Ahmed Deedat an islamic appologist has been renowned by mulims as a great debater to proove islam and disproove christianity, especially through his argument where did jesus say I am god worship me?
So when we look at this issue its actually taking the bible out of its state and just ooking at what jesus said and not believeing in what the authros stated .e.g. john 1 1 the word became flesh, the word was god etc.
Even when we look at jesus words we can see he claimed divinity to being a person withing the being of god(trinity) which I will disccus slightly in this post, but will create a post specific to that topic in the near future.
Now the fundamental question did jesus claim to be god?
If we compar the words of yahweeh in the old testement to jesus in the new its consistant and teaches this is not just a prophet that muslims claim to be according to the bible.
"loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them." Deuteronomy 30:20
Jesus said to her, ‘I am THE resurrection and THE life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.’" John 11:25-27
When we look at this passage of jesus's waords, we see this is no prophet. I mean what prophet claims to be the resurection and the life? it also similiar use of by yahweeh in the old testement.
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am THE light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’" John 8:12
Again we see the consistancy that this is no mere prophet. This would be seen upon as blasphemy, which is why the jews killed him.
Daniel 7
13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven." Mark 13:26-27
Many muslims state on how he claimed to be a son of man linking with him being just a prophet and not divine, yet he is referng back to daniels vision
Jesus answered, "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. ...
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the
Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the
miracles themselves." (John 14:10-11)
in the earliest gospel, which is Mark we see jesus forgiving sins
And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven. Mark 2:5
What prophet can forgive sins?
Exodus 3
14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” [1] And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
john 8 58
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
He claims t be yahweeh, he physialy in this passage claims to be god and the jews knew who he was claiming to be as in the next verse it states the picked up stones to stone him.
Matthew 11: 28
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Again what prophet can say thi, these are not words of some prophet of god, you seek refuge in god alone nt prophets.
Mark 2:28
So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath
He claims to be the lord of the sabbath, god created the sabbath and somhow this prophet who works on the sabbath laims to be the ruler of the sabbath. In john he gives the full detail on jesus words, mark was lazy and never went into much detail. John 5 17 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
John 5
21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment
Honestly how can this be just a prophet?
1) the son is the judge and all may honour the son as they do father. surely you honour god more than a prophet.
2) he gives eternal life.
3) claims to be the son of god and the dead will hear his voice.
4) he will judge everyone.
There are many more divine claims jesus makes, butthe one I would like to finish on is in Johns gospel after the resurection when jesus appears to thomas, as thomas had doubt on the resurection of christ.
John 20
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Thomas worshiped jesus calling him GOD and heaccepted this worship, a prohet would have to rebuke this, but we do not see this.
The claims regarding jesus stating I do nothingon my own will, the father is greater than I, for the son of man does not know the last day only the father etc, I will discuss on the topic The Trinity.
Jesus is lord
