Whether Jesus is merely human or divine has been a subject of debate for centuries.
Many claim that he was just a prophet. Others say he was just a great teacher.
Still, others claim that he was just a good man, a role model for humanity, nothing more, nothing less.
Despite the arguments about the divinity of this man from Nazareth, millions of people around the world believe that Jesus is God.
Some Christian denominations believe that he is one-third of the Holy Trinity and is as eternal and uncreated as Yahweh himself.
In this post, we will provide some of the most common reasons why some people believe that Jesus is God.
Scripture Tells us That Jesus is God
Much of what we know about Jesus is written in the Bible.
Therefore, there’s no other place we can go to as our primary source of evidence than the Bible when it comes to the idea that Jesus is God.
There are many places in the Bible that support this belief, and serious truth seekers will find them very compelling.
John Chapter 1 verse 1 is one such verse.
It says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The book of John is a narrative of the life of Jesus, so it’s obvious that the “Word” here refers to him. Here, John claims that the “Word”—Jesus—is God.
John 8:58 is another important passage assuming the divinity of Jesus.
Here, Jesus himself speaks of his true identity, identifying himself as the “I AM”, the name Yahweh gave himself when he first appeared to Moses in the burning bush.
There is also Colossians 1:15-20, describing that Jesus is the exact image of the invisible God and the one who holds all things together.
If Jesus was not God, how could he have the power to sustain all things? How come, Paul claims that in Him, the fullness of God dwells?
These are just a few of the many passages in the Bible that affirm Jesus’ divinity.
Many people will present their own interpretation to counter these claims, but collectively, these passages provide a strong biblical case for the belief that Jesus is God and form the foundation of Christian faith and doctrine.
The Resurrection—a Historical Fact
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is arguably the most significant event in all of human history.
It serves as powerful and compelling evidence for the belief that Jesus is indeed God. So why is this so significant? Let’s take a closer look.
Firstly, the Resurrection is a historical fact that has been well attested to by numerous eyewitness accounts.
The apostle Paul even wrote that over five hundred people saw Jesus after He rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:6).
This raises an important question: how could so many people have seen Jesus if He did not actually rise from the dead?
It’s hard to imagine that such a large group of people would have been deceived or misled in this regard.
Secondly, the Resurrection is unique in that it was a bodily resurrection. Jesus did not just come back as a spirit or a ghost but as a physical, tangible being.
He showed His disciples His scars, He ate with them, and He even invited them to touch Him (Luke 24:39-43).
This type of Resurrection is not something that could have been faked or fabricated. It is a real, tangible event that is hard to explain in any other way.
Thirdly, the Resurrection was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
Psalm 16:10, for example, speaks of the Messiah not seeing decay after death, a clear reference to His Resurrection.
In addition, Jesus Himself had predicted His own Resurrection on several occasions (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31).
In light of all these factors, it’s difficult to deny that the Resurrection is solid evidence for the belief that Jesus is God.
It’s an event that is well-documented, unique, and prophesied in advance.
So when people ask you why you believe Jesus is God, the Resurrection should always be at the top of your list.
Affirmation from Non-Biblical Witnesses
The Bible may be the primary source of information about Jesus, but it’s the only one.
There are a number of accounts affirming the belief that Jesus is God outside of the Bible.
These accounts come from various sources, including philosophers, historians, and even enemies of the early Christian church.
Cornelius Tacitus (56-120 AD), for instance, was a Roman historian who described the persecution of Christians under Nero in his Annals.
In his writings, he mentions Jesus and refers to him as the founder of Christianity.
He also wrote about how Jesus died through crucifixion under Pontius Pilate.
Finally, he confirms through his writings several historical elements about Jesus, such as the fact that he lived in Judea and had disciples who were put to death for their faith in him.
Pliny the Younger is another source one can turn to when looking for extra-biblical evidence pointing to the idea that Jesus is God.
He was a Roman governor who wrote to Emperor Trajan in the 2nd century.
Pliny asked for advice on how to deal with Christians, whom he described in his letter as people who were worshiping Jesus as a god.
He also mentioned in his letter that the Christians were singing hymns to Jesus as if He were divine.
Among non-Biblical sources, perhaps the most popular one pointing to the idea of the divinity of Christ is Josephus.
Flavius Josephus was a Jewish historian who lived in the 1st century AD. In his writing entitled ‘Antiquities of the Jews’, he mentions Jesus a couple of times.
First, he described him as a wise man who performed miracles and was crucified under Pilate. In another account, he refers to Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God.
While it’s obvious that these accounts don’t provide the same level of detail that biblical accounts do, they confirm the core fact of the life and ministry of Jesus.
They reinforce the idea that Jesus claimed to be the son of God and that he was just not a moral leader or great teacher.
Faith Beyond Reason
We’ve seen how the Bible supports the idea that Jesus is divine. We’ve also seen how historical and philosophical arguments provide evidence for it.
However, nothing provides a deeper and more meaningful connection to Jesus and his divinity than the faith and personal experiences of the people who believe in him.
Christianity has been around for 2000 years. During this period, many attempted to trample the Christian faith and convince Christians that Jesus was not divine.
Despite this, followers of Christ continue to confess that he is God.
Furthermore, more people are added to the Christian faith every day, with people reporting personal experiences that have led them to believe that Jesus is God.
Such experiences take many forms. Some people report having seen visions of Jesus or him appearing in their dreams.
Others report a profound sense of spiritual awakening and a sense of inner peace that cannot be explained.
For many people, these experiences have been life-changing, giving them a powerful confirmation of the faith they confess.
There is a strong case for the divinity of Christ, and Biblical narratives, historical accounts, and personal experiences all affirm this.
Whether or not one acknowledges that Jesus is God is a matter of personal conviction.
However, at the end of the day, we cannot deny that there is enough evidence to prove that Jesus is indeed God.
The question is, will you take the leap and believe?
