John 20

My Lord and My God

The deity of Jesus Christ is declared in Scripture:

(1) In the intimations and explicit predictions of the O.T.

(a) The theophanies intimate the appearance of God in human form, and His ministry thus to man Genesis 16:7-13 ; 18:2-23 especially ; Genesis 18:17 ; 32:28 with ; Hosea 12:3-5 ; Exodus 3:2-14 . (b) The Messiah is expressly declared to be the Son of God Psalms 2:2-9 and God ; Psalms 45:6 Psalms 45:7 ; Hebrews 1:8 Hebrews 1:9 ; Psalms 110:1 ; Matthew 22:44 ; Acts 2:34 ; Hebrews 1:13 ; Psalms 110:4 ; Hebrews 5:6 ; 6:20 ; 7:17-21 ; Zechariah 6:13 . (c) His virgin birth was foretold as the means through which God could be "Immanuel," God with us ; Isaiah 7:13 Isaiah 7:14 ; Matthew 1:22 Matthew 1:23 (d) The Messiah is expressly invested with the divine names Isaiah 9:6 Isaiah 9:7 (e) In a prophecy of His death He is called Jehovah's "fellow" ; Zechariah 13:7 ; Matthew 26:31 . (f) His eternal being is declared ; Micah 5:2 ; Matthew 2:6 ; John 7:42 .

(2) Christ Himself affirmed His deity.

(a) He applied to Himself the Jehovistic I AM. (The pronoun "he" is not in the Greek; cf John 8:24 ; 8:56-58 . The Jews correctly understood this to be our Lord's claim to full deity. John 8:59 .

See also, John 10:33 ; 18:4-6 where, also, "he" is not in the original.) (b) He claimed to be the Adonai of the O.T. Matthew 22:42-45 . (See Scofield "Genesis 15:2") . (c) He asserted His identity with the Father ; Matthew 28:19 ; Mark 14:62 ; John 10:30, that the Jews so understood Him is shown by ; John 10:31 John 10:32 ; John 14:8 John 14:9 17:5 . (d) He exercised the chief prerogative of God ; Mark 2:5-7 ; Luke 7:48-50 . (e) He asserted omnipresence ; Matthew 18:20 ; John 3:13 omniscience, John 11:11-14, when Jesus was fifty miles away; Mark 11:6-8, omnipotence ; Matthew 28:18 ; Luke 7:14 ; John 5:21-23 ; 6:19, mastery over nature, and creative power ; Luke 9:16 Luke 9:17 ; John 2:9 ; 10:28 . (f) He received and approved human worship, ; Matthew 14:33 ; 28:9 ; John 20:28 John 20:29 .

(3) The N.T. writers ascribe divine titles to Christ: John 1:1 ; 20:28 ; Acts 20:28 ; Romans 1:4 ; 9:5 ; 2 Thessalonians 1:12 ; 1 Timothy 3:16 ; Titus 2:13 ; Hebrews 1:8 ; 1 John 5:20 .

(4) The N.T. writers ascribe divine perfections and attributes to Christ (e.g.) Matthew 11:28 ; 18:20 ; 28:20 ; John 1:2 ; 2:23-25 ; 3:13 ; John 5:17 ; 21:17 ; Hebrews 1:3 Hebrews 1:11 Hebrews 1:12 ; 13:8 ; Revelation 1:8 Revelation 1:17 Revelation 1:18 ; 2:23 ; Revelation 11:17 ; 22:13 .

(5) The N.T. writers ascribe divine works to Christ John 1:3 John 1:10 ; Colossians 1:16 Colossians 1:17 ; Hebrews 1:3 .

(6) The N.T. writers teach that supreme worship should be paid to Christ Acts 7:59 Acts 7:60 ; 1 Corinthians 1:2 ; 2 Corinthians 13:14 ; Philippians 2:9 Philippians 2:10 ; Hebrews 1:6 ; Revelation 1:5 Revelation 1:6 ; Revelation 5:12 Revelation 5:13 .

(7) The holiness and resurrection of Christ prove His deity John 8:46 ; Romans 1:4 .