Where did Jesus say I'm God worship me?
Christian and Hamza chat after football club their church runs as Hamza comes to pick up her kids. An invite to a harvest supper leads into a conversation about teh identity of Jesus.
Christian: Hi Hamza. Good to see you all today. The boys looked so happy at football club this morning.
Hamza: Hi Christian. Yes, they loved it, thank you. They talk about it all week. You are very good to them.
Christian: It’s our pleasure. Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask, our church has a harvest supper next Friday. Would your family like to come?
Hamza: That is kind. What happens there? I don’t want to be a problem for anyone, being a Muslim.
Christian: Not at all. We’ll have food together, all halal, games for the kids, and a short talk. This year it’s called “Who is Jesus?”
Hamza: (laughs) My favourite subject! Before I say yes, may I ask you something? An honest question.
Christian: Of course. Ask me anything. I’d much rather you asked me than just wondered about it quietly.
Hamza: You say Jesus is God. Could you show me where Jesus said, “I am God, worship me.” Those exact words.
Christian: That’s a fair question, and I’ll be honest: those exact words aren’t in the Gospels. Can I ask you one back?
Hamza: (smiles) Go on then. I am listening. But I warn you, I have heard many answers before.
Christian: The Quran claims that Jesus is the Messiah, right? And born of a virgin?
Hamza: Yes, the Quran has a very high view of Jesus, we have great respect for him, but only as a prophet.
Christian: Ok, so if he is the Messiah and born of a virgin, where in the Quran does Jesus say, “I am the Messiah”? Or “I am the virgin-born son of Mary”?
Hamza: Well... the Quran says he is the Messiah. It says Maryam was a virgin. Allah says it very clearly.
Christian: Exactly, and we both believe those things. But Jesus never says them himself, in those words, does he?
Hamza: No... I suppose not. But it is still true. You’re saying that he is does not depend on him saying the words.
Christian: That’s my point exactly. It’s like the King doesn’t go round saying, “I am the King.” But he is still the King!
Hamza: Okay. But if Jesus really was God, surely he would say so plainly. Why leave people guessing?
Christian: I don’t think he did. He claimed to be divine, in a way that was even clearer than saying “I am God”. He used God’s own name.
Hamza: God’s name? What do you mean? We say Allah has ninety-nine names. Which name are you talking about?
Christian: In the Torah, when Moses met God at the burning bush, he asked God’s name. God said, “I AM WHO I AM.”
Exodus 3:14.
Exodus 3:14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” and he said, “You shall tell the children of Israel this: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
Hamza: Yes, we know Musa at the bush. Allah spoke to him there. The Quran tells that story as well.
Christian: Exodus says the one who appeared was the Angel of the Lord, yet he speaks as God himself. We believe that was Christ, before his birth.
Hamza: That is a big claim. But where does Jesus himself use this name? Show me his own words.
Christian: In
John 8 he’s debating with religious leaders about his identity. He says, “Before Abraham was born, I am!”
John 8:58.
John 8but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now very early in the morning, he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him. He sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman taken in adultery. Having set her in the middle, they told him, “Teacher, we found this woman in adultery, in the very act. Now in our law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. What then do you say… read full verse
John 8:58Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM.”
Hamza: “Before Abraham, I am”? That is strange grammar. Surely it should be “I was”. Why say it like that?
Christian: Because it’s God’s name. And look at verse 59: they picked up stones to stone him. They knew what he meant.
Hamza: (pause) Stoning was the punishment for blasphemy. So they heard him claiming to be God himself.
Christian: Yes. And it’s not just once. He also says, “If you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”
John 8:24.
John 8:24I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”
Hamza: “Die in your sins”? That is very serious. Is believing who he is really that important?
Christian: It is. In the Greek it’s simply “ego eimi” - “I AM”. He says it again the same way in
John 8:28 and 13:19.
John 8:28Jesus therefore said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing of myself, but as my Father taught me, I say these things.
Hamza: But anyone can read a lot into two little words. How do you know he meant God’s name?
Christian: Because the Greek translation of the Old Testament which was widely read in Jesus’ day uses those same words when God speaks in Isaiah: “I am he.”
Isaiah 41:4 and 43:10. What’s more, God says later, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions.”
Isaiah 43:25. Only God forgives sins - and Jesus forgave sins too.
Isaiah 41:4Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last, I am he.”
Isaiah 43:25I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.
Hamza: Hmm. But isn’t this just interpretation? Do you have any other proof?
Christian: Yes, actually, there’s a title Jesus uses for himself. In Isaiah, in the Old Testament, God says, “I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.”
Isaiah 44:6.
Isaiah 44:6This is what the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of Armies, says: “I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.
Hamza: That is like the Quran! “He is the First and the Last.”
Quran 57.3. It is about Allah alone.
Quran 57:3He is the First and the Last, and the Outward and the Inward; and He is Knower of all things.
Christian: Exactly. We agree that title belongs only to God. It means he alone if eternal and uncreated. He repeats it in
Isaiah 48:12. Now listen to Jesus in the book of Revelation: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive.”
Revelation 1:17-18. He says he was dead and rose, so this is Jesus speaking, not God, and yet he uses God’s own title. Have a look at
Revelation 1:8, it’s there again in 22:13: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.”
Isaiah 48:12“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he. I am the first. I am also the last.
Revelation 1:17-18When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last, and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.
Revelation 1:8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Hamza: And worship? You still have not shown me “worship me”. That was the second half of my question.
Christian: He never needed to ask. People who saw who he was simply worshipped him. The disciples did, in the boat.
Matthew 14:33. Thomas saw him risen and said, “My Lord and my God!”
John 20:28. Jesus didn’t correct him. He blessed those who believe. A prophet or an angel would stop them. Paul refused to be worshipped in
Acts 14:8-15, he tore his clothes. An angel refuses it too, in
Revelation 22:8-9. But Jesus never refused it (
Revelation 1:17-18).
Matthew 14:33Those who were in the boat came and worshipped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!”
John 20:28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Acts 14:8-15At Lystra a certain man sat, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked. He was listening to Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes on him and seeing that he had faith to be made whole, said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” He leapt up and walked. When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have come down… read full verse
Revelation 22:8-9Now I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who had shown me these things. He said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers, the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
Revelation 1:17-18When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last, and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.
Hamza: You have given me a lot to think about, today, Christian…
Christian: It’s always a joy, Hamza, to discuss these things with you.
Hamza: I’ll have a think about that Harvest supper… Maybe I could bring some food to share too?
Christian: Yes, please, that would be amazing!