Jesus is God (the 2nd Person in the Trinity)


Since the first century there has been debate about the ontological nature of Jesus of Nazareth. Some say He was only a man, others say he was only a god, and others say that he was a mixture of the two. The early church was fairly unified that Jesus was both God and man (http://www.dtl.org/subject/trinity.htm), and that doctrine was codified at the Nicean Council in 325. At that council, summarizing the debate that occurred primarily against Arius of Alexandria, they clarified the issue with the following words:

We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible. And we believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten from the Father, only-begotten, that is from the Father's substance, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one substance with the Father. Through him were made all things, both in heaven and on earth. For us and for our salvation he came down, was incarnate and became human. He suffered, rose again on the third day, ascended into the heavens and is coming to judge the living and the dead. And we believe in the Holy Spirit. But those who say, 'there was once when he was not' and 'before he was begotten he was not,' and that 'he was made out of nothing,' or who affirm that 'the Son is of a different hypostasis or substance,' or that he is mutable or changeable - these the catholic and apostolic church anathematizes.

There are many people today who believe that Jesus was just a good man, but was not God. This belief contradicts Scripture's witness that Jesus was fully God and that Jesus knew that He Himself was God. Further, this belief by the early church and Scripture opposes the current Jehovah's Witness belief that Jesus was merely "a god"--the orthodox belief is that Jesus was part of the Trinity, and was Yahweh God, the "one true and mighty God", not a minor god among several. While the term Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) is not a term that is explicity used in Scripture, there is abundant Scriptural witness to the theology of the Trinity and church history strongly attests to the apostolic belief that both Jesus and the Holy Spirit are two of the three parts of the God-Head, together with the Father.

Below is my argument from Scripture that Jesus is clearly the one true God. It is primarily addressed to the specific anti-Trinitarian arguments of the Jehovah's Witnesses, but the Scriptures used are valid in any context to support the theology that Jesus is fully God as part of the Trinity. But because of the focus on Jehovah's Witness arguments, the passages quoted are from their accepted translation, the New World Translation, followed by the New International Version passages. The two translations are not incompatible and are not paralled here in an attempt to show disagreements in the translations, but are for convenience only for those used to the NWT or the NIV respectively.

Finally, despite the nature of this paper as supporting Jesus' divinity, it is not my position that the Arian/Jehovah's Witness position has no Scriptural support. As with all human-originated attempts to do theology, we fail to fully grasp the true nature of God, of God's relationship with humans and of our relationships with each other. Since we are fallen and finite beings, we do not have the epistemological capacity to fully understand God. On the issue of the ontological nature of Jesus, I see in Scripture a paradox in the descriptions of Jesus, some of which seem to indicate Jesus as created and less than fully God, while others indicate Jesus' full divinity. Rather than seeing these passages as contradictions, I see them as further humbling evidence that we cannot truly understand Jesus' nature and that a more rational position on this issue is not Trinitarian or Arian, but a position incorporates the mysteries of both positions into a theology that glorifies God despite human incompetence.


1) Philippians 2:5-7

The first three arguments are Greek in nature, and require a working knowledge of New Testament Greek to fully accept. These are the only three points at which I will take exception to the NW translation of the Greek and Hebrew, which is why I feel it neccessary to explain the Greek and Hebrew.
NWT
Keep this mental attitude in YOU that was also in Christ Jesus, who, although he was existing in God's form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God. No, but he emptied himself and took a slave's form and came to be in the likeness of men.

NIV
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Wescott/Hort (verse 6 only)
os en morfh Qeou 'uparxwn oux 'arpagmon hghsato to einai isa Qew

The NWT actually appears to be more of a dynamic paraphrase of the verse rather than a translation. First this translation downplays the strength of the Greek 'uparchw, and translates it as "existing in God's form" rather than clarifying the true intent of the word, which is almost tautological in nature, referring to the full equality in essence of Jesus' nature with Yahweh's nature. Then, immediately following this strong assertion of Jesus' nature, Paul uses the word 'arpagmos, meaning "to be forcibly retained" as opposed to the NW translation of Jesus giving "no consideration to a seizure." There are two primary usages of 'arpagmos, one meaning to rob, and the other to continue to clutch. The translation of 'arpagmos with the robbery connotation does not fit into the context of the passage, nor of the image of Jesus that the original readers would have had, and therefore would not need to be said. The more appropriate translation is of Jesus not feeling the need to forcibly clutch the nature of God that he already possessed. the theology deriving form this translation is that in the incarnation, there were certain characteristics of being God that Jesus had that would have to be given up in order to become fully human, such as omnipresense, omnipotence and omniscience.


2) John 8:58 + Exodus 3:14
NWT
John 8:58 Jesus said to them: "Most truly I say to YOU, Before Abraham came into existence, I have been."

Exodus 3:14 And this God said to Moses: "I SHALL PROVE TO BE WHAT I SHALL PROVE TO BE,"...

NIV
John 8:58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"

Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM.

Wescott/Hort
John 8:58 eipen autois ihsous amhn amhn legw umin prin abraam genesQai egw eimi

Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament in Jesus' day; circa 450-400 BCE)
Exodus 3:14 kai eipen ho Qeos pros Mwsn egw eimi ho wn...

BHM (Hebrew)
Exodus 3:14 b'amar 'elohiym 'el-mosheh hayah asher hayah...

The strongest contention against the NW translation is of the John 8:58 translation of egw eimi as "I have been." The Greek is unambiguous at this point, and the NW appears to be simply a mistranslation. There is no linguistic evidence that I know of for translating egw eimi in the imperfect tense--it is clearly present tense. The word eimi is the present, active, indicative, first person singular form of the word "to be" and can only be translated as "I am." The helping word egw is merely a first person singular pronoun translated as "I." One of the issues in translating this verse is that there is no need for the word egw because eimi already clearly indicates first person singular ("I"). Using the pronoun is often used for emphasis. In this case, there is reason to believe that Jesus was intending to refer back to Exodus 3: 14, where Yahweh claims that His name is (according to the Septuagint) is egw eimi, ho wn, translated as "I am who I am." The three primary reasons supporting this translation and interpretation of Jesus' intent is the unneccessary usage of egw (thus parallelling the Septuagint translation), the context of Jesus placing his existence prior to Abraham (thus implying omnipresence in time), and the response of the Pharisees (John 8:59), who immediately tried to stone him. The offense for blasphemy against God was immediate death by stoning, and there is much evidence in this passage to indicate that Jesus was calling Himself God, equivalent to Yahweh.
3) Hebrews 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

NIV
But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.

Westcott/Hort
pros de ton 'uion o Qronov sou o Qeov eis ton aiwna tou aiwnov kai h rabdos ths euQuthtos rabdos ths basileias sou

The Greek in this passage does not easily allow for the NW translation of "God is your throne." The Greek, "o Qronov sou o Qeov" pretty clearly is best translated as the NIV does as "Your throne, O God..." In order for this verse to be translated "God is your throne" there would have to be the verb "to be" in the sentence, which there is not. Without the verb "is" one cannot translate "o Qronov sou o Qeov" as God is your throne," but only as "Your throne, O God..." Therefore, in the context of the passage, the author of Hebrews says that Yahweh is saying to Jesus, "Your throne, O God, will last forever." In the process of saying this, the expected Greek word kurios, meaning Lord or master, is not used, but the strong word Qeos, which can only be translated God. Combine this with the argument from verse ten (see argument #11), this verse clearly seems to indicate that Yahweh was also calling Jesus God at the level of Yahweh Himself.
4) Isaiah 9:6
NWT
For there has been a child born to us, there has been a son given to us; and the princely rule will come to be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

NIV
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

This verse in Isaiah is a prophecy about Jesus, but is calling him both Mighty God and Eternal Father, both of which are terms for Yahweh. This indicates that there was at some level the belief by Isaiah that the coming Messiah, who would be born as an human, would also somehow be fully God, not *just* a king (often the word for god in the OT actually refers to powerful people, but in this context, Isaiah clarifies the intent of his reference).
5) Matthew 28:19
NWT
Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit

NIV
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

There was a longstanding tradition of baptism in the Jewish faith, and was done in the name of Yahweh God. In this context, when the baptism custom is taken up by the New Testament Christians, the baptism is now clarified by referring specifically to all parts of the Trinity. Nobody in the Jewish custom would have baptized in the name of any king of person, because to do so would be blasphemy. In this case, Jesus is clarifying the nature of God by specifying all parts of the God-head in his reference to baptism in the name of God. Baptism in the name of the one God Yahweh means being baptized into all three persons contained within the One God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
6) John 5:18
NWT
On this account, indeed, the Jews began seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath but he was also calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God

NIV
For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Here we clearly see that John believed that Jesus understood that He Himself was God, a third person in the Trinity. John does not merely say that the Jews tried to kill Jesus because they believed that Jesus was calling Himself equal with God. John explicates that the Jews were trying to kill him because HE WAS CLAIMING He was equal with God.
7) Mark 2:5-7 + Isaiah 43:25
NWT
Isaiah 43:25 I-I am the One that is wiping out your transgressions for my own sake, and your sins I shall not remember.

Mark 2:5-7 And when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic: "Child, your sins are forgiven." Now there were some of the scribes there, sitting and reasoning in their hearts: "Why is this man talking in this manner? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins except one, God?"

NIV
Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

Mark 2:5-7 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"


The Isaiah passage indicates that it is Yahweh God who forgives sins, yet Jesus takes that responsibility onto Himself. This is one of the many examples of behaviors that Jesus takes on that belong only to God. The Jews of the time knew what Jesus was claiming about Himself, which is why many of them were trying to kill him, because in claiming that He was Yahweh God, He was committing blasphemy.
8) Matthew 21:15-16 + Psalms 8:1-3
NWT
Psalms 8:1-3 O Jehovah our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth, You whose dignity is recounted above the heavens! Out of the mouth of children and sucklings you have founded strength, On account of those showing hostility to you, So as to make the enemy and the one taking his vengeance desist. When I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, The moon and the stars that you have prepared.

Matthew 21:15-16 When the chief priests and the scribes saw the marvelous things he did and the boys that were crying out in the temple and saying "Save, we pray, the Son of David!" they became indignant and said to him: "Do you hear what these are saying?" Jesus said to them:"Tes. Did YOU never read this, 'Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings you have furnished praise'?"

NIV
Psalms 8:1-3 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

Matthew 21:15-16 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant. "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, "`From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?"

Psalms 8:1 clearly indicates that verse 2 refers to Yahweh, however Jesus in Matthew 21 indicates that verse 2 refers to Himself, thus providing the teachers of the law with all the more evidence that Jesus was claiming to be Yahweh.
9) Matthew 25:31-33 + Ezekiel 34:17
NWT
Ezekiel 34:17 "'And as for YOU my sheep, this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: "Here I am judging between a sheep and a sheep, between the rams and the he-goats.

Matthew 25:31-33 "When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.

NIV
Ezekiel 34:17 "`As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.

Matthew 25:31-33 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

The Ezekiel passage indicates that it is Yahweh who will separate the sheep from the goats on the last day, whereas Jesus indicates in Matthew that He Himself will separate the two.
10) Luke 20:18 + Isaiah 8:13-15
NWT
Isaiah 8:13-15 Jehovah of armies-he is the One whom YOU should treat as holy, and he should be the object of YOUR fear, and he should be the One causing YOU to tremble." And he must become as a sacred place; but as a stone to strike against and as a rock over which to stumble to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and as a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them will be certain to stumble and to fall and be broken and to be snared and caught.

Luke 20:18 Everyone falling upon that stone will be shattered. As for anyone upon whom it falls, it will pulverize him."

NIV
Isaiah 8:13-15 The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare. Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and captured."

Luke 20:18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."

In yet another parallel passage, Jesus takes on the prophecy that was originally ascribed to Yahweh. The Isaiah passage indicates that Yahweh is the stumbling block on which some will be crushed. Jesus ascribes that passage to himself in Luke.
11) Hebrews 1:10 + Psalms 102:25-27
NWT
Psalms 102:25-27 Long ago you laid the foundations of the earth itself, And the heavens are the work of your hands. They themselves will perish, but you yourself will keep standing; And just like a garment they will all of them wear out. Just like clothing you will replace them, and they will finish their turn. But you are the same, and your own years will not be completed.

Hebrews 1:10 And: "You at [the] beginning, O Lord, laid the foundations of the earth itself, and the heavens are [the] works of your hands.

NIV
Psalms 102:25-27 In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.

Hebrews 1:10 He also says, "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

As has been seen numerous times already, the Hebrew writer is claiming that the subject of verse 10 (Jesus) is the object of Psalms 102 (Yahweh), thus giving us the distinct impression that the author of Hebrews believed that Jesus was equivalent to Yahweh.
12) Revelation 21:3-7 + Revelation 22:12-16
NWT
Revelation 21:3-7 With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: "Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will b eno more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away." And the One seated on the throne said: "Look! I am making all things new." Also, he says: "Write, because these words are faithful and true." And he said to me: "They have come to pass! I am the Al'pha and the O-me'ga, the beginning and the end. To anyone thirsting I will give from the fountain of the water of life free. Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I shall be his God and he will be my son.

Revelation 22:12-16 "Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to render to each one as his work is. I am the Al'pha and the O-me'ga, the beginning and the end. Happy are those who wash their robes, that the authority [to go] to the trees of life may be theirs and that they may gain entrance into the city by its gates. Outside are the dogs an those who practice spiritism and the fornicators and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone liking and carrying on a lie.' "'I, Jesus, sent my angel to bear witness to YOU people of these things for the congregations. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright morning star.'"

NIV
Revelation 21:3-7 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

Revelation 22:12-16 12"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you [1] this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."

Again, as has been seen numerous times previously, we see parallel passages that refer simultaneously to both Yahweh and to Jesus. In this particular instance, we see that Yahweh is called the Alpha and the Omega in Revelation 21, but that Jesus is called the Alpha and the Omega in the chapter 22.
13) John 14:6
NWT
John 14:6 Jesus said to him: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

NIV
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

There is possibly a semantic problem with Jesus calling Himself "the truth and the life." If Jesus is "the" truth and "the" life, then in what position does that place Yahweh? While this argument is not definitive, it is still compelling, if one takes Jesus' words here in a strong sense. If Jesus is the truth and the life, then it would seem logical that no other being could be the truth and the life, including Yahweh. Following this logic, if it is already known that Yahweh is truth and life, then Jesus would be making himself equivalent to Yahweh, as we have seen Him repeatedly do in the above arguments.
14) John 1:6-10 + 1 John 1:5
NWT
John 1:6-10 There arose a man that was sent forth as a representative of God: his name was John. This [man] came for a witness, in order to bear witness about the light, that peple of all sorts might believe through him. He was not that light, but he was meant to bear witness about that light. The true light that gives light to every sort of man was about to come into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into existence through him, but the world did not know him.

1 John 1:5 And this is the message which we have heard from him and are announcing to YOU, that God is light and there is no darkness at all in union with him.

NIV
John 1:6-10 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

As before, we see John in his Gospel saying that Jesus is "the light," while in his letter saying that Yahweh is "the light," indicating that the apostle John (Jesus' best friend) saw equivalency in the natures of Jesus and Yahweh.
15) John 1:3 + Colossians 1:16 + Genesis 1:1 + Revelation 4:11
NWT
John 1:3 All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.

Colossians 1:16 because by means of him all [other] things were creted in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All [other] things have been created through him and for him.

Genesis 1:1 In [the] beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Revelation 4:11 "You are worthy, Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created."

NIV
John 1:3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

Colossians 1:16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Revelation 4:11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

Here we have several verses indicating that Yahweh is the creator of all things, but at the same time we have verses which indicate that Jesus is the creator of all things. This gives us further evidence that the Scriptural writers believed that Jesus and Yahweh were the same person.
16) John 20:28
NWT
In answer Thomas said to him: "My Lord and my God!"

NIV
Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

It is often said by Jehovah's Witnesses about this verse that Thomas is redirecting his words to Yahweh as he says this. However, that is difficult to obtain from the text. There is no indication that Thomas has redirected his attention, nor does it appear that John has noticed this redirection as he writes. John does not say that "Thomas looked to heaven and said, 'My Lord and my God,'" nor is there any apparent change in the subject of Thomas' attention in the context of the passage. Rather, John indicates that when Jesus has finished talking to Thomas, Thomas is moved to say to "him [referring to Jesus, the closest subject to this pronoun], 'My Lord and my God.'"
17) Revelation 17:14 + 1 Timothy 6:15-16
NWT
Revelation 17:14 These will battle with the Lamb, but, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those called and chosen and faithful with him [will do so]."

1 Timothy 6:15-16 This [manifestation] the happy and only Potentate will show in its own appointed times, [he] the King of those who rule as kings and Lord of those who rule as lords, the one alone having immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom not one of men has seen or can see. To him be honor and might everlasting. Amen.

NIV
Revelation 17:14 They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."

1 Timothy 6:15-16 which God will bring about in his own time--God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

Again, we see parallel references to both Yahweh and Jesus. Here we see in Revelation that John believes that the Lamb (Jesus) is the King of kings and Lord of Lords, but Paul in 1 Timothy believes that Yahweh is the King of kings and Lord of lords. The only alternative interpretation for this is that Paul's language is imprecise here and is actually not referring to Yahweh here, but is referring to Jesus. In that case, however, Paul is saying that Jesus is "the one alone having immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom not one of men has seen or can see," which seems only to create more problems for the non-Trinitarian than does the understanding that Paul is refering to Yahweh.

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