1 Matthew 22: And He said to him, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' 38 "This is the great and foremost commandment. Matthew 22: "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' John 13: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Greetings in the name of Jesus our Lord – let’s pray and prepare ourselves to receive the Word humbly and gladly. Matthew 28: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

2 John 10:22-30 22 At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; 23 it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. 24 The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me. 26 "But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 "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. 30 "I and the Father are one."

3 John 10:31-42 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?" 33 The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God." 34 Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, 'I SAID, YOU ARE GODS '? 35 "If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God '? 37 "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." 39 Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp. 40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there. 41 Many came to Him and were saying, "While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true." 42 Many believed in Him there.

4 Romans 8:29 …“to be conformed to the image of His Son.”Our current sermon series is “the Chronological Life of Christ” where we are studying all four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and putting all the events in Jesus life in chronological order in order to understand and imitate our Lord’s perfect life.

5 7 Chief Divisions of Jesus’ Life (Chad Laird)Location(s) Chapter(s) 1 Jesus’ Divine Preexistence Heaven Jn. 1 2 Jesus’ Divine Birth/Childhood Egypt/ Nazareth Mt. 1-2, Lk. 1-2 3 Jesus’ Divine Baptism/ Temptation/ Early Judean Ministry Jordan River/ Judean Wilderness/ Jerusalem Mt. 3-4, Mk. 1, Lk. 3-4, Jn. 1-4 4 Jesus’ Divine Galilean Ministry Capernaum/ Sea of Galilee Mt. 4-18, Mk. 1-9, Lk. 4-9, Jn. 5-7 5 Jesus’ Divine Perean/ Late Judean Ministry Jericho/ Bethany Mt , Mk. 10, Lk , Jn. 7-11 6 Jesus’ Divine Passion Week Jerusalem/Bethany/Jerusalem Mt , Mk , Lk , Jn 7 Jesus’ Divine Resurrection/ Appearances/ Ascension Jerusalem/ Galilee/ Mount of Olives Mt. 28, Mk. 16, Lk. 24, Jn We are currently studying what is called by scholars, “the later Judean and Perean ministry” of Jesus (the last six months leading up to His death and resurrection)

6 Harmony of the Gospels (Adapted from John MacArthur’s Study Bible)Event Location Matt. Mark Luke John Latter Judean and Perean Ministry Conflict over Jesus’ claim to be the light of the world and the “I AM” Jerusalem/Temple – Treasury (Feast of Tabernacles) John 8:12-30 Jesus claim to be “before” (greater) than Abraham, and attempted stoning John 8:31-58 Healing of a man born blind, questioning of the man and his parents by the Pharisees Jerusalem/Pool of Siloam John 9:1-23 Second questioning of the man born blind by the Jewish leaders and later reunion with Jesus where the blind man worships Him Jerusalem/Temple (Chamber of Hewn Stones) John 9:24-41 Allegory of the Good Shepherd and the thief (I am the door and I am the Good Shepherd statements) Jerusalem/Exact Location? John 10:1-21 The Feast of Dedication (I am one with the Father, I am the Son of God statements) Jerusalem/Temple (Feast of Dedication) John 10:22-42

7 John 10:31-42 Jesus clearly claims to be the Son of God

8 Review of last week: John 10:22-30The Power that Proves Jesus is the Christ: The Divine Power of Jesus’ Miracles - works he has already done in the Father’s name 2. The Divine Power of Jesus’ Mind – work of omniscience to know who is/who isn’t His sheep 3. The Divine Power of Jesus’ Voice – work of the gospel that enables us to know and follow Him 4. The Divine Power of Jesus’ Hand – work to give eternal life/never perish or snatched away 5. The Divine Power of Jesus’ Father – work of God the Father’s hand that doubly secures believers so there is absolutely no way salvation can be lost. Conclusion : Jesus is God - has Divine Power because He is ONE with the Father/equal with the Father.

9 Sermon Outline: John 10:30-421. The Claim (I and the Father are one) 2. The Anger (picked up stones to stone Him) 3. The Question (which of the works/miracles are stoning me for?) 4. The Accusation (blasphemy - you a mere man claim to be God) 5. The Insight (Psalm 86:2 calls men “gods” and Scripture can’t be broken/wrong) 6. The Title (Jesus claims to be “The Son of God”) 7. The Evidence (Believe the works/miracles) 8. The Claim (Understand that “the Father is in me, and I in the Father”) 9. The Escape (He eluded their grasp) 10. The Result (Many believed)

10 Background: § 111 Feast of Dedication (Jn 10:22–39)Jesus returns to Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication. He was here just two months ago for the Feast of Tabernacles. So he takes up the discussion right where he left off, talking about the Good Shepherd and his sheep (cf. Jn 10:1–21). The Feast of Dedication was celebrated on the 25th of Kislev, roughly equivalent to our December. It was an eight-day memorial celebrating the rededication of the temple in 165 B.C., 3 years to the day after it had been defiled by Antiochus Epiphanes (cf. 1 Macc 4:36–59; 2 Macc 10:1–8). Although it was not one of the official pilgrim feasts, it still drew a healthy crowd. The most notable feature of the feast was the special lighting of the temple and many of the private homes in Jerusalem. That’s why they sometimes called it “The Feast of Lights.” Jesus is walking around the Portico of Solomon, which covered the east side of the temple (cf. Acts 3:11; 5:12). It would be a logical shelter from the cold winter wind and rain, as well as the largest place to gather a crowd. He is accosted (literally encircled) by the Jewish leaders. Their question appears reasonable enough, but is designed to trap Jesus. They want Jesus to confess clearly if he thinks he is the Messiah. That way they can accuse him openly of blasphemy (cf. Mk 14:60–64). Jesus has already clearly stated who he is. In fact, this was the purpose of his last three sermons in John (Jn 5:16–47; 6:32–59; 7:14–30). Furthermore, his deeds have been an unmistakable declaration of his deity. But these leaders’ hard hearts have closed their eyes and ears. So they ask Jesus to clearly declare his identity. But if he does, they will neither listen nor understand. Jesus is the Messiah, but he is a far cry from what that word conjures up in the current Jewish mind. Therefore, he chooses to allow his deeds to declare his identity rather than his words. Jesus responds with this allegory of sheep (cf. comments on Jn 6:37–40 in § 76a). It’s quite a slap in the face for Jesus’ present audience. He claims to be the true shepherd of God’s people. These guys were only false shepherds. Worse than that, they are thieves. Worse than that, they will not be allowed in to have their way with the sheep. This allegory is primarily a rebuke to these faithless clergymen. But for the flock, these words could hardly be more comforting. We are eternally secure in Christ Jesus. No power on earth can separate us from his love (cf. Rom 8:38–39). As his sheep, we hear his voice and follow. As our shepherd, he knows us personally and leads us to eternal life. We will never perish because he protects us. This is the second time they have tried to stone Jesus. The last time was three months ago at the Feast of Tabernacles (Jn 8:59). Jesus does not come right out and say, “I am the Messiah,” or “I am Jehovah.” But the implication is clear enough that the Jews are ready to stone him for blasphemy (cf. Jn 5:17–18; 8:58–59; 10:30–33). Had Jesus not actually been God’s Son, they would have been scripturally justified in doing so (Lev 24:16). They can’t kill Jesus legally since the Romans just recently stripped the right of capital punishment from the Jews. But they are so mad right now that doesn’t really matter. They are prepared to assassinate him anyway. In vv. 32–33, it appears that Jesus and the Jews are talking about two different things: Miracles vs. Testimony. Jesus is determined to reveal his identity, not through verbal declaration, but through miraculous deeds. He knows they will not accept a mere verbal claim of deity. Thus, he demonstrates who he is by what he does (cf. § 46, healing the paralytic). As his defense, Jesus calls them back to Psalm 82:6, where the judges of Israel were called Elohim. Since they functioned on God’s behalf, they were backed by God’s authority. Because they were backed by God’s authority, they were granted God’s title—Elohim. Now, Jesus is NOT saying that he is a mere judge of God or an underling worker of God. No, claiming to be God’s Son is tantamount to saying, “I share God’s character, position and authority.” In short, he is claiming equality with God. Jesus’ argument, once again, is from lesser to greater. If they didn’t scream and “holler” about earthly judges being called gods, why should they object if Jesus claims equality with God (cf. Jn 5:18; 10:33; 19:7, 12)? After all, he proves it through a sinless life and miraculous deeds. These earthly judges only received a word from God. They only listened to God. But Jesus has actually seen God (Jn 1:18). He is set apart by God, sent to earth from heaven, and does the work and miracles of God. Hence, he has every right to claim equality with God. His argument is rational. Unfortunately, it is delivered to an irrational audience. They try to seize him, but once again he eludes their grasp, not because he is sneaky, but because he has God’s protection. It is not yet time (cf. Jn 7:6, 30; 8:20; 13:1; 19:28). In verse 35, Jesus makes this comment, “And the Scripture cannot be broken.” It is a minor addition which adds practically nothing to the meaning of the text, but it tells us an awful lot about Jesus’ view of the Bible. He apparently believed in the inspiration, infallibility, and inerrancy of the Scriptures. And if he really did come down from heaven as he claimed, then he would be in a pretty good position to know. Moore, M. E. (2011). The Chronological Life of Christ (p. 407). Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Company.

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12 John 10:30 30 "I and the Father are one."1. The Claim (I and the Father are one) John 10: "I and the Father are one." John 10:30 evgw. kai. o` path.r e[n evsmenÅ egō kai ho Patēr hen esmen I and the father one are Oneness: Unity/Union, Equality/Parity, Sameness/Singularity, Agreement/Likeness How was Jesus ONE with the Father? One in essence/nature (Jesus is God) Vincent's Word Studies One (ἕν)The neuter, not the masculine εἶς, one person. It implies unity of essence, not merely of will or of power. “John is amazing evidence so that you might believe and have eternal life.” Jmac (John 20: but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.) Tenth chapter of John is a turning point as you know in John’s history.  This is the chapter that records the last account that John gives of the public ministry of Jesus.  At the end of this tenth chapter, Jesus goes away for about three months, and He spends the time with His disciples.  He comes back in the 11th chapter and raises Lazarus from the dead, does a triumphal entry in the 12th chapter, and then John records chapters 13 through 16 one night, one night in the upper room, the promises the Lord gave to His disciples and all who would come after them, including us.  The 17th chapter then is that incredible entry into the holy of holies, the sanctuary of the private prayer and communion of Christ with His Father, that great high priestly prayer that He prayed before His death.  Chapter 18 is His arrest followed by His death and resurrection.  And then the restitution of Peter and the commissioning of the disciples ends it all in the final chapter. So, chapter 10 is critical because John wants to make sure nothing is left unclear in terms of the claims of Christ.  This is, in a sense, a summation of what his purpose was as he states it in chapter 20 and verse 31.  “These have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His name.”  John is amassing evidence that you might believe, in order that you might have eternal life.  Eternal life, as we have been learning, comes only through faith in Christ.  So, his purpose is culminating here in this tenth chapter.  And he wants to leave no mistake as to the claim Christ made, and what is necessary to believe about Him to receive eternal life.  That is why you have the words in verse 30.  Look at chapter 10 verse 30.  “I and the Father are one.”  I and the Father are one.  “The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him.”  Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?”  The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.”  Literally.  They knew exactly what He was claiming.  In verse 36, “You are blaspheming.”  Are you accusing Me of that?  “Because I said I am the Son of God?  If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me.”  Here again, we have the summation of John’s whole purpose: to make clear the claim of Jesus to be God, to possess the very nature and essence of God, and therefore legitimately call Himself the Son of God, one who bears the same nature, and to prove it by His works.  There’s no mistaking this.  No mistaking it all through the gospel of John.  And certainly here, it’s impossible to twist this around.  When He said, “I and the Father are one,” He was not claiming unity of purpose, unity of mission, unity of attitude.  He was claiming unity of essence, unity of nature.  That’s why they called Him a blasphemer who was a man telling them He was God.  This is the great claim of the gospel, that Jesus, while fully man, was also fully God.  Took the title, God the Son, the Son of God.  That is the uniqueness of His personhood as God in the Trinity.  There is one nature, one essence, but three distinct persons.  God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/43-55/i-and-the-father-are-one-part-2

13 Explanation/commentary on Jesus’ oneness with the father – equal in power/sovereignty, knowledge/wisdom, and nature/essence Barnes' Notes on the Bible I and my Father are one - The word translated "one" is not in the masculine, but in the neuter gender. It expresses union, but not the precise nature of the union. It may express any union, and the particular kind intended is to be inferred from the connection (context). In the previous verse he had said that he and his Father were united in the same object (mission) that is, in redeeming and preserving his people. It was this that gave occasion for this remark. Many interpreters have understood this as referring to union of design and of plan. The words may bear this construction. In this way they were understood by Erasmus, Calvin, Bucer, and others. Most of the Christian fathers understood them, however, as referring to the oneness or unity of nature between the Father and the Son; and that this was the design of Christ appears probable from the following considerations:1. The question in debate was (not about his being united with the Father in plan and counsel, but in power. He affirmed that he was able to rescue and keep his people from all enemies, or that he had power superior to men and devils that is, that he had supreme power over all creation. He affirmed the same of his Father. In this, therefore, they were united. But this was an attribute only of God, and they thus understood him as claiming equality to God in regard to omnipotence. 2. The Jews understood him as affirming his equality with God, for they took up stones to punish him for blasphemy John 10:31, John 10:33, and they said to him that they understood him as affirming that he was God, John 10:33. 3. Jesus did not deny that it was his intention to be so understood. See the notes at John 10:34-37. 4. He immediately made another declaration implying the same thing, leaving the same impression, and which they attempted to punish in the same manner, John 10: If Jesus had not intended so to be understood, it cannot be easily reconciled with moral honesty that he did not distinctly disavow that such was his intention. The Jews were well acquainted with their own language. They understood him in this manner, and he left this impression on their minds. Pulpit Commentary Verse 30. - Then follows the sublime minor premise of the syllogism, I and the Father (we) are one. As Augustine and Bengel have said, the first clause is incompatible with Sabellianism, and the second clause with Arianism. The Lord is conscious of his own Personality as distinct from that of the Father, and yet he asserts a fundamental unity. But what kind of unity is it? Is it a unity of wish, emotion, sentiment, only? On the contrary, it is a oneness of redemptive power. The Divine activity of the Father's eternal love did not come to any arrest or pause when he gave the sheep to the Son, but with its irresistible might is present in the "hand" of Jesus (no one "can," not no one "shall"). Therefore the ἕν, the one reality, if it does not express actual unity of essence, involves it. Some have endeavored to minimize the force of this remarkable statement by comparing it with John 17:21-23, where Jesus said believers are "to be in us," and "to be one, even as we are one," i.e. to have the same kind of relation with one another (being a collective unity) as the Father and Son sustain towards each other, "I in them, thou in me, that they may be perfected [reach their τέλος, by being blended] into one;" i.e. into one Divine personality by my indwelling. Now, it is nowhere there said that believers and the Father are one, but such a statement is scrupulously avoided. Numerous attempts have been made to escape from the stupendous assumption of this unity of power and essence with the Father. The whole gist of the assertion reveals the most overwhelming self-consciousness. The Lord declares that he can bestow eternal life and blessedness upon those who stand in close living relation with himself, and between whom and himself there is mutual recognition and the interchanges of love and trust. He bases the claim on the fact that the Father's hands are behind his, and that the Father's eternal power and Godhead sustain his mediatorial functions and, more than all, that the Father's Personality and his own Personality are merged in one essence and entity. If be merely meant to imply moral and spiritual union with the Father, or completeness of revelation of the Divine mind, why should the utterance have provoked such fierce resentment? Bengel's Gnomen John 10:30. Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἓν ἐσμεν, I and the Father are one) One, not merely in agreement of will, but in unity of power, and so of nature: for omnipotence is an attribute of the nature [of God]; and His discourse is of the unity of the Father and the Son. In these words of Jesus, the Jews, blind as they were, saw more meaning than Antitrinitarians see in the present day. If the Jews had supposed that Jesus wishes merely to be accounted as a divine man, and not as the Son of God, who is as truly God as sons of men are men, they would not have said, whereas Thou art a man, thou makest Thyself God [John 10:33]; nor would they have arraigned Him for blasphemy. By the expression, we are, Sabellius is refuted:[285] by the word, one, Arius is refuted;[286] see John 10:33; John 10:36; John 10:38, “The Father is in Me, and I in Him.” Comp. the close of John 10:29 with that of 28.[287] Especially also the first person of the plural number has a pre-eminent signification, as applied to the Son and Father; Jesus seldom uses it of Himself and men. See note on Matt. ch. John 5:11, “Blessed are ye” etc. [not we], [285] Who denied the distinctness of the persons. “I and the Father are.”—E. and T. [286] Who denied the divinity of the Son.—E. and T. [287] “Neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand,”—“No man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand:” therefore the Father and Jesus are one.—E. and T. Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 30. I and my Father are one] ‘One’ is neuter in the Greek; not one. Person, but one Substance. There is no ‘My’ in the Greek; I and the Father are one. Christ has just implied that His hand and the Father’s hand are one, which implies that He and the Father are one; and this He now asserts. They are one in power, in will, and in action: this at the very least the words roust mean; the Arian interpretation of mere moral agreement is inadequate. Whether or no Unity of Essence is actually stated here, it is certainly implied, as the Jews see. They would stone Him for making Himself God, which they would not have done had He not asserted or implied that He and the Father were one in Substance, not merely in will. And Christ does not correct them, as assuredly He would have done, had their animosity arisen out of a gross misapprehension of His words. Comp. Revelation 20:6; Revelation 22:3.

14 Significance of John 10:30 in regards to the trinity – distinct in person (plural verb form “we are”) but one in nature/essence (“one” neuter/singular) Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible CommentaryAnd Augustine was right in saying the "We are" condemns the Sabellians (who denied the distinction of Persons in the Godhead), while the "one" (as explained) condemns the Arians (who denied the unity of their essence). Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers (30) I and my Father are one.—The last clause of John 10:29 is identical with the last clause of John 10:28 if we identify “Father’s” with “My.” This our Lord now formally does. The last verses have told of power greater than all, and these words are an assertion that in the infinity of All-mighty Power the Son is one with the Father. They are more than this, for the Greek word for “one” is neuter, and the thought is not, therefore, of unity of person, but is of unity of essence. “The Son is of one substance with the Father.” In the plural “are” there is the assertion of distinctness as against Sabellianism, and in the “one” there is the assertion of co-ordination as against Arianism. At recurring periods in the history of exegesis men have tried to establish that these words do not imply more than unity of will between the Father and the Son. We have seen above that they assert both oneness of power and oneness of nature; but the best answer to all attempts to attach any meaning lower than that of the divinity of our Lord to these His words is found here, as in the parallel instance in John 8:58-59, in the conduct of the Jews themselves. To them the words conveyed but one meaning, and they sought to punish by stoning what seemed to them to be blasphemy. Their reason is here given in express words, “because that Thou, being a man, makest thyself God” (John 10:33).

15 Parallel Passage of john 10:30 (Jesus’ oneness with Father)John 17: "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. 24 "Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 "O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; 26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.“ 1 John 1:1-3 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life-- 2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us-- 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

16 Gotquestions. org Question: "Is Jesus GodGotquestions.org Question: "Is Jesus God? Did Jesus ever claim to be God?" Answer: The Bible never records Jesus saying the precise words, “I am God.” That does not mean, however, that He did not proclaim that He is God. Take for example Jesus’ words in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” We need only to look at the Jews’ reaction to His statement to know He was claiming to be God. They tried to stone Him for this very reason: “You, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33). The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was claiming—deity. When Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one,” He was saying that He and the Father are of one nature and essence. John 8:58 is another example. Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth … before Abraham was born, I am!” Jews who heard this statement responded by taking up stones to kill Him for blasphemy, as the Mosaic Law commanded (Leviticus 24:16). John reiterates the concept of Jesus’ deity: “The Word [Jesus] was God” and “the Word became flesh” (John 1:1, 14). These verses clearly indicate that Jesus is God in the flesh. Acts 20:28 tells us, “Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” Who bought the church with His own blood? Jesus Christ. And this same verse declares that God purchased His church with His own blood. Therefore, Jesus is God! Thomas the disciple declared concerning Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Jesus does not correct him. Titus 2:13 encourages us to wait for the coming of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (see also 2 Peter 1:1). In Hebrews 1:8, the Father declares of Jesus, “But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.’” The Father refers to Jesus as “O God,” indicating that Jesus is indeed God. In Revelation, an angel instructed the apostle John to only worship God (Revelation 19:10). Several times in Scripture Jesus receives worship (Matthew 2:11; 14:33; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38). He never rebukes people for worshiping Him. If Jesus were not God, He would have told people to not worship Him, just as the angel in Revelation did. There are many other passages of Scripture that argue for Jesus’ deity. The most important reason that Jesus has to be God is that, if He is not God, His death would not have been sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). A created being, which Jesus would be if He were not God, could not pay the infinite penalty required for sin against an infinite God. Only God could pay such an infinite penalty. Only God could take on the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21), die, and be resurrected, proving His victory over sin and death.

17 Deity of Christ passagesJohn 1:1-4 In 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 came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. John 1: And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1: For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. Colossians 1: For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. Colossians 2: For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 2 Corinthians 5: Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 7 Bible Verses That Say Jesus Is God August 15, 2015 by Michael Krauszer 13 Comments One of the main doctrines of Christianity is Jesus’ deity. Although other religions have numerous gods, Christianity doesn’t just say that Jesus is God, the Father is a god, and the Holy Spirit is a God. No, Christianity proclaims that the trinity (father, son, and Holy Spirit) is the godhead 3 in 1! They are not separate deities. Furthermore, most other religions deny Jesus’ deity. They may claim He is a good man—great even—but won’t come to confess that He is God. There is a lot of evidence of Jesus being God, though. All throughout Scriptures, and even from the mouth of Jesus Himself, it is stated that He is God. Here are the top 7 Bible verses that say Jesus is God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 NASB To start things off, we might as well begin here. The very first words in the book of John proclaim that Jesus is divine. Jesus was there at the beginning because He was, in fact, God. “I and the Father are one.” 31 The Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” John 10:30-33 NASB Can you get any more specific than this? Jesus, in a very straightforward and blunt way, affirms His deity by saying “I and the Father are one.” Still don’t buy that’s what he was saying? Well, just look at the crowds response. The religious leaders knew what Jesus said—which is precisely why they wanted to stone Him! “Jesus heard that they had put him out; and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered and said, “And who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” 38 And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him.” John 9:35-38 NASB Another great argument within Scripture for the divine nature of Jesus is the fact that He was worshipped—and allowed it! In many of his teachings he told the disciples that God alone is to be worshipped. So, it would be hypocritical of Him to then accept worship from people, right? NO! Why? Because Jesus is God—so He alone is worthy of praise and worship. “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.” Colossians 2:9 NASB This is speaking specifically about Christ. Can it get any clearer? “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.'” John 8:58 NASB Isn’t this reminiscent of how God told Moses to call Him “I AM”? Perhaps Jesus is saying something here (actually, He DEFINITELY is). “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 NASB Who else could this be referring to but Jesus? He was the Word who became flesh and then dwelt among us. He came in the form of a little baby, grew up among humankind, had a job, family, and ministry—He was one of us. Yet, at the same time, He was also divine. Wow! “Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” John 20:28 NASB As if Jesus’ words were not good enough, here Thomas (often referred to as doubting Thomas) proclaims that Jesus is God. This is after the resurrection and after Thomas felt the holes in Jesus’ hands. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the man before Him, Jesus, was truly God. Conclusion There are so many verses that can be picked for this massive subject. My encouragement to you is to search for more and read them over. For non-believers/ skeptics, it may give you a glimpse into something you haven’t thought of before. For those who are already Christians, you must know these verses not just to defend the faith, but to grow in faith and be convinced of it yourself. Article By Michael Krauzer Michael Krauszer is the founder of ChristianLitReview.com, a website dedicated to providing a Christian perspective on all forms of literature. Additionally, Michael has been a full-time staff member at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge for the last four years, working as a Ministry Assistant and Pastoral Intern. He received his Bachelor of Arts in English from The College of New Jersey and is currently in pursuit of his MA in Theological Studies from Veritas Evangelical Seminary.

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19 Exodus 3: Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' Now they may say to me, 'What is His name?' What shall I say to them?" 14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" 15 God, furthermore, said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the sons 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 this is My memorial-name to all generations. “I am He” Deuteronomy 32: 'See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, And there is no one who can deliver from My hand. Isaiah 41:4 4 "Who has performed and accomplished it, Calling forth the generations from the beginning? 'I, the LORD, am the first, and with the last. I am He.'" Isaiah 43: "You are My witnesses," declares the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me. 11 "I, even I, am the LORD, And there is no savior besides Me. 12 "It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you; So you are My witnesses," declares the LORD, "And I am God. 13 "Even from eternity I am He, And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?“ Isaiah 48: "Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last. Isaiah 51: "I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies And of the son of man who is made like grass, 13 That you have forgotten the LORD your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens And laid the foundations of the earth, That you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, As he makes ready to destroy? But where is the fury of the oppressor? 14 "The exile will soon be set free, and will not die in the dungeon, nor will his bread be lacking. 15 "For I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea and its waves roar (the LORD of hosts is His name). Jeremiah 29:23 I am He who knows and am a witness," declares the LORD.'" Mark 13:6 6 "Many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He!' and will mislead many. Luke 21:8 8 And He said, "See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not go after them. John 8: "I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me." John 8: "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." John 8: So Jesus said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. John 13: "From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He. 20 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me." John 18: They answered Him, "Jesus the Nazarene." He said to them, "I am He." And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. 6 So when He said to them, "I am He," they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Therefore He again asked them, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus the Nazarene." 8 Jesus answered, "I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way," 9 to fulfill the word which He spoke, "Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one." Exodus 6: God spoke further to Moses and said to him, "I am the LORD; 3 and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them.

20 Background on the personal name of God (Yahweh)hyh Hebrew verb: to be, become, exist, happen. (verb qal infinitive construct) hwhy Yahweh. The Tetragrammaton YHWH, the LORD, or Yahweh, the personal name of God (noun proper no gender no number no state) Harris (Theological Workbook of the OT) This verb appears 3,540 times in Biblical Hebrew, and all of these are in the Qal stem except for twenty-one uses of the Niphal. The verb is related to another Hebrew word meaning "to become," h¦wâ (only five times: Gen 27:29; Isa 16:4; Eccl 2:22; Eccl 11:3; Neh 6:6), and the same verb in Biblical Aramaic, h¦wâ (71 times). A final and brief word may be said about the meaning and interpretation of Jehovah/Yahweh. It seems beyond doubt that the name contains the verb h¹yâ "to be" (but also see article YHWH). The question is whether or not it is the verb "to be" in the Qal, "He is," or the Hiphil, "He causes to be," a view championed by W. F. Albright. The strongest objection to this latter interpretation is that it necessitates a correction in the reading of the key text in Exo 3:14; "I am that I am." Most likely the name should be translated something like "I am he who is," or "I am he who exists" as reflected by the LXX's ego eimi ho œv. The echo of this is found surely in the NT, Rev 1:8. More than anything perhaps, the "is-ness" of God is expressive both of his presence and his existence. Neither concept can be said to be more important than the other. Brown Driver Briggs hw"h' (page 217) (Strong 1933) † [hw"h'] vb. become (Ar. <*> to fall (v. aw"h'), also to gape or yawn, and to desire (cf. hW"h;): cf. Fl:De Jb 6, 2; Aram. aw"h], <*> the usual word for to be (prob. orig. to fall out, accidit, hence come to pass, come to be, gi,gnesqai), Harris, TWOT (484a) hwhy (yhwh) Yahweh. (484b) Hy" (y¹h) Yahweh. The root signifies either existence, e.g. of a tree trunk, being at rest where it falls (Eccl 11:3), or development, e.g. of Nehemiah's alleged scheme to become king of Judah (Neh 6:6). Only three other instances of h¹wâ II are preserved in the Hebrew OT (Gen 27:29; Eccl 2:22; Isa 16:4), though h¹w¹° remains as the standard form of the verb "to be" in biblical Aramaic. Yahweh. The Tetragrammaton YHWH, the LORD, or Yahweh, the personal name of God and his most frequent designation in Scripture, occurring 5321 times (TDNT, III, p. 1067) in the OT (KJV and ASV, the Lord, or, in those contexts where the actual title "Lord" also occurs, GOD, except KJV, Jehovah, in seven passages where the name is particularly stressed (Exo 6:3; Psa 83:18 [H 19]; Isa 12:2; Isa 26:4] or combined with other elements, such as Jehovah Jireh (Gen 22:14; cc Exo 17:15; Jud 6:24; ASV, consistently Jehovah)). y¹h. A contracted form of Yahweh. Occurs fifty times (rendered in English as above, except KJV, Jah, in Psa 68:4 [H 5], where the name is particularly stressed). Also numerous proper nouns compounded with shortened forms of the divine name "Yahweh," e.g.: y®hôn¹t¹n, Jehonathan, "Yahweh has given"; abbreviated yôn¹t¹n "Jonathan," a substitute name for the same person (compare 1Sam 13:2-3 with 1Sam 14:6, 8; 2Sam 17:17, 20 with 1Kings 1:42-43); and y®hôsh¹p¹t, Jehoshaphat, "Yahweh has judged"; alternatively yôsh¹p¹t, "Joshaphat," applied only to two subordinates of David (1Chr 11:43; 1Chr 15:24). The theological importance of h¹wâ II stems from its derived nouns, which identify the personal name of deity, Yahweh, or its contractions. The tetragrammaton YHWH is not ordinarily written with its appropriate Hebrew vowels. But that the original pronunciation was YaHWeH seems probable, both from the corresponding verbal form, the imperfect of h¹wâ, anciently yahweh, and from later representation of YHWH in Greek iaoue or iabe. An apocopated form of h¹wâ in the imperfect, that occurs in Eccl 11:3, is y®hû° (otiose aleph, GKC, p. 211). This in turn may account for the shorter name YHW in the fifth century B.C. Elephantine papyri and the initial elements, y®hô-, yô-, and y¢- (KB, p. 369) in such names as Jehozadak, "Yahweh (is) righteous," or Joel, "Yahweh (is) God.". [An alternative possibility for the original pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton should be mentioned. Actually, there is a problem with the pronunciation "Yahweh." It is a strange combination of old and late elements. The first extra-Biblical occurrence of the name is in the Moabite Stone of about 850 B.C. At that time vowel letters were just beginning to be used in Hebrew. If YHWH represents a spelling earlier than 900 B.C. (as would seem likely), the final " h " should have been pronounced. The pronunciation Yahweh assumes the ending of a lamed-he verb, but these verbs in Moses' day ended in a " y " (cf. for b¹nâ the Ug. impf. ybny). So the ending " eh " is a late form. But in Hebrew in late times a " w " that began a word or syllable changed to " y " (as in the pe-waw verbs and the verb h¹yâ itself). So the " w " of Yahweh represents a pre-mosaic pronunciation but the final " eh " represents probably a post-davidic form. In view of these problems it may be best simply to say that YHWH does not come from the verb h¹wâ (presumably hawaya in its early form) at all. There are many places in the OT where it is now recognized that the parallel of a name and its meaning is not necessarily etymological. For instance, 1Sam 1:20 probably does not mean that the name Samuel is derived from the verb sh¹ma± "to hear." Genesis 11:9 does not mean that Babel comes from the verb b¹lal "confusion" but only that the two words sound somewhat alike. Likewise Jacob is said to mean both "heel" (Gen 25:26) and "supplanter" (Gen 27:36). There are many other examples of this device which is to be taken as a paranomasia, a play on words, rather than as an etymology. Therefore we may well hold that YHWH does not come from the verb h¹wâ which is cited in the first person °ehyeh "I will be," but is an old word of unknown origin which sounded something like what the verb h¹wâ sounded in Moses' day. In this case we do not know what the pronunciation was; we can only speculate. However, if the word were spelled with four letters in Moses' day, we would expect it to have had more than two syllables, for at that period there were no vowel letters. All the letters were sounded. At the end of the OT period the Elephantine papyri write the word YHW to be read either y¹hû (as in names like Shemayahu) or y¹hô (as in names like Jehozadek). The pronunciation y¹hô would be favored by the later Greek from iaœ found in Qumran Greek fragments (2d or 1st centuries B.C.) and in Gnostic materials of the first Christian centuries. Theodoret in the fourth century A.D. states that the Samaritans pronounced it iabe. Clement of Alexandria (early 3d century A.D.) vocalized it as iaoue. These are quite late witnesses and seem to contradict the much earlier Jewish witness of Elephantine and the name elements, none of which end in " eh.". As to the meaning of the name, we are safer if we find the character of God from his works and from the descriptions of him in the Scripture rather than to depend on a questionable etymology of his name. See further the writer's remarks in "The Pronunciation of the Tetragram" in The Law and the Prophets, J. H. Skilton, ed., Presbyterian & Reformed, 1974, pp R.L.H.]. Among the commonest names with this element are y®hôn¹t¹n "Jonathan," the name of seventeen different OT characters (ISBE, III, pp. 1580, 1730). These include Moses' treacherous (great) grandson Jonathan (Jud 18:30, ASV), David's faithful friend Jonathan, the son of Saul (1Sam 18:1), and David's young courier Jonathan the son of Abiathar (2Sam 15:27; 1Kings 1:42). y®hôsh¹p¹t "Jehoshaphat," identifies six individuals (ISBE, III, pp , 1743), including Israel's recorder under David and Solomon (2Sam 8:16; 1Kings 4:3) and Judah's fourth king after the division, B.C. The name reappears in Joel's prediction of the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Joe) Joel 3:2, 12 [H4 2,12]), where God will overcome the nations gathered to oppose his advent in glory. But rather than designating the site of King Jehoshaphat's ancient victory (Beracah between Hebron and Bethlehem, 2Chr 20:26), this title seems to identify a spot beside Jerusalem (Joel 3:17 [H 4.17]), traditionally the Kidron, below Olivet (Zech 14:4). It may be less a place name than prophecy's description of the event of y®hôsh¹p¹t ; "Yahweh has judged.". y®hôshû¦-y¢shû¦± designates ten Hebrew leaders (ISBE, III, pp. 1622, 1743) from Moses' successor Joshua (KJV, Jehoshua in Num 13:16; 1Chr 7:27) to the post-exilic high priest Jeshua (Ezra 3:2; Neh 12:10). The former's name was changed from the Hiphil infinitive, Hoshea, "salvation," to Joshua, with its deeper spiritual connotation of "Yahweh (is) salvation" (Num 13:8, 16). Both men are called "Jesus" in Greek (Acts 7:45; 1Esd 5:48), i.e., yeshûa± is our Lord's Hebrew name, "for he will save his people from their sins" (Mt 1:21). This may be a shortened form with the divine element omitted, meaning "he will save.". The shortened independent form of the divine name, Yah, occurs primarily in poetry and in the exclamation, Hallelu-yah, praise Yahweh. It serves also as a terminal element in proper nouns like Elijah: " °¢lîyâ (or °¢lîy¹hû), "God (is) Yahweh.". In the post-biblical period, reverence for the ineffable name "Yahweh" caused it to be supplanted in synagogue reading (but not in writing) with the noun °¦dœn¹y, "my master," or Lord. Next, when medieval Jewish scholars began to insert vowels to accompany the consonantal OT text, they added to YHWH the Masoretic vowel points for °¦dœn¹y ; and the actual writing became an impossible Y¦HœW¹H, the ASV "Jehovah.". God's name identifies his nature, so that a request for his "name" is equivalent to asking about his character (Exo 3:13; Hos 12:5 [H 6]). Critical speculation about the origin and meaning of "Yahweh" seems endless (cf. L. Kbhler, OT Theology, pp. 4246; IDB, 11, pp ); but the Bible's own explanation in Exo 3:14 is that it represents the simple (Qal) imperfect of h¹wâ "to be," I am [is] what I am. The precise name Yahweh results when others speak of him in the third person, yahweh "He is." Albright, it is true, has championed a causative rendering, "I cause to be, I create" (From the Stone Age to Christianity, 2d ed., 1946, p. 198; D. N. Freedman, JBL, 79: ); but this is rightly criticized as "conjuring up a nonexistent Hiphil form" (N. Walker, JBL, 79: 277). Some have gone on to suggest that the Qal meaning of Yahweh must be God's unchangeableness toward his people (Exo 3:15; G. Vos, Biblical Theology, p. 134). But, as Moses himself indicated (Exo 3:13), the fact that he was the ancient God of the fathers was insufficient to answer Israel's need at that time; and, in any event, the OT has little to say concerning abstractions such as "the changelessness of deity" (though in the NT Jesus did use Exo 3:14 to introduce the thought of his eternal divine existence, Jn 8:58), God's immediately preceding promise to Moses had been, "Certainly I will be with you" (Exo 3:12). So his assertion in verse 14 would seem to be saying, "I am present is what I am." Indeed, the fundamental promise of his testament is, "I will be their God, and they will be my people" (Exo 6:7; etc.; contrast Hos 1:9); thus "Yahweh," "faithful presence," is God's testamentary nature, or name (Exo 6:2, 4; Deut 7:9; Isa 26:4). The use of Yahweh as a divine name goes back to earliest times (Gen 4:1, 26; Gen 9:26), although the documentation for its employment among other early cultures appears questionable (IDB, II, p. 409). In Exo 6:3 the Lord explains to Moses that by his name Yahweh he had not been "known" to the patriarchs, meaning "know" (see y¹da±) in its fullest sense: the name was in use (Gen 12:8; Gen 15:2, 7, 8) but was not appreciated in the redemptive significance that it acquired under Moses (J. A. Motyer, The Revelation of the Divine Name). For even the so-called P document, which critics have hypothesized as contradicting the Bible's claims to the earlier use of Yahweh (ibid., pp. 3-6), utilizes it in premosaic proper nouns (Jochebed, Exo 6:20; Num 26:59). Commencing with the later judges (1Sam 1:3), the name Yahweh is often combined with ƒ®b¹°ôt, "hosts" (armies, q.v.). The Tetragrammaton occurs in every OT book except Eccl and Est. It appears in the ninth century Moabite inscription of Mesha (line 18). From the eighth century onward the element "Yau-" is employed in Aramaic names and in Mesopotamian references to Hebrew rulers, Only in pre-NT times was God's personal name replaced with the less intimate title °¦dœn¹y (Gr.,kurios) "Lord.". Scripture speaks of the Tetragrammaton as "this glorious and fearful name" (Deut 28:58) or simply "the name" (Lev 24:11). But it connotes God's nearness, his concern for man, and the revelation of his redemptive covenant. In Genesis 1 through Genesis 2:3, the general term °§lœhîm (q.v.) "deity," is appropriate for God transcendent in creation; but in Gen 2:4-25 it is Yahweh, the God who is immanent in Eden's revelations. In Gen 9:26-27, Elohim enlarges Japheth, but Yahweh is the God of Shem; the latter is especially used in references to the God of Israel. In Psa 19 the heavens declare the glory of El (vv. I -6); but the law of Yahweh is perfect, and Yahweh is "my strength and my redeemer" (vv [H 8-15]; cf. G. T. Manley, The Book of the Law, p. 41). Yet the distinction is not pervasive: Psalms 14 and Psalms 53 are practically identical except for the divine names employed; book I of the Psalter (Psa 1-41) simply prefers Yahweh, and book II (42-72), Elohim. Ultimately the connotations of the name Yahweh are fulfilled in the "covenant of peace," when the God who has been present from the first will be fully present at the last (Isa 41:4); cf. Ezekiel's stress upon God's "sanctuary in the midst of them forevermore" (Ezek 37:26) and his eschatological city's being named YHWH sh¹mmâ "Yahweh is there." Bibliography: Abba, R., "The Divine Name Yahweh," JBL 80: Albright, W. F., Yahweh and the Gods of Canaan, pp Freedman, D. N., "The Name of the God of Moses," JBL 79: Harris, R. L., "The Pronunciation of the Tetragram," in The Law and the Prophets, ed. J. H. Skilton, Presbyterian and Reformed, 1974, pp Jacob, E., Theology of the OT, Harper, 1958, pp Motyer, A. J., The Revelation of the Divine Name, London: Tyndale, Payne, J. B., Theology of the Older Testament, Zondervan, 1962, pp TDNT, III, pp J.B.P.

21 Specific Claims That Jesus Is GodThe "I AM" statements, John 8:58 (before Abraham was, I AM!) 1. I am the Bread of Life, John 6:35, 41, 48, 51. 2. I am the Light of the World, John 8:12 and 9:5. 3. I am the Door of the sheep, John 10:7,9. 4. I am the Good Shepherd, John 10:11,14. 5. I am the Son of God, Mark 14:62; John 9:37; 10:36. 6. I am the Resurrection and the Life, John 11:25. 7. I am the Way, Truth and Life, John 14:6. 8. I am the True Vine, John 15:1, 5 9. I am the Alpha and Omega, Rev. 1:8, 17. 10. I am the Root of the Tribe of David, Rev. 22:16.

22 John 10:31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him.2. The Anger (picked up stones to stone Him) Leviticus 24: Now the son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the sons of Israel; and the Israelite woman's son and a man of Israel struggled with each other in the camp. 11 The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name and cursed. So they brought him to Moses. (Now his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.) 12 They put him in custody so that the command of the LORD might be made clear to them. 13 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 14 "Bring the one who has cursed outside the camp, and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head; then let all the congregation stone him. 15 "You shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'If anyone curses his God, then he will bear his sin. 16 'Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.

23 3. The Question (which of the works/miracles are stoning me for?)John 10: Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?" 3. The Question (which of the works/miracles are stoning me for?) John 5: For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But He answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working." 18 For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. 19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. 20 "For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. 21 "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. 22 "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. 24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. 25 "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 "For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; 27 and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. 28 "Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. 30 "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 31 "If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. 32 "There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true. 33 "You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34 "But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 "He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 "But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish-- the very works that I do-- testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.

24 4. The Accusation (blasphemy - you a mere man claim to be God)John 10: The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God." 4. The Accusation (blasphemy - you a mere man claim to be God) Exodus 20:3 3 "You shall have no other gods before Me. Deuteronomy 5:7 7 'You shall have no other gods before Me. Deuteronomy 6:4 4 "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!

25 John 10: Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, 'I SAID, YOU ARE GODS '? 35 "If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 5. The Insight (Psalm 86:2 calls men “gods” and Scripture can’t be broken/wrong) 82:6 I said. Kings and judges are set up ultimately by the decree of God (Ps. 2:6). God, in effect, invests His authority in human leaders for the stability of the universe (cf. Rom. 13:1– 7). But God may revoke this authority (v. 7). “You are gods.” Jesus, in quoting this phrase in John 10:34, supported the interpretation that the “gods” were human beings. In a play on words, he claims that if human leaders can be called “gods,” certainly the Messiah can be called God. children of the Most High. Created by God for noble life. It is important to note that Jesus, having been charged with blasphemy because His opponents knew exactly what He was claiming, did not claim that they had misunderstood Him. His refusal to do so makes it clear that His declaration, “I and the Father are one” (v. 30), was in fact what they knew it to be, a claim to be God. Jesus knew how seriously they took the very word God, so He addressed that one matter by quoting a passage from the Old Testament: “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? The very Law (a reference here to the entire Old Testament, not just the Pentateuch) that the Jews prized so highly used the term gods to refer to others than God Himself. The reference is to Psalm 82:6, where God rebuked Israel’s unjust judges, calling them gods (in a far lesser sense) because they ruled as His representatives and spokesmen (cf. Ex. 4:16; 7:1). The Jewish leaders could not dispute the fact that those judges were called gods, because the Scripture cannot be broken—a clear and unambiguous declaration of the absolute authority and inerrancy of the Bible. Scripture can never be nullified or set aside (see the discussion of Matt. 5:17–19 in Matthew 1–7, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary [Chicago: Moody, 1985], 249–273), though the Jews often tried (cf. Mark 7:13). Since God called the unjust judges gods, Jesus’ argument ran, how could His opponents say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, “You are blaspheming,” because He said, “I am the Son of God?” If mere men, who were evil, could in some sense be called gods, how could it be inappropriate for Jesus, the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, to call Himself the Son of God (cf. 5:19–27)? The point is not to add to the evidence of His deity; it is simply a rebuke on the level of their overreaction to the use of the word God in reference to Jesus. He had proven that He was entitled to that title in the full divine sense, as He would affirm again in vv. 37–38. They were merely those to whom the word of God came; Jesus was the Incarnate Word of God (1:1, 14). As one commentator further explains, This passage is sometimes misinterpreted as though Jesus was simply classing himself with men in general. He appeals to the psalm that speaks of men as “gods,” so runs the reasoning, and thus justifies his speaking of himself as Son of God. He is “god” in the same sense as others. But this is not taking seriously enough what Jesus actually says. He is arguing from the less to the greater. If the word god could be used of people who were no more than judges, how much more could it be used of one with greater dignity, greater importance and significance than any mere judge, one “whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world”? He is not placing himself on a level with men, but setting himself apart from them. (Leon Morris, Reflections on the Gospel of John [Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2000], 396) MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). John 1–11 (pp. 445–446). Chicago: Moody Press.

26 6. The Title (Jesus claims to be “The Son of God”)John 10: do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God '? 6. The Title (Jesus claims to be “The Son of God”) Matt. 4:3, 6; 8:29; 26:63; 27:40, 43, 54; Mk. 1:1; 3:11; 15:39; Lk. 1:35; 3:38; 4:3, 9, 41; 22:70; Jn. 1:34, 49; 3:18; 5:25; 10:36; 11:4, 27; 19:7; 20:31; Acts 8:37; 9:20; Rom. 1:4; 2 Co. 1:19; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:13; Heb. 4:14; 6:6; 7:3; 10:29; 1 Jn. 3:8; 4:15; 5:5, 10, 12f, 20; Rev. 2:18

27 7. The Evidence (Believe the works/miracles)John 10: "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." 7. The Evidence (Believe the works/miracles) The Lord’s appeal to the Old Testament was a challenge again for the Jewish leaders to abandon their biased conclusions about Him and consider the objective evidence. In that same vein Jesus continued by saying, “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” As He had so many other times before, with annoying patience (cf. vv. 25, 32; 5:19–20, 36; 14:10–11) the Lord appealed to His works as proof of His indivisible union with the Father (v. 30). But incredibly, the religious leaders of Israel were so spiritually blind that they could not recognize God’s works. If Jesus did not do the works of the Father, they would have been right in refusing to believe Him. On the other hand, because He did do them, they should have put aside their reluctance to believe His words, and chosen instead to believe the clear testimony of His works. As supposed men of God, they should have been willing to follow the evidence to its logical conclusion. MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). John 1–11 (p. 446). Chicago: Moody Press.

28 John 10:38 so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father."8. The Claim (Understand that “the Father is in me, and I in the Father”)

29 9. The Escape (He eluded their grasp)John 10: Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp. 9. The Escape (He eluded their grasp) Not unexpectedly, the Lord’s challenge to His opponents fell on deaf ears. Instead of considering the evidence, the Jewish leaders responded as they had before by seeking again to seize Him. It may be that they were planning to haul Him out of the temple before stoning Him (cf. Acts 21:30– 32), but more likely they meant to arrest Him and hold Him for trial before the Sanhedrin. No matter what they intended, His hour still had not come (7:30; 8:20), so Jesus eluded their grasp. He left Jerusalem, not to return until three or four months later to raise Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1ff.) and enter Jerusalem in triumph (12:12ff.). But as always, there were some who believed and embraced Him (cf. vv. 19–21; 7:12, 43; 9:16; 11:45). After leaving Jerusalem, the Lord went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing (Bethany beyond the Jordan; see the exposition of 1:28 in chapter 4 of this volume). While He was staying there many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true.” The people there remembered Him and came to Him as they had earlier flocked to John the Baptist. While John performed no sign, that is to say did no miracles, he was nonetheless the preeminent witness to Jesus; as the people noted, “Everything John said about Him was true.” Not surprisingly, many believed in Him there. So Jesus’ public ministry closed with one last rejection by the very leaders who should have hailed Him as the Messiah. Their rejection foreshadowed His final rejection a few months later, when the people, under their influence (Matt. 27:20), “cried out, ‘Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!’ ” (John 19:15). Even today, there are many who, like the hostile Jewish nation, allow their preconceived ideas about religion and their love for sin to blind them to the saving truth about Jesus Christ. Nonetheless those who are drawn to Him in repentance and faith will come to know the truth of who He is (7:17). To them will be given “the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (1:12). MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). John 1–11 (pp. 447–449). Chicago: Moody Press.

30 10. The Result (Many believed)John 10: And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there. 41 Many came to Him and were saying, "While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true." 42 Many believed in Him there. 10. The Result (Many believed)