13 Compelling Bible Passages Proving Jesus is God

Are you struggling with understanding Jesus’ identity? Are you interested in Christianity but not sure whether Jesus is just a good teacher or something more? Are you a Christian but have lingering by doubt over Jesus’ deity? Do you seek to tell others about Jesus as God, but are not sure of the Biblical support?

You will get no judgment from me, if you are confronting any of these issues. I have been there myself and I understand the pain and confusion that can surround the issue. The church has been clearly proclaiming Jesus’ divinity since the very beginning. Despite this, people with varying motivations have doggedly tried to make Jesus anything but God for 2,000 years now. Their arguments are becoming more common and promoted as the world hurtles toward the abyss of nihilism and humanism:

“Jesus never claimed He is God!”

“Jesus was just a philosopher“

“The Bible never says Jesus is God!”

“The disciples thought Jesus was just a teacher”

If you think I am being dramatic, I recently did multiple search engine queries about the issue of Jesus’ divinity. Every one of them returned websites passionately arguing against Jesus’s divinity within the Top 5 results. The featured snippet – the short quote included at the top of the results page – on more than one list was from a post from NPR, of all places, titled, If Jesus Never Called Himself God, How Did He Become One?. The prominently featured excerpt read:

During his lifetime, Jesus himself didn’t call himself God and didn’t consider himself God, and…none of his disciples had any inkling at all that he was God.

While NPR is entitled to push their opinion and reasonable discussion of all sides of an issue is a good thing, the fact is, both historically and biblically, their claims are entirely unsupported. It is their attempt, as a respected and popular source, to obscure clear and overwhelmingly evidence through liberal applications of fiction. Sadly, I know from experience it is an extremely effective tactic.

I grew up outside the church in an overwhelmingly secular area. I had no meaningful exposure to the Bible, church, or theology. I was nominally Christian, meaning I called myself such, but I did not know the Gospel and never really thought about Jesus’ identity. My exposure to the arguments against Jesus was abundant, however. A huge variety of people, from my edgy friends in high school to my Dad’s tough no nonsense fireman buddies to my college and law school professors accepted and taught with certainty that Jesus was not who the church said He was. “Only suckers go along with that stuff”, I was told as a young boy. Supposed religious scholars on the TV specials about Jesus further chimed in with alleged scholarly support for the assertion that Jesus never claimed to be God. This disparate chorus of voices agreed that Jesus may have been good person, a good role model, or a good teacher, but He was certainly not God and He and the Bible never claimed Him to be. They all seemed so smugly authoritative and reasoned that, before I knew it, I adopted their view of Jesus without ever consciously choosing to do so. I guess I wanted to be smug too. I certainly did not want to be exploited. I had already had more than enough of that in life.

God Loves You

Thankfully, Jesus’ love was not dependent on my understanding. He called to me and then saved me despite my errors. It was God’s beautiful grace and mercy in action.

Lessons of Grace from a Crown of Thorns

Yet, despite the Lord’s obvious work in me, the hard edged skeptic in me did not surrender immediately or easily. The messaging implanted in me left me with lingering distrust, and doubt in my early years in the church. It prevented me from fully embracing my life in Jesus fearing that I was one of the suckers I had been warned about. At the same time, paradoxically, my hope that the charges against Jesus weren’t true led me to avoid the issue entirely. (I have never claimed that my reasoning skills from those days were the best.) This conflict left me languishing in a guarded and limited walk with Jesus.

Have you been there? Have you heard the same arguments and debates? Have you struggled to answer the question of Jesus’ identity? Are you challenged by the question now and wrestling with doubt? Do you want an answer?

There is great news. I did not need to fear looking to the Lord for the answer. You don’t either. There is no reason to be stuck on this issue.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear…1 John 4:18

The evidence in the Bible of Jesus’ deity is so overwhelming, once you honestly examine it, there is no reasonable doubt on the issue. I say this as a practicing lawyer who has evaluated thousands of items of evidence over my career. I make my living judging evidence and I would be very confident presenting this case to a jury. I also state it as a person with a college degree in history. Jesus’ own statements about His identity are numerous and unmistakable. There are a multitude of verses in the Word that state His Godhood explicitly. There are also thousands more that either take it for granted or only make sense if Jesus is indeed God. When you read the words of God’s Word in context and with understanding of the background culture and references, it is abundantly clear that the modern arguments against Jesus are groundless and border on propaganda. The crowds did not repeatedly try to stone Jesus for claiming He was God because He was a good teacher, a moral man, or a good example.

You may be asking yourself right now, “Why such a long introduction to a list of Bible verses that could be just a quick listicle?”.

The reason is I want you to see the things that likely played a part in how you got where you are, if you are challenged by this question. More importantly, my hope is to encourage you that you are not alone in your battle. Many Christians have walked through the same valley of confusion and made it through even stronger than they started. The Bible is overflowing with all you need to overcome this issue. Most important, I promise you that Jesus will not abandon you on your journey. He will not cast you off because of doubt or skepticism. He is so much better than that. He gave His life for those who were killing Him, your questions do not intimidate Him.

Skeptics have been arguing about Jesus’ identity for 2,000 years. The Bible sets it out clearly.

13 Compelling Pieces of Evidence Showing Jesus is God
1. John 20:24-29 – “My Lord and my God!“
Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Was Jesus a Real Person? Part I: The Christian Evidence

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

This passage comes first because it is my personal favorite…not because Thomas has the greatest name of the disciples (My name is Tom, if you don’t know). Thomas starts off this this account in a temporary funk of unbelief. This is not typical of him. He previously showed great faith and bravery in following Jesus, declaring the willingness to die with Jesus, but Jesus’ death seems to deeply damage his faith. As a result, when his closest friends proclaim Jesus is not only risen but they saw Him with their own eyes, Thomas is too wounded to accept it. He refuses to believe. Thomas is being unreasonable, if you think about it, no matter his motivation. Jesus warned the disciples beforehand that He would be betrayed, put to death, and rise again on the third day. Jesus was so clear in His message, even his enemies remembered it:

The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Matthew 27:62-63

This is exactly what took place. There is also no reason for the rest of the Apostles, his close companions, to lie to him at this point. Thomas’ refusal to believe clear evidence seems to involve more than just honest questioning. Regardless, Jesus is not angry, disappointed, or vengeful against Thomas when He shows Himself. Jesus proves His is Risen exactly as He said He would in fulfillment of the Scriptures and Thomas’ response speaks directly to the heart of the issue:

“My Lord and my God!”

Thomas openly and unambiguously declares the identity of Jesus: Lord and God. He is not in any way cryptic in his words or uncertain about to whom he speaks. There is no legitimate argument that Thomas means anything but what he obviously said. Thomas responds to the events at the heart of Christianity, the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus, and calls on the teachings of Jesus and reaches the only reasonable conclusion – Jesus must be God.

Reclaim Rest by Rejoicing in Your Master’s Identity

Jesus’ response to Thomas’ words is equally definitive and supports his deductions. Thomas proclaims his belief that Jesus is Lord and God and Jesus praises him for it:

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Jesus further states all those who believe the same are blessed – gifted by God. This exchange makes no logical sense if Jesus was not God in the flesh. It would have been blasphemy and grossly offensive to men of Israel. Even a prophet of God would have quickly corrected Thomas as badly mistaken. Instead, Jesus first accepts Thomas’ worship of Him as God and then openly encourages others to do the same.

“My Lord and my God!”

This makes perfect sense in the context of the Gospel. Thomas is an example of the place every person is meant to reach – overwhelmed with gratitude at God’s work and praising Jesus as his (or her) Lord and God.

2. Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us,

that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

You can identify with the awe and gratitude of Thomas after reading this passage from Titus 2. Thomas watched as our God and Savior Jesus Christ gave Himself for him to redeem him, despite his abandoning Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane. The enormity of his failure was astounding on any reasonable scale. His errors are then compounded by his initial stubborn rejection of the Resurrection. Yet, Jesus showers Thomas with grace and love in response. The full reality of Jesus must have been overwhelming. This is reflected in the words of Paul, who was just as blessed despite his great sins. The awe and reverence of the great God and Savior offered by this former Pharisee and persecutor of the church comes through across the ages. These verses glorifying Jesus as God were written only a few short years after Paul had been attacking the church.

Is Your Identity in Christ?

3. John 8:54-58 – I AM
Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

Was Jesus a Real Person? Part III: Josephus

If Thomas’ “My Lord and my God” is my favorite section on this topic, John 8 is very close second. Jesus reveals so much about Himself in His interactions with the Pharisees in this chapter as a whole. In this small selection from it, Jesus starts by going directly to the source of His opponents great pride, their connection to Father Abraham. The Jewish people had lost sight of the God who chose Abraham in Jesus’ day and took their identity from the man himself. Jesus highlights this great error by stating if they really admired Abraham as they claimed, they would rejoice over Jesus. Abraham longed for the day the Messiah, Jesus, would redeem Israel and rejoiced when it came.

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.

Who Do You Want to Be in Christ?

Jesus tells them of Abraham’s reaction to Him. The Pharisees reasonably question this assertion. How could Jesus know Abraham or what Abraham did or felt? Abraham died about 2,000 years before their their discussion. Jesus’ answer was mind blowing then and is now:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

“Most assuredly” in the Bible means pay attention to what I am about to say, something really important is coming. Jesus follows this by at least declaring that He is more that 2,000 years old – something you don’t hear every day. Even the most limited (and wrong) reading of the passage must lead to the conclusion that Jesus says He existed before Abraham. That fact alone is enough to tell you Jesus is more than just a good teacher. Yet, this is not what Jesus is saying. The major revelation in the passage comes from understanding Jesus’ choice of words. It is deliberate, immensely significant, and impossible for the crowd to misconstrue.

I AM.

These two words had only one meaning for that crowd of ancient Israelites. They would have immediately transported every one of them back 1400 years to Moses standing on holy ground before the Burning Bush. God spoke to Moses in the desert from a fire that did not consume the bush and gave him the mandate to free God’s people. When Moses asked who should he tell the people sent him, God replied:

Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.”

And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

This identification was incredibly important to the Israelites. It set out God’s identity, His eternal nature and self sufficiency. He was, is, and always will be unchanged and not limited by time – eternally “I AM” – even while the world moves with time. :

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

“I AM” formed the basis for God’s holiest name – Yahweh. “I AM” forms the foundation of God name of Jehovah. The Jews of Jesus’ audience viewed Yahweh as so holy they would not say the word out loud or write it out fully. The scribes who copied the Bible would use a new pen when they began writing Yahweh and would discard it after completion. God was and is the Great “I AM” and everyone in that culture knew it.

Jesus claiming “I AM” for Himself in this setting, therefore, was impossible to misunderstand. If you changed it into modern English removing the Jewish cultural references, it would read:

The reason I can say that I saw Abraham despite Him dying 2,000 years ago is I am God.

Boom! Mic drop! Get Wrecked Pharisees!

Ok, maybe not the last part.

Do you want to see how you know this is true? Read how the crowd reacts to Jesus’ statement:

Then they took up stones to throw at Him;

This was not a metaphor and they were not pebbles. The punishment for blasphemy at the time was death by stoning. The Jewish crowd clearly comprehended Jesus’ claim. He was guilty of blasphemy as a result, in their eyes, since He just called Himself God. They were eager to carry out the sentence.

You don’t get stoned for blasphemy for claiming you are a good teacher.

4. Hebrews 1:8-12 – The Father Calls Jesus God
But to the Son He says:

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;

A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;

Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

And:

“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.

They will perish, but You remain;
And they will all grow old like a garment;
Like a cloak You will fold them up,
And they will be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will not fail.”

You saw in John above how Jesus called on Exodus 3 and the Burning Bush to reveal to the people He is God. This use of the Old Testament to testify to Jesus as God and Savior shows up all through the New Testament. In Hebrews 1, this is done by applying the Psalms, which are songs of praise and worship directed to God, specifically to Jesus. Compare Psalm 45:

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions. Psalm 45:6-7

to the first part of the Hebrews passage above. You can see that not only does the writer apply the Psalm praising God to Jesus, the words of the Scripture are defined as God the Father speaking to God the Son, Jesus and refer to the Son as God. Hebrews continues and cites Psalm 102:

Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
They will perish, but You will endure;
Yes, they will all grow old like a garment;
Like a cloak You will change them,
And they will be changed.
But You are the same, Psalm 102:25-27

The New Testament again takes an Old Testament Scripture identifying and praising God and applies to Jesus. The only possible explanation is Jesus is God.

5. Colossians 1:16-17 – All Things Created by Jesus
For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.

All things were created through Him and for Him.

And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

You know from Genesis that it was God in the beginning who made heaven and earth. Hebrews 1, above, points to Jesus as the Creator of heaven and earth. What is the reasonable conclusion? Paul continues this identification in Colossians. The context tells you Paul is writing about Jesus and stating that all things were created by Jesus and for Jesus. Logic tells you that this statement not only clearly describes the Creator, but also rules out Jesus being a created being.

The last two part of the verses is also both mind blowing and extremely important:

and in Him all things consist.

The idea of the word “consist” is that all things in the universe not only owe their existence to Jesus, but He also holds them together and makes them work as they should. He is both the creator of a great orchestra, but also its conductor.

6. John 1:1-5 – The Word was God
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John cannot be any clear about Jesus’ identity. He was there in the beginning as God and all things were made through Him. Without Jesus, there was nothing made that was created. The same logic from Colossians above applies. Now, please understand that the concept of the Triune God, three in One is challenging. Yet, it is clearly taught in the Bible.

7. Luke 5:18-25 – Only God can Forgive Sins
Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.

When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

This is another passage where the crowd’s reaction to Jesus is revealing. You may be familiar with Jesus healing and offering forgiveness for sins, but both actions are exclusively within God’s power and authority. God heals people through the prophets of the Old Testament and others, sure, but it is God who does the healing. You can also forgive someone for something done against you, but only God can offer cleansing from sin. The scribes understand this and their thoughts are partially true:

Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Jesus confronts their secret accusations directly by refusing to back down. He invokes the Messianic title from the Old Testament of ” Son of Man” and strikes at the heart of their doubt. Anyone can claim to wield God’s power to forgive sins, but you have to show results if you claim to have God’s authority to visibly heal. In other words, the Jews were again offended that Jesus made Himself equal to God. Jesus embraced their charge and did what God only does.

8. Matthew 2:1-2 – The Magi Worship Baby Jesus
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.

9. Matthew 28:8-9 – The Women Worship Risen Jesus
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.

You probably see these familiar passages every year around Christmas and Easter. They are part of the story of the Magi who come bearing gifts for the baby Jesus and the joy of Easter Sunday. Many pictures have been made of both scenes.

Do you realize that both sections would be blasphemous if Jesus is not God?

The Magi are guided to Jesus feet by the miraculous star. Their clearly stated intent is to worship Him. The Bible is clear you must worship God alone.

The women at the tomb are wonderful in the devotion and love of the Risen Jesus. The fall at His feet and worship Him. Jesus is very clear on who man is allowed to worship:

And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” Luke 4:8

The Bible would not include any mention of man worshipping Jesus..unless He is God.

10. Revelation 1:7-9 – Who is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End?
Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

11. Revelation 22:13-16 – Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

You need to compare the two passage from Revelation to see the point of numbers 10 and 11. In Revelation 1, the identity of the speaker is debated. Both possibilities are significant.

Many say it is Jesus, in which case you see Jesus refer to Himself as the Almighty. This is a term reserved for God indicating His role as the all powerful ruler of all creation.

It also is argued to be the Father speaking in verses 7-9. If so, then the similarity between Revelation 1 and 22 is significant. It is clearly Jesus speaking in 22 and He identifies Himself in the same way as the Father- the Alpha and the Omega, Beginning and the End. These are not terms used to describe men who are just good moral examples.

12. John 10:25-33 – You, being Man, make Yourself God
Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”

The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

In this passage, Jesus says that He and His Father are One. This is a description that you are probably used to and is often explained away by critics of Jesus. The miraculous work of Jesus on the Cross made Christians one with Jesus, as well, and that post Resurrection reality can be confusing. Yet, in the context of this passage, the Jews understand exactly that Jesus means that He is God. Jesus also describes Himself as the One who gives eternal life and who holds salvation in His hands. He is depicted as the One in whom the difference between eternal life and damnation rests.

This is not the attributes of a life coach.

13. John 5:16-23 – Jesus has the Power of Life
For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.

For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

The background of this passage is important if you seek to understand it.

Jesus had just healed a man on the Sabbath in the preceding verses and angered the religious leaders in the process. They accused Him of breaking the Sabbath and wanted to kill Him for doing so:

Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

It is obvious that they were not confused about who Jesus said He was. The meaning of Jesus’ claim is also plainly stated in the passage – Jesus made Himself equal to God. They were so offended by what they saw as the blasphemy involved, it stoked them into a murderous rage. The clear identification as God alone is important, but don’t miss Jesus’ incredible response to them. He doesn’t retreat from the charge that He makes Himself equal to God. Instead, He agrees with it and relies on His divinity as His defence:

But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

and

for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

The charges against Jesus are:

1 – Jesus works on the Sabbath.

2 – Jesus makes Himself equal to God.

Jesus answers the charge by flipping it around on them:

1 – He is God.

2 – God works on the Sabbath

The Jews understood that God worked on the Sabbath. He rested from creation on the 7th day but He was still at work doing all the things God does. God provides air in their lungs and crops to grow on the Sabbath, for example. Jesus points this fact out to the Jews and simply argues that He is just doing what His Father does. Consider the enormity of Jesus’ words here:
for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

Whatever God does, Jesus does. If you allow the simple summation – only God can do everything that God does. This explains how Jesus continues and ascribes to Himself power over life and death and to judge.
These are not jobs appropriate for a human philosopher.

No Middle Ground with Jesus
C.S. Lewis distilled the arguments about Jesus down to a simple choice – Liar, Lunatic, or Lord?. By this, he meant that if you read the Bible in its entirely and understand the words of and about Jesus, you are limited in your possible conclusions about Him. He was a lunatic or liar to make the very specific claims about Himself – if they are not true. He cannot be just a good teacher, a leader of a rebellion, a moral example, or just a regular guy. He made too many unmistakable claims that He was God in the flesh, with all of the power that goes along, to be dismissed as just a life coach. If Jesus’ words and those about Him in the Bible are true, however, He can be no one else but Lord and God. The Bible allows no other conclusion, when read with any sort of fairness.

I pray this post leads you to the same awesome place as the Apostle Thomas and this disciple Thomas, praising:

My Lord and My God!