This is the thread devoted to the debate that Batman and Yusuf have agreed to undertake after a bit of discussion in this R&P thread. The resolution to this debate will be: "The Bible Say Jesus Was God."  Batman will be taking the affirmative while Yusuf will be taking the negative.

The rules for the debate are as follows:

1. This is a civil debate - there will be no insult hurling.
2. This debate will last five rounds. Batman will provide the opening post and Yusuf will rebut.
3. Unfamiliar terms will be defined upon request.
4. All sources will be cited properly.

To claim that the Bible says that Jesus is or is not G-d is an easy case. It's either there or not. No trickery. So, does the Bible say this? Yes. And it says it in clear terms. I have included passages that clearly let us know that Jesus is G-d.


Now Yusuf, in order to even begin his claim that the Bible does not say Jesus is G-d, will have to engage every single one of these verses and explain why he thinks they aren't as clear to him as there are to everyone else. Good luck.



Others viewed Jesus as God

1 Timothy 3:16 -Paul Said Jesus was God manifested in the flesh.
"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the nations, believed on in the world, received up into glory."



John 20:28 -Thomas called Jesus God.
"And Thomas answered, and said unto him, My Lord and my God."



Colosians 2:8, 9 -Paul said Jesus was the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
"Christ. For in him dwelleth all of the fullness of the Godhead bodily."



Titus 2:13 -Paul said Jesus was God.
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our savior, Jesus Christ."



Luke 8:39 -After Jesus healed a demon possessed man, Jesus said:
"Return to thine house, and show what great things God hath done unto thee. And he went on his way and published throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done unto him."



Rom. 14:10b -12 -Paul uses the words Jesus and God interchangeably.
"For we shall all stand before the judgment Seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So, then, "every one of us shall give account of himself to God."



Luke 8:39 -After Jesus healed a demon possessed man, Jesus said:
"Return to thine house, and show what great things God hath done unto thee. And he went on his way and published throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done unto him."



Phil. 2:5b, 6 -Paul said Jesus was God.
" Jesus Christ, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God."



The people around Jesus understood Jesus was claiming to be God



John 10:33 -The Jews felt Jesus was claiming to be God.
"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."



John 5:18 -The Jews felt Jesus was making himself equal with God.
"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."



Jesus claimed to be God



John 10:30 - Jesus said He was part of God. He said, "I and my Father are one."

Exodus 3:14 -God identifies Himself to Moses by calling himself "I AM." Twice Jesus refers to Himself as the "I AM." Those around him knew exactly what he was saying and they were greatly offended.

"Jesus said unto them, Verily verily, I say you, before Abraham was, I am. Then they took up stones to cast at him " (John 8:58, 59a)


"Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them I am [he]. As soon as he said unto them, I am [he], they went backward, and fell to the ground." (John 18:4b, 5, 6)
[Note: In the word "he" is in [brackets]. Whenever a word was not in the original Greek or Hebrew, but was put in for clarity, the translators put the word in brackets. This was done so there would be no misunderstanding about what was and was not part of the original text]


Revelation 1:8 -18 -Jesus said, he is the Almighty Lord. The following is a vision John had of Jesus. Verses 2, 13, 17, 18 identify Jesus as the:
(v 2) " testimony of Jesus Christ "



(v 8) "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."


(v 11) "Saying I am alpha and Omega, the first and the last"


(v 13) "And in the midst of the seven lamp stands, one like the Son of man "

(v 17b. 18a) "Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am he that liveth and was dead"


Isaiah 44:6 -In Rev 1:11, Jesus says He is the first and the last. Isa. 44:6 shows that the one who is "first and the last is actually God. "Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and his redeemer, the Lord of host: I am the first, and I am the last, and beside me there is not God."



The Bible says Jesus is God


Hebrews 1:8 -God the Father said Jesus was God.
"Unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom."



Isaiah 9:6 -Jesus (the Messiah) is called the Mighty God.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."



Matthew 1:23 -Jesus is called Immanuel, which means "God with us."
"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which, being interpreted, is God with us."



Micah 5:2 -Jesus (the Messiah) is everlasting.
"But thou, Bethlehem, Ephrathah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall come forth unto me that is to be the ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."



Zechariah 12:10 -God uses the first person (me) and the third person (him) to describe Himself as the one who will be pierced.
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon ME whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for HIM, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.



John 1:1 -Jesus (the "Word") is God
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."



Revelation 22:6, 16 -The book of Revelation says that Jesus and God are the same.
(v6) "And he said unto me, These words are faithful and true; and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done."



(v 16) "I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches "



Every knee will bow to both God and Jesus. Here are verses talking about every knee bowing to God.


"Look unto me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God and there is none else. that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear" (Isaiah 45:22, 23b)


Here are verses talking every knee bowing to Jesus.


" stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God." (Romans 14:10b, 11)



"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." (Philippians 2:10a, 11a)



John 5:23 -We have to honor Jesus that same way as God the Father.
"That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father who hath sent him."


Both God and Jesus are called our "Savior." Here are verses calling God our savior.

" I am He, before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord and besides me there is no savior." (Isaiah 43:10b, 11)



" And there is no God else beside me, a just God and Savior; there is none beside me." (Isaiah 45:21b)


Here are verses calling Jesus our savior.

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Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)



"But hath in due time manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God, our Savior;" (Titus 1:3) <



"Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior, in all things." (Titus 2:10)



"But after the kindness and love of God, our Savior, toward man appeared." (Titus 3:4)



"To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior." (Titus 1:4)



"Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior, " (Titus 3:6)


Both God and Jesus created all things. Here are verses that say God created all things


"Ah, Lord God! Behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power and outstretched arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: the Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is his name, " l (Jeremiah 32:17, 18b)



Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us?" (Malachi 2:10b)



"Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he who formed thee from the womb: I am the Lord who maketh all things; who stretcheth forth the heavens alone; who spreadeth abroad the earth by myself." (Isaiah 44:24)



"And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the Heavens are the worlds of thine hand." (Hebrews 1:10)



Here are verses that say Jesus created all things



" Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou has created all things, and for thy pleasure they were created." (Revelation 4:8b, 11)

"All things were made by him (Jesus), and without him was not anything made that was made." (John 1:3)

"Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; For by him all things were created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers - all things were created by him and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." (Col. 1:15, 16)

"Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." (Hebrews 1:2)



Both God and Jesus raised Jesus from the dead. Here are verses that say God raised Jesus from the dead.



"And to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come." (1 Thes. 1:10)



"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also give life to your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Romans 8:11)



Here are verses that say Jesus raised Himself from the dead.



" Jesus answered, and said unto them Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." (John 2:19)


"Therefore doeth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 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." (John 10:17, 18a)


John 14:7 - To know Jesus is to know God.

"If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him."



John 14:9 - To see Jesus is to see God.

Jesus *said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and {yet} you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how {can} you say, 'Show us the Father'



John 14:11 - To encounter Jesus is to encounter God.

"Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.



Mark 9:37 - To welcome Jesus is to welcome God.

"Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me."



John 15:23 - To hate Jesus is to hate God.

"He who hates Me hates My Father also.



John 14:6 To come to Jesus is to come to God.

Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.



John 14:21 - To love Jesus is to love God.

"He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."



John 14:23-24 - To obey Jesus is to obey God.

Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

"He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.





Mark 2:5-7 - Jesus claimed the authority to forgive sins, even those not committed against Himself.

And Jesus seeing their faith *said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,

"Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?"



Matthew 28:16-17 - Jesus received worship from other humans.

But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated.

When they saw Him, they worshiped {Him;} but some were doubtful.



John 5:21- Jesus claims power and authority over death-and life.

"For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.



John 5:22, 27 - Jesus claimed authority to judge humanity.

"For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, ...

and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is {the} Son of Man.





Matthew 26:62-66 - Here the way Jesus addresses Himself convinces the high priest of Israel to condemn him as a blasphemer worthy of death.

The high priest stood up and said to Him, "Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?"

But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God."

Jesus *said to him, "You have said it {yourself;} nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN."

Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy;

what do you think?" They answered, "He deserves death!"









{1} I used Blue Letter Bible NASB for many translations

{2} www.Biblehelp.com was used as a resource.

Yusuf deleted. I win.