Jesus' Claims of Oneness with God

Several times when Jesus declared that He was the Son of God and was one with His Father, some people were greatly offended and attempted to kill Him.

Some people, like John the Baptist, noticed unique indications that Jesus was special. Some believed He was the Messiah, specially sent from God. Others didn’t.

One Sabbath, Jesus visited the beautiful covered Bethesda Pool near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem. Many blind, lame, and paralyzed people lay in the shelter around the pool. One of them had been an invalid for 38 years.

Jesus spoke to that man. “Get up, roll up your mat, and walk.”

Immediately, the man was healed. He rolled up his mat and walked around.

Jewish leaders saw the man carrying his mat on the Sabbath. They told him, “It is against the law for you to carry your mat on the Sabbath.”

Now, it wasn’t really against the Law that Moses had received from God. It was against the rabbinic interpretation of the Law that went far beyond the original intent, but the man who was healed didn’t know the difference. He answered the Jews. “I’m just carrying my mat because the man who healed me told me to roll it up and walk.”

“Who told you that?” they asked.

The man didn’t know. A crowd had gathered, and Jesus had slipped away. Later, Jesus found him in the temple. “Look how you can walk now! Live right so nothing worse happens to you.”

Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders Jesus was the one who had healed him. The leaders had been persecuting Him for healing people on the Sabbath. Jesus told them, “Listen. My Father works every day, and so do I.” After that, the Jewish leaders wanted to kill Him even more. Not only for breaking the Sabbath, but because He called God His own Father and made Himself equal with God.

Another time, the Jewish leaders were insulting Jesus. He answered them. “If anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”

“Now we know You are crazy! Abraham died along with all the prophets, but You say anyone who keeps Your word will not die. Are You greater than our ancestor Abraham, who died? And the prophets, who died? Who do you think You are?”

(Some of the Jewish teachers believed that Abraham could foresee Messiah’s coming. Jesus probably alluded to that belief with his answer.) “Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw my coming and was glad.”

“What? You are not even fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham?”

“Listen to me: before Abraham was, I am.”

The Jews considered this a blasphemous claim to be God, which was punishable by stoning. So they picked up stones to throw at Jesus, but Jesus hid Himself and left the temple.

Later, during Hanukkah, Jesus was walking in the temple. The Jewish leaders gathered around and asked, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us in plain language.”

“I told you, but you don’t believe . . . I and the Father are one.” Twice more that day, they picked up stones to kill Him. They tried to seize Him, but He eluded their grasp.