Did Jesus ever claim to be God? Is Jesus God? Yes, Jesus claimed to be God. Both the religious leaders and the apostles clearly understood that He claimed to be God as revealed by John 5:17-18. “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. v18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” They reacted as some do today.
Many do not understand that the Lord Jesus was not just claiming to be equal with God. The Lord Jesus claimed to be God. They missed the point and some also do today. Later in Jesus’ service, the Jewish leaders finally understood His claim as follows: John 10:30-33 (Jesus said) “I and my Father are one. v31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. v32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? v33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” Jesus said that He and the Father are one. So then the Jewish leaders more clearly understood that He was claiming to be God, so they wanted to stone Him to death because they thought that He had spoken “blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”
Jesus responded by asking them to give a reason for their actions. They answered that He had blasphemed. Their answer was exact and clear. They said that He was a man and could not be God. They understood that He was claiming to be God. But they rejected His statement just as others have. Today, people may say that Jesus never said He was God, but those religious leaders understood that He did. They stated that Jesus Christ being a man made Himself God. The truth was that the Lord Jesus Christ being God made Himself man as seen in John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us”.
Also Jesus “Christ died for our sins” 1 Corinthians 15:3. Therefore I, and all others who trust in Him as Saviour, will not only be completely forgiven but also live with Him, the best of company, forever, 1Thessalonians 4:17 “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” and in the place far greater than the best of earth i.e. heaven in John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”