Does It Say That Jesus Is God In The Bible?

It takes some getting your head around: the idea that Jesus is God. There's also the question of where the Holy Spirit fits into that picture?

The more you get to grips with scripture the more you begin to piece together the picture of God as a triune being. There are lots of places in the Bible where it talks about Jesus as God. But it’s important to understand these in the context of an omnipresent, omnipotent God. God who is the sovereign king, Jesus the son of God and the Holy Spirit all at once.

Even more mind-blowing is the fact that when we give our lives to God and choose to follow Him, we are invited to be one with Him. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross made it possible for us to join in the flow of trinity.

First though, let’s start with what the Bible says about Jesus being God.

What does the Bible say about Jesus being God?

As Christians, we believe that Jesus is God. But where in the Bible does it explicitly say that?

There are several verses that point directly to Jesus’ divinity. One of the most well-known verses is John 1:1:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Here, "the Word" refers to Jesus, who is identified as both separate from God and also God Himself.

Another verse is Colossians 1:15-20, which describes Jesus as "the image of the invisible God" and states that "all things were created by Him and for Him." This passage emphasizes Jesus' role as Creator and His power over all things.

Finally, in John 20:28, Thomas refers to Jesus as "my Lord and my God" after seeing Jesus' wounds. This is a clear affirmation of Jesus' divinity.

The Bible is consistent in using a variety of stories, accounts and perspectives to paint one picture. The picture of Jesus’ divinity is no different. As you read the Old Testament you begin to understand the idea of the messiah. Then, as you read through the gospels you see how Jesus Christ fulfils being both God and the son of God.

Rather than letting this confuse you, let it act as a call to dig deeper into scripture. Let the accounts of Jesus where his humanity sits right alongside his divinity encourage you and affirm your faith.

What passages in the Bible affirm Jesus as God?

Jesus is a prophet, a teacher, a son and a friend. He’s a healer and a ruler. He’s also completely one with God.

Colossians 1:15 says: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." This verse emphasizes that Jesus is not just a created being but the very image of God Himself.

Titus 2:13 says "waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." This verse explicitly calls Jesus "our great God and Savior.”

It helps to understand God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit each as living, organic things. Imagine for a moment that each is a thread, wound around the others. Together they form one rope, each with their own distinct identity but bound together as one, all at the same time. The rope twists, flexes, wiggles and moves.

Sometimes in life you’ll find you connect more with God the Father. Others you’ll pay close attention to the whispers of the Holy Spirit. Or, maybe, you’ll spend a season learning to spend time with Jesus your friend.

It’s completely normal to connect with one member of the Trinity more in one particular season of life. As you study scripture or as your circumstances change you’ll find this shifts. As time goes on you’ll find yourself getting to grips with another one of the ‘threads’.

The longer you linger in Jesus’ presence, the more you study the word and worship God the more the almost unfathomable truth of the trinity will sink into, and transform, your very being.

What does the Bible say about Jesus being God?

One definitive passage that address Jesus’ divinity is found in Phillipians 2. It’s worth reading over verses 6-11.

“Who, being in very natureGod, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."

Paul goes onto celebrate the divine nature of Christ as the Lord of all and the Name above every name.

In this passage Paul is referring to Isaiah 45, a book written long before Jesus lived, where it says that Israel’s God is the only God.

Isaiah 45: 5 “I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.”

Through Paul’s reference to Isaiah 45 he is effectively saying that Jesus should be included in our understanding of the ‘one God’.

You need to have an understanding of the Old and New Testaments, and how the early Christians viewed the world, to begin to understand the intricacies of how Jesus is God.

Theologian Tom Wright say this, on the questions of does the Bible say that Jesus is God:

“The only way of expressing it is through poetry and prayer in which we see this unity opening up to include Jesus in it.”

Does the Bible identify Jesus as God?

As numerous Bible verses show, Jesus is God. If this takes you a little while to understand then you’re in good company! When Jesus arrived, fully man, on Earth it was to a people who were expecting a Messiah.

The Israelites expected God to return in full glory and conquer the world. They expected their God to be recognized as sovereign ruler by every authority and person on earth.

Jesus, a carpenter’s son born in a manger, wasn’t quite what they expected.

However, from the moment Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death and claiming His rightful seat in Heaven, beside God the truth began to be acknowledged. The truth of Jesus’ divinity and identity as one of the holy trinity was radical. The ‘good news’ that Jesus’ disciples spread around the world was based on their world-shaking understanding that not only had God sent a savior, but that that savior was in fact Lord, too.

It is this good news that still changes our world today. Jesus conquered death, He is seated on high as one with God. He invites us to be part of the incredible dance of the trinity. Living in relationship with Him, God and the Holy Spirit.

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