Part 2 of 3 of the series Was Jesus who He said He was
Scripture Focus: John 8:58; Mark 14:61–64; Colossians 2:9
“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” —Jesus
John 8:58
Introduction: Who Gets Executed for Being Nice?
Let’s pause and ask a logical question: Why was Jesus killed?
Was it because He was a kind teacher? A moral example? A wandering miracle worker?
Rome didn’t crucify people for being gentle. The Jewish Sanhedrin didn’t tear their robes over metaphor. Something about Jesus was deeply offensive—so much so that both religious and political powers united to silence Him.
Here’s the unavoidable truth: Jesus was executed for claiming to be God.
The Heart of the Matter: Jesus Was Killed for Blasphemy
A. The Trial Before the Sanhedrin
In Mark 14, Jesus is on trial. The high priest presses Him:
“Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
Mark 14:61–62
This is not subtle. Jesus is quoting Daniel 7:13–14—a vision of a divine figure who receives everlasting dominion. He applies this heavenly identity to Himself.
The high priest responds as any first-century Jew would:
“You have heard the blasphemy!”
Mark 14:64
He tore his robes. They condemned Jesus to death. The logic is clear: Jesus claimed divine authority, and that claim got Him crucified.
B. Why Rome Signed Off
From the Roman perspective, Jesus was seen as a threat to Caesar’s rule. Pilate’s inscription over the cross read: “Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews” (John 19:19). To proclaim a kingdom—especially one not of this world (John 18:36)—was treason. But the charge originated in a deeper offense: Jesus claimed the authority of God Himself.
Did Jesus Really Claim to Be God? Yes—Repeatedly and Clearly
A. Divine Titles and Claims
1. “I AM” Statements
When Jesus declared, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), He wasn’t making a grammatical error. He was invoking the divine name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14. The Jews understood—and tried to stone Him (John 8:59).
2. Forgiving Sins
In Mark 2:5–7, Jesus forgives a paralyzed man’s sins. The scribes respond: “Who can forgive sins but God alone?”—a rhetorical question with a theological punch. Jesus doesn’t correct them. He proves His authority by healing the man and essentially says, “Exactly.”
3. Claiming Oneness with the Father
“I and the Father are one.”
John 10:30
The result? “The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him.”
John 10:31
Again, their response clarifies the claim: “Because You, being a man, make Yourself God” (John 10:33, LSB).
B. His Actions Spoke Louder Than Words
Jesus didn’t just say divine things—He did what only God can do:
- He calmed the sea (Mark 4:39)—a divine act in Psalm 89:9.
- He received worship (Matthew 14:33; John 20:28)—which angels and apostles refused (Acts 10:26; Revelation 22:9).
- He claimed authority over the Law (Matthew 5:21–48), saying, “But I say to you…”
In the Jewish worldview, these were not the acts of a prophet. They were the prerogatives of God.
Is There Evidence of These Claims Outside the Bible?
Yes. The earliest non-Christian sources confirm that Christians worshiped Jesus as God—not as a teacher, not merely a prophet, but divine.
A. Pliny the Younger (c. AD 112)
Describes Christians gathering on a fixed day to “sing hymns to Christ as to a god” (Letters 10.96; Wilken, 2003, p. 103). This is just decades after Jesus’ death—long before later theological development.
B. Tacitus and Suetonius
Though they don’t record the exact claims, their recognition of Jesus’ following, execution, and the explosive growth of a faith centered on Him aligns with the Gospel portrayal of a man who claimed ultimate authority (Tacitus, Annals 15.44).
C. Ignatius of Antioch (c. AD 107)
A disciple of John, Ignatius repeatedly refers to Jesus as “our God” (Letter to the Ephesians 1; Smyrnaeans 1). These letters affirm the earliest church didn’t develop the deity of Christ—they received it.
The Logical Dilemma: Lord, Liar, or Lunatic
C.S. Lewis, the former atheist turned Christian apologist, captured the dilemma with precision:
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to” (Lewis, 1952, pp. 52–53).
C.S. Lewis famously argued that Jesus cannot simply be a “good moral teacher.” Given His claims, there are only three options:
- If He knew His claims were false, He was a liar.
- If He believed them but was wrong, He was a lunatic.
- If His claims were true, He is Lord (Lewis, 1952, pp. 52–53).
There is no room for the modern sentimental Jesus—an inspiring rabbi who never made waves. His enemies understood Him better than many today. They crucified Him because He claimed to be the I AM.
And this is where logic and theology converge:
If Jesus claimed to be God, and if He backed it with authority, miracles, and ultimately resurrection (Part 3), then we must reckon with that claim.
Theological Implications: Only God Can Save
Why does this matter?
Because only God can forgive sins, absorb wrath, and conquer death. A mere man on a cross cannot redeem the world. But the God-man can. As Paul writes:
“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells bodily”
Colossians 2:9
Jesus didn’t just claim to be God. He proved it—and paid for it. His cross wasn’t a political mistake. It was the divine plan of redemption (Isaiah 53:10; Acts 2:23).
Conclusion: The Claims That Demand a Verdict
Jesus of Nazareth didn’t whisper divine hints—He shouted them through word, deed, and resurrection power. His enemies heard Him clearly. His disciples staked their lives on it. And the world has never been the same.
So the real question isn’t Did He claim to be God? The real question is: Will you believe Him?
In Part 3: Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?, we’ll examine the event that confirmed His claims—and changed everything.
References
Ehrman, B. D. (2012). Did Jesus Exist? The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth. HarperOne.
Ignatius of Antioch. (c. AD 107). Letter to the Ephesians, Letter to the Smyrnaeans.
Lewis, C. S. (1952). Mere Christianity. Macmillan.
Tacitus. (c. AD 116). Annals 15.44.
Wilken, R. L. (2003). The Christians as the Romans Saw Them. Yale University Press.
