DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE GOD- Introduction
In our last CRI Perspective, we talked about the importance of determining whether or not Jesus Christ in fact claimed to be God. Someone may ask, can’t someone just cite a passage in the Bible where Jesus declared “I am God,” thereby resolving this whole issue one way or the other for all time?

DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE GOD- Customized Passage
When people challenge Christians to prove that Jesus said He was God, they typically expect to be shown a “customized” passage from the Bible, quickly rejecting any passage cited that isn’t phrased exactly the way they want it to be. Approaching the question with this kind of an attitude can only lead to erroneous conclusions.

DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE GOD- Did He?
What needs to be determined is whether Jesus did, in fact, claim to be God in terms understandable to that particular era and to that particular geographical region, and not necessarily to ours.

DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE GOD- Misunderstanding the Message
Besides, to expect Jesus to boldly and brazenly proclaim that He was God is to misunderstand altogether His very character and His mission as the Messiah. After all, would a man of perfect humility and servitude, a man who came to glorify His Father in heaven, be true to this task if He focused attention on Himself rather than pointing to the Father? Of course not!

DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE GOD- God the Father?
Such an unqualified declaration might also have led the Jewish people to conclude falsely that Jesus was claiming to be God the Father.  Jesus avoided this type of confusion by revealing His identity in a very precise, concise, and careful manner.

DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE GOD- Actions to Back Up the Words
It has often been said that actions speak much louder than words. And in the following three Perspectives, we’re going to see just how Jesus Christ of Nazareth attested to His own deity. Let us, however, remember Christ’s own words when He said, “I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it” (John 8:28).

DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE GOD- Conclusion
This is Hank Hanegraaff inviting you to stay tuned for Part 3 of the CRI Perspective series on the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.