Jesus: Was He God or The Son Of God

Is Jesus God or the Son of God?

The argument over whether Jesus is God or the Son of God has been going on since the rise of Christianity. Today we’ll look at both sides of the coin and offer a concise, definitive answer. I’m not a historian, theologian, or doctorate-holding scholar. What follows is the conclusion I’ve reached by reading the Bible in context and weighing the importance of each passage—as any careful reader might do. I’ve pondered this question for years, and this post is the abridged, straightforward version (listing dozens of direct texts and hundreds of cross-references isn’t feasible here).

What We Can and Can’t Know

First, humans will never fully understand God. He knows all things, exists beyond time, and creates and sustains reality without assistance. Such a Being cannot be comprehended in one lifetime—or a million.

“Can you fathom the mysteries of God?

Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?

They are higher than the heavens—what can you do?

They are deeper than the depths—what can you know?

Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.”

— Job 11:7–9

With that in mind, let’s consider the two claims.

Claim 1: Jesus Is God

Old Testament

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

— Isaiah 9:6

Isaiah is the most quoted prophet in the New Testament (including by Jesus). On a plain reading, Isaiah 9:6 identifies the coming child with divine titles—“Mighty God,” “Everlasting Father”—which supports the view that the Messiah shares in God’s identity.

New Testament

“For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.”

— Colossians 2:9

Paul states that the fullness of deity dwells in Christ bodily.

The Words of Jesus

“The Father and I are one.”

— John 10:30

Here Jesus Himself affirms unity with the Father. Read in context, He also speaks of “my Father,” which leads some to stress distinction of persons even within this unity.

Claim 2: Jesus Is the Son of God

Old Testament

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

— Psalm 22:1

Jesus cites this verse from the cross. Some argue that if Jesus were God in the strictest sense, He would not cry out to “God” as if to another.

New Testament

“When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’”

— Luke 3:21–22

Two points emerge: (1) the Father speaks to the Son—distinct persons in relationship; (2) the Holy Spirit appears “in bodily form.” Since John 4:24 says God is Spirit and Exodus 33:20 says no one may see God and live, some conclude the Father, Son, and Spirit are distinct, and that this passage visually supports the Trinity (one God in three persons).

Additional Johannine Texts on Salvation

“All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.” — 1 John 4:15

“These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” — John 20:31

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16

So, Which Is It?

According to John 10:30, Jesus claims unity with the Father; according to Luke 3:21–22, the Father, Son, and Spirit are seen in relationship. Put together, Scripture presents Jesus as fully divine and the Son—coexisting truths that the historic Christian doctrine of the Trinity articulates: one God in three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).

In practical terms for salvation, John emphasizes believing in Jesus the Son of God (John 3:16; 20:31). If Jesus and the Father are one, then the oneness-versus-trinity debate becomes secondary to the central question:

Do you believe?

Do you believe Jesus rose from the dead, calls all people to repentance, and died for your sins? Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). The greatest commandments are to love God and to love one another. Are we doing these?

If yes, praise God. If not, the precise mechanics of divine identity may be the least of our immediate worries compared to responding to Jesus with faith and obedience.