The Divinity of Jesus Christ:
The Walk of God
Question: Does the New Testament identify Jesus as God?
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Overview
The divinity of Jesus is established in the New Testament by Jesus claiming divine attributes and divine authority. In addition to this, the New Testament authors apply to Jesus the exclusive titles and descriptions of God (Jehovah) from the Old Testament. It should be noted that although Jesus is God, Jesus is not the Father and Jesus is not the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Second Person of God: Father, Son (Jesus) and Holy Spirit.
The following is an example of Jesus being identified as God in the New Testament.
The Walk of God
The Old Testament states that God stretches out the heavens and walks on the waves of the sea (Job 9:8-11). These poetic descriptions emphasise that God is the Almighty Creator and rules supreme over creation. That Jesus is God according to the New Testament is seen from how Jesus walks where only God can walk (Mark 6:45-53, see also Matthew 14:22-34 & John 6:16-21). As the disciples were trapped in a fierce storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus walked on the sea and evidenced his authority over creation as God. Two further considerations should be noted in support of this.
First, Jesus responded to the fear of the disciples in Mark 6:45-53 by saying, “Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid”. The phrase “It is I” (Greek: Ego Eimi) matches the divine name given to Moses by God (Exodus 3:13-14). In Exodus 3:13-14, God revealed Himself to Moses by saying, “I Am Who I Am” (Greek: Ego Eimi Ho On). That Jesus is using the divine name as God is seen from the comment that Jesus intended to “pass by” the disciples as Jesus walked on the sea. This is peculiar given that the intention of Jesus was to meet with the disciples rather than to pass by. However, Exodus (Exodus 33:12-23) says that Moses was placed within or behind a rock when the glory of God “passed by”. Jesus is therefore reenacting or recalling the story of Moses as the disciples see the glory of Jesus (God) pass by them. See also how the confusion of the disciples in seeing Jesus walk on the sea matches the description of Job as God "passes" by in Job 9:10-11.
Second, Mark states that the disciples were confused and amazed at Jesus walking on the sea because they had failed to understand the miracle of the loaves. Before Jesus had sent the disciples across the Sea of Galilee, Jesus had miraculously fed a crowd of five thousand in the wilderness by multiplying bread and fish (Mark 6:30-44, see also Matthew 14:13-21 & John 6:1-15). In like manner, God had miraculously provided manna and quail (bread and meat) in the wilderness for the Israelites as they journeyed towards the promised land (Exodus 16:1-18). Mark’s point is that the disciples should have recognised this parallel and acknowledged Jesus as the God of Israel (the God who miraculously provides food in lonely and secluded places) before Jesus had (again) displayed his divinity by walking on the sea. Unfortunately, the disciples had failed to recognise the true significance of either miracle, hence their bewilderment in seeing Jesus walk on the water.
In summary, after miraculously providing for the crowds in the wilderness (in fulfilment of Exodus 16:1-18), the glory of Jesus as God passed by the disciples (in fulfilment of Exodus 33:12-33) as Jesus exercised divine power (in fulfilment of Job 9:8-11) and used the divine name (in fulfilment of Exodus 3:13-14). These considerations highlight that Jesus is God according to the New Testament.
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Bible Passages
Exodus 3:13-14
(13) Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”
(14) God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
Exodus 16:1-18
(1) The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. (2) In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. (3) The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”
(4) Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. (5) On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”
(6) So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, (7) and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?” (8) Moses also said, “You will know that it was the LORD when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the LORD.”
(9) Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.’”
(10) While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud.
(11) The LORD said to Moses, (12) “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.’”
(13) That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. (14) When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. (15) When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. (16) This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’”
(17) The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. (18) And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.
Exodus 33:12-23
(12) Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ (13) If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
(14) The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
(15) Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. (16) How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
(17) And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
(18) Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
(19) And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. (20) But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
(21) Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. (22) When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. (23) Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
Job 9:8-11
(8) He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. (9) He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. (10) He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. (11) When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.
Matthew 14:13-21
(13) When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. (14) When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
(15) As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
(16) Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
(17) “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
(18) “Bring them here to me,” he said. (19) And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. (20) They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. (21) The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Matthew 14:22-34
(22) Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. (23) After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, (24) and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
(25) Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. (26) When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
(27) But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
(28) “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
(29) “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. (30) But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
(31) Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
(32) And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. (33) Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
(34) When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.
Mark 6:30-44
(30) The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. (31) Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
(32) So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. (33) But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. (34) When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
(35) By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. (36) Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
(37) But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”
(38) “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five - and two fish.”
(39) Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. (40) So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. (41) Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. (42) They all ate and were satisfied, (43) and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. (44) The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.
Mark 6:45-53
(45) Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. (46) After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
(47) Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. (48) He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, (49) but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, (50) because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (51) Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, (52) for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
(53) When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there.
John 6:1-15
(1) Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), (2) and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. (3) Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. (4) The Jewish Passover Festival was near.
(5) When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” (6) He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
(7) Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
(8) Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, (9) “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
(10) Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). (11) Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
(12) When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” (13) So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
(14) After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” (15) Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
John 6:16-21
(16) When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, (17) where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. (18) A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. (19) When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. (20) But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” (21) Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.