Mt.28:18; 11:27, Jn. 5:22; 17:2; 3:35; 2Pet.1:17).

He could not "save" himself (Jn.12:26-27, Heb.5:7-10).

He could not do anything on his own and he can only speak what he was "taught" by the Father (Jn. 5:19; 6:38; 8:28). He was not eternal God but was "begotten" (Jn. 1:18).

How could the Father command him to do anything (Jn. 12:49; 14:31; 15:10; 12:49; 10:18.)

Jesus identifies himself as the one "sent" by a superior, he did not come of his own accord (Jn.8:16,29,42,). This superior is identified as "Father" and "God" and is shown to be Jehovah (Jn.8:54). Is not the sender superior to the one sent? (Jn.13:16).

What else would Jesus have to say to show that he was not equal with God? Try as we may we cannot seen anything here but the Christ's denial he was equal to God.

Even when Jesus is as high as he will ever get 1Cor.15:27,28 shows that Jesus will still be "subject" to his God in the same way we are "subject" to him (See RSV). If Jesus were equal to Almighty God why was he not powerful enough to subject things to himself? (1Cor.15:27, Eph.1:17,22, Hb.1:3).

As you can see, the Scriptures put so many limitations on our Lord that it is impossible to place him in an Almighty position. Every thing he does is done only because his God and Father *allows* him to do them. No one has to (or can) give The Almighty God such power or authority. If these things were said of Jehovah the Almighty God they would be blasphemous.

Yours,

Ron Rhoades

The Jews understood that Jesus was claiming to be God, that was why they wanted to kill him for blasphemy. Whenever Jesus spoke of a unique Father-Son relationship between God the Father and Himself, the Jews understood Him to be claiming equality with God the Father.

Jesus spoke to the Jews in their language. He communicated to them on their terms. They said things in a round about way rather than directly like we do in the West and they understood Jesus was be claiming to be deity.

Jesus (quoting the Old Testament) claimed that God is the only legitimate object of worship: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” (Matthew 4:10; Deut 6:13), but Jesus accepted worship many times, including just a short time later when the disciples all worship Him (Matthew 14:33).

Additionally:

Jesus accepted worship from Thomas (John 20:28); all the angels are told to worship Jesus (Heb. 1:6); wise men worshiped Jesus (Matt. 2:11); a ruler bowed before Him in worship (Matt. 9:18); a blind man worshiped Him (John 9:38); Mary Magdalene worshiped Him (Matt. 28:9); and the disciples worshiped Him (Matt. 28:17).

Note carefully what we never find Jesus saying. He never corrected anyone by saying something like “Woah guys, you’ve got it all wrong, I may be a good teacher but don’t worship me!”

However, in Acts we find the early Christians doing exactly what Jesus didn’t do, objecting strongly when people try to worship them. In Acts 10, Peter goes to visit a man named Cornelius, where we read: “As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.“ (Acts 10:25-26) This is exactly what we don’t find Jesus saying! A similar example occurs to Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14:11-15.

All the available evidence points to the fact that Christ did claim to be God. The eyewitnesses who heard these claims died horrible deaths for refusing to deny their validity. No liberal scholar has ever proposed an adequate explanation as to how a legend that Jesus claimed to be God could develop while the original apostles (those who personally knew Christ) were still alive and leading the new church. Legends take centuries to develop into dogma. Any attempted origination of legends cannot get started while honest eyewitnesses are still alive (especially if these honest eyewitnesses hold positions of authority in the church).

If Jesus never meant to claim to be God, then He was one of the poorest communicators who ever lived.

If Jesus was misunderstood by His listeners, He should have clarified His words. A clear and articulate representation of His words would have been in His best interest seeing that He was executed for blasphemy (Mark 14:60-64).

No - but there are 2 passages that very clearly identify Jesus as God. One of them is spoken in Jesus' presence, and Jesus very obviously approves of the identification.

v 26-29

http://www.studybibleforum.com/htm_php.php3?do=jum...

Notice how Jesus responds (v 29) to Thomas' statement

Here is the other passage (v 8)

http://www.studybibleforum.com/htm_php.php3?do=jum...

Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com/

It is said I am alpha and omega, The beginning and the end.

So since God is all in all. Jesus is automatically God. Like each drop of water are the ocean.

He did not claim to be God. Those who knew God recognized Him when they saw Him. God bless.

If you will, just for a moment, stop thinking with a Gentile mind and put yourself into 'Jewish' shoes, you will see that Jesus, many times, claimed to actually be God. That was, in a nutshell, why he was crucified - for blasthemy :

Joh 10:33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

- because the Jews understood very well exactly what he was claiming for himself, even if we don't see it.

Looking at the context of Jesus at the feast of dedication in Jerusalem, we see in ch.10 verse 24 the Jews appealing to Jesus to say plainly whether he was the Messiah or not.

What is his response? 'I told you, and you do not believe'. What did he tell them? - he told them that he was the Messiah, and they did not believe him, that is what he was saying.

Notice that, in verse 28 he makes a remarkable statement : 'I give them eternal life' - now, who is able to do these things, give his sheep eternal life? Who but God can give life, and ensure that they never perish, nor are ever snatched out of his hand?

Then, in verse 29, Jesus states that God, his Father, is greater than all (who would oppose him - ie. snatch the sheep, etc.), and it is his Father - ie. their God - who will secure the sheep. Then Jesus really 'nails it' as far as the Jews are concerned, for he says 'I and my Father are one'.

One what? we might ask. Well, the Jews know for sure that Jesus is claiming to be One God with the Father (ie. equality - see John 5:18) and that was 'a step too far' as far as they were concerned, so that was why they took up stones to stone him (vs.31) - for blasthemy - vs.33.

This was not the first time that Jesus nearly died at the hands of the Jews. This happened in the Temple, too, when he had another exchange with the Jews and he managed to slip away in the crowd, all because he took upon his lips the holy name of God which had been revealed to Moses - I AM (Ex.3:14):

Joh 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

And what did the Jews do? - they again took up stones to throw at him.

You see, he was not only claiming to be the Messiah (which was bad enough), but what really did it with them was that he was saying that Messiah was not just Son of God, but equal with God.

The third example is where Jesus stood before the High Priest, and the High Priest did something which, legally, he was not allowed to do. He put Jesus on the spot and said 'I adjure you, by the most high God' - ie. he commanded him, in his office as High Priest, to say directly whether he was the Son of God:

Mt 26:63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

27: Jesus said to him 'It is as you said'. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven (he was quoting Daniel 7:13-14).

Mt 26:65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

Now, it is important to realise that, in this conversation, Jesus was not only claiming to be the Son of God, but also co-equal with the Father. How is this? Because the Jews were monotheistic and only worshipped One God (that is why the High Priest rent his clothes and shouted 'blasthemy'), but Jesus, in claiming to be the Messiah, was also claiming divinity, for he not only claimed to be the Son of God, but he also added that he would sit on the same throne as the Father. The High Priest understood what 'sitting on the right hand' meant - it meant co-rulership - for eastern thrones were bigger than thrones we know, and could accommodate more than one. However, to sit on the throne of the universe alongside God and thereafter rule with him made the implications too much for the High Priest to stomach!

To understand Jesus's claims better, you need to understand the Jewish mind, and this is difficult for Gentiles. But, as a Jew, Jesus would never claim, in so many words, that he was God, for no-one could, lawfully, take that holy name on his lips.

He could not, would not say 'I am JHWH' or 'Hashem' or 'G-d', but instead he said 'I am' ('he' added) and, just for saying 'I am' he was nearly stoned.

When he said 'I am (he)' the temple guards fell backwards. Why? because he did not say 'I am he' - he actually said 'I am' :

Joh 18:6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am (he), they went backward, and fell to the ground.

Jesus, of course, in the very ways he expressed his teaching, was clearly claiming to be 'more than a prophet', for no prophet had ever made such claims about himself as he did, if you read the prophets. So, he was either a madman, or who he said he was.

But what you need t