In addition to Jesus’ specific claims about Himself, His disciples also recognized the deity of Christ. They proclaimed that Jesus had the right to forgive sins—something only God can do, since it is God who is offended by sin ( Acts 5:31 ; Colossians 3:13 ; Psalm 130:4 ; Jeremiah 31:34 ). Closely related to this last claim, Jesus was said to be the one who “will judge the living and the dead” ( 2 Timothy 4:1 ). Thomas cried out to Jesus, “My Lord and my God” ( John 20:28 ). Paul called Jesus “our great God and Savior” ( Titus 2:13 ), and he noted that prior to His incarnation, Jesus existed in the “form of God” ( Philippians 2:5–8 ). The writer to the Hebrews, in reference to Jesus, says that “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever” ( Hebrews 1:8 ). John says that, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God” ( John 1:1 ). There are many examples of Scripture teaching the deity of Christ (see Revelation 1:17 ; 2:8 ; 22:13 ; 1 Corinthians 10:4 ; 1 Peter 2:6-8 ; Psalm 18:2 ; 95:1; 1 Peter 5:4 ; Hebrews 13:20 ), yet one of these is enough to show that Christ was considered God by His followers.
Jesus was also given titles that are unique to Yahweh (the formal name of God) in the Old Testament. The Old Testament title “redeemer” ( Psalm 130:7 ; Hosea 13:14 ) is used to describe Jesus in the New Testament ( Titus 2:13 ; Revelation 5:9 ). Jesus is called Immanuel (“God with us” in Jesus was also given titles that are unique to Yahweh (the formal name of God) in the Old Testament. The Old Testament title “redeemer” (Psalm 130:7; Hosea 13:14) is used to describe Jesus in the New Testament (Titus 2:13; Revelation 5:9). Jesus is called Immanuel (“God with us” in Matthew 1). In Zechariah 12:10, it is Yahweh who says, “And they will look upon me whom they have pierced.” But the New Testament applies this to Jesus’ crucifixion (John 19:37; Revelation 1:7). If it is Yahweh who is pierced and looked upon, and Jesus was the one they pierced and looked upon, then Jesus is Yahweh. Paul interprets Isaiah 45:22-23 as applying it to Jesus in Philippians 2:10-11. In addition, Jesus’ name is used parallel to God’s name in the prayers “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2). This would be blasphemy if Christ were not deity. Jesus’ name appears with God’s name in Jesus’ command to baptize “…in the name (singular) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19; see also 2 Corinthians 13:14).
Actions that can only be performed by God are attributed to Jesus. Jesus not only raised the dead (John 5:21; 11:38-44) and forgave sins (Acts 5:31; 13:38), He created and sustains the universe (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17). This aspect becomes even more compelling when one considers that Yahweh said that he was alone during creation (Isaiah 44:24). Furthermore, Christ possesses attributes that only deity can have: eternity (John 8:58), omnipresence (Matthew 18:20, Matthew 28:20), omniscience (Matthew 16:21), and omnipotence (John 11:38-44).
Now, it is one thing to claim to be God or to deceive someone into believing that is true, and quite another to prove that He is so. Christ offered many miracles as proof of His claim to deity. A few of Jesus’ miracles include turning water into wine (John 2:7), walking on water (Matthew 14:25), multiplying physical objects (John 6:11), healing the blind (John 9:7), the lame (Mark 2:3), and the sick (Matthew 9:35; Mark 1:40-42), and even raising people from the dead (John 11:43-44; Luke 7:11-15; Mark 5:35). In fact, Christ Himself rose from the dead. Short of the so-called gods of pagan mythology who die and rise again, nothing is so seriously claimed by other religions as the resurrection—and no other claim has as much biblical confirmation.
There are at least twelve historical facts about Jesus that even non-Christian critical scholars admit:
1. Jesus died by crucifixion.
2. He was buried.
3. His death caused the disciples to despair and lose hope.
4. Jesus’ tomb was found (or claimed to have been found) empty a few days later.
5. The disciples believed they experienced apparitions of the resurrected Jesus.
6. After this, the disciples were transformed from skeptics to bold believers.
7. This message was the focus of preaching in the early church.
8. This message was preached in Jerusalem.
9. As a result of this preaching, the church was born and grew.
10. Sunday, the day of the resurrection, replaced the Sabbath as the main day of worship.
11. James, a skeptic, was converted when he also believed he saw the risen Jesus.
12. Paul, an enemy of Christianity, was converted by an experience which he believed was an appearance of the risen Jesus.
Even if someone were to object to this specific list, only a few are needed to prove the resurrection and establish the gospel: Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and appearances (1 Corinthians 15:1-5). While there are a few theories to explain one or two of the above facts, only the resurrection explains and justifies them all. Critics admit that the disciples claimed to have seen the resurrected Jesus. Lies and hallucinations could not transform people the way the resurrection did. First, what would they have accomplished? Christianity was not popular and certainly did not make them any money. Second, liars do not make good martyrs. Nothing better than the resurrection to explain the disciples’ willingness to die such horrible deaths for their faith. Yes, plenty of people die for lies they think are true, but none die for what they know is not true.
Bottom line: Christ claimed to be Yahweh, He was deity (not just “a god” – but the True God), His followers (Jews who would have been terrified of idolatry) believed in Him and referred to Him as such. Christ proved His claims to deity through miracles, including the world-altering resurrection. No other hypothesis can explain these facts. Yes, Christ’s deity is biblical