The Word Was God

Is Jesus ever addressed as God in the Bible or is He so described? Anticipating our Lord’s birth, an angel quoted Isaiah’s prophecy, applying it to Jesus: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Mt 1:23). Jesus is addressed directly as God in Hebrews 1:8, where a quotation from Psalm 45:6 is identified as having Him in view: “To the Son He says: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.” In 1 John 5:20 it is said of Him, “This is the true God.” He is declared to be God in the opening verse of John’s Gospel: “the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Philippians 2:6 tells us that before His incarnation He was “in the form of God” and Colossians 2:9 states that “in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” He accepted the worship of Thomas who said in amazement, “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28).

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