Did Jesus Claim To Be God

Many people in the Christian faith recognize Jesus as being more than a man. They look upon him as being the creator of man and all things in the universe. They have given Jesus the appellation of God. Which even though Christianity didnt start this way it has taken form to mean this over the centuries? And I will show even though this doctrine is established as being one of the pillar beliefs in this religion it cannot stand firmly with the scripture from which they claim supports this doctrine. Since Christians use the bible I will come from the (4) gospels to prove the identity of Jesus is not of God but of man. And I will start by saying there are only (6) places where Jesus is said to refer to himself as the Son of God. And they are Matthew 26:63-64, Mark 14:61-62, Luke 22:70, John 5:25, John 10:36, John 11:4 and this is the list. Now the son of God is still very different from being God. As Jesus said in John 10:36 is it not written in your law that ye are gods. This means whoever fits the description given by Jesus is considered a son. Which Jesus describes as thoughs to whom the word of God came? So as I start this paper I will say that being God was not a claim of Jesus but was attributed to him after his death. And in my conclusion I will deal with the only place Jesus is said to have represented himself as being God in John 8:58 which says before Abraham was I am.

Matthew 1:1
I will start here because this gives the so called genealogy of Jesus but the start is not with Adam but with Abraham. And I will not sight the numerous names mentioned in the book but I will comment on who is not present Adam. Now you must first say that if this genealogy was to show Jesus was the son of God or God himself then all the 41 names mentioned would also hold equal status as Jesus being number 42. Because how Jesus could be described as being a thing while the ones he was descended from where not is beyond me. Unless the name son is just a title and not a biological manifestation of the parent. But one given to one who is obedient to the Most High. In the gospels Jesus often refers to himself as the "Son of Man". The term appears in all four gospels, and is used more than 70 times.

Matthew 26:63-64
63 But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Now here is one of the specific places where Jesus apparently claimed to be God. And I am not going to spend much time on these specific verses because without going into the Greek or Latin it is self explanatory. He (Jesus) says in the 64th verse (thou hast said) But I say (Hereafter you will see the son of man sitting on the right hand of power). This verse basically says you have called me the son of God these are your words not mine.

Mark 14:60-63
14:60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee? 14:61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 14:63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? Here it is written that Jesus was asked a question about being the Christ the son of the blessed. Now this statement even though answered in the affirmative doesnt answer the question did Jesus claim to be god? Now the Christ means in the English language (MESSIAH) and Messiah means the expected king and deliverer of the Jews. But in the Greek Christ is Christos meaning anointed. And in the Hebrew Christ is translated from the word Messiah which in the Hebrew is (maw-shee'-akh) which means a consecrated person a king or priest. Now these definitions deal with an earthly ruler. And none of these words are synonyms for God. So in conclusion Jesus claimed to be the Christ the son of the blessed. But never did he claim to be God.

Luke 22:67-70
67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: 68 And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. 69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. 70 Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.

This statement echoes the same as the above. In Matthew 26 Jesus doesnt answer in the affirmative but he says and I quote (Ye say that I am).

John 8:52-58
51. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52. Then said the Jews unto him, now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, if a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? And the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? 54. Jesus answered, if I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say that he is your God: 55. Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. 56. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Now this is symbolism in it truest form. In the 51st verse it says if a man keeps his sayings he shall never see death. Hear death symbolizes sin. How do I know because everyone must see death? This is why thoughs engaged in the conversation said Abraham and the prophets are dead. This is because they thought Jesus was talking about a physical death. Now in the 56th verse it says Abraham rejoiced to see Jesus day. And the Jews responded saying your not even 50 years old and hast thou seen Abraham. And Jesus goes on to say before Abraham was I am. Now many people take this to be an acknowledgement by Jesus that he is God. But this verse was symbolic Now in genesis 22 & 12-13 it talks about how Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Isaac. And right before this takes place God stayed Abrahams hand. and after God stopped Abraham he looked and saw a ram in the bushes and he sacrificed it in the place of his son. Now this ram represented Jesus and this is why Abraham rejoiced because this sacrificial ram symbolizes Jesus. So this is why Jesus said Abraham rejoiced and before he was I am.