Jesus’ Deity Displayed in Words and Works
by David Feddes 

Speaking like no one else

• All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. (Luke 2:47)

• “Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” (Luke 2:49)

• The crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. (Matt 7:28-29)

• He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. (Luke 4:31-32)

• “No one ever spoke the way this man does.” (John 7:46).


"Your sins are forgiven."

• Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” (Luke 7:48-49)

• Jesus said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,  “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:5-7)


Who can forgive sins but God alone?

We can all understand how a man forgives offenses against himself. You tread on my toe and I forgive you, you steal my money and I forgive you. But what should we make of a man, himself unrobbed and untrodden on, who announced that he forgave you for treading on other men's toes and stealing other men's money? This makes sense only if He really was the God whose laws are broken and whose love is wounded in every sin. (C. S. Lewis)

I AM

• “Unless you believe that I am [he], you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24)

• “Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58)

• “I AM WHO I AM.” (Exodus 3:14)

• “I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11,14)

• "The Lord is my shepherd.” (Psalm 23)

• “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12)

• The Lord is my light and my salvation. (Psalm 27:1) [“The Lord” = YHWH in Hebrew]


Blasphemer or God?

• “I and the Father are one.” “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” (John 10:30, 33)

• The high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am…” And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy.” (Matt 26:61-64)


Liar, lunatic, or Lord

A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic--on a level with a man who says he is a poached egg--or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. (C. S. Lewis)

Signs of glory

This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
(John 2:11)

The number of those who ate it was about five thousand, besides women
and children. (Matt 14:21) The number of those who ate was four thousand,
besides women and children. (Matthew 15:38)

The Lord makes wine that gladdens the heart of man… and bread that sustains his heart. (Psalm 104:15).

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and
the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41)

O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. (Psalm 89:8-9).


Giving sight, speech, hearing

• Again and again Jesus gave sight to blind people. (Matt 9:30, 12:22, 15:30, 20:34, 21:14;  Mark 8:25, 10:51-52; Luke 18:43; John 9:1-7)

The Lord gives sight to the blind. (Psalm 146:8).

“He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (Mark 7:37; see Matt 9:33, 12:22)

“Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? (Exodus 4:11)

“Son, your sins are forgiven… Get up, take your mat and go home” (Mark 2:5,11).

“Praise the Lord, O my soul… who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.” (Psalm 103:2-3)

“Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:7)

“Lazarus, come out.” (John 11:43)

“Young man, I say to you, arise.” (Luke 7:14)

“Child, arise.” (Luke 8:54)

God says, “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive.” (Deut 32:39)


Worshiping the Risen Lord

• Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. (Matt 28:9)

• Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God.” (John 20:28).

• declared to be the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead. (Romans 1:4)


Believe Jesus' words and works

“Why do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father” (John 10:36-38).

“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father… 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 miracles themselves.” (John 14:9,11)


Believe miraculous signs

Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?” (John 7:31)

Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;  but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

Believe heavenly words

Jesus: I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore. (Rev 1:17-18)

God: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.” (Isaiah 44:6)

Jesus: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Rev 22:13)

God: “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev 1:8)


Believe doctrine in John 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth… No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. (John 1:1-18)


Believe doctrine in Colossians 1

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together… For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (1:15-20)


Believe doctrine in Hebrews 1

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Hebrews 1:1-3)


Doctrine of Christian creeds: Jesus is fully God, fully man

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ… God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man (Nicene Creed)

We believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son, is both God and human, equally. (Athanasian Creed)

Last modified: Wednesday, March 31, 2021, 8:01 AM