" Jesus didn’t just say He was God—He proved it through His words, His works, and His resurrection."

Did Jesus Ever Claim to Be God? The Evidence Says Yes.

Muslims often ask, “Where did Jesus ever say, ‘I am God—worship Me’?”
It’s a question that sounds sincere but hides a misunderstanding of who Jesus is and how He revealed Himself.

If Jesus had simply announced, “I am God,” His Jewish audience would have dismissed Him as a heretic before He could teach a single parable or perform a single miracle. But He didn’t just say He was God. He proved it through His words, His works, and His fulfillment of prophecy.

The question isn’t whether Jesus claimed divinity. The question is whether we’re listening when He does.

The “I AM” That Shook the World

In John 8:58, Jesus makes one of the most explosive statements in all of Scripture:

“Before Abraham was born, I am.”

That phrase, “I am” (egō eimi), wasn’t a slip of grammar. It was a declaration of divinity. Jesus was echoing Exodus 3:14 where God reveals Himself to Moses as “I AM WHO I AM.”

When Jesus used the same name for Himself, His Jewish audience knew exactly what He meant. John 8:59 says they immediately picked up stones to kill Him. Why? Because in their eyes, He had just committed blasphemy by claiming to be Yahweh: the eternal, self-existent God.

This was no metaphor. Jesus wasn’t saying He existed before Abraham in some symbolic sense. He was declaring that He is the eternal One who spoke to Abraham, created the world, and holds all things together.

That’s not the claim of a prophet. That’s the voice of God.

“I and the Father Are One”

In John 10:30, Jesus doubles down:

“I and the Father are one.”

The Greek word He uses for “one” is hen: which means one in essence, not merely one in purpose. This wasn’t a claim of agreement; it was a claim of identity.

Once again, His listeners didn’t misunderstand Him. They picked up stones again, saying, “You, being a man, make yourself out to be God.”

Jesus didn’t correct them. He didn’t soften His words or walk them back. Instead, He confirmed them by performing miracles only God could perform... healing the blind, forgiving sins, and raising the dead. Every miracle was a divine signature on His claim.

To a culture grounded in the Shema, “The Lord our God, the Lord is one”, Jesus’ words were revolutionary. He wasn’t introducing a second god; He was revealing the fullness of the One God (Father, Son, and Spirit) united in eternal glory.

The Son of God: More Than a Title

Muslims often argue that the phrase “Son of God” is metaphorical, implying nearness to God rather than divinity. But the Bible uses it differently.

In Luke 1:35, the angel tells Mary:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you... for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.”

This isn’t metaphor. It’s incarnation.
Jesus was not a man elevated to divine status; He was God stepping into human flesh.

At His baptism, the Father’s voice thundered from heaven:

“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)

That moment wasn’t symbolic. It was a public revelation of divine relationship.

And at the cross, even a Roman centurion declared, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39). A pagan soldier recognized what the religious elite refused to see.

Every moment of Jesus’ life testified to His divine identity. His conception was supernatural. His works were miraculous. His death was sacrificial. His resurrection was undeniable.

What the Early Church Believed

Jesus’ followers didn’t invent His divinity centuries later. They worshiped Him as God from the beginning.

The Nicene Creed (A.D. 325) affirmed what the apostles had already preached:
Jesus Christ is “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father.”

The early Church fought fiercely to defend this truth against heresies that tried to reduce Jesus to a mere prophet or created being. At the Council of Nicaea, leaders stood firm against false teachings like Arianism - which denied Jesus’ eternal nature. They proclaimed what Scripture had always revealed: Jesus is co-eternal, co-equal, and consubstantial with the Father.

That’s not human tradition.... it’s divine revelation confirmed through history.

Answering Common Misinterpretations

Muslims often cite John 14:28, “The Father is greater than I”, to claim Jesus denied His divinity. But Jesus wasn’t speaking of His nature; He was describing His role.

When He took on human flesh, He voluntarily laid aside His glory. Philippians 2:6–7 explains it clearly:

“Though He was in the form of God, He did not count equality with God something to cling to, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant.”

Jesus’ humility doesn’t contradict His divinity. In fact, it reveals it. The very fact that God would humble Himself to walk among us and die for us is the heart of the Gospel.

Similarly, when John 1:1 says, “The Word was with God, and the Word was God,” it destroys the idea that Jesus was merely “a god.” The Greek structure leaves no room for polytheism. The Word shares the same essence as the Father but remains distinct in person.

When Thomas finally saw the risen Christ, he fell to his knees and said, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Jesus didn’t correct him. He received his worship.

You can’t worship a prophet.
You can only worship God.

A Consistent Witness Across Scripture

From Isaiah’s prophecy “For unto us a child is born... and His name shall be called Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6) to Paul’s declaration that in Christ “all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9), the Bible is united on this truth: Jesus is God.

He is not a messenger pointing to the way. He is the Way.
He is not one voice among many. He is the Word made flesh.
And He is not a prophet waiting for revelation—He is revelation itself.

Your Next Step

If you’ve ever hesitated to speak boldly about who Jesus truly is, this is your moment. Truth isn’t arrogant - it’s necessary.

📘 Get the book: Engaging Islam: Biblical Answers to 10 Common Islamic Objections.
It’s a practical guide to understanding and defending the core truths of the Gospel.

▶️ Watch the full message: Did Jesus Claim to Be God? on YouTube.
In this episode, we unpack Jesus’ words, the historical evidence, and how early believers defended His divinity against false interpretations.

Final Word

Jesus never needed to shout, “I am God.”
He revealed it with every word He spoke, every miracle He performed, every prophecy He fulfilled, and every breath He gave up on the cross.

The proof isn’t hidden. It’s written across Scripture, confirmed by history, and sealed by the resurrection.

The question isn’t whether Jesus claimed to be God.
The question is whether we believe Him.