Did Jesus Actually Say "I AM GOD"?

I've heard people say that Yeshua never claimed to be God, but that is absolutely false. Not only did he say things that were claims to deity, but his actions and miracles also pointed to his deity. Not only that, but the apostles also claimed that Yeshua is God. So, I want to begin this conversation by looking at some of the specific times Yeshua claimed to be God. Yeshua made numerous claims to his deity, both directly and indirectly through his words, actions, and the way he fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. The first thing I want to point out is that Yeshua used the divine name I am. The name that Yahweh told Moses in Exodus 3:14. And God said to Moses, "I am who I am." And he said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I am has sent me to you." Yeshua used this specific name twice. And the result was very interesting both times. The first time Yeshua is explaining that he is greater than Abraham and that he existed before Abraham. John 8:58-59 says, "Jesus said to them, most assurely I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." Then they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. The grammar of this sentence doesn't make sense. He should have said, "Before Abraham was, I was." But that's not what he said. He specifically chose the phrase I am. Even though it was not correct grammar, he chose this phrase because he was giving us his identity as the great I am who spoke to Moses. Notice that they immediately picked up stones to stone him for blasphemy. They understood that by saying before Abraham was I am, he was using a very specific phrase referring to himself as the great I am. They understood that Yeshua was making a claim to be God. And they saw it as blasphemy, which is why they picked up stones to throw at him. The same thing happened again in John 10 when Yeshua said that he is one with the father. John 10:30 and33 says,"I and my father are one." Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, "Many good works have I shown you from my father? For which of these works do you stone me?" The Jews answered him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, and because you, being a man, make yourself God." Blasphemy was a serious accusation. And we see here that they understood that he was claiming to make himself equal with God. If Yeshua wasn't God, then they were right in saying that he was blaspheming. And if he was a blasphemer, then he isn't the Messiah. However, if we believe he is the Messiah, then we must understand that he could not be blaspheming. Therefore, he must be speaking the truth. He is the great I am. He did exist before Abraham and he is equal with the father. We see his second use of this divine name in John 18:5-6. They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am." And Judas who betrayed him also stood with them. Now when he said to them, "I am," they drew back and fell to the ground. Some translations say, "I am he." But the word he is not present in this text. It was added by translators to try to make the sentence make sense. However, the exact Greek phrase used here is ego, which means I am. The word I go is the first person pronoun I. And the word ami means to be or to exist. He's saying I am or I exist. Also notice that when he said I am, the soldiers fell backwards to the ground. He identified himself as I am and they fell to the ground. This shows us the authority he had to use that name. Again, this is the same name God spoke to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3:14. And God said to Moses, "I am who I am." Yeshua claimed to be I am who existed before Abraham and they tried to stone him for it and later when they came to arrest him in the garden he claimed to be I am and the soldiers fell to the ground. Yeshua also used the phrase I am in connection with other claims of deity for example in John 14:6 Yeshua claims to be the exclusive path to the father Jesus said to him I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through me. When Yeshua walked on water, he was telling us who he is. He is the one who makes a path on the water. Isaiah 43:15-16 says, "I am the Lord, your holy one, the creator of Israel, your king." Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters. When we read in the Gospels where Yeshua walked on the water, look at what he says after he walked on the water. Matthew 14:27 says, "But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, be of good cheer. I am do not be afraid." Most translations say, "It is I. Do not be afraid." But the Greek phrase used here is again ego. This means while Yeshua was walking on water, he said, "I am." This was done to show the disciples that Yeshua is the great I am who makes a path in the sea. We see similar statements in Job and the Psalms as well about God walking on water. When Yeshua walked on the water, he was telling us by demonstration of his power that he is God, the God who makes a path in the mighty water and treads on the waves of the sea. Now listen to what his disciples said in response. Matthew 14:32 and 33. And when they got in the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, "Truly, you are the son of God." The disciples worshiped Yeshua and had no doubts that he truly is the son of God. This is huge. They worshiped Yeshua. The Bible tells us not to worship any other gods and not to worship anyone or anything but God alone. If Yeshua was not God, then worshiping him would be an act of idolatry. In fact, the angels were commanded to worship Yeshua when God sent him into the world. Hebrews 1:6 says, "But when he again brings the firstborn into the world," he says, "let all the angels of God worship him." And Hebrews 18 explains that Yeshua is God, and his power and reign is eternal. Hebrews 1:8 says, "But to the Son," he says, "Your throne, oh God, is forever and ever. A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom." There's also a really interesting verse in Philippians 2:9-11. says, "Therefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." This is a quote from Isaiah 45:21-23, which says, "And there is no other God besides me, a just God and Savior. There is none besides me. Look to me and be saved all you ends of the earth for I am God and there is no other. I have sworn by myself the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return. That to me every knee shall bow and every tongue shall take an oath. Here we see that Yahweh is saying he is the only God and the only savior and to him Yahweh every knee will bow and every tongue will confess. And Paul is quoting this verse in reference to Yeshua. Both Peter and Paul refer to Yeshua as God and Savior. And Thomas calls Yeshua my Lord and my God. Second Peter 1:1, Peter says, "By the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ." Right here, Yeshua is called both God and Savior. Likewise, Paul calls Yeshua our great God and Savior. In Titus 2:13, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He's referring to the return of Jesus as the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior. Yeshua is our great God and Savior. Similarly, when doubting Thomas touched the risen Savior, he proclaimed in faith that Yeshua is both Lord and God. John 20:28 says, "And Thomas answered and said to him, my Lord and my God." Likewise, when we have faith, we understand and proclaim that Yeshua is my Lord and my God. We could go on and on for hours talking about everything Yeshua said and did that point to his deity. He healed the blind. He healed lepers and he raised the dead. These are all things that point to his deity. He fed thousands with just a few loaves of fish. And he cursed the fig tree and it died. And he cleansed the temple. These things also point to his deity. He spoke to a storm and it stopped. He walked on water and he rose from the dead. These things point to his deity. He claimed to be the living bread from heaven. He claimed to share glory with the father. He claimed that to see him is to see the father. He claimed that he came from heaven. And he claimed that he is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. All these claims are claims to deity. He prophesied that Judas would betray him. He prophesied the destruction of the temple. He prophesied his own death and resurrection. And he prophesied that he would return. All of these things point to his deity as well. He was worshiped by both humans and angels which indicates his deity. He claimed to be God's son which is a claim to deity. And the Bible says he is the creator in John 1, Colossians 1 and Hebrews 1 which is a claim to deity. He is called the son of God and he was born of a virgin which we discussed last week which points to his deity as well. He came down from heaven and he ascended back to heaven which is also a sign of deity. He is both son of God and son of man. Meaning he is fully God and fully man. He is God incarnate. This is why the apostle Paul has so much to say about the deity of Yeshua. He explained that Yeshua was in the form of God and equal with God, but he humbled himself and became a man to die for our sins. Philippians 2:5-7 says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men." The Bible also tells us that the fullness of God dwelt in the body of Yeshua. Colossians 2:9 says, "For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." This means the fullness of God was dwelling in a human body. He wasn't half God and half man. He was fully God because the fullness of God dwelt in him and yet he was also fully human. This is described as a great mystery that God was manifested in the flesh. 1 Timothy 3:16 says, "And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness." God was manifested in the flesh. God was manifested in the flesh as Yeshua, the son of God. John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God." And John 1:14 says, "And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." Yeshua is God incarnate. He is the fullness of God in bodily form. He shares glory and honor with the Father, and he's worshiped with the Father. Yeshua created all things, which makes him God. I know I rushed through a lot of these things and I could have probably spent an hour on each point and there even more details that I didn't even get to mention here today, but I wanted to give you a broad overview of many of the things the Bible says about the deed of Yeshua so you would have a good foundation on this topic. The deed of Yeshua isn't based on one or two verses. This doctrine is pervasive throughout the entire Bible.