The Deity of Christ

Examining the Biblical Evidence

At the heart of the Christian faith stands the confession that Jesus Christ is fully God—the second Person of the Trinity, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father. Jehovah's Witnesses reject this doctrine, teaching instead that Jesus is "a god"—a mighty created being, the first and greatest of Jehovah's creations, but not Jehovah himself.

This isn't a secondary disagreement. If Jesus is merely a created being, worship of him is idolatry. If he is truly God, denying his deity robs him of the honor he deserves and obscures the fullness of salvation he provides. Everything depends on getting this right.

Explicit Statements of Christ's Deity

Scripture contains numerous passages that explicitly identify Jesus as God:

John 1:1

John's prologue identifies the Word (who became flesh in verse 14) as both with God (distinct from the Father) and as God (sharing the divine nature). The NWT's "a god" rendering, as we've seen, lacks grammatical justification and scholarly support.

John 20:28

Thomas's confession after encountering the risen Christ uses the definite article: "the God of me" (ho theos mou). This is the same construction used throughout the Greek Old Testament for Jehovah. And crucially, Jesus accepts this worship without correction.

Titus 2:13

Greek grammar (Granville Sharp's rule) indicates that "God and Savior" refer to the same person—Jesus Christ. Paul calls Jesus "our great God."

Hebrews 1:8

The Father himself addresses the Son as "God." This is a quotation from Psalm 45:6, now applied to Christ. The NWT's alternate rendering ("God is your throne") is grammatically possible but contextually unlikely—the point of the passage is the Son's superiority to angels, which calling him "God" establishes perfectly.

Jesus Shares Divine Attributes

Beyond explicit statements, Scripture attributes to Jesus characteristics that belong to God alone:

Eternality

The Messiah's "coming forth" is "from of old, from ancient days"—literally, "from days of eternity." Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58), using the divine name and claiming existence before his human birth.

Omniscience

Peter attributes complete knowledge to Jesus—"you know everything." This is an attribute belonging only to God, yet Peter ascribes it to Jesus without correction.

Omnipresence

Jesus promises to be present wherever believers gather in his name—simultaneously, throughout the world. This omnipresence is a divine attribute.

The Power to Forgive Sins

The scribes correctly understood that only God can forgive sins against God. Jesus didn't deny this but demonstrated his authority to forgive by healing the paralytic—proving he possessed divine authority.

Jesus Identified as YHWH

Perhaps the most striking evidence for Christ's deity comes from New Testament passages that apply Old Testament YHWH (Jehovah) texts directly to Jesus:

Isaiah 45:23 → Philippians 2:10-11

Paul takes worship that YHWH claims exclusively for himself and applies it to Jesus. Either Paul is promoting idolatry, or Jesus is YHWH.

Isaiah 44:6 → Revelation 1:17

The title "first and last" belongs exclusively to YHWH—"besides me there is no god." Yet Jesus claims this title for himself. The implication is inescapable.

Joel 2:32 → Romans 10:13

Paul quotes this verse in Romans 10:13, but the context (verses 9-12) makes clear he's applying it to Jesus as Lord. Calling on Jesus IS calling on YHWH.

Jesus Receives Worship

Scripture is absolutely clear that only God is to be worshiped:

Yet Jesus consistently receives worship throughout the Gospels:

• The Magi worshiped him (Matthew 2:11)
• A leper worshiped him (Matthew 8:2)
• A synagogue ruler worshiped him (Matthew 9:18)
• The disciples worshiped him in the boat (Matthew 14:33)
• A Canaanite woman worshiped him (Matthew 15:25)
• The disciples worshiped him after the resurrection (Matthew 28:9, 17)
• Thomas worshiped him (John 20:28)

Jesus never corrects or refuses this worship. Compare with Peter refusing worship (Acts 10:25-26) and the angel refusing worship (Revelation 19:10, 22:8-9). Created beings—even exalted ones—must refuse worship. Jesus accepts it.

The NWT's Response

The NWT often translates the Greek proskyneō (worship) as "did obeisance" when applied to Jesus but "worshiped" when applied to Jehovah. The Greek word is identical. This inconsistent translation reveals theological bias—the NWT can't allow Jesus to receive worship, so it changes the translation.

Addressing Watchtower Objections

"The Father is greater than I" (John 14:28)

This verse is often cited to prove Jesus is inferior to the Father. But context matters: Jesus is speaking of his incarnate state, having voluntarily humbled himself (Philippians 2:6-8). In his human nature and earthly mission, the Father was positionally "greater." This doesn't deny essential equality in nature.

"The Father is the only true God" (John 17:3)

Jesus calls the Father "the only true God," but this doesn't exclude himself. In the same Gospel, Jesus is called "the true light" (John 1:9) and "the true vine" (John 15:1)—language that doesn't exclude the Father from being light or the source of life. The point is distinguishing the true God from false gods, not distinguishing the Father from the Son.

"Jesus is the firstborn of creation" (Colossians 1:15)

As discussed in our NWT lesson, "firstborn" (prōtotokos) denotes preeminence, not being the first thing created. The immediate context says all things were created by and for Christ—which is impossible if he's part of creation.

Engaging Witnesses on Christ's Deity

When discussing Jesus' deity with Witnesses:

Start with worship. The worship question is powerful because both sides agree only God should be worshiped. Show how Jesus receives worship without correction—unlike angels and apostles who refuse it.

Use Old Testament identifications. Walk through passages where YHWH texts are applied to Jesus. Ask how this makes sense if Jesus isn't YHWH.

Point to Thomas's confession. "My Lord and my God" is unambiguous. Did Thomas blaspheme? Why didn't Jesus correct him?

Ask about salvation. If Jesus is merely a created being, can he truly save us? Scripture teaches that only God can save (Isaiah 43:11), yet Jesus is called Savior. How can a creature accomplish what only God can do?

Conclusion: Worthy of Worship

The biblical evidence for Christ's deity is overwhelming. He is explicitly called God. He possesses divine attributes. Old Testament YHWH passages are applied to him. He receives worship that belongs to God alone. The early church understood and confessed Jesus as Lord—as YHWH himself come in the flesh.

For Jehovah's Witnesses, recognizing Christ's full deity transforms everything. It means Jesus isn't merely a model or message-bearer but God himself reaching down to save us. It means his sacrifice has infinite value. It means he is worthy not just of respect but of worship—the worship he has rightfully received from his followers since Thomas fell at his feet and declared, "My Lord and my God."

This is the Jesus we proclaim—not a lesser god, not a created angel, but the eternal Word who was with God and was God, who became flesh and dwelt among us, and who is now seated at the right hand of the Father, worthy of all honor and praise forever.