Why did Jesus not pronounce "I am God" in the four gospels?

tonychanyt said:

Let string G1 = "I am God".

Why did Jesus not say G1 in the Gospel?

Jesus knew he was God but decided not to proclaim it at the time. Why?

Paul explained in Philippians 2:


He gave us his example of servant humility.


The phrase "I am God" is a loaded statement. In Jesus's time, people would have misunderstood its implications when applying to the man Jesus. Jesus did not want that extra hassles to mess up his timing. Just calling himself "the Son of God" already caused trouble with the religious authorities. Even today, the statement "Jesus is God" is divisive among Christians.

Why did Jesus not say "I am God" in the gospels?

For humility and logistical reasons.

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He actually never said he was anyone at all. He asked. He asked his disciples at Matt 16:15, "who do you say I am"? Peter then replied with "You are the Christ. The Son of the living God". To say "the Son of God" is the same as saying "the Word of God". It was consistent with John 1, "and the Word was God". Philo of Alexandria wrote that the Word of God was the first-born Son of God. Philo used the same terms to describe the same concepts that both John and Paul used. John referred to the Son as the Word. According to Philo, the Word was the creative and sustaining power of God. As John said, all things were created through the Word. Paul said likewise, though expounded on it in agreement with Philo:

Col 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

Col 1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

That all things consist in him, he sustains all things. All things were created through him, and all things are sustained by him.

tonychanyt said:

Let string G1 = "I am God".

Why did Jesus not say G1 in the Gospel?

Jesus knew he was God but decided not to proclaim it at the time. Why?

Paul explained in Philippians 2:


He gave us his example of servant humility.


The phrase "I am God" is a loaded statement. In Jesus's time, people would have misunderstood its implications when applying to the man Jesus. Jesus did not want that extra hassles to mess up his timing. Just calling himself "the Son of God" already caused trouble with the religious authorities. Even today, the statement "Jesus is God" is divisive among Christians.

Why did Jesus not say "I am God" in the gospels?

For humility and logistical reasons.

Click to expand...

Agreed about the humility and logistical reasons, but also, (and I suppose this is logistical of sorts), if he had made it too obvious he was God, believing in him would too easily be sight and not faith.

Also, he has thus demonstrated that God accomplishes what no man but Jesus could do, by simple, earthy, even common, means. He did what only God can do, as a man, which proves his Godhood. If the unbelievers could understand that, it would hush their mouths about the way that nature continues naturally, without intervention by God —which they show in an attempt to suggest that there can be no God— and it should make believers think twice about claiming that what [at least I] claim, reduces down to that the virtues of faith happen 'automatically'.

tonychanyt said:

Let string G1 = "I am God".

Why did Jesus not say G1 in the Gospel?

Jesus knew he was God but decided not to proclaim it at the time. Why?

Click to expand...

Jesus, in response to the Pharisees’ question “Who do you think you are?” said, “‘Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.’ ‘You are not yet fifty years old,’ the Jews said to him, ‘and you have seen Abraham!’ ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’ At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds” (John 8:56–59).

Wasn't this Jesus claiming to be the great I AM of the old testament?

KT

30 I and the Father are one.
31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God. John 10:30-33

tonychanyt said:

Let string G1 = "I am God".

Why did Jesus not say G1 in the Gospel?

Jesus knew he was God but decided not to proclaim it at the time. Why?

Paul explained in Philippians 2:


He gave us his example of servant humility.


The phrase "I am God" is a loaded statement. In Jesus's time, people would have misunderstood its implications when applying to the man Jesus. Jesus did not want that extra hassles to mess up his timing. Just calling himself "the Son of God" already caused trouble with the religious authorities. Even today, the statement "Jesus is God" is divisive among Christians.

Why did Jesus not say "I am God" in the gospels?

For humility and logistical reasons.

Click to expand...

Although He didn't say those actual words (or at least, their equivalent in Aramaic!), even His enemies knew that His word meant that He was God:

“Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.” (Joh 5:18 NKJV)

tonychanyt said:

Let string G1 = "I am God".

Why did Jesus not say G1 in the Gospel?

Jesus knew he was God but decided not to proclaim it at the time. Why?

Paul explained in Philippians 2:


He gave us his example of servant humility.


The phrase "I am God" is a loaded statement. In Jesus's time, people would have misunderstood its implications when applying to the man Jesus. Jesus did not want that extra hassles to mess up his timing. Just calling himself "the Son of God" already caused trouble with the religious authorities. Even today, the statement "Jesus is God" is divisive among Christians.

Why did Jesus not say "I am God" in the gospels?

For humility and logistical reasons.

Click to expand...

He didn't have to. It was already written in the Torah. They would have already known if they paid attention. Jesus Christ of Nazareth encouraged them to " seek and find".

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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

Blessings

tonychanyt said:

Let string G1 = "I am God".

Why did Jesus not say G1 in the Gospel?

Jesus knew he was God but decided not to proclaim it at the time. Why?

Paul explained in Philippians 2:


He gave us his example of servant humility.


The phrase "I am God" is a loaded statement. In Jesus's time, people would have misunderstood its implications when applying to the man Jesus. Jesus did not want that extra hassles to mess up his timing. Just calling himself "the Son of God" already caused trouble with the religious authorities. Even today, the statement "Jesus is God" is divisive among Christians.

Why did Jesus not say "I am God" in the gospels?

For humility and logistical reasons.

Click to expand...

In Judaism, the idea of God as a duality or trinity is heretical — it is even considered by some polytheistic. According to Judaic beliefs, the Torah rules out a trinitarian God in Deuteronomy (6:4): "Hear Israel, the LORD is our God, the LORD is one."

Because the Bible is clear that Jesus as God has always existed, His title as “the Son of God” or “only begotten Son” refers to His role in fulfilling God's special promise of salvation to His people, similar to Isaac being Abraham's “only begotten son” (Hebrews 11:17-18).

The jewish clergy of the day (and even today) are/were misunderstanding/misinterpreting some of the scriptures.

While Christianity recognizes the Hebrew Bible (called the Old Testament by Christians) as part of its scriptural canon, Judaism does not recognize the Christian New Testament. The relative importance of belief and practice constitute an important area of difference.

Even though Christ let them know about their error ....

Witness of the Scripture

(Luke 16:19-31)

1 John 5

39Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 41I receive not honour from men. 42But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. 43I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. 44How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? 45Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. 46For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. 47But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

tonychanyt said:

Sure. But that is not the question in this OP.

Click to expand...

Let string G1 = "I am God".
Why did Jesus not say G1 in the Gospel?

Click to expand...

OK, if you are looking for an exacting, logically true statement, G1 was not said in the gospel because Jesus did not speak English.

KT

Maria Billingsley said:

He didn't have to. It was already written in the Torah. They would have already known if they paid attention. Jesus Christ of Nazareth encouraged them to " seek and find".

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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

Blessings

Click to expand...

Right. Calling Himself the Son of God was, in effect, calling Himself God. The Pharisees and scribes knew this (because of being familiar with Isaiah 9:6-7), so that's why they said He was blaspheming God and why they wanted to kill Him.

Matthew 26:63 But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

But, of course, He didn't say that until shortly before His death. He didn't go around saying "I am God" or things that implied that He was God because He knew when He did that they would want to kill Him as soon as possible. He only said it once He knew it was time for His sacrifice.

tonychanyt said:

Sure. But that is not the question in this OP.

Click to expand...

In the OP you indicated that He never said "I am God" in the gospels. Well, saying "before Abraham was, I am" was pretty much a case of Him saying He was God. But, anyway, He obviously didn't go around frequently telling people He was God or anything like that and I think that is your point. If He did, He would have been killed even sooner than He was because Him calling Himself God is what made the Pharisees and scribes angry enough to want Him dead because of His supposed blasphemy.

He said he was god when the Pharisees said he was the devil and referred to psalm 82, so it was really part of an argument the way I see it.

This psalm says:

“I said, ‘You are “gods”;
you are all sons of the Most High.’
But you will die like mere mortals;
you will fall like every other ruler.”

Jesus then said that if the psalm says you are gods, then how much more the son of man who came down from heaven etc

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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.

Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.