The divinity of Jesus Christ is one of the most important doctrines in Christianity. Many skeptics question whether the Bible explicitly teaches that Jesus is God. However, numerous verses from both the Old and New Testaments confirm His divine nature. This topic explores key scriptures that prove Jesus is God and explain their significance in Christian faith.
Jesus Is Called God in the Bible
Several passages directly identify Jesus as God, leaving no doubt about His divine nature.
1. John 1:1 – The Word Was God
‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’
John 1:1 clearly states that Jesus, referred to as ‘the Word,’ was both with God and was God Himself. This verse confirms His eternal existence and divine nature.
2. John 20:28 – Thomas Calls Jesus ‘My Lord and My God’
‘Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!”
After Jesus’ resurrection, Thomas doubted until he saw Jesus’ wounds. When he finally recognized Jesus, he addressed Him as ‘My Lord and my God,’ and Jesus did not correct him. This is a direct acknowledgment of Jesus’ deity.
3. Titus 2:13 – Jesus, Our Great God and Savior
‘While we wait for the blessed hope-the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.’
Paul refers to Jesus as ‘our great God and Savior,’ affirming His divine identity.
4. Hebrews 1:8 – God the Father Calls Jesus God
‘But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.”
In this verse, God the Father directly addresses the Son as God, emphasizing His eternal reign.
Jesus Has Divine Attributes
The Bible attributes characteristics to Jesus that belong only to God, further proving His deity.
5. Colossians 2:9 – The Fullness of Deity in Christ
‘For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.’
This verse confirms that Jesus is not just partly divine but fully God in human form.
6. Revelation 22:13 – The Alpha and Omega
‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.’
These titles, which belong to God (Isaiah 44:6), are claimed by Jesus, proving His eternal nature.
7. Matthew 28:18 – Jesus Has All Authority
‘Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
Only God has supreme authority over all creation. Jesus’ declaration of possessing all authority confirms His divine status.
8. Colossians 1:16-17 – Jesus Created and Sustains the Universe
‘For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible… He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.’
This passage reveals Jesus as the Creator and Sustainer of everything, a role that belongs only to God.
Jesus Receives Worship, Which Is Reserved for God
In the Bible, only God is to be worshiped (Exodus 34:14). Yet, Jesus is repeatedly worshiped without rejecting it.
9. Matthew 14:33 – The Disciples Worship Jesus
‘Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.”
When Jesus calmed the storm, His disciples worshiped Him. Unlike angels or righteous men who refused worship (Acts 10:25-26, Revelation 22:8-9), Jesus accepted it.
10. Hebrews 1:6 – Angels Worship Jesus
‘And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him.”
God commands angels to worship Jesus, proving that He is not a mere creation but fully divine.
11. Revelation 5:12-14 – All Creation Worships Jesus
‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!’
Jesus, the Lamb, is worshiped alongside God the Father in heaven, showing His equality with God.
Jesus Forgives Sins – A Power Belonging to God Alone
Forgiving sins is a divine prerogative. The Bible teaches that only God can forgive sins (Isaiah 43:25), yet Jesus repeatedly exercised this authority.
12. Mark 2:5-7 – Jesus Forgives Sins
‘When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ‘Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
The Jewish leaders understood that forgiving sins was God’s exclusive right. Jesus’ claim to forgive sins demonstrated His divine authority.
13. Luke 7:48-50 – Jesus Grants Forgiveness
‘Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.”
Jesus again forgives sins, affirming His divine nature and power.
Jesus Is One With the Father
Jesus explicitly claimed unity with God, further proving His divinity.
14. John 10:30 – ‘I and the Father Are One’
‘I and the Father are one.’
When Jesus said this, the Jews picked up stones to kill Him because they understood that He was claiming to be God (John 10:31-33).
15. John 14:9 – Seeing Jesus Is Seeing the Father
‘Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.’
Jesus claimed to perfectly reveal God, indicating His divine identity.
Jesus Is Called Lord and Identified as Yahweh
In the Old Testament, Yahweh (the LORD) is the only true God. The New Testament applies these names and titles to Jesus.
16. Philippians 2:9-11 – Every Knee Will Bow to Jesus
‘At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’
This passage echoes Isaiah 45:23, where God declares that every knee will bow to Him. Paul applies this prophecy to Jesus, proving His deity.
17. Romans 10:9 – Confessing Jesus as Lord
‘If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.’
In Jewish understanding, calling Jesus ‘Lord’ (Kyrios) was equivalent to calling Him God.
18. Isaiah 9:6 – The Messiah Is Called ‘Mighty God’
‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’
Isaiah prophesied that the coming Messiah would be called ‘Mighty God,’ a title that applies to Jesus.
The Bible Clearly Teaches That Jesus Is God
From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible provides overwhelming evidence that Jesus is God. He is called God, possesses divine attributes, receives worship, forgives sins, and is one with the Father.
Believing in the deity of Christ is essential for salvation. Jesus Himself said in John 8:24, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will indeed die in your sins.”
The truth of Jesus’ divinity is foundational to the Christian faith. He is not just a prophet, teacher, or moral example-He is God in the flesh, the Savior of the world.