(1) John 17:5 - He shared glory with the Father before the world
was created. (John 1:1 - "In the beginning was the Word...")
(2) John 6:38 - He came down from heaven (He was IN heaven before the incarnation)
[John 3:16,17,31; 7:29; 8:42] (see also Col 1:17 - he was creator, therefore, he existed before creation)
(3) John 8:58 - Before Abraham was "I am."
(4) John 3:12-13 - He was still in heaven during the incarnation
(5) Pre-existence is also seen in His pre-incarnate appearances
b.) Eternal existence
(1) Micah 5:2 - from everlasting
* Merril Unger: "Of old, from everlasting is to be translated
"the days of eternity " and the terms convey the strongest
assertion of infinite duration of which the Hebrew language is
capable..."
(2) Isa.9:6 - The "Son" is called the "everlasting father" = the father of eternity.
(3) John 8:58 - Before Abraham was "I am" (not "I was") - indicates the timelessness of His Person.
2.) He Is Omnipotent
a.) John 1:3 - all things were made by Him
b.) Luke 8:25 - the wind and the waves obey Him
c.) Matt.8:14-15 - power to raise the dead.
d.) Matt.8:16 - power over all sickness & demons
e.) Matt.12:25-29 - power over Satan and his hosts
f.) Matt.28:18 - all power is given unto Him (authority over all)
"power" here indicates both ability and authority
3.) He Is Omnipresent
a.) John 14:20,23 - Christ dwells in every believer
b.) Mark 16:19 - Yet He is at God's right hand!
c.) Matt.18:20 - He is wherever two or three gather
4.) He Is Omniscient
a.) Rev.2:23 cf. Jer.17:10 - Words describing the omniscience of God
are ascribed to Christ
[The "I" of this section is the Son of Man in 1:13-18]
b.) John 2:24-25 - Jesus knew what was in man (the word "man" was added by the translators)
c.) John 6:64 - Jesus knew who believed not
d.) John 10:15 - He knows the Father to the same degree that the
Father knows Him - infinitely!
e.) John 16:30 - We are sure that thou knowest all things!
f.) John 18:4 - Jesus, knowing all things that were to come upon Him...
g.) John 21:17 - thou knowest all things
5.) He Is Immutable
a.) Heb.1:10-12 - Christ changes not
b.) Heb.13:8 - Jesus is the same...
compare with:
c.) Mal.3:6 - I am the Lord; I change not
6.) Every attribute of the Father belongs to the Son (John 16:15)
II.) CHRIST'S WORKS PROVE HIM TO BE DIVINE
1.) He is Creator
John 1:3, Col 1:16-17, Heb 1:2,10
2.) He Is the Preserver of the Universe
Hebrews 1:3
3.) He is the Savior
a.) Isa.43:11 GOD is Savior (cf. I Tim.4:10)
I John 4:14 CHRIST is Savior
b.) Rom.6:23 - eternal life is the gift of GOD
John 10:28 - Jesus is the Giver of eternal life!
c.) Titus 2:13 - He is the great God and Savior (Great God = Our Savior because
two nouns followed by a definite article means they refer to the same thing)
4.) He Forgives Sin
Mark 2:5-10 - Only God can forgive sin, and Christ forgives sin here
5.) He Answers Prayer
John 14:14 "I will do it"
6.) He Has the Power to Raise the Dead
John 5:21- the power wasn't granted to Christ, it is His, because He does it to 'whomsoever he will'
(John 11:25)
7.) He Is the Judge of All Men
John 5:22,27 vs. Psalm 50:6
III.) CHRIST'S TITLES PROVE HIM TO BE DIVINE
1.) God
a.) Isa.9:6 - the mighty God (vs. Isaiah 10:21 and Deuteronomy 10:17)
b.) John 1:1 - the Word was God
Jehovah's Witnesses translate this: "the Word was a god." Even if this were a correct translation, there is only ONE true God (John 17:3) and only ONE wise God (Jude 25)
c.) John 20:24-28,31 - He is called "My Lord and my God" and accepted it
d.) Romans 9:5 - who is over all, God!
e.) I John 5:20 - He is called the true God!
f.) Titus 2:13 - He is called the Great God
2.) Lord (Romans 10:9)
3.) Alpha & Omega (Rev 1:8)
4.) First & Last (Isaiah 44:6) "...and beside me, there is no God"
5.) I AM (John 8:58 vs. Exodus 3:14; also, John 8:28 - "he" was added by the translators)
6.) The Holy One (Acts 3:14-15)
7.) Lord of Glory (I Cor 2:8 vs Psalm 24:7-10)
IV.) HIS EQUALITY WITH JEHOVAH PROVES HIM TO BE DIVINE
1.) The Old Testament clearly reveals that Jehovah is the exclusive name of Deity.
a.) Ex.3:13-15 How God revealed Himself to Israel
b.) Ps.83:18 - Thou whose name ALONE is Jehovah
c.) Isa.42:5,8; 45:5-7 - Jehovah shares this glory with no one else!
2.) Jesus Christ is Jehovah-God
a.) Zech.12:10 - An obvious reference to Christ (vs. John 19:34-37)
* Cf. 12:1,4 - Jehovah is speaking!
b.) Isa.44:6 - Jehovah is the "First and the Last".
Jehovah = the King of Israel and the Redeemer!
* Jesus is the Redeemer (Eph.1:7; Heb.9:12)
* Jesus is the King of Israel - (John 12:13-16)
* Jesus is the First & Last; Jehovah! - (Rev.1:8,11,17-18; 22:13)
c.) Isa.6:5 - Isa. saw the King - Jehovah of hosts
* Cf. John 12:41 - John says it was Christ's glory he saw!
d.) Ps.23:1 - Jehovah is the Great Shepherd of the sheep
* Cf. John 10:11,14; Heb.13:20 - Jesus is the Great Shepherd!
e.) Deut.32:3-4,18; Ps.18:2; 62:1-2 - Jehovah is Israel's Rock
* Cf. I Cor.10:4 - Christ was that Rock!
f.) Isa.43:10-11; 45:21,22 - Jehovah is the only Savior
* Acts 4:12 - Jesus Christ is the only Savior
g.) Isa.45:23 - Every knee shall bow to Jehovah God
* Phil.2:9-11 - Every knee shall bow to Jesus Christ!
h.) Isa.24:23; Zeph.3:15-17 - Jehovah is the King who will reign in
Jerusalem in the Kingdom.
* Rev.19:11-16; 20:4-6 - Jesus is that King!
i.) Isa.40:3 - the forerunner prepares the way of Jehovah God.
* Mark 1:1-3 - Mark interprets that to refer to John the Baptist
paving the way for Jesus!
j.) Isa.8:13-14 - the stone of stumbling is Jehovah God
* I Pet.2:7-8 - Peter applies that to Christ - the Stone of stumbling!
k.) Joel 2:32 - Salvation/deliverance is promised to all who call upon
the name of the Lord Jehovah!
* Rom.10:13; Acts 2:21,36 - Salvation is promised for all who call on
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!
l.) Jer.23:5-6 - Jehovah is our Righteousness; the Branch
* Christ is the Branch - Rev.5:5 - Root of David
- Rev.22:16 - Root & offspring of David
- Heb.7:14
* Christ is our Righteousness - I Cor.1:30; II Cor.5:21
3.) Other related passages equating Jesus with GOD
a.) Col.1:15 - He is the image of the invisible God
b.) Col.2:9 - in Him dwells ALL the fullness of the Godhead bodily
c.) Heb.1:3 - He is the express image of the Father
d.) John 5:23 - honor the Son AS one honors the Father
e.) John 10:30 - I and my Father are one
f.) John 14:8-9 - to know the Son = knowing God
g.) John 14:9 - to see the Son = seeing God
V.) HIS ACCEPTANCE OF WORSHIP SUPPORTS HIS DEITY
1.) Holy angels refused worship (Rev.19:10; 22:9)
2.) Holy men of God refused worship (Acts 10:25-26)
3.) Christ received worship
a.) Angels - Heb.1:6; Rev,5L8
b.) Thomas - John 20:28
c.) Apostles - Matt.14:31-33
d.) Woman from Canaan - Matt.15:25-28
e.) Man born blind - John 9:35-39
f.) After resurrection - Matt.28:9
g.) All men - Phil.2:10-11
4.) John 5:23 - He is to be honored AS the Father is honored.
(Material compiled from various resources including Chafer's Systematic Theology, Walvoord's Jesus Christ our Lord, Ryrie's Basic Theology)