Deity in the Gospel of John

Purpose and Suppositions

The goal of this post is to observe the statements of deity in the Gospel of John and to discuss what those points imply regarding God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. It is my goal that this essay will point to the truth of who Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God are according to the scriptures. If we are worshiping the wrong Jesus, we cannot be assured of our salvation, which only comes from the one and only true God, through the one and only true Christ, as described in the original scriptures.

This writing should be read as a commentary or notes one might find in a study bible. I have worked chronologically through the Gospel of John and highly recommend that the reader work through both John’s gospel and this work concurrently. This way, the full context of the notes can be understood as the scripture is discussed.

Before we begin, some suppositions must be made.

1: Christians believe in a single yet triune God. They believe that God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit are the singular God. This is nigh impossible to explain, yet in light of the Bible, it is completely impossible to deny. As Augustine said, “We are speaking of God; what marvel if you do not comprehend? For if you comprehend, He is not God… To reach to God in any measure by the mind is a great blessedness; but to comprehend Him, is altogether impossible.”  We can only give earthly pictures in an attempt to display the full majesty of the Almighty. When it comes to God, we may not be able to explain the “how” but we must submit to the “is.” As John Calvin said, “the finite cannot grasp the infinite.”

1b: Christians do not believe in modalism. Modalism is the idea that God is indeed one, and he puts on different “hats” or appears in different “modes” or under a different “mask” depending on what He needs to accomplish at any particular time. Thus, the single God puts on the Holy Spirit hat when he needs to work some power, and he puts on the God the Father hat when he needs to give commandments in the days of Moses and he puts on the Jesus hat when he needs to come to earth as Savior. Modalism speaks to a singular god with a singular personality who simply has a lot of part-time jobs, or of a god who changes who he is as needed. This is not Christianity, and while certain people from other faiths have been told that this is what Christians believe, it is not what Christians believe.

1c: Christians do not believe in polytheism. Polytheism is the belief in more than one god. In Christianity, polytheism would be the belief that God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are three individual, separate Gods. There are those from other faiths who say this is what Christians believe, but this too is not what Christians believe.

1d: Christians believe in a single yet triune God. This means that Christians believe there is indeed only one God. Yet, this singular God – this singular deity or singular divine essence or divine nature – exists in three persons. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all unique persons who are all the singular deity – the one God. Each may work in his own way or according to his own position, but they are all equally God and their unity is absolute in agreement and purpose. Yes, the math of the Christian is 1+1+1=1. In our world, the math doesn’t work, but if you read the Bible as written, it’s the only conclusion that can be made. Modalism would say that 1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 =1. The modalists have tried to force the incomprehensible God to fit their earthly math. The polytheists would say that 1+1+1=3. They too have tried to make God fit their earthly math. The math of God is not bound to the lowliness of earthly understanding. If you study the Bible, the only possible conclusion is the impossible: 1+1+1=1 (see 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, 2:14, 3:18-201 Corinthians 1:18-25, 2:14 & 3:18-20 (ESV)
1:18-25 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

3:18-20 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”
).

2: There is one God and there is no other. Deuteronomy 5:6-7 makes it clear. Here, in the first of the Ten Commandments, God himself says:

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.

Other verses speak to this as well. Previously in Deuteronomy, God says “To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him.” (Deuteronomy 4:35). And in verse 39, “know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.” We also read in Deuteronomy 32:39, “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me.”

There is one God and there is no other.

The Initial Proclamation of the Deity of Christ (John 1:1-5John 1:1-5 (ESV)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
)

It is interesting note that the deity of Christ has been attacked from the very beginning, even before the Gospel of John was written. Cerinthus, a contemporary of the apostles, taught that the Word was not God. He garnered many Jewish and even some Christian followers. It was against the very heresies of Cerinthus that John wrote his gospel. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, John begins to lay waste to Cerinthus’ falsehoods in the very first sentence of his gospel.

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

This also brings us to our first point of controversy. While nearly all scholars, whether Christian or not, confirm that the above sentence is translated correctly from the original Greek (or most literally, “…and God was the Word”), there are those who have tried to remove the deity of Christ by adding the indefinite article “a” before the end of the sentence. The New World Translation (the bible of the Jehovah’s Witnesses) states “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.” (emphasis mine). While they are certainly the most popular organization in today's world who attempt to use scripture to deny the deity of Jesus, the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs) are not new in this idea, for it existed with Arius nearly eighteen hundred years ago. The JWs claim that because there is no definite article in the Greek (i.e., the word was the God), then it must be understood as indefinite. Fundamentally, the JWs don’t appear to understand how the position of a word within a sentence in Greek can change how it is translated into English (a construct that does not exist in the same fashion in English). They also do not appear to understand that Greek nouns can be definite, indefinite or qualitative, as is the case of “God” in this sentence. The JWs further don’t understand that if the definite article were there, it would utterly change the meaning of the Greek text to read “and the God was the Word” which would imply that Jesus and God the Father were the same person. John, throughout his writings, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is very careful not to say that Jesus and the Father are the same person yet he also carefully affirms that both Jesus and God were indeed the singular deity. However, the JW’s points regarding the indefinite article are moot as even the JW’s fail to follow their very own incorrect grammatical claim elsewhere in the first chapter of John. To equally mistranslate these other verses would not serve to support their non-Christian doctrine. The exact same Greek structure is found in the following passages from the first chapter of John, as quoted from the New World Translation:

John 1:6 - There came a man who was sent as a representative of God; his name was John.  (the JWs do not say “There came a man who was sent as a representative of a god; his name was John.”)

John 1:12 - However, to all who did receive him, he gave authority to become God’s children (the JWs do not say “However, to all who did receive him, he gave authority to become a god’s children)

John 1:13 - And they were born, not from blood or from a fleshly will or from man’s will, but from God (the JWs do not say “And they were born, not from blood or from a fleshly will or from man’s will, but from a god”)

John 1:18 - No man has seen God at any time; the only-begotten god who is at the Father’s side is the one who has explained Him (the JWs do not say “No man has seen a god at any time; the only-begotten god who is at the Father’s side is the one who has explained Him”)

Altogether, in the New Testament there are 266 instances where the NWT refuses to hold to the translation standards for the Greek text referencing the word “God” which they demand for John 1:1. Further, there are hundreds of other places where the NWT has not forced an indefinite understanding for other nouns that follow the same pattern and do not contain a definite article in the Greek. By their own rule, the first line of John 1:1 should read “In a beginning…”

It seems it is only when the text would imply the deity of Jesus that the NWT chooses to declare this nonexistent uniqueness of the Greek that requires an indirect article be inserted in the translation. This is not how proper Bible translation works; you can’t make up and pick what rules you want to claim depending on what you want the text to say. We must remember that John was a Jew who knew and believed the truth of strict Jewish monotheism and to speak of Jesus as “a god” would have been repugnant nonsense and obvious blasphemy and idolatry.

While a lesser argument, some may say that it’s not about the article, but about the deity. Because there’s no definite article, “god” is not referring to the one true God. While all the above examples would also destroy this argument, it must be noted that there are examples in both the New Testament and Septuagint where a definite article is used but the reference is not to the one true God.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (NWT) among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through.

Isaiah 36:19 (NWT) Where are the gods of Ha'math and Ar'pad? Where are the gods of Seph·ar·va'im? And have they delivered Sa·mar'i·a out of my hand?

In both of the above examples, the NWT correctly includes the definite article even though the Greek is not referencing the one true God.

We must consider that the NWT translation puts John 1:1 in direct contradiction to the first of the Ten Commandments. If John was saying that the Word was “a god,” the theological implication would be polytheism, suggesting that the Word (Jesus) was merely a secondary god in some pantheon of deities, even if in a pantheon of only two, and even if created by God the Father himself. This would make Jesus another god before the one true God, in direct violation of the premier commandment of God in Deuteronomy 5:6-7Deuteronomy 5:6-7 (ESV)
I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.
“You shall have no other gods before me.” Here, “before” would mean “in my sight,” not above or superior to Him. Any other god before or in the sight of or in the presence of the one true God is idolatry, for other gods are only false gods, because God makes it clear that he alone is God and that no other true god exists (again see Deuteronomy 4:35 and 32:39Deuteronomy 4:35 and 32:39 (ESV)
4:35 To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him.

32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
). Since his presence extends everywhere through all of creation and beyond, there is no position or place where we can have any other god. To believe that Jesus is only “a god” makes the JW and other similar Arian based faiths blasphemous and idolatrous according to the very Bible they claim to follow. Since Jesus can’t be “a god” then he must be “the God,” exactly as the original Greek of John 1:1John 1:1 (ESV & KJV)
ESV: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

KJV: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
says, even if we can’t neatly fit him into our tiny mental box. Again, we may not fully understand the “how,” but we must submit to the “is.” Jesus is either an idol and an “other god” standing in blasphemous contradiction to the demands of the true God of scripture, or he is God. There are no other choices.

As alluded above, the JWs claim that Jesus is a god who was created by the true God, as if this somehow negates the blasphemy of Jesus only being “a god.” But this cannot be the case. God does not lie (Numbers 23:19Numbers 23:19 (ESV)
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
, Hebrews 6:18Hebrews 6:18 (ESV)
so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
, Titus 1:2Titus 1:2 (ESV)
in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
) nor does he change his mind (1 Samuel 15:291 Samuel 15:29 (ESV)
And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.
). He said there is no other god besides himself, and in our worship of him we should have no other. Before him there were no others, and after him there will be no others. In other words, he won’t create a god, as that would violate his own word and make him a liar, which he will not do.

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. (Isaiah 43:10-11)

If God created Jesus, then by his very own word God is a liar who created his own blasphemous idol. We should have nothing to do with that god. Thankfully, God did not create Jesus. We must seriously consider the consequences and implications of following any religion which claims God created Jesus, for the very claim is blasphemous, making God out to be a liar.

There are pages more which could be written on this subject, showing the incorrectness of the NWT translation, but that is not the purpose of this article and many well-educated Greek scholars of both Christian and non-Christian persuasion have already taken up the cause. We don’t need to work further to disprove the NWT’s false translation of John 1:1John 1:1 (ESV, KJV & NWT)
ESV: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

KJV: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

NWT: In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.
, for the rest of the Gospel of John will do this on its own.

So, with all this in mind, John starts his gospel by declaring deity. The first five verses of John read as follows

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

In verse one we see the separation of the Word and God (the Word was with God) followed by the impossible addition that the Word which was with God also is God (1+1=1, at this point). We are told that this was already the case in the beginning, giving the same eternity past to Jesus (the Word) as exists in God (which makes sense, as the Biblical text says the Word was God). Verse two does not say that Jesus became or was made. If Jesus had been made, then his creation would have been the beginning of creation and he would not have already been in existence in the beginning. John so beautifully states the simplicity that he “was.” Verse 3 continues and explains that it is in a combination of God working through the Word that all things were made. Per this verse, if Jesus were a thing made, then he would have had to make himself. The pluralness expressed at this point harkens the reader back to the beginning of Genesis, where God says, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…’” (Genesis 1:26Genesis 1:26 (ESV)
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
). The symmetry is perfect. In Genesis 1, God is the creator and in John 1, Jesus, who was God, works with the creator in the creation. At this point in the Gospel of John we see the two working together with the Spirit of God as a single Deity, which explains why Genesis 1:26Genesis 1:26 (ESV)
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
introduces man as made in the image of the plural God (Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”).

I’ve heard some try to say that God referred to himself in the plural because he was using “the royal we” in the Genesis text, but it is deception to assume that God was using a form of speech that would not be used in other writings for hundreds of years in this ancient Hebrew text, especially as this form of writing was not used in ancient Hebrew. This too is a study in and of itself but all evidence of a “royal we” falls apart under any real academic scrutiny. Further, as we are made in the image of God, we see hints to a pluralness in our own selves in the obvious separation of body and mind/spirit. They are two very distinct aspects of who we are, but they do not make us two people. Whereas the communion within God is sinless and perfect, the communion within man is corrupted by the fall. The Spirit of God wars against the flesh and the mind of the Christian must be brought under subjection (see Galatians 5:7Galatians 5:7 (ESV)
You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
, 1 Peter 1:131 Peter 1:13 (ESV)
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
, 2 Corinthians 10:52 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV)
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
, Romans 7:21-25; 12:2Romans 7:21-25 & 12:2 (ESV)
7:21-25 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
). Christians agree that the Father, Son and Spirit are in a perfect relationship. The word says that Jesus was face to face with the father prior to his incarnation. We also see hints of this pluralness with oneness in the promise of marriage, where two become one flesh (see Matthew 19:5Matthew 19:5 (ESV)
and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?
, Mark 10:8Mark 10:8 (ESV)
and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh.
, Ephesians 5:31Ephesians 5:31 (ESV)
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
).

In verse four, John continues, “in him was life, and the life was the light of men.” The “him” here is referring to the Word/Jesus. Jesus contains life in himself and needs no other to give him life or sustain him. In Genesis, it is God who breathes life into man (Genesis 2:7Genesis 2:7 (ESV)
then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
), but by John’s account, that very life was in the Word. In the shadow of the Old Testament, the deity of life-giver belongs to God alone (see Deuteronomy 32:39Deuteronomy 32:39 (ESV)
“‘See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
, 1 Samuel 2:61 Samuel 2:6 (ESV)
The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
, Nehemiah 9:6Nehemiah 9:6 (ESV)
“You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.
), and in the New Testament, that same attribute of God (and only God) is applied to Jesus.

In verse fiveJohn 1:5 (ESV)
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
, we see that the life that is in Jesus is the light of men. Psalm 36:9 reads “For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.” The light of men is another unique attribute of God which is now applied to Jesus.

So in the first five verses of the Gospel of John, we see Jesus as God the Son, with and separate from God the Father from all eternity; we see the creative and life-giving power that only belongs to God applied to Jesus; and we see the light of God described in the scriptures also applied to Jesus.

Light (John 1:6-13John 1:6-13 (ESV)
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
)

John 1:7John 1:7 (ESV)
He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.
says that John the Baptist came to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him (the light/Jesus). John the Baptist was not that light; but rather, the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. This clearly speaks of Jesus. It was through this same light that the world was made (verse 10John 1:10 (ESV)
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.
). 1 John 1:5 says

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

John, the author of both books, under the divine inspiration of God, says that both God is light and that Jesus is light. A thorough understanding of the Bible would make it clear that there is only one source of light (see Psalm 27:1, 36:7-9Psalm 27:1 & 36:7-9 (ESV)
27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

36:7-9 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.
, Isaiah 2:5, 60:19Isaiah 2:5, 60:19 (ESV)
2:5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.

60:19 The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.
), Revelation 22:5Revelation 22:5 (ESV)
And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
). There are not competing lights. There is not a greater and a lesser light. Both lights must be the same Deity.

The Word became Flesh (John 1:14)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Here we see that the Word, which John 1:1 defines as God, became flesh and dwelt among us. The text does not say that the Word stopped being the Word and instead became flesh, but rather states that the Word became flesh. The infinite took on our finite flesh and entered into our finite state. While Christ gave up his heavenly position to take on lowly humanity here on Earth, the text does not imply that he gave up or stopped being who he had been for eternity. The word “dwelt” literally means “tabernacled” (Strongs G4637, skēnoō). This is a beautiful picture. Just as in the days of old when God would visit with Moses in the Tent of Meeting and speak to Moses face to face as if to a friend (see Exodus 33:7-11Exodus 33:7-11 (ESV)
Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
), John states that Jesus came to us in the same fashion, meeting with us and speaking to us face to face in the tabernacle of his body while on Earth. The word tabernacle is important here, as it speaks to the deity of Jesus because it ties to how Almighty God entered the tabernacle to speak to Moses. Here, the almighty God takes on a tent of human flesh to speak to his people. John could have easily said Jesus “lived among us” or “was among us” or “visited us” or any other term, but he carefully chose to say Jesus “tabernacle among us” because that is what God does.

…himself God (John 1:18)

No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. (ESV)

No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known. (NET2)

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (KJV)

While prior to Jesus’ incarnation God had appeared in various theopanies (such as in Exodus 33:20-23Exodus 33:20-23 (ESV)
But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
and Isaiah 6:1-13Isaiah 6:1-13 (ESV)
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.” The holy seed is its stump.
), or in symbols such as the burning bush, the pillar of cloud by day and the fire by night, no man had seen God face to face. With Jesus, God the Son came to us in human flesh, and his own people did not recognize him (see Acts 13:27Acts 13:27 (ESV)
For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.
). It was in this form that God was able to make himself known to those who would be his people. Jesus expounded God to us; so much so that he was later able to say to Phillip when Phillip asked Jesus to show him the Father, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9John 14:9 (ESV)
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
) or to the Jews in John 10:30 “I and the father are one”.

The ESV and NET2 texts above overtly show the divinity of Christ by calling Jesus “the only one, himself God,” or “the only God” who is at the Father’s side. The older KJV rather calls Jesus “the only begotten Son.” For centuries there was debate on which was correct (between θεός – God, and υἱός – Son). The vast majority of the principal manuscripts and the most recent research (which includes the archeological uncovering of the earliest manuscripts) strongly supports that θεός – God is correct in this verse. This has been realized by most scholars going back to at least the 1800s. Most modern translations now render this verse according to the oldest and most authentic manuscripts. In the Greek, it is interesting that the sentence starts with the word God “God has no man ever seen, God the only begotten who is at the Father’s side...” Either way, the overall theology of John is not changed regardless of which Greek manuscripts are used. The NWT correctly chooses the word “god” but keeps it in lower case, suggesting another god, which brings forth all the blasphemous idolatry already discussed. The “god” who was at the father’s side was the God.

John uses an interesting word in the Greek for “declared”. He uses exegesato (G1834) , from which we get our English words exegesis. The words literally means to lead out, unfold in teaching, or interpret. In other words, Christ, through His incarnation, has interpreted God for us, and in his teaching, has unfolded the mystery of who God is. God the Father showed himself to us through God the Son, who entered into flesh and tabernacled among us.

Verse 18John 1:18 (ESV)
No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
of chapter 1 ends the introduction John. John begins his gospel with a clear discourse describing Jesus as Deity. John describes Jesus as the Word who has for eternity existed in the bosom of the Father God, and who took on human flesh so that he could show God to us, face to face. This is why it can be said, to know the Son is to know the Father (John 14:9John 14:9 (ESV)
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
).  The rest of John’s gospel assumes the tenants of the introduction.

Make straight the way of the Lord (John 1:23John 1:23 (ESV)
He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
)

The next stop on the road of divinity is at verse 23John 1:23 (ESV)
He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
. Here, John the Baptist is asked who he is and he references Isaiah 40:3Isaiah 40:3 (ESV)
A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
saying “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (also see Matthew 3:3Matthew 3:3 (ESV)
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”
, Mark 1:3Mark 1:3 (ESV)
the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'
, Luke 3:4Luke 3:4 (ESV)
As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."
).

A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” (Isaiah 40:3)

John states that he is not the Christ but simply the one preparing the way for Christ. He quotes Isaiah to support his point where Isaiah is speaking to preparing the way for Jehovah. Here, John the Baptist equates the prophecy of someone crying in the wilderness in preparation for the way of Jehovah God to him preparing the way for Jesus, who is that same deity. Once he sees Jesus and points him out in verse 29 saying “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”, John the Baptist further clarifies that he came baptizing with water (in preparing the hearts of the people) so that Jesus might be revealed to Israel (verse 31John 1:31 (ESV)
I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
). John was preparing the way for Jesus, just as Isaiah had said he would – prepare the way of Jehovah God. This is confirmed in John 3:28-30:

You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’  The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.  He must increase, but I must decrease.

John had prepared the way of the Lord Jehovah, as prophesied, and now that he had seen the Lord Jesus, he must decrease.

The Personhood of the Holy Spirit

John knew that Jesus was the Messiah because he saw the Spirit come on him and rest on him (John 1:32John 1:32 (ESV)
And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him."
). The triune nature of God is clearly found in this passage of scripture. Jesus, whom John has already clarified as God, receives the Spirit that comes from God. This harkens to the prophecy of Isaiah 11:1-2 which says

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.  And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

There are some who claim that the Spirit of God is not one of the three persons who make up the singular Divine essence, but is rather just “the power of God” or “the force of God,” akin to electricity. As this verse in Isaiah makes clear, the Holy Spirit is much more than just God’s force. He is not simply “energy,” but rather he is deity in wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, and knowledge. Simple energy does not have these characteristics nor the many other personhood attributes given to the Spirit of God throughout scripture. For examples, see Isaiah 63:10Isaiah 63:10 (ESV)
But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.
and Ephesians 4:30Ephesians 4:30 (ESV)
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
– he can be grieved; John 14:16-17John 14:16-17 (ESV)
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
– he is a “helper” sent by God who is separate from both God and Jesus; 1 Corinthians 3:161 Corinthians 3:16 (ESV)
Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
– God himself who dwells in temples dwells as the Spirit of God in us who are His temple; 1 Corinthians 12:111 Corinthians 12:11 (ESV)
All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
– he empowers and makes decisions as he himself wills; Acts 5:3Acts 5:3 (ESV)
But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?
– he can be lied to; John 15:26John 15:26 (ESV)
“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
and 1 John 5:61 John 5:6 (ESV)
This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
– he can testify and bear witness; Hebrews 10:29Hebrews 10:29 (ESV)
How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?
– he can be outraged; Acts 8:29Acts 8:29 (ESV)
And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”
and Hebrews 3:7Hebrews 3:7 (ESV)
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice,
– he can speak to his people; and in Acts 13:2Acts 13:2 (ESV)
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
he refers to himself as “I” and “me”. These are the descriptions of a person, not a “force.”

Further, it must be noted that even though the Spirit can be poured out as in Acts 10:45Acts 10:45 (ESV)
And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.
, this does not negate his personhood because Paul, who clearly was a person, describes himself as being “poured out like a drink offering” in Philippians 2:17Philippians 2:17 (ESV)
Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
. Additionally, even though the Spirit can fill people, as seen in Acts 2Acts 2:1-4 (ESV)
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
, this does not negate his personhood because in Ephesians 1:23Ephesians 1:23 (ESV)
which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Jesus (or God, depending on how you read the sentence), who clearly exists as a personhood of the Godhead is “the fullness of him who fills all in all.” If the Spirit is not a person because he can be poured out, then neither was Paul a person, and if the Spirit is not a person because he fills people, then neither is Jesus (or God, as noted above). And for my Jehovah’s Witness friends, who may further argue that the Spirit cannot be a person because he is referred to as an “it” in scripture, note that the New World Translation refers to Jesus as an “it” twice in Matthew 2:13Matthew 2:13 (NWT & ESV)
NWT: After they had withdrawn, look! Jehovah's angel appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying: "Get up, take the young child and its mother and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I give you word; for Herod is about to search for the young child to destroy it."

ESV: Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
.

Common sense tells us that John the Baptist and Jesus knew each other from childhood. The boys were cousins and their mothers behaved as friends. In fact, Mary stayed with Elizabeth (John’s mother) for three months while they were pregnant (see Luke 1). Even though John was older than Mary, when John realizes that Jesus is the Christ, because saw the Spirit of God rest on him, John says in John 1:30John 1:30 (ESV)
This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’
“This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’” John gives testimony to the eternal nature of the one who was born after him.

This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. (John 2:11)

Whose glory?

Isaiah 42:8 - I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.

Isaiah 48:11 - For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.

God is pretty clear on this. All glory is to him; he does not share it. Any glory we have is not ours, but rests in God or is proclaimed to God (see Isaiah 66:19Isaiah 66:19 (ESV)
and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations.
, Psalm 3:3, 30:12, 62:7Psalm 3:3, 30:12, 62:7 (ESV)
3:3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

30:12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

62:7 On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
). Here, the text simply says that Jesus, via the first of his signs, manifested his glory. John could have said “and manifested the Glory God gave him” or “and manifested his glory which was not his, but God’s” but John did not say either of those things. The simplicity of the statement is telling. Jesus manifested his own glory. And with this manifestation, the verse continues, “And his disciples believed in him.” John makes it certain… Jesus’ signs – Jesus’ manifested glory – belief in Jesus. If Jesus isn’t the singular God, then all of this speaks to nothing more than absolute blasphemy.

Earlier, John the Baptist referenced the Isaiah passage:

A voice cries:  “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.   Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.  And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5)

In full context, we see that Isaiah prophesies John would prepare the way for the one who would reveal the glory of the Lord –the glory that will be seen by all flesh, as spoken by the mouth of the Lord. Then John’s gospel confirms that this glory was Jesus’ glory.

Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. (John 2:19)

It will later be said (and said correctly) that God raised Jesus from the dead (see Acts 2:24, 32, 3:26Acts 2:24, 32, 3:26 (ESV)
2:24, 32 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it... This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.

3:26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
, Romans 6:4Romans 6:4 (ESV)
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
, Colossians 2:12Colossians 2:12 (ESV)
having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
), but here Jesus says that he will raise up his own body, showing his own deity in his ability to restore his life, a trait that belongs only to God (see Romans 4:17Romans 4:17 (ESV)
as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
).

The omniscience of Jesus (John 2:24-25John 2:24-25 (ESV)
But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
)

Though many believed in Jesus because of the signs, “Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people.” This speaks to the omniscience of Jesus, a character trait that belongs to God. Psalm 22:1 says:

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.

Here, Jesus is clearly not entrusting himself to, or believing in the people because he too can weigh the heart. John 2:25John 2:25 (ESV)
and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
makes it clear; it is not God the Father or the Spirit of God who is revealing this to Jesus for “he himself knew what was in man.” Also see 1 Samuel 16:71 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
, 1 Chronicles 28:91 Chronicles 28:9 (ESV)
And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
, Jeremiah 12:3, 17:19Jeremiah 12:3, 17:19 (ESV)
12:3 But you, O Lord, know me; you see me, and test my heart toward you. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and set them apart for the day of slaughter.

17:19 Thus said the Lord to me: “Go and stand in the People's Gate, by which the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem,
, Amos 4:13Amos 4:13 (ESV)
For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!
.

The Bridegroom (John 3:28)

In John 3:28-30John 3:28-30 (ESV)
You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”
, in answering his disciples, John the Baptist proclaims that he is merely the “best man” (friend) to the bridegroom. Christ is the bridegroom, and now that John has seen him (Jesus, for who he is), John acknowledges that now Jesus must increase and John must decrease.  In scripture we find that God is the Bridegroom.

Hosea 2:19 - And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy.

Ezekiel 16:8 - When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine.

Isaiah 62:5 - For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus is that bridegroom (John 3:29John 3:29 (ESV)
The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.
), giving Jesus the position of deity as God the Bridegroom to God’s people.

God is Spirit (John 4:24John 4:24 (ESV)
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
)

Here we are with the woman at the well. Upon perceiving that Jesus “was a prophet,” she asks him about the correct place to worship (on this mountain {Gerizim} - or in Jerusalem). Jesus takes the opportunity to respond that the time was coming, and had arrived, that people would not worship at this place or that place, but in spirit and in truth, because “God is spirit.” The phrase is used in this passage simply to describe the nature of God, who is Spirit. As a spirit is not limited to a physical location or thing, worship will no longer be restricted to physical locations or the temple.

While not the point of the passage, some may use John 4:24John 4:24 (ESV)
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
in an attempt to point out that Jesus can’t be divine because he was a man, and as a man he stated that God was a spirit, thus denying his own deity. This argument fails, though, because it has already been clarified that Jesus is “from above” (John 3:31, 8:23John 3:31, 8:23 (ESV)
3:31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all.

8:23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
). Jesus, who was always Spirit face to face with the Father, took on flesh so that he could tabernacle among us.

2 Corinthians 3:15-17 says (parenthetical notes mine):

Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.  But when one turns to the Lord (Jesus – the whole point of the New Testament is for people to turn away from their sins and turn to Jesus), the veil is removed.  Now the Lord (Jesus, from the previous sentence) is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

When one turns to the Lord (Jesus), the veil is removed. Here, the Lord is specified as the Spirit. The New World Translation deceptively translates “Lord” here and in many places as “Jehovah,” and goes through a lot of poorly executed explanation to justify it, but even from context, it is clear the entire passage is speaking of Christ. The Greek word in question is κύριος (Strongs G2962 – “kurios.”) It was by this title that Jesus was known, as in the following examples.

John 20:13 - They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord (κύριος/Jesus), and I do not know where they have laid him.”

John 21:7 - That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” (κύριος/Jesus) When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord (κύριος/Jesus), he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.

John 21:12 - Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord (κύριος/Jesus).

Ephesians  4:1 - I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord (κύριος/Jesus), urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

Compare Romans 8:9:

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God (θεός Strongs G2316 “theos”) dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

Kurios can be used to refer to God, to Jesus, or in some cases as a show of respect, but as can be seen in the comparative text in Romans 8:9Romans 8:9 (ESV)
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
above, if the author wishes to refer to God without confusion, he can do so with the word θεός/ theos. By context it is very clear that when used in the New Testament, κύριος/ kurios typically refers to Jesus. The NWT violates the original Greek scriptures in inserting the word Jehovah, and then only doing so when they wish the text to support their theology. For those cases where kurios is simply being used for respect, as in the sentence, “And who is he, sir (lord/kurios), that I may believe in him?” (John 9:36John 9:36 (ESV)
He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”
), the usage is clear from context. In these cases the NWT honors the correct translation. There is a great difference between correctly saying that deity is not intended when one says, “And who is he, sir…” and feebly attempting to deny that Christ’s deity is the clear intention in a sentence such as Thomas’ when he proclaims “My Lord and my God!” (see John 20:28John 20:28-29 (ESV)
Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
). “My sir and my God” would make no sense here, just as attempting to substitute “sir” or any other word of mere respect in the above examples referencing Jesus would make no sense. Context shows the meaning of kurios, and we would be wise to honor the scriptures as originally written rather than substituting words that were not included in the original writings.

By their own argument regarding the word kurios, the NWT should translate John 21:7John 21:7 (ESV)
NWT: Therefore that disciple whom Jesus used to love said to Peter: "It is the Lord!" Hence Simon Peter, upon hearing that it was the Lord, girded about himself his top garment, for he was naked, and plunged into the sea.

KJV: Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
, “Therefore that disciple whom Jesus used to love said to Peter: ‘It is Jehovah!’ Hence Simon Peter, upon hearing that it was Jehovah, girded about himself his top garment, for he was naked, and plunged into the sea.”

By their own argument regarding the word kurios, the NWT should translate John 21:12John 21:12 (ESV)
NWT: Jesus said to them: "Come, take YOUR breakfast." Not one of the disciples had the courage to inquire of him: "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord.

KJV: Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
to say “Jesus said to them: "Come, take YOUR breakfast." Not one of the disciples had the courage to inquire of him: "Who are you?" because they knew it was Jehovah.”

We must read the Bible as written, and not haphazardly rewrite it to support our desired theology.

It should be noted that no Jew would dare refer to Jesus as kurios unless they saw him as God. Kurios was the Greek name for God from the Hebrew and to refer to Jesus by that title if he were not believed to be God would have been blasphemy to the Jew. Greeks/Gentiles also would not haphazardly refer to Jesus as kurios because that would show their faith put in Christ, and not in the Roman emperor, who took the title kurios to express his own self-proclaimed deity. Kurios being a title for the Lord Jesus was a foundation stone and bold statement of the early Christians; boldly using the treasonous term carried grave consequence with both the Synagogue and with Rome.

Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” (John 4:26)

This is the first time that Jesus puts it directly that he is indeed the Messiah. Here, he does not do so in front of the Jewish leaders, but privately to the woman at the well. From context, it is clear that she was not a scholar, but was rather a woman searching for companionship to fill a void in her heart (for she had five previous husbands and was with yet another). Interestingly, Jesus doesn’t actually say “I am he,” but he simply says, “I am” (he is often added in English translations, but does not exist in the Greek). Though it is doubtful the woman realized the significance of the statement, as Jesus was simply confirming to her he was the Messiah, In the Greek, Jesus’ words (εγώ ειμι) are the comparable Greek form of God's Hebrew name, YAHWEH, given to Moses at the burning bush (see Exodus 3:14Exodus 3:14 (ESV)
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
).

My Father is working until now, and I am working. (John 5:17)

Here, the Jews had been complaining that Jesus was working on the Sabbath because he had healed the man at the pool of Bethesda. To this, Jesus said to the Jews, “My Father is working until now, and I am working” and because of this, “the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” (John 5:18).

Jesus is doing two things here. First, he says God is his own Father, which the Jews correctly understood as Jesus making himself equal with God. John is careful with his words. John does not say that Jesus “was even calling God his own Father, which the Jews interpreted as him making himself equal with God.” If this were the case, then John would have clearly said so, but as it is, John left it simple – Jesus was making himself equal with God. It’s a statement of fact.

Second, Jesus was claiming that he, just as God is, is Lord over the Sabbath. Just as the Father has not ceased from his works (for God works every day to sustain the universe), neither has Jesus. This speaks to the eternal nature of Jesus, who has always been working in unity with the Father. The permissiveness of working on the Sabbath was a privilege that was peculiar to God and God alone. The Jewish people understood this. In claiming the right to work on the Sabbath even as his Father worked, Jesus was claiming the same divine prerogative which was God’s alone. John specifies this in John 5:18John 5:18 (ESV)
This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
in explaining why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Jesus. The connection cannot be missed.

It is for reason of the Jews seeking all the more to kill him that Jesus speaks in John 5:19John 5:19 (ESV)
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
. He doesn’t correct their error. He doesn’t say, “Stop, no, no… I am not saying I am equal with God… I was merely saying that God has given me special permission and authority to work on the Sabbath.” Jesus doesn’t correct their misunderstanding at all, because there is no misunderstanding to correct. Rather, Jesus does just the opposite. He solidifies not only his equality with God, but adds to this equality a description of his perfect unity in deity with the father, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” (John 5:19John 5:19 (ESV)
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
) Their prerogatives are the same. They agree perfectly as to the tasks which need done. Jesus is not trying to usurp the Father.

But as if that weren’t enough, Jesus continues, pressing the point. There will be greater works, and in John 5:21, Jesus says the incredulous! “For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.” Jesus claims the same divine right to give life that only the Father has! (Deuteronomy 32:39Deuteronomy 32:39 (ESV)
See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
, 1 Samuel 2:61 Samuel 2:6 (ESV)
The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
; 1 Kings 17:17-231 Kings 17:17-23 (ESV)
After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child's life come into him again.” And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.”
, 2 Kings 5:72 Kings 5:7 (ESV)
And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.”
– It is God who takes and gives life) Yet Jesus continues. He says that the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son (John 5:22John 5:22 (ESV)
The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,
). However, the Jews knew that God is the judge (see Genesis 18:25Genesis 18:25 (ESV)
Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”
, Deuteronomy 32:35Deuteronomy 32:35 (ESV)
Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.’
, Judges 11:27Judges 11:27 (ESV)
I therefore have not sinned against you, and you do me wrong by making war on me. The Lord, the Judge, decide this day between the people of Israel and the people of Ammon.”
, Jeremiah 5:9Jeremiah 5:9 (ESV)
Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the Lord; and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?
, Lamentations 3:37-39Lamentations 3:37-39 (ESV)
Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? ​Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins?
, Ezekiel 17:19Ezekiel 17:19 (ESV)
Therefore thus says the Lord God: As I live, surely it is my oath that he despised, and my covenant that he broke. I will return it upon his head.
), so if judgment is given to the Son, then the Son must also be this very same God. And why does God give all judgment to the Son? Jesus answers in John 5:23, “that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father.” All honor is to God, and Jesus claims that the Son should be honored just as the Father is honored – it is the same honor given to both. Those who wish to honor the Son differently or to a lesser extent than they honor the Father “do not honor the Father who sent him.” To honor God, one must in the very same manner, honor the Son, for they are both the fullness of the same deity.

Augustine said it well: “The Jews understand what the Arians fail to understand.”  If Arian views were right, would not Christ have immediately clarified that what they imputed to Him as blasphemy was not what he meant at all? But instead of assuring the Jews that He by no means claims equality with the Father, as can be seen in the text of John 5, Jesus goes on in great detail to reaffirm this equality from several points of view.

Failure to acknowledge the deity of Jesus, despite John’s clear testimony to His divine nature, places one in opposition to the God of the Bible, the Father and the Son. The one who claims that Jesus is any other god aside from the only God of scripture commits idolatrous blasphemy against the Word of God, and puts him or herself in direct opposition to the saving grace offered by God the Father through God the Son. To deny the deity of Jesus is an eternally dangerous position and my prayer is that to whomever reads this, the certainty of Scripture would pierce the heart and draw the reader to true repentance for having denied the truth of Jesus and the grace of salvation He offers.

We must put our faith in the true God of the Bible who clearly reveals himself in scripture. If anyone has ever suggested differently… if you follow a religion where your pastor or your imam or a governing body says that there might come a day when you need to blindly trust them to know the truth and what to do… run. As Psalm 146:3-4 says, “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.  When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.”

In unity with God, Jesus holds judgment and has life within himself

Continuing in John 5:25John 5:25 (ESV)
“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
, Jesus says “the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” This takes us back to John 1:4John 1:4 (ESV)
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
where it is made clear that life itself is in the Son, the very life of God. Even in his humbled state of humanity, it has still been granted that Jesus has life in himself; whereas we rely on God for our life, Jesus held his own life in his own self (see John 5:26John 5:26 (ESV)
For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
). All he has to do is speak. In their perfect unity, the Father and Son share life and judgment in the fullness of their deity.

Verse 27 confirms that Jesus has, even in his humbled state as our earthly Messiah, authority to execute judgement. Why? Because he is the Son of Man. We should be grateful for this. In the perfect justice and mercy of God, authority to execute judgement is given to the Person of God who took on humanity, who has experienced our weaknesses and who has possessed our nature. We are judged by God, yes, as this is what the Bible says (again see Genesis 18:25Genesis 18:25 (ESV)
Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”
, Deuteronomy 32:35Deuteronomy 32:35 (ESV)
Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.’
, Judges 11:27Judges 11:27 (ESV)
I therefore have not sinned against you, and you do me wrong by making war on me. The Lord, the Judge, decide this day between the people of Israel and the people of Ammon.”
, Jeremiah 5:9Jeremiah 5:9 (ESV)
Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the Lord; and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?
, Lamentations 3:37-39Lamentations 3:37-39 (ESV)
Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? ​Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins?
, Ezekiel 17:19Ezekiel 17:19 (ESV)
Therefore thus says the Lord God: As I live, surely it is my oath that he despised, and my covenant that he broke. I will return it upon his head.
), but we are also judged by the God who has experienced everything it is to be human and therefor is fully qualified to judge those who are of similar human nature. The true Christian cannot say that he or she is judged by a cold, distant or ununderstanding God.

John 5:30John 5:30 (ESV)
I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
further confirms the unity within God. Jesus’ judgment is not separate from the Father’s. The will of both is the same. Jesus doesn’t seek some separate, competing judgment to the Father’s, but he seeks the Father’s will because he can do nothing from an independent desire, for they always must remain in perfect unity of decision and purpose. The Arians like to ignore the entirety of John’s message and attempt to pin a doctrine on the phrase, “I can do nothing on my own” (John 5:30John 5:30 (ESV)
I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
). But if we look past just this line in isolation and consider the whole of the text, we clearly see that the Son justly claims for himself all that can be ascribed to the Father, from whom he takes his commencement, with respect to his person. Jesus here is speaking to Jews who are endeavoring to contrast him with God the Father in an attempt to get Jesus to claim or prove his divinity within the confines of his humanity. Jesus never takes the bait, and always confirms his unity with the Father, showing the oneness of the two, because he does nothing of human power alone. Because Jesus is the Son and the Father and Son are one (John 10:30John 10:30 (ESV)
I and the Father are one.”
), he cannot act independently; it is impossible for Him to will to do anything but what the Father wills, and from his human state, what he sees the Father doing.

Having said all of this, Jesus confirms, just as would be in the Jewish court, that the Jews should not take his word for it (in the Jewish system, by their own traditions one could not be his own witness in a court proceeding), but they should see the multiple witnesses (see Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:15Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:15 (ESV)
17:6 On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.
,br/> 19:15 A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
) including John the Baptist, Jesus’ own works/miracles, the Father, and the scriptures/words of Moses, who will ultimately condemn the non-believing Jews.

I Am

In John 6:20John 6:20 (ESV)
But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”
, while walking on the water, Jesus calls to his frightened disciples saying "It is I, do not be afraid." In the Greek, “It is I” is “εγώ ειμι,” which is literally "I Am." This is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew covenant name of God from Exodus 3:12-15Exodus 3:12-15 (ESV)
He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.
. Jesus is the visible "I Am," the full self-revelation of God and the incarnate Word of God. Jesus often uses this phrase when proclaiming himself. Many times, Jesus clearly uses the phrase emphatically. Use of this term of self-proclaimed deity is unique to Jesus and the Father in the scriptures. Others may say “I am (something/someone/verb/adjective/etc.),” but others do no simply say “I am” as both Jesus and God the Father do. Note, Jesus was declaring that he was “I am” without being asked who he was, so he is not simply responding to a question such as “Are you Jesus?” His disciples are frightened, and he calls out, “I am! Be not afraid!” and they gladly take him into the boat. For other examples of Jesus using this phrase, see John 4:26; 8:24, 28, 54-59; 13:19; 18:5-6John 4:26; 8:24, 28, 54-59; 13:19 & 18:5-6 (ESV)
4:26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

8:24, 28, 54-59 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins... So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me." ... Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. 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 keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

13:19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.

18:5-6 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

. Note that English translators often insert “he” though it does not appear in the Greek. If your Bible is honest, the “he” will be italicized or in brackets to denote the addition.

Whoever looks on the Son (John 6:40)

In John 6:40, Jesus says:

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

The idea here is that those who turn to Jesus will find salvation, yet Isaiah 45:22 says:

Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

If Jesus is not of the same divine essence as the Father, then these verses contradict, but as it is, because of the shared divine essence, these verses speak to the perfect unity of purpose between Father and Son.

It is the Spirit who gives life (John 6:63John 6:63 (ESV)
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
)

We have previously seen that it is God who gives life, and that Jesus holds life in himself and gives life, and with John 6:63John 6:63 (ESV)
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
, the full unity of the triune God is made clear. It is (also) the Spirit who gives life. God is life, and all three persons of the divine essence likewise give life. (Again, see Deuteronomy 32:39Deuteronomy 32:39 (ESV)
See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
; 1 Samuel 2:61 Samuel 2:6 (ESV)
The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
; John 1:4, 5:21, 5:26John 1:4, 5:21, 5:26 (ESV)
1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5:21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.

5:26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
). If the Spirit were merely a force, the Spirit might cause or impart life, but as it is, the Spirit gives life.

I am the light of the word (John 8:12John 8:12 (ESV)
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
)

Again, see Psalm 27:1, 36:7-9Psalm 27:1 & 36:7-9 (ESV)
27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

36:7-9 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.
, Isaiah 2:5, 60:19Isaiah 2:5, 60:19 (ESV)
2:5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.

60:19 The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.
), Revelation 22:5Revelation 22:5 (ESV)
And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
. God is the light and there is only one light. This light which is applied to Jehovah God in the Old Testament is now applied to Jesus in the New. Of course, the Pharisees again try to discredit Jesus by applying the law regarding one testifying about himself alone, but Jesus again refutes their claims – this time with greater authority. In John chapter 5, when a similar complaint was lodged against Jesus, he noted that John the Baptist, the miracles, Moses, and God the Father were his witnesses. Here, he simply puts himself above the law by saying “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.” In this example, rather than pointing to the witness of others, he simply offers his own self-existence as evidence that he doesn’t need other witnesses. He is above the earthly requirements of their law.

On the surface, what follows appears to be a conflict, as Jesus says in John 8:15John 8:15 (ESV)
You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
that he judges no one. But Jesus continues in verse 16, “Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.” In John 5:22 Jesus previously said “The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son” Here we see the divine unity of Father and Son in judgement. In verse 18John 8:18 (ESV)
I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”
, Jesus again supports that the Father bears witness about him as well.

If you knew me, you would know my Father also (John 8:19John 8:19 (ESV)
They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
)

Again, the divine union and equality of Father and Son is manifest. To know the Father is to know the Son, and to know the Son, who is the express image and exact imprint of the father but revealed to us, is to know the Father (see Hebrews 1:3Hebrews 1:3 (ESV)
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
).

Unless you believe that I Am [he]… (John 8:24-59)

Here again in John 8:24, Jesus uses the phrase ἐγώ εἰμι (I am), which is often translated as “I am he” in the English, despite the “he” not being in the Greek. Jesus is once again using the Greek rendition of the Hebrew self-proclaimed divine name of Jehovah God to refer to himself. This self-proclamation of deity is unique to God and Jesus in the Bible. If Jesus were not God, he would be blaspheming in this use of the Greek. Of course, the blind Pharisees don’t get it. Confused as to why Jesus apparently stopped in the middle of a proclamation and only said “I am…” they ask, “Who are you?” (I can hear the internal grumbling of the Pharisees – “I am WHAT?” “What is he talking about?”). Continuing, Jesus speaks of his unity with the Father and states that it won’t be until he has been crucified that they will understand that he is “I am,” and that as God the Son, he works in perfect unity with God the Father who sent him.

Jesus has some back and forth with those around and says that they are of their father the devil. The crowd does not understand what Jesus has been saying because they cannot bear his word (John 8:43John 8:43 (ESV)
Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.
), and because they are of their father the devil, and they desire to do their father’s desires (Satan’s desires). It is only those who are of God who hear the words of God that Jesus is speaking (John 8:47John 8:47 (ESV)
Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
).

The Jews then reply that it is Jesus who has a devil, not them (I also find it humorous that they also claim he is a Samaritan – they want to hate him so much). In John 8:53John 8:53 (ESV)
But you have not known him. 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 keep his word.
they again demand, “Who do you make yourself out to be?” He responds by stating that he knows God and would be a liar if he said otherwise. He says that he saw Abraham, which is a chronological impossibility to the crowd, so Jesus ultimately declares the same truth that he has already voiced at least twice in this conversation, but with the clear and emphatic statement, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

Here the crowd finally sees and realizes what Jesus has been saying all along. The crowd understands Jesus’ words as obvious blasphemy because it would be blasphemous for anyone aside from God himself to use such language. With this, they immediately pick up stones to throw at him, as required for blasphemy in the law (see Leviticus 24:16Leviticus 24:16 (ESV)
Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him. The sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.
). Yet Jesus was not a liar and he was not blaspheming. The people simply did not yet see that his proclamation of “I am” was indeed the truth. As Jesus had just predicted, they would not understand until he had been crucified (see Matthew 27:54Matthew 27:54 (ESV)
When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
and Mark 15:39Mark 15:39 (ESV)
And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
). If your faith has taught you that Jesus never claimed to be God, I pray this text of John has opened your eyes to the truth of his most clear and powerful proclamations of deity.

The grace of excommunication (John 9)

The ninth chapter of John tells the story of the first known healing of a blind man in the entire Bible. The healing caused quite the stir as Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath, breaking numerous traditions of the elders in the process (for example, kneading, such as Jesus had done with the spit and earth was a form of work, as was kneeling down to the ground, as Jesus would have had to do as he spit on the ground – while these activities would not have violated the Sabbath in true Biblical understanding, they did by the extra-Biblical rules of the elders). While some Jews focused on the sin of working on the Sabbath, others questioned whether a sinner could do such a miracle. Ultimately, the Jews seek out the man’s parents in an attempt to disprove the miracle. The parents, afraid of the Jewish leaders and excommunication, refuse much information, stating their son is “of age” (at least 13 years and one day by Jewish tradition). The formerly blind man, possibly annoyed at the constant questioning, taunts the Jews, saying “Do you also want to become his disciples?” and later confesses that Jesus must be from God, else ”If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” To this supposed “instruction” to the Jews, the Jewish leaders cast him out of the synagogue.

What a blessing, this excommunication from his former religion of the Pharisees which was mired in ungodly traditions, for now the man was free to shake off the falsehoods of his former faith and begin the journey of knowing the true Jesus, the Son of God, separate from God, who also is God. I love the man’s progression of understanding. At the beginning, there is no reason to assume the blind man knew who Jesus was. He then acknowledged Jesus as “a prophet” (verse 17John 9:17 (ESV)
So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”
), and later as being “from God” (verse 33John 9:33 (ESV)
If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
) to honoring Jesus as Lord after his excommunication (verse 38John 9:38 (ESV)
He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
). He may have lost everything of his former faith and position in the Synagogue, but he gained everything more in Christ, who accepted his worship without rebuff.

In a final thought on John 9, just as God formed man out of the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7Genesis 2:7 (ESV)
then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
), God the Son uses the same earth to restore this man’s eyes to their original created purpose.

The Good Shepherd (John 10:11John 10:11 (ESV)
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
)

In John chapter 10, Jesus speaks of himself as the shepherd of the sheep. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11). We know from the Old Testament that Israel is often referred to as God’s sheep and Jehovah as the shepherd. Most famously, consider Psalm 23:1 – “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Also consider Psalms 80:1 and 95:6-7Psalms 80:1 & 95:6-7 (ESV)
80:1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.

95:6-7 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice,
. From these verses, it is clear that God is the shepherd. Psalm 95:6-7a says:

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!   For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

Ezekiel 34 tells of God’s anger against the corrupt people who acted as shepherds for his sheep, feeding themselves instead of the sheep. The text says that God will take over, and he will be the shepherd for his sheep.  Shepherd is another position and title that belongs to Jehovah God that is revealed in the New Testament to be Jesus himself. John 10:16 adds the glory that Jesus will not only be the shepherd of the Jews, but of the non-Jews as well.

In John 10:18John 10:18 (ESV)
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.
we again see that Jesus has within himself the authority to both lay down and take up his own life, something only God is able to do.

I and the Father are one (John 10:30)

In the verses leading up to verse 30John 10:30 (ESV)
I and the Father are one.
, we must note the unity between the Father and Son. It’s almost illogical to the human mind, but we must accept the “is” of what scripture teaches. In John 10:29, Jesus says:

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand

The Old Testament says that Jehovah God is the shepherd, yet we see in John 10:11John 10:11 (ESV)
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
that Jesus is that shepherd. In John 10:28, Jesus says:

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. (Italics mine).

Verse 29Verse 29 (ESV)
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
shows the unity. God the Father has given the sheep to Jesus (so they would be in Jesus’ hands), and immediately Jesus adds, “and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand” (Italics mine). This doesn’t work in our tiny mental box. The sheep have been given to Jesus, and are in Jesus’ hands, and will not be snatched out of Jesus’ hands, yet they are still in the Father’s hands, and will not be snatched out of the Father’s hands. How can this be? Jesus answers before the Jews even have a chance to ask. John 10:30 – “I and the Father are one.” While we do see differences of office or activity among the Father, the Son and the Spirit, the unity of deity is unmistakably clear.

Upon hearing Jesus’ words, which speak so strongly to his evident God-ness, the Jews, who see this claim as blasphemy, again pick up stones to stone him (John 10:32John 10:32 (ESV)
Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?”
). Jesus rebuffs, and asks why they are going to stone him. He uses God’s derisive words to the corrupt judges from Psalm 82Psalm 82:5-7 (ESV)
They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.”
to make his point. In the Psalm text, the judges would die like men because they were unjust, not doing the works of the Father. Jesus, however, is doing the works, that those who believe in the works “may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” The Jews will be without excuse for not believing the deity of Jesus, and that he was sent by God.

The raising of Lazarus (John 11)

In John 11, we see the story of Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead. While pages could be written on this miraculous event, we will focus on points of deity. In John 11:4, upon hearing that Lazarus was ill, Jesus says:

This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.

The illness is both for the glory of God, and that the Son may be glorified. Both God the Father and God the Son will receive glory because of this event. The raising of Lazarus will show the witnesses (those watching the event unfold) that the Son has glory, just as only God has glory, and it is to the Father’s glory that the Son also be glorified.

In John 11:25John 11:25 (ESV)
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live..."
, Jesus says “I am the resurrection and the life.” This once again shows that Jesus has the power of deity to give, maintain and restore life (see John 1:4, 5:21John 1:4, 5:21 (ESV)
1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5:21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.
). Jesus doesn’t say he has been granted resurrection, or that he is the conduit of God’s resurrection. He simply says that he is the resurrection and the life. Further, he is not simply to be resurrection in the last day, but he is life now, to everyone who believes. The Jews knew from the scriptures that it is God who gives life, and for Jesus to make such a claim for himself would be blasphemous unless he were God. Jesus proves his divinity by showing that he is the very God who gives life by raising Lazarus from the dead, and after four days, Lazarus was very dead.

If you read the prayer of Jesus in in John 11:41-42John 11:41-42 (ESV)
So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”
, you’ll see that the purpose of the prayer was not to ask the Father to raise Lazarus, but simply so that the people would hear Jesus say to the Father, “that they may believe that you sent me.” Jesus didn’t need to pray to the Father, asking the Father to give life to Lazarus, as Jesus has life in himself. He simply prayed so that those around would know that he was indeed from God.

…to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. (John 11:52John 11:52 (ESV)
and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
)

Caiaphas, in John 11:51-52John 11:51-52 (ESV)
He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
"prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad."

Prophesying of the Messiah, Isaiah 11:11-12 says:

In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Isaiah 56:8 adds:

The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, ‘I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.’

Psalms 147:2 says:

The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.

It is Jehovah God who gathers those who are scattered abroad. Jesus is that very God who gathers those who are scattered (see John 10:16 – "And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also…").

The arm of the Lord (John 12:38John 12:38 (ESV)
so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
)

Isaiah 53 gives prophecy of Jesus, who will bear our griefs, sorrows, transgressions, etc. All of our evil will be laid on him, and he will take our penalty for our sin so that if we turn to him in repentance as God and Savior, we can be free from our bondage and released from our deserved eternal punishment.  Isaiah starts this chapter with the words, “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” In scripture, the Arm of the Lord refers to the power of God, to his strength (see Isaiah 40:10, 51:9, 52:10Isaiah 40:10, 51:9 & 52:10 (ESV)
40:10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon?

52:10 The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
). In this text in John 12, the Arm of Jehovah, his power, is clearly Jesus.

Isaiah prophesied that the Jews would not believe in the Messiah when he appeared. As a consequence of consistent rejection of the Son of Man, Isaiah says that God will blind their eyes and harden their hearts (John 12:40, quoting Isaiah 6:10John 12:40 & Isaiah 6:10 (ESV)
John 12:40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.”

Isaiah 6:10 Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.
). John clarifies that “Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.” (John 12:41John 12:41 (ESV)
Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.
). If we read through the passage in Isaiah 6, we see that Isaiah is in the throne room of God, and after the seraphim purges Isaiah’s guilt with the coal from the fire, Isaiah volunteers to go for the Lord and give his message to the people. The message of God that Isaiah gives is the message of Jesus. John shows that Isaiah was speaking of both the Glory of Jehovah and the future glory of Christ. In considering both the Isaiah 6 and Isaiah 53 passages, it is clear that Isaiah saw the glory of God being revealed as the glory of Christ. Isaiah seemed to realize the unity and oneness of God and Christ as the singular deity, many years before Jesus first came to tabernacle among us during his earthly ministry.

Isaiah saw the King, the Lord of hosts, and looking forward, he saw the Christ, Jesus. It is for this reason that Jesus can say in John 12:45 “And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.” To see one is to see the other, for though they are two separate persons of deity, they are one in deity. The Father may make a declaration, and the Son may carry it out, but scripture makes it clear, the singular deity of both are not separated. One is not God and the other a god, as that would be stark blasphemy. They are eternally intermingled in a loving bond, always face to face, two of three persons of a singular deity, from before the world began (see John 1:1, 17:5 and 12:49-50John 1:1, 17:5 & 12:49-50 (ESV)
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

17:5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

12:49-50 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.
).

Teacher and Lord/Lord and Teacher (John 13:13-14)

In John 13:13-14, Jesus says:

You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

At this point in their journey with Jesus, these words would have been seen as words of respect to an honored rabbi as the disciples did not yet understand the true nature of Jesus, who was God who had taken upon human flesh. It is interesting to note that in the second sentence, Jesus reversed the order of what the disciples called him. They called Jesus “Teacher and Lord,” which Jesus was (in a deeper meaning than they even understood at that time), but Jesus, subtly declaring his true nature, reverses the order when speaking of himself, “Lord and Teacher.”

I know who I have chosen (John 13:18John 13:18 (ESV)
I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’
)

Jesus notes his divinity in pointing out that he has chosen us (I know who I have chosen). Ephesians 1:3-4Ephesians 1:3-4 (ESV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
reveals that God has “blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he (God) chose us in him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (parenthetical mine). The unity of Jesus and God as deity is clear. Both God and Jesus have chosen us and as the single divine essence both can lay claim to the decision which was made before the foundation of the world.

In verse 19, we see another clear claim to being the “I am” (Jehovah God) of the Old Testament. “John 13:19 says:

I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. (he, italicized, is not in the original Greek)

At the time, the disciples don’t see the significance, but as Jesus says, he told them in advance so that once he had died and paid for their sins, they would then realize and believe that Jesus is “I am.”

We again see the unity of the Father and Son in Jesus words “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. (John 13:31-32) It is clear from these verses that God and Jesus share in each other’s glory and glorify each other in their existence. The intimate unity of their eternal face to face relationship is unmistakable.

Believe in God, believe also in me (John 14:1)

In John 14:1, after having told the disciples that he was going away and after having told Peter that Peter would deny Jesus three times before the rooster crows, Jesus says “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” In Christendom, to believe in one (God) is to believe in the other (Jesus). To have faith in God is to have faith in Jesus. Faith, biblically speaking, is not just a feel good positive attitude, but it is a belief in an object – a belief in someone. Faith is not faith if there is no one to place it in, and faith placed in anyone but God himself is idolatry. Jesus’ statement to believe in God and also in him would be an idolatrous, blasphemous request if Jesus himself were not a part of the divine nature. Jesus is the way, truth and life, and as he has expressed before, he is in such divine unity with the father that he can say “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.” (John 14:7John 14:7 (ESV)
If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.
). Jesus further brings this point home when answering Phillip’s request to have Jesus show him the Father. “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:9John 14:9 (ESV)
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?"
). To see Jesus is to see the Father, as Jesus is the very image of the Father. Jesus adds in verses 10 and 11John 14:10-11 (ESV)
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
both that he is in the Father and the Father is in him, a continued explanation of the mutual deity and unity of the Father and Son. The disciples don’t realize these things fully at this point in John’s gospel, but after the resurrection they will see and understand the fullness of who Jesus is (see Luke 9:45, 18:34Luke 9:45 & 18:34 (ESV)
9:45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

18:34 But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
, John 12:16John 12:16 (ESV)
His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.
).

() God in us (John 14:15-23John 14:15-23 (ESV)
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."
)

It is often said of becoming a Christian that one has invited Christ into his heart. Before his crucifixion, Jesus said he would send the Comforter, the Spirit of truth who would “be in you” (John 14:17John 14:17 (ESV)
even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
). Jesus says, speaking of himself of the time after his resurrection, that we will know that “I (Jesus) am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” He further adds, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23). While it won’t be understood by the disciples until after Jesus’ resurrection (See John 14:25-26John 14:25-26 (ESV)
These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
), Jesus states the impossible – That the Spirit will be in us as Christians, that Jesus will be in us as Christians and that we will be in Jesus. Jesus further states that Jesus will be in the Father, and that the Father and Jesus will make their home in us. The mind cannot fully understand how this can be, but we can see that the fullness of God (Spirit, Father and Son) will make their home with the Christian. We may never fully understand the “how” but the “is” is clear – the full unity of the trinity abides in the heart of the Christian and the Christian is secure in the fullness of the triune God in salvation.

The Father is greater than I (John 14:28)

No greater evil is done than to take a single line out of context and make a doctrine of it. Arius boastfully did such with this third of a verse, using Jesus’ statement that “the Father is greater than I” in an attempt to falsely state that Jesus was not divine and was lesser than his Father in being. The whole verse reads as follows:

You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.'

There are multiple ways to look at this and for all, we must consider the context. Jesus is speaking with his disciples on Thursday night after Judas has already left to betray him. These chapters are his final words to the disciples before his crucifixion the next morning. He has been telling them that he is going to die, but that he will be return. He has stated that he will send the Spirit who will be in them. He has stated that he in God and God in him will rest together with the disciples. His disciples are confused and scared. They have given up everything for Jesus, and he is telling them he is leaving, and that they cannot even come with him! Jesus has been in his humble human body for over thirty years, and it is reasonable to assume that as he approaches, purposefully, torture and death, that he longs to return to the Father – to the glory that he had with the Father before the world began (John 17:5John 17:5 (ESV)
And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
). Before this phrase, “the Father is greater than I” Jesus has already made it clear that he and the Father are one, and that he is in the Father and the Father is in him, and that to know one is to know the other. He has referred to himself as the “I AM” multiple times. He has made his divinity clear, as did John in the outlay of this gospel in the first chapter. Jesus has consistently spoken of his divine nature, and here he is speaking of his human nature. Of the former, Jesus says “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30John 10:29-30 (ESV)
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.
). Of the latter nature, Jesus states that “the Father is greater than I.”

Jesus has said “If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” Jesus is trying to give his disciples hope. They despair because he is leaving, but he wants them to understand a happiness for him. Jesus has been in this lowly unregenerated flesh body, deprived of the glory he once had face to face for eternity with the Father, and from his depressed, humbled state, he is soon to return to his former glorious state, with the Father, who still reigns in that same glory Jesus formerly knew. From Jesus’ current vantage point, the Father is indeed greater than he, and “if you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going (back) to the Father.” Jesus’ time of humiliation and suffering is almost over and he is going back to his former glory with the Father. God the son, knowing we could not ascend to the heights of God, descended to us, putting himself in a body of our weaknesses. He placed himself between us and the Father, so that ultimately he could raise us to where we could not reach on our own! If they loved him, they should know to rejoice in this, and this is what Jesus is attempting to explain to his disciples even though he knows they will not fully understand until later (He knows the disciples will later look back on these words with understanding, after his resurrection). Jesus’ looming departure signifies that the work the Father has given him is soon to be completed (John 19:30John 19:30 (ESV)
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
). This too should be a reason to rejoice.

Jesus has described the Father as the one who has sent him. In some sense, the sender is greater than the one sent (in office), but this does not change the nature of who Jesus is. Jesus is supremely humble, and he represents perfect humility for us, but this does not make him, as the one sent, any less divine than the one who sends. These are positions of office. Jesus “took on” the form of a servant, subordinating himself to the father in obedience unto death for the purpose of our salvation (see Philippians 2Philippians 2:5-11 (ESV)
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
). Jesus is the one who accomplished salvation, which affirms his deity, as only God is able to accomplish salvation (See Exodus 15:2Exodus 15:2 (ESV)
The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.
, 2 Samuel 22:22 Samuel 22:2 (ESV)
He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
, Psalm 62:2, 6; 65:5; 68:19; 79:9; 88:1; 118:14, 21Psalm 62:2, 6; 65:5; 68:19; 79:9; 88:1; 118:14, 21 (ESV)
62:2, 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken... He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

65:5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;

68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. — Selah

79:9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake!

88:1 O Lord, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before you.

118:14, 21 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation... I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
; Isaiah 12:2Isaiah 12:2 (ESV)
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
; Isaiah 45; Jeremiah 3:23Jeremiah 3:23 (ESV)
Truly the hills are a delusion, the orgies on the mountains. Truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.
).  Further, it is the Spirit who regenerates us and gives us new life in Christ and sanctifies us, which is again, something only deity can accomplish (1 Thessalonians 5:23-241 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (ESV)
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
, 2 Thessalonians 2:132 Thessalonians 2:13 (ESV)
But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
, Exodus 31:13Exodus 31:13 (ESV)
“You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you.
).

Additionally, just as a son is typically seen as the lesser when compared to the father, neither the position of father or son alters the full humanity of either creature. The same should be considered true with the divine essence. The God-nature of Jesus as Son would be no different from the God-nature of the Father. All sons are subordinate to their fathers, but all sons are also of the same nature and essence as their fathers.

And let’s be real… if Jesus had been simply proclaiming his mere humanity all along, and if Jesus was nothing but a mere man, or even a marvelous created being, then this comparison would have been foolish and unnecessary, impertinent to his work and contrary to all his other proclamations of divinity.

The Helper, sent by Jesus, proceeding from the Father (John 15:26)

This is an interesting verse that shows the authority of Jesus as God, for Christ says:

But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” (Italics mine).

The verse claims that the Helper, who is the Spirit of truth, proceeds from the Father, yet in this verse we also see that it is Jesus who has the authority to send him to us. In his divine authority, Jesus has authority to send the Helper from God himself! No one who does not share a nature and singular deity with the Father could ever presume such ability. How ostentatious it would be for a mere created being to claim such God-controlling power!

The unity of the message (John 16:13-15John 16:13-15 (ESV)
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
)

Here again, we see the divine unity and purpose. There is only one message – the message received from the Father. Were Jesus to have a separate message or if the Spirit were to have a separate message, then they would not be of the single divine essence, but would be three separate competing gods. In part, the message is the Glory of God and the Glory of Christ in the Father. They have always shared glory with each other (John 17:5John 17:5 (ESV)
And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
), and will always continue to do so. The spirit will explain this to us (after he is sent – still future tense in this verse). In verse 15John 16:15 (ESV)
All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
, we further see the unity. Whether we say that the Spirit shows us what the Father has said or what the Son has said makes no difference, because all that the Father has the Son also has. If Christ were not God, this statement would be absolute blasphemy.

While not an obvious point in the English, it is noted that while the word “Spirit” is neuter (not male or female) in the Greek, and for this reason, should have the neuter pronoun/subject. The Spirit, writing through John uses the masculine “he” to refer to the Spirit rather than the typically correct neuter. This points to the personhood of the Spirit of God. If the Spirit were just a force or power or thing, the neuter would have been used for the subject in the phrase “he will guide you into all truth” and in the many others like it.

And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3)

This is another verse that can either be read in context with all of John’s writings and all of scripture, or can be read out of context to make it say something it does not say at all. If your faith denies the deity of Jesus, then this verse must be viewed outside of and apart from the whole of God’s word, so as to make it stand on its own, contrary to and in defiance of the whole of the Bible. If your faith believes the Bible as written, then this verse poses no problem at all.

Jesus often seems to say things in prayer that are more for the benefit of those listening to his prayers than are necessary to the prayer itself. The whole of the first five verses of this prayer speaks beautifully to the divine union of Father and Son – to their oneness and singular purpose. Consider, Jesus asks God to glorify him so that he (Jesus) can glorify the Father (John 17:1John 17:1 (ESV)
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
). In verse 4John 17:4 (ESV)
I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
, Jesus then says he has glorified the Father while on Earth, and asks that the Father now glorify him – with the very same glory that Jesus already had in heaven before the world even existed. Note the beautiful equilibrium. In verse 1John 17:1 (ESV)
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
, Jesus asks God to first glorify him so that he can return the favor. In verse 4 Jesus says he has first glorified God so that God can then glorify Jesus. Jesus is showing the shared glory that exists among Father and Son; it clearly flows in both directions as one brings glory to the other and vice versa.

We must remember the times of this prayer. There were two competing worldviews. On the one hand, there was the pagan worldview that said there were many gods. On the other there was the Jewish world view that said there was one God. This present worldview of the Jews had denied Jesus was the Messiah or anointed one. In these final hours and minutes before his crucifixion, Jesus speaks to the Father with a prayer that is recorded for both camps. To the pagans, Jesus crushes their worldview that there are multiple gods. There is only one God – the only true God (the Father to whom Jesus is praying). He also destroys the view of the Jews as well. Jesus for the first time refers to himself with the title he will so often be given after his resurrection – Jesus Christ, or from the Greek, Jesus the anointed one/Messiah. The Jews believed that they would find salvation in their limited understanding of the singular God as revealed in the Old Testament (“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life…” John 5:39a). Here, Jesus proclaims that salvation, or eternal life requires more than knowledge of God as revealed in the Old Testament, it also requires knowing Jesus Christ (the anointed one/Messiah) whom the Father has sent (“…and it is they that bear witness about me” John 5:39b).

Compare John 17:3 with 1 John 5:20John 17:3 & 1 John 5:20 (ESV)
John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
,br/> 1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
. John 17:3 makes it clear that it is in knowledge of both the true God and Jesus Christ that we have eternal life. 1 John 5:20 says, “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true [God]; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”

Much ado has been made over the centuries regarding who the antecedent of “He” is from the last sentence – God or Jesus or the fullness of the understanding (for those translations that use “this” rather than “he”). But I would suggest that it does not matter, and the vagueness of the text is purposeful (obviously it is purposeful, for the Spirit of God inspired the text). Just as in John 17:3John 17:3 (ESV)
And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
Jesus’ prayer ties the knowledge of the true God to the knowledge of Jesus Christ as both being required for salvation, 1 John 5:201 John 5:20 (ESV)
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
ties the same two, God and Jesus Christ, together. It is only via Jesus Christ that God can be known. Jesus, who is truth, came so that we can know him who is true. In all plainness, the one who is true (Jesus, John 14:6John 14:6 (ESV)
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
) came to reveal to us the one who is true (God). Their connectedness in deity is so clear, yet so many labor to tear away the deity from Christ because they refuse to see the greater revelation of who God is that is brought to us in Jesus Christ and the New Testament scriptures. These people want a non-scriptural god who doesn’t exist because this nonexistent god is easier to imagine.  With this thought, we can understand why John says in the very next sentence after 1 John 5:201 John 5:20 (ESV)
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). This is not some random addition, but rather this admonition fits perfectly with the previous texts. It is given in effort to keep us from refusing the plain meaning of the scriptures and instead creating an easier to understand god ultimately made from our own desires and imaginations. Such a god will not save us.

Note that in these texts both God the Father and Jesus are given an importance of a religious faith. This level of religious regard would be blasphemous and contrary to scripture if Jesus were a mere man or created being. As revealed in the scriptures, in order for there to be knowledge of the true God and in order for there to be eternal life we are utterly and completely dependent on Jesus Christ.

The divine essence, the triune God of Father, Son and Sprit is so much more than the misunderstood monotheistic god of the Jews, Muslims, or others. There are many who profess a singular god. But our God, the God of the Bible is so much more. He is the all-encompassing God, who contains within his very essence and nature the “atoning sacrifice and Mediator; the true Christian approaches him through the great Mediator, equal with the Father, who for us became incarnate, and died that he might reconcile us to God.” – Albert Barns' Notes on the Bible

I’ve heard some say that God may be God of gods but Jesus is only Lord of lords and is therefore not God. The falseness of this idea was anticipated and hinted at in God’s proclamation to Moses in Deuteronomy 10:17:

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God…

Jesus cannot be Lord of lords and not also God of Gods. Both titles belong to deity.

Only deity is Lord of lords. To attempt to make Jesus a mere creature and then attempt to associate this mere creature with knowledge of God as a requirement for eternal life should be an inconceivable union in light of God’s word. Deity unites with his own deity to make the way for man’s salvation; God did not unite with a mere created being to serve the purpose that only God himself could make come to pass (See Isaiah 43:11Isaiah 43:11 (ESV)
I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior.
, Psalm 3:8Psalm 3:8 (ESV)
Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! — Selah
, Hosea 13:4Hosea 13:4 (ESV)
But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior.
, Jonah 2:9Jonah 2:9 (ESV)
​But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
).

…because you loved me before the foundation of the world (John 17:24b)

God is love (1 John 4:8, 161 John 4:8, 16 (ESV)
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love... So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
). Yet, love cannot be love if it is alone or if it ever has been alone. 1 John 4:161 John 4:16 (ESV)
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
(and hundreds of passages) speaks to the abiding or relational nature of the love of God. As God has always been God outside of our concept of time, the triune nature of God must always have been, for love always requires a relationship. Jesus makes it clear this loving relationship has always existed in God. If this were not true, then God would need mankind or a created being simply to be God. This would make God dependent on his creature. This could never be! God is Love, and he has always been able to be love because of his triune nature.

… they drew back and fell to the ground (John 18:6John 18:6 (ESV)
When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
)

In John 18:5-7John 18:5-7 (ESV)
They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
, Jesus again uses the phrase ἐγώ εἰμι (I am), which is often translated as “I am he” when answering to the crowd who came with Judas looking for Jesus. Jesus was responding that he indeed was the one who they were looking for. Note the power that manifested in Jesus’ proclamation of being the I Am. “When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.” Note many historians and Bible scholars believe there could have been nearly a thousand men in this crowd, and of those who disagree with that number, it is still thought that there would have been well over a hundred men. Further, the majority of these men were soldiers, and upon Jesus’ proclamation, they drew back and fell to the ground. Jesus proves here that he was going willingly and that just by his word alone, these soldiers had no power to even stand up in his presence (see also John 19:11John 19:11 (ESV)
Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”
).

For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world (John 18:37John 18:37 (ESV)
Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world— to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
)****

Jesus speaks to both his humanity and his deity in this response to Pilate. In his humanity, it was for this purpose that he was born, and in his deity, it was for this purpose that he came into the world.

… and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30John 19:30 (ESV)
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
)

The Greek here can be well translated, “he bowed his head and gave over the spirit.” Jesus had previously made it clear that he had the power to lay down his life and to take it up again (see John 10:18John 10:18 (ESV)
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.
). He shows that power here. His life was not taken – he gave it over. I’ve heard some say that Jesus can’t be God because God cannot die, but Jesus did not die in the sense these people mean. Jesus did not die as a lost man dies. He did not die to find his soul eternally separated from God. Jesus did not die to never live again. Jesus merely gave over his spirit, continuing to trust the Father, and as his spirit left him, his body died (and was later resurrected). God did not die as we understand death.

“… I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” (John 20:17John 20:17 (ESV)
Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
)

Here we see the glorious position of Christ as our brother-mediator. The full verse reads

Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”’

Note the new position of the believers. For the first time, they are now Jesus’ brothers. Jesus, whom Isaiah prophesied was our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
), is now our Brother. He had previously said he no longer called his disciples slaves, but friends, for he was making known to the disciples what the Father had spoken (John 15:15John 15:15 (ESV)
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
), but now he calls them his brothers.

Oh the glorious joining of the heavenly and the lowly. Christ, who “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant (slave), being born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV)
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
) humbled himself from his former position of glory which he had had with the Father and took on our humanity. The Bible does not describe that Jesus gave up his divine nature, but rather, that for his time on Earth, he left his heavenly position with the Father and took on the position of servant. It was for this purpose that Jesus came. In adding to himself humanity, he could bring us into a position of brotherhood so that not only would the Father be his Father, but also our Father. And while the nature is different, for Jesus does not simply say, “our Father” but rather “my Father and your Father,” we know that because of what Jesus has done, that even though we are adopted and Jesus’s sonship is unique, like Jesus, we can now cry “Abba, Father” when calling out to our God (Romans 8:15Romans 8:15 (ESV)
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
and Galatians 4:6Galatians 4:6 (ESV)
And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
).

Jesus’ work at the cross, because he had taken on humanity, brought our humanity to a much higher level. Just as Jesus was raised, in confessing Christ we also are raised with him to a level above where mere humanity could otherwise have gone, to where we can be considered Christ’s adopted brothers, ultimately partaking of the divine blessings.

Jesus accomplished this because of his *condescension. In taking on humanity, Jesus, as a voluntary servant, stooped to a self-imposed equality with inferior humanity. He waived the claims due by nature of his previous rank in the Heavenly realm and as a man called God his God. Again, note the separation. Just as with “Father” Jesus does not say “our God” but “my God and your God.” He calls God his God because of his *condescension and his lowering of himself to our human level and we call his Father our Father because he has raised us up as joint heirs at his higher level. Jesus calls God his God in expressing his connection to our humanity and we call the Father our Father due to our connection with him as adopted brothers.

*Condescension is commonly known by the modern definition of a patronizingly superior behavior or attitude, but in this sense, the older definition is meant: Voluntary descent from rank, dignity or just claims; relinquishment of strict right; submission to inferiors in granting requests or performing acts which strict justice does not require. (Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary of American English)

Jesus’ careful use of “my” and “your” show a distinction and separation in describing the uniqueness of Jesus’ relationship to the Father compared to ours, even though his Father and our Father are the same person.

We need to note the eternality of Jesus’ position. Jesus did not simply take on humanity for a predetermined time, until his purpose was accomplished, but he took on humanity forever. Christ, who was always fully God, is also now fully man! It is for this reason that he is the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29Romans 8:29 (ESV)
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
). Jesus did temporarily leave his heavenly position, but in the resurrection the Father restored that position (see Ephesians 1:20-22Ephesians 1:20-22 (ESV)
that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,
and Philippians 2:9Philippians 2:9 (ESV)
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
). Jesus was the first to receive a resurrected body. As God, Jesus redeemed humanity by taking on humanity. He will forever bear the scars of his crucifixion and in his glorified body he will stand for eternity as the mediator and intercessor (see Hebrews 7:25Hebrews 7:25 (ESV)
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
). It had to be this way. There was no man who could accomplish our salvation. There was no created being that could be the salvation of men. Only God is able to save, and God did it within his triune nature. God’s own arm brought him salvation (see Isaiah 59:16 and 63:5Isaiah 59:16 & 63:5 (ESV)
59:16 He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him.

63:5 I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold; so my own arm brought me salvation, and my wrath upheld me.
), for that is the very method by which God works.

Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)

I have heard some who deny the deity of Jesus speak to this verse and say, what really happened was, Thomas answered Jesus and said “My Lord” and then stopped, looked up to heaven and then said “and my God.” If that had been what happened, the text would say that was what happened, but the text does not say this. The text is quite clear and plain. It says, Thomas, answering Jesus, says, “My Lord and my God.” The verse itself and the verses which come before and after John 20:28 only support the understanding that Thomas referred to Jesus as his Lord and God. Jesus was speaking specifically to Thomas, proving himself by pointing out the wounds in his hands and side, and after Thomas’ revelation and confession, Jesus continues to keep it personal between them with the words “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” There was no correction by Jesus suggesting Thomas had misspoken in his astonishment. Jesus accepted Thomas’ statement. There is no room for any other interpretation.

Hypothetically, suppose Jesus were not God. If this were the case, and Jesus had simply let Thomas’ blasphemous misunderstanding slide, Jesus’ not speaking to it would have been heretical on the part of Jesus himself. Compare Acts 14:13-15Acts 14:13-15 (ESV)
And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.
. Here, the priest of Zeus and the crowds are preparing to make sacrifices to the apostles and the apostles stop them immediately. Similarly, in Revelation 22:8-9Revelation 22:8-9 (ESV)
I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
, the angel (a non-human created being of God) quickly stops John when John falls down to worship at the feet of the angel. We are to only worship God. Jesus accepts that worship. In fact, Jesus immediately commends Thomas for his belief and further commends those who believe even though they have not seen.

This is actually a great revelation on Thomas’ part. Jesus had often proclaimed his deity but prior to the resurrection, the disciples didn’t fully get it and the Jewish leaders fully rejected it, crucifying him for his perceived blasphemy. The disciples could envision Jesus as King and Lord, and had been hoping Jesus would fully set up his kingdom then, but after the resurrection, the revelation is so much greater. Not only does Thomas recognize and proclaim Jesus as his Lord, but also as his God. John has made Jesus’ deity clear from the first verse of this Gospel (John 1:1John 1:1 (ESV)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
), but in these words of Thomas, we are shown the moment where the fullness of who Jesus was began to become clear to the disciples. Maybe Thomas thought back to the many times Jesus spoke to his oneness with the Father (John 8:19; 10:30; 14:1, 7John 8:19; 10:30; 14:1, 7 (ESV)
8:19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

10:30 I and the Father are one.

14:1, 7 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me... If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
). This proclamation is the climax of the Gospel and it affirms the very declaration John made at the beginning.  Paul would later make a similar declaration in Titus 2:13-14:

…waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Note the NWTTitus 2:13 (NWT)
while we wait for the happy hope and glorious manifestation of the great God and of [the] Savior of us, Christ Jesus,

Note: The NWT admits via the brackets that "[the]" is not in the original, but the preceding word "of" is not in the original either. To admit that both are not in the Greek comes too close to revealing the deception.
has to add an extra clause, which is nonexistent in the Greek, in an attempt to separate the word “God” from “and Savior Jesus Christ,” even though this does not make sense in context of the whole sentence and passage).

Even God makes this declaration of Jesus in Hebrews 1:8, quoting from Psalm 45:6Hebrews 1:8 & Psalm 45:6 (ESV)
Hebrews 1:8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

Psalm 45:6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
– “But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom…’” Again, the NWTHebrews 1:8 (NWT)
But with reference to the Son: "God is your throne forever and ever, and [the] scepter of your kingdom is the scepter of uprightness.
distorts the logical Greek in this verse and instead relies on a very unlikely translation of the text. This passage is clearly contrasting Jesus with the angels.  Verses 7 and 8Hebrews 1:7-8 (ESV)
Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
are held in contrast: On the one hand, he says of the angels…on the other hand, he says of the Son. The NWT translation falls apart when the surrounding text is considered.

Concluding Thoughts

So, the question must be asked. If you claim a faith in Jesus, in which Jesus do you claim faith? Do you worship the Jesus as described by John and the rest of the scriptures – the Son of God, who is God, who has existed for eternity with God? Do you worship an “other” Jesus who is not God, who stands in blasphemous contrast to the requirements of God found in the original scriptures? Do you worship Jesus as merely a great prophet or a sage? Only the first Jesus can offer redemption from sin, because only God can redeem sin. If you only acknowledge Jesus as some “other” god, or merely a prophet or teacher, then you are still in your sins, and you are still heaping on yourself wrath for the day of judgment (see Romans 2:5Romans 2:5 (ESV)
But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
); you will have no future redemption without coming to faith in the true Jesus of the Bible. All others are counterfeits, leading along paths of eternal damnation, no matter how sincere the followers may be. It is my prayer that this writing has helped anyone who reads come to know the truth of who Jesus is, and the importance of following only him as Savior and Lord.

The Lord's Prayer for our Nation Some Thoughts on the End of Things