Did Jesus Claim to be God?

Elisha and Elijah raised the dead and that proved that God was delivering His message through them. In the same way, the fact that Jesus raised the dead and did many miracles shows that God is delivering his message through Jesus.

Now that we acknowledged that Jesus performed miracles, Let's examine Jesus' message.

Some may alluded to Acts 2:22-24 and argue that because God did the miracles through Jesus that Jesus did not really do them himself.  Let's take a look at those verses:

“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him."

Now, if Jesus is God, then Jesus doing these miracles is the same as God doing these miracles. The fact that it says God did the miracles does NOT negate the idea that Jesus is God.

You beg for something that shows Jesus doing these things on his own accord, but you fail to read this last phrase: "because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him."

So there you have it.  By Jesus' own accord, it is impossible for death to keep it's hold on him.

So, I have to make one admission and agree with you one one thing, that one thing and one thing only is impossible for God, and that is to stop existing or remain dead.

In the same way, it is impossible for Jesus to stop existing or remain dead.

Now, this passage also brings another point to matter.  That is that Jesus was approved by God by these miracles. That means that Jesus' message is the authoritative message from God. Let's see what Jesus says on the subject of him being God or not.

You mentioned John 12:49-50, where it says:

"For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

You made the comment that this shows that Jesus is not God because the Father had to command him to say things. When we read the whole context of this passage, we see that this is just one of the several ways that Jesus is conveying the message that the Father and Himself are one in the same.

In verses 44-45, Jesus says:

"Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me."

So in other words, if you are looking at Jesus, you are looking at the Father.

John 8:24, "I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins."

    Note: In the Greek, "He" is not there. This makes his claim of deity even greater because it is a reference to the YHWH name of God.

John 8:58, "Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.'"

John 10:30-33, "I and the Father are one."  31 The Jews took up stones again to stone Him.  32 Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?"  33 The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God."

John 9:35-38, "Jesus heard that they had put him out; and finding him, He said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"  36 He answered and said, "And who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"  37 Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you."  38 And he said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped Him."
(To Be Continued...)

(Continued.)
Not only that, there are many other references and narratives that conclude that Jesus is God.

John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

John 1:14, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."

John 5:18, "For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God."

John 20:28, "Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"

Col. 2:9, "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form."

Phil. 2:5-8, "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  9 Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Heb. 1:8, "But of the Son He says, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom."

Furthermore, Jesus is worshipped, Jesus said to worship God only, yet He receives worship.

Matt. 2:2, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him."

Matt. 2:11, "And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh."

Matt. 14:33, "And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God’s Son!"

Matt. 28:9, "And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them.  And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him."

Heb. 1:6, "And when He again brings the first-born into the world, He says, 'And let all the angels of God worship Him.'"

On top of this, Jesus is prayed to.

Acts 7:55-60, "But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."  57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears, and they rushed upon him with one impulse.  58 And when they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him, and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.  59 And they went on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"  60 And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!"  And having said this, he fell asleep."

1 Cor. 1:1-2, "Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours."  (The phrase, "to call upon the name of the Lord" is a phrase used to designate prayer).

Rom. 10:13-14, "for 'whoever will call upon the name of the Lord' will be saved."  14 How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard?"  (Paul is speaking of calling upon Jesus.  (The phrase "Call upon the name of the Lord" is a quote from Joel 2:32).

Isaiah 44:6, "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me."
Rev. 1:17-18, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades."

I'm glad you came to acknowledge the authority of the Bible on this matter.

Thank you for your discussion.