Did Jesus Say He Was God? – The Name of God
Did Jesus ever say He was God? Well, yes and no. He never explicitly said, “Hey everyone, I’m God!” That would have been nice for those of us that aren’t Jewish and only read English Bibles. However, Jesus was Jewish and He actually did claim to be God, but He did so in various Jewish ways that are often missed. Today’s post talks about the Name of God and how it connects to Jesus.
The Name of God
Last time we talked about God’s personal name: Yahweh. That’s the name that God revealed to Moses at the burning bush. Today we’ll take a closer look at the burning bush. Who was actually in the bush?
Exodus 3:2 tells us that the Angel of Yahweh “appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush.” But when Moses decided to go over and check this bush out, verse four says that “God called to him from within the bush.”
God told Moses not to come any closer because the place he was standing on was holy ground. Then from within the bush, God introduced Himself. He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” But then look at what Moses does: “Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God” (it’s a dangerous thing to be in God’s presence)!
Who Was in the Bush? Yahweh, or the Angel of Yahweh?
In Acts chapter 7 we have the account of when Stephen was speaking to the Jewish court. Stephen affirms that “an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush” but then says that the Lord spoke from the bush saying, “I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” (Acts 7:30-32). But then turns around and again confirms that the one in the bush was an angel (Acts 7:35).
It seems like there’s a distinction between the Angel of Yahweh and Yahweh Himself. Exodus 23:20-21 gives us some clarity:
“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him.”
This is no ordinary angel! The Angel of Yahweh is distinct from all other angels because Yahweh’s Name is in him. Furthermore, what angel can forgive sins? Only God Himself has the authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:7; Luke 5:21). However, Exodus 23:20-21 is an account where the Angel of Yahweh has the authority to forgive sins because Yahweh’s Name is in him.
Does any of this sound familiar? During Jesus’ ministry, there was a point where He took Peter, John and James with Him up to a mountain to pray. And while they were up there, both Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. This is when the Transfiguration event happened. And on this mountain, God the Father spoke from the cloud that enveloped them and said this about Jesus: “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him” (Luke 9:35). In other words: Pay attention to him and listen to what he says (Exodus 23:21)!
Could Jesus, the second Person of the Trinity, be the Angel of Yahweh?
Check out what Jesus and the New Testament writers say about the Name of God:
“I [Jesus] have come in my Father’s name” (John 5:43)
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 21:9, Mark 11:9, Luke 19:38)
“I [Jesus] will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.” (John 17:11)
Notice that God the Father gave Jesus the name of the Father
“So he [Jesus] became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.” (Hebrews 1:4)
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name [singular!] of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)
Notice that all three Persons of the Trinity share the same name!
What’s Going On?
As we’ve already seen in previous posts, the writers of scripture are very familiar with a second Yahweh figure that is God, and yet is distinct from God. The reason the Old Testament passages blur the line between Yahweh God and the Angel of Yahweh is because they are both God and yet at the same time they are distinct.
The only one who can legitimately inherit the name of God is the Son of God, who is Himself God (Hebrews 1:1-4). This is why many biblical scholars agree that the Angel of Yahweh must be Jesus, the second Person of the Trinity. So, when Jesus says that the name of God is in Him, He is making yet another startling statement that He is God.
This is why Jesus can say to Philip:
“Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (John 14:9-11).
In the upcoming two weeks we’ll look at a couple instances where the authors of scripture claim that Jesus is God, but in very Jewish ways. Next week we’ll look at the significance of Mary Magdalene thinking that the resurrected Jesus was a gardener in John 20:11-18. That little detail has some heavy implications! Stay tuned…
Looking for further resources on this topic? Check out the Bible Project Podcast Episodes: God’s Name is a Character and What is God’s Name?