In Christianity, Jesus is widely regarded as God, based on the doctrine of the Trinity, which asserts that God exists as three distinct persons in one essence: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. This belief is supported by multiple passages in the Bible.
Biblical Evidence Supporting Jesus as God
- John 1:1-3, 14
- “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him, all things were made… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
- Interpretation: Jesus is identified as “the Word,” which is explicitly called God and later incarnated as a human being.
- John 10:30
- Jesus says, “I and the Father are one.”
- Interpretation: This verse is often understood to express unity of essence between Jesus and God.
- Philippians 2:5-7
- “Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”
- Interpretation: Jesus is described as having the nature of God but humbling Himself to take on human form.
- Colossians 2:9
- “For in Christ, all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”
- Interpretation: Jesus is said to embody the full essence of God.
- Revelation 1:17-18
- Jesus says, “I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever!”
- Interpretation: The title “First and Last” is a divine title also used for God in Isaiah 44:6.
- Isaiah 9:6 (Prophecy about the Messiah)
- “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
- Interpretation: The Messiah (understood to be Jesus) is explicitly called “Mighty God.”
Counterpoints within Christianity
Some groups like Unitarians or Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the idea of Jesus being God. They interpret verses like John 14:28 (“The Father is greater than I”) as evidence of Jesus’ subordinate position to God.
Islam
Islam unequivocally denies that Jesus is God. Instead, Jesus (Isa) is revered as a prophet and messenger of Allah, but he is not considered divine. This belief is supported by several passages in the Qur’an.
Qur'anic Evidence Denying Jesus as God
- Qur’an 4:171
- “O People of the Scripture! Do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, ‘Three’; desist—it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son.”
- Interpretation: This verse explicitly denies the Trinity and Jesus’ divinity.
- Qur’an 5:72-73
- “They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary’… Indeed, Allah has forbidden Paradise to him, and his refuge is the Fire… They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the third of three.’ And there is no god except one God.”
- Interpretation: The Qur’an considers the belief that Jesus is God as disbelief.
- Qur’an 5:116
- “And [beware the Day] when Allah will say, ‘O Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to the people, ‘Take me and my mother as deities besides Allah?’ He will say, ‘Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right.'”
- Interpretation: Jesus is portrayed as rejecting claims of divinity.
- Qur’an 112:1-4
- “Say, ‘He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.’
- Interpretation: This emphasizes the absolute oneness of God, rejecting the notion of God having a son.
Judaism
In Judaism, Jesus is neither considered God nor the Messiah. The concept of God becoming a human being is inconsistent with Jewish theological teachings.
Scriptural Basis in Judaism
- Deuteronomy 6:4 (Shema)
- “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”
- Interpretation: This central declaration of Jewish faith emphasizes the oneness of God, ruling out the idea of God existing in multiple persons.
- Numbers 23:19
- “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.”
- Interpretation: This verse denies the possibility of God being human or taking human form.
- Isaiah 43:10-11
- “Before Me no god was formed, nor will there be one after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from Me there is no savior.”
- Interpretation: God alone is eternal and the sole savior, leaving no room for Jesus to be God.
- Isaiah 45:5-6
- “I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from Me, there is no God.”
- Interpretation: This monotheistic emphasis excludes the possibility of Jesus sharing in God’s essence.
Jewish Perspective on the Messiah
Judaism expects a human Messiah who will restore Israel, not a divine figure. Jesus did not fulfill these expectations, such as rebuilding the Temple or establishing global peace (Isaiah 11:1-9).
Comparison
- Christianity: Jesus is affirmed as God and part of the Trinity based on New Testament writings and prophecies in the Hebrew Bible.
- Islam: Jesus is a revered prophet but strictly not God or part of any divine plurality.
- Judaism: Jesus is neither God nor the Messiah, as Jewish theology denies any incarnation of God and sees Jesus as not fulfilling messianic prophecies.
Conclusion
The question of Jesus’ divinity is deeply rooted in theological frameworks specific to each religion. While Christianity affirms Jesus as God, Islam and Judaism categorically deny this claim based on their respective scriptures. Each perspective reflects a distinct understanding of God, humanity, and salvation.
