Did Jesus say He is God?

from the old testament

• Jesus saying that He is God does not occur in the Old Testament.

from the new testament

• In John 10:30, Jesus said, "I and the Father are one," directly linking Himself with God the Father and thus claiming deity. While Jesus did not say the exact words, "I am God," He did clearly say He is God in a way that those who listened to Him would understand.
• We know the people who listened to Him understood that Jesus was saying He is God by their reaction. John 10:31 goes on to say that, "The Jews picked up stones to stone him." When asked why, they replied, "for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God" (John 10:33). According to the Mosaic law, stoning was the punishment for blasphemy (see Leviticus 24:16), so the Jews were clearly understanding Jesus' claim to be God.
• The same thing happened another time in John 8:58 when Jesus made another claim to be God by calling Himself "I am," the same name with which God identified Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14. Again, the Jews understood the reference and tried to stone Jesus (John 8:59).
• John 1 identifies Jesus as God. Verse 1 states: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1, emphasis added). John affirms that the Word and Jesus are the same in verse 14, which says: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." This verse affirms the deity of Christ and makes the connection even more clearly about Jesus as God incarnate by talking about how He became flesh and dwelled among us.
• Throughout the Gospels, both before and after Jesus' resurrection, His disciples heard Him speak of Himself as God, and they worshipped Him as such (Matthew 14:33; 28:9; John 20:28). Jesus did not stop the disciples from worshipping Him. He accepted their worship. The disciples knew about the Mosaic law's punishment for the sin of blasphemy, but this didn't give them any qualms about worshiping Jesus as Lord.
• Paul also affirmed Jesus as God (Titus 2:13).
• Hebrews 1:3 says, "He [Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power."
• God the Father also called Jesus God: "of the Son he says, 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom'" (Hebrews 1:8, quoting Psalm 45:6; see also Matthew 3:16–17).
• Through His direct words, actions, and His resurrection, Jesus Himself shows us that He is God incarnate.

implications for today

Knowing that Jesus claimed to be God challenges us to deepen our trust and devotion to Him, recognizing His authority over every part of our lives. When we truly grasp that Jesus is fully God and fully man, we can confidently bring our struggles, hopes, and worship to Him, knowing He understands us perfectly. Not only does He understand us, but He alone has the power to save and sustain us. This calls us to worship Him wholeheartedly and live in obedience to His teachings. It calls us to run to Him and to trust Him with everything. Understanding Jesus’ deity also strengthens our faith when facing doubts or challenges, reminding us that the Creator of the universe is intimately involved in our lives. As we grow in this knowledge, we are invited to rest in the assurance of His eternal presence and unchanging love.