WARNING! LOOONG BLOG POST AHEAD!!!
For a little while now, I've had this idea on the back burner of going through the Gospels and picking out choice references where Christ alludes that He is God without actually "saying" He's God. These references are all outside of His miracles. I'm just focusing on the things He said.
We've all heard it before, scoffers and unbelievers claiming Christ never declared He was God. Technically, they're right, as He never said, "Behold, I'm your God." However, there are certain statements and bits of knowledge Yeshua made known that make NO sense for a mortal man. The Good Lord has been after me for some time now to get this done. By the Spirit, I was able to pull out more gems than even I had thought there were. Within this post are 66 references to Christ's Godhood in the Gospel of Matthew alone, and there are many more, as I do admit to skimming.
Please, feel free to share this post with others, as I believe God wants this knowledge known. Christ quite clearly and distinctly claimed His Deity for those who have ears to hear. I will link the Scripture references to Bible Gateway and post my thoughts after the links. This will cut down on quoting the Scripture and adding to the length of this post.
1.) Matthew 5:11 - Why would we receive blessing from Heaven for being persecuted in Yeshua's name if He was a mere man?
2.) Matthew 5:17-20 - How does Yeshua know this if He is just a man? This at the very least makes Him a prophet.
3.) Matthew 5:21-24 & Matthew 5:27-28 - He amended God's Law! What? Who could do that but God?
4.) Matthew 6:4 - How does He know what God decides to do with secret prayer?
5.) Matthew 6:14 - How does He know God will forgive you?
6.) Matthew 6:20 - Only someone who knows what Heaven is like can say with authority what will happen there.
7.) Matthew 7:1 - Only one who has the power to judge humanity can say this with any authority. How does He know the method by which God judges?
8.) Matthew 7:13-14 - Only someone who can read the heart can say this with any kind of certainty. How would He know who was worthy of Heaven? And how can He know it's a narrow way and few find it?
9.) Matthew 7:21-23 - What?! Calling Yeshua "Lord, Lord?" Only GOD has the authority to cast souls into the outer darkness!
10.) Matthew 7:24-27 - Christ equates His words equal to God's, as He shows that it is by His teaching the house stands or falls. Sheer arrogance if He is not God.
11.) Matthew 8:32 - Demons obey Him. Why would they just obey some random guy?
12.) Matthew 9:2-7 - Christ forgave this man's sin. The scribes accused Him of blaspheming, but Christ then healed the man to prove He has authority to forgive sin as well. Only GOD can forgive sin.
13.) Matthew 9:22-29 - These were healed according to their faith. Who can see faith of the heart but God alone?
14.) Matthew 10:5-15 - He gives His disciples authority over demons, disease, and death. Who can do that but God?
15.) Matthew 10:19-20 - How would a mere man know what God will do in that moment? How presumptuous to speak in this way for God unless He was God. God said the same thing to Moses in Exodus 4:12.
16.) Matthew 10:32-33 - What? How can a mere man have this kind of authority with God? What "man" would God listen to in such a way, unless the one with authority was God Himself?
17.) Matthew 10:37-39 - No "man" is worth losing EVERYTHING. How could a man have the gall to say, "Lose your life for Me and you will find it"? He's either raving mad, or God incarnate.
18.) Matthew 10:40 - It's arrogance to speak for God unless God is the one speaking.
19.) Matthew 11:11 - How would a man know who is and isn't greater than John the Baptist? Only God can search hearts and minds.
20.) Matthew 11:22-24 - Only one who judges humanity could possibly have the knowledge of how God will deal with these cities on the day of Judgment.
21.) Matthew 11:27 - Blasphemy if He is not God! "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father..." He's admitting He has God's power.
22.) Matthew 11:28 - How can any man give another rest? Are they all going to sleep on Yeshua's couch? How can the multitudes come to Yeshua for rest? That would be chaos, not rest. He is speaking of prayer - and saying plainly - pray to Me. Who do we pray to but God alone?
23.) Matthew 12:6 - Greater than the temple? Wouldn't that be God Himself?
24.) Matthew 12:8 - The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath? Everyone would know that GOD established the Sabbath!
25.) Matthew 12:25-28 - Demons don't cast out other demons, else the pharisees have demons as well. Therefore the Kingdom of God has come upon them. HE is God.
26.) Matthew 12:32 - How would He know what God forgives and doesn't forgive unless it is HE who forgives?
27.) Matthew 12:40 - He's got to be at least a prophet.
28.) Matthew 13 - All the parables about the Kingdom of God are worthless unless the Teacher has the authority to know what the Kingdom is like.
29.) Matthew 15:17-20 - Only one who sees the heart can say with authority what comes out of it.
30.) Matthew 16:16-17 - Yeshua did not correct Peter when he not only confessed he believed Yeshua was Messiah, but also God in the flesh (which is what "Son of God" means).
31.) Matthew 16:19 - Who could possibly have the keys to Heaven but GOD alone?
32.) Matthew 16:24-27 - Yeshua claims anyone who loses his life for His sake will find it. That statement makes NO sense if He's not also God. No man has the power to grant eternal life. Also, He admits He will come again in the glory of His Father, with the angels, to judge the earth. He's either stark-raving mad -- or GOD.
33.) Matthew 17:22-23 - Prophesies His own death and resurrection. He's at least a prophet.
34.) Matthew 17:27 - He had the foreknowledge of the coin in the fish's mouth. He's either a prophet or God.
35.) Matthew 18:3-6 - How would anyone know what the Kingdom of God is like but God alone? Also, He exalts Himself to the same level as God for receiving people "in My name". The Jews recognize the majesty of only ONE name -- YAHWEH.
36.) Matthew 18:19-20 - Again, the allusion is for believers to pray to God in the name of Yeshua - and Yeshua is there in the midst of them! Impossible for a mere man, but not impossible if Yeshua is God.
37.) Matthew 18:35 - Impossible information to know unless He is the God who judges.
38.) Matthew 19:14 - Impossible to know this insider knowledge.
39.) Matthew 19:17 - He used the rich young ruler's words to show nothing and no one is good but God. If the people believe He is truly good, then He is God.
40.) Matthew 19:21 - How would Yeshua know this guy would have treasure in heaven for selling His things and following Him? Unless these treasures are His to give, it would be like your neighbor freely giving away your possessions to strangers.
41.) Matthew 19:23-24 - Impossible for any man to know this with any certainty except God alone.
42.) Matthew 19:28-30 - WOW. Yeshua full-on claims He'll sit on His glorious Throne (of Heaven - God's Throne) and promises twelve thrones for His disciples and treasure for anyone who follows Him -- AND ETERNAL LIFE. Only GOD Himself can promise this. Either Yeshua is GOD or a madman!
43.) Matthew 20:1-16 - Impossible for a man to know how God rewards those in His Kingdom.
44.) Matthew 20:18-19 - Prophesies His death/resurrection. He's at least a prophet. But would God give such revelation to a madman off His rocker?
45.) Matthew 20:28 - Yeshua is alluding that He had prior knowledge before His birth, that He came specifically to serve and give His life.
46.) Matthew 21:2-3 - He's at least a prophet.
47.) Matthew 21:16 - Yeshua quotes OT text that refers to God Almighty (Psalm 8:2) and applies that to Himself!
48.) Matthew 21:22 - Impossible insider knowledge - only God can dictate how He answers prayer.
49.) Matthew 21:33-44 - Impossible to know with any authority as a mere man.
50.) Matthew 22:14 - Impossible to know this without knowing the mind of God.
51.) Matthew 22:29-32 - How can a man know anything about the business of angels or even claim that the patriarchs still live? Who could know that but GOD?
52.) Matthew 22:42-45 - Yeshua shows the Messiah, the Son of David, is called "Lord" by David in Psalm 110:1. But David was King of all Israel, so who is Lord over David save God alone?
53.) Matthew 23:34-36 - Yeshua says HE sent the prophets and wise men and scribes. Impossible for a mortal man who didn't exist during the times of the prophets.
54.) Matthew 23:37-39 - Again, Yeshua laments over the prophets that were slain, alluding to the fact that through them, He would have gathered the people unto Himself, but they didn't want Him. He prophesies the Jews' destruction and His Second Coming - but if He's to die, He cannot come again unless He's God.
55.) Matthew 24 - Prophecy for the end times. Impossible to know with any accuracy unless He is also God.
56.) Matthew 25 - End times parables and Judgment - the Judgment alone is claiming His Deity on His "Glorious Throne".
57.) Matthew 26:2 - Prophesied His death and the method of His death. This is the first time He speaks of crucifixion.
58.) Matthew 26:12-13 - Prophesies His death again, and makes a grand, impossible statement He couldn't possibly fulfill regarding Mary of Bethany unless, as God, He can make it so.
59.) Matthew 26:20-25 - He knew beforehand it was Judas who would betray Him and He also knew exactly what Judas would do a few seconds before he did it.
60.) Matthew 26:28 - Only God can make covenants between Heaven and earth.
61.) Matthew 26:31-32 - He knows the disciples will run away at His betrayal, and also that He'll rise from the dead -- AND where He will go afterwards.
62.) Matthew 26:53-54 - Yeshua clearly admits He has angels at His disposal and also that OT Scriptures were written about Him.
63.) Matthew 26:64 - Yeshua freely admits He will sit at the right hand of God, which is an idiom to say that He has all the power of God. Blasphemy if this is not true.
64.) Matthew 27:11 - Yeshua admits he's the King of the Jews, which is the Son of David, which is the Messiah, which is God.
65.) Matthew 28:10 - Yeshua fulfills His prophecy in Matthew 26:32.
66.) Matthew 28:18-20 - Yeshua claims all of God's power, and gives authority to His disciples in His name. He claims to always be with us even to the end of the age, which is impossible for a mortal man, but not for an immortal God.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. And I haven't even touched Yeshua's words in the other three Gospels. But these examples alone leave no doubt about Who He claimed to be. He was not a mere man. He was either insane or He was God.
As you ponder these words of Yeshua of Nazareth, ask yourself the most important question He ever posed:
"Who do YOU say I AM?"
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