One day, when Jesus was going about His business, doing what He did all the time, healing people, He got into some trouble. He healed a man on the Sabbath. This infuriated the religious leaders. They began harassing Jesus about it. Jesus responded, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too am working” (Jn. 5:17). At this, John tells us that the Jews “tried all the harder to kill Him not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.” That’s right, they recognized Jesus’ statement as a bold claim of equality with God.
This was not the only time the people intended to kill Jesus because of who He claimed to be.
You aren't greater than our father Abraham who died, are you? And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?" Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless. The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you people say, 'He is our God.' Yet you do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey his teaching. Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see my day, and he saw it and was glad." Then the Judeans replied, "You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!" Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out from the temple area. (John 8:53-59 NET)Jesus here claims to have existed before Abraham. What’s more, He also claims the title “I Am” which was reserved exclusively for God (Ex. 3:14). Jesus was claiming to be Yahweh-Jehovah. Again, they knew exactly what Jesus was claiming. So, they tried to stone Him to death.
Again, in John 10, Jesus boldly declares, “The Father and I are one (v. 30)." We watch cautiously for the response of the Jewish leaders. What will they do? “The Jewish leaders picked up rocks again to stone him to death (v 31).” Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many good deeds from the Father. For which one of them are you going to stone me (v.32)?" "We are not going to stone you for a good deed but for blasphemy, because you, a man, are claiming to be God." Once more, the Jewish leaders, the ones well versed in the scriptures, recognize that Jesus is claiming to be God!
Let’s look at one more time Jesus claimed to be God. Fortunately this time there are no Jewish leaders around to try to stone Him. This time it is in the upper room, just before Jesus’ crucifixion. Jesus says,
Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say,'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” (John 14:9-10 NIV)Do you see it? There it is again. If you see Jesus, you see God! “I am in the Father, and the Father is in me.” The Father is “living in me.”
Wow! Is there really any way to reasonably doubt that Jesus did in fact claim to be God? I don’t think so. Everyone around Jesus when He made these statements knew exactly what He was claiming. We should too. Did Jesus claim to be God? That’s what His friends and enemies understood Him to claim . . . repeatedly.
Before we rest our case, we should bring in one last body of evidence. Several times in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ ministry his miracles are referred to as “signs.” The point was that the miracles Jesus did authenticated who He was. So, let’s look at a few of these signs and what they prove about Jesus.
Jesus demonstrated power and authority to manipulate matter and control nature in several miracles. Jesus demonstrated power and authority over physical diseases of all kinds. Jesus demonstrated power and authority over death, rasing people from the dead on three different occasions. Jesus demonstrated power and authority over demons several times. What does all this power and authority over creation prove? It proves Jesus is God! But don’t miss the fact that, for the most part, these miracles were done on behalf of people in need. Jesus is God miraculously working in the lives of people
Next: (11) Jesus: Not Just Your Friend
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