Declaration Of Deity

by Tom Bunting

The gospel according to John was written with one great purpose, to “bear record that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34). The theme of this great book is repeated again in the conclusion. John says, “And many other signs … but these are written, that ye might believe” (John 20:30-31).

John was one of those that testified to the divinity of Christ. “Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth” (John 5:33). John said, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29, 36). But there is greater witness than the witness of John.

There is the witness of God the Father. “And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me” (John 5:37). The deity of Christ was declared by God on at least two occasions: After the baptism of Jesus there was heard a voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). The second time was on the mount of transfiguration when again a voice from a cloud was heard saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him” (Matthew 17:5).

He is also declared to be the Christ by his personal affirmations. The statements in the lessons of Jesus are most astonishing and assert his divinity. Through his ministry he continued to declare his deity. To the woman at the well he said, “I that speak unto thee am he” (John 4:25-26). The Jews sought to kill him for he said that “God was his Father” (John 5:17-18). To the multitude the day following the feeding of the five thousand he said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). As we go on through the gospel of John we find these statements: “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12; 9:5). “I am from above” (John 8:23-25). “Ye shall know I am he” (John 8:28). “I … came from God” (John 8:42). “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:56-58). “I am the door” (John 10:7-9). “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11). “I am the resurrection, and the life” (John 11:25). “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). “I am the true vine” (John 15:1). The result was generally the same. They “were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one having authority” (Matthew 7:28-29; Mark 1:22 ; Luke 4:32). Many of the people therefore, when they heard his savings said, “Of a truth this is the Prophet” (John 7:40). The officers said, “Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46). On another occasion after one of his lessons the people asked, “Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning” (John 8:25). “As he spake these words, many believed on him” (John 8:30).

Still there is more evidence of his divinity. This is the testimony of the scriptures or fulfilled prophecy. “Search the scriptures … and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). There are prophecies mentioned in the other gospels which were not mentioned by John. However, we are trying to confine ourselves to the declaration of deity as found in John’s gospel. Note the following prophecies and their fulfillment: “And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion; behold thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt” (John 12:14, 15; quoted from Zechariah 9:9). “But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (John 12:37-38 from Isaiah 53:1 ; 6:10). “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me” (John 13:18 from Psalms 41:9). “… but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause” (John 15:24, 25 prophesied in Psalms 69:4; Isaiah 49:7). “Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst” (John 19:18 fulfilling Isaiah 53:12). “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar … and put it to his mouth” (John 19:28-29 prophesied in Psalms 69:21). “They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots” (John 19:24 prophesied in Psalms 22:18). “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs … For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken” (John 19:33, 36 from Psalms 34:20). And again another scripture says, “They shall look on him whom they pierced” (John 19:37 quoted from Zechariah 12:10). Did you notice the number of times that John used such statements as: the scripture saith, the scripture should be fulfilled, the word might be fulfilled? Yes, search the scriptures for they testify of the Christ the Son of God.

The final declaration that John makes concerning the deity of Christ is the resurrection. When Mary Magdalene came to the sepulchre early in the morning the first of the week she found the tomb empty. Running to tell the disciples she came to Peter and another disciple and told them that someone had stolen the body. The two disciples ran together to the tomb and Peter entered first and the other followed him. They saw the linen clothes and noted that the napkin that had been about His head was by itself in another place. After the two disciples had left Mary remained at the tomb weeping. Two angels asked her, “Woman, why weepest thou?” She said, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where laid him.” At this moment the Lord appeared to Mary but she first supposed it to be the gardener. “Jesus saith, unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him Rabboni; which is to say, Master” (John 20:16).

That same evening when the disciples were assembled, they had the doors closed because they feared the Jews, Jesus stood in the midst of them, and said, “Peace be unto you.” And he showed them his hands and his side (John 20:19-20). But Thomas was not present at this time.

Eight days later the disciples were together again and Thomas was with them. Then Jesus came and appeared to them the second time. “Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing” (John 20:27). Thomas answered, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).

Still the evidence of the resurrection was not through. Jesus showed himself to the disciples a third time at the sea of Tiberias (John 21:1). And the apostle Paul lists other appearances of Christ as proof of his resurrection. “And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of about five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time” (I Corinthians 15:5-8). For forty days after his resurrection he was seen of the disciples and spoke things pertaining to the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3).

John’s purpose was to “bear record that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34) and that’s precisely what he did. He gave as evidence: the works of Jesus, the testimony of John, the testimony of God the Father, Jesus’ personal affirmations, fulfilled prophecies, and the resurrection. He concludes his work by saying, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30-31). This is truly a book which declares the deity of Christ.