Did Jesus say His Father is GOD?

Did Jesus ever say His Father is God?

By Andrew Sui

In Luke 2:41-50, Luke recorded the first mention of the word "My Father" from the lips of Lord Jesus when he was 12 years old. He was not taught by his parents that debating with the scribes in the temple was doing His Father's business. His parents did not understand what he was saying.

2:41	Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
2:42	And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
2:43	And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
2:44	But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
2:45	And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
2:46	And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
2:47	And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
2:48	And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
2:49	And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
2:50	And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

How many Father did Lord Jesus mean when He said "my Father"? Lord Jesus says there is one Rabbi {Teacher}, one Father in heaven and one Master {Lord} that is the Christ. "Christ" means "the anointed" and so "Jesus Christ" means Jesus "the Anointed One". In Hebrew word "Christ" means the "Messiah". In Matthew 23:7-10, Lord Jesus said:

23:7	And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
23:8	But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
23:9	And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
23:10	Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

Who is He that Jesus addressed as "my Father"? Is the one whom Jesus called "my Father" the Almighty God? In John 20:17, Jesus said His Father is GOD:

20:17

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

The similitute in words of Jesus "my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God" clearly means Jesus' Father is GOD and your Father in heaven is GOD.

Are there any other passages to affirm that the Father of Lord Jesus is GOD?

In Matthew 10:32-33, Lord Jesus also said His Father is in heaven.

10:32

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

10:33

But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 16:15-17

16:15

He{Jesus} saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16:16

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

16:17

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Lord Jesus from His own words in John 8:42 & 54, tells us beyond reasonable doubt that His Father is GOD and that He came from GOD

8:42

Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

8:54

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:

Jesus said "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father." (John 16:28)

Jesus said "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." (Matt 6:9)

It is written, Jesus said: (John 1:18)

1:18

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Apostle John said: (1 John 4:12-16)

4:12

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

4:13

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

4:14

And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

4:15

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

4:16

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Jesus said about the temple as His Father's house. Temple is the place for worship of God. John 2:16

2:16

And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

Apostle John said: (John 3: 34-36)

3:34

For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

3:35

The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

3:36

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Lord Jesus said about God is Spirit and that the Father seek to be worshipped in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24)

4:23

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

4:24

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Only God is worthy to be worshipped. As Jesus said that His Father seeks true worshippers in spirit and in truth, then His Father must be God Almighty.

Lord Jesus said his Father gave the bread from heaven. The manna (bread from heaven) which came down from heaven to Israelites while in the wilderness for 40 years was from the Father of Jesus. (John 6:32-33)

6:32

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

6:33

For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Lord Jesus said no man has seen the Father execpt He is of God has seen the Father (John 6:46)

6:46

Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

Lord Jesus said He proceeded and came from GOD. (John 8:38-42)

8:38

I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

8:39

They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

8:40

But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

8:41

Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

8:42

Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

Are the terms "proceeded" and "came from GOD" mean Jesus is GOD?

In John 8:54-56, Jesus says that His Father whom the Jews say, is their GOD:

8:54

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:

8:55

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.

8:56

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

Is Jesus equal with GOD the Father? From Jesus' own lips, He said that He laid down his life on his own accord and had power to take it up. Jesus received the commandment of His Father. In John 10:17-18 Jesus said:

10:17

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

10:18

No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Does it mean that the Son receiving the commandment (order) from His Father is not equal with GOD? We have to determine the context of the words of Jesus in order to understand what He meant. As a general rule, scripture will interpret itself! The Jews understood the words of Jesus that God is His Father. Are these words sufficient to support that Lord Jesus taught that His Father is GOD? (John 5:18)

John 5:17-22 is the revelation of Lord Jesus' equal status with GOD; and the Oneness of Jesus and the Father GOD.

5:17

But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

5:18

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.

5:19

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

5:20

For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

5:21

For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

5:22

For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

Jesus said He and His Father are One in unison and not two Gods : "I and my Father are One." (John 10:30)

In John 14:8-11, Philip wanted Jesus to show him His Father. What did Jesus reply?

14:8

Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

14:9

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

14:10

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

14:11

Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

Is God the Father of Jesus, the same God of Abraham?

The Jews knew well about God of Abraham and Jesus also knew God of Abraham. Lord Jesus revealed in Matthew 22:31-32 that God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob is the God of the living.

22:31

But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,

22:32

I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

The similar account of this revelation by Jesus is recorded by John Mark. (Mark 12:26-27)

12:26

And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

12:27

He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

This account of Jesus' teachings about God of Abraham was also recorded in Gospel of Luke. (Luke 20:37-38)

20:37

Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

20:38

For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

As Jesus knew God of Abraham, did God of Abraham confirm that He is also God the Father of Jesus?

Luke recorded the revelation from Apostle Peter in respect of the power to heal a lame man at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful and the relationship of God of Abraham and his Son Jesus in Acts 3:12-13 as follows:

3:12

And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

3:13

The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

Lord Jesus did not use figure of speech when He addressed His Father as GOD in heaven. John 16:27-31 tell us clearly

16:27

For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

16:28

I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

16:29

His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

16:30

Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

16:31

Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

It is a step of faith to believe God exists and another step of faith to believe that Jesus Christ is GOD. By the words from Lord Jesus Himself and from the evidence of His credentials backing His claims, Christians are not deluded to assert that Jesus Christ is GOD and He deserves to be worshipped as GOD. Those who disbelieve are deceived by the pride of life (1 John 2:16 KJV). GOD is Spirit and the spiritual things of GOD is only understood by a spiritual mind and not by pure intellectualism. In any religions, faith is of the essence; without faith it is impossible to please GOD (Hebrew 11:6).

What is faith and how to have faith in GOD? Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrew 11:1) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Hebrew 10:17)

There is no other way to attain faith in GOD then reading the Holy Bible and mediate on the words daily. So I challenge those who are sincere to seek for the truth about GOD and that Lord Jesus is GOD by reading the 4 biographies of Lord Jesus Christ, i.e., Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. NET Bible is avaible on the internet for beginners. Click here to read Gospel of John.

Remember, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). The authority of the Holy Bible has been questioned, tested and proven to be accurate and reliable.

All the 4 Gospels are in harmony and support each other. These Gospels are written within the first century:
1) Gospel according to St. Matthew AD 60-65
2) Gospel according to St. Mark AD 55-65
3) Gospel according to St. Luke Around AD 60
4) Gospel according to St. John AD 85-90

Though the Gospel of John was written the latest after the death of Jesus Christ around AD 30-33, its accuracy should not be doubted because of God's inspiration. God has preserved His perfect word as the truth. Unless proven that Lord Jesus is a liar or lunatic or a legend, He shall remain the Truth. It is advisable to examine all the 4 gospels with an open mind and evaluate against the life of the historical Jesus. Each Gospel is compared such as Gospel of John is compared with Gospel of Mark in order to determine any inconsistencies. That is how the textual criticism of the gospels is used to ascertain as whether or not it can be accepted as the truth or discard as fables.

Is Holy Bible the word of God?

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