The Divinity of Christ & Understanding the Godhead
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The divinity of Christ has been a subject of deep theological reflection for centuries. Early debates about who Jesus truly was—whether a created being, a preexisting archangel, or truly God—have shaped Christian thought to this day. The Bible offers rich evidence of Jesus’ divine nature, showing that His existence is not simply a thought in the mind of God, but that He shares in the divine identity and attributes.
The Deity of Christ in Scripture
Throughout the New Testament, the deity of Christ is affirmed in various ways. In John’s Gospel, for example, the Logos—translated as the “Word”—is described as being with God in the beginning, and indeed, as God. John explicitly states, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14), an unmistakable reference to the incarnation of Jesus Christ. This powerful declaration links the human Jesus to the eternal divine Logos, underscoring His preexistence and divinity.
In Hebrews 1:2, we see Christ presented as both the “heir of all things” and the One through whom God made the world, reinforcing His role as Creator. This is consistent with Paul’s declaration in Colossians 1:16, that “all things were created by Him and for Him.” These texts not only affirm Christ’s divine power but also point to His essential role in the grand narrative of creation and redemption.
The Unity and Duality of the Godhead
Christianity, unique among the world’s monotheistic religions, holds that the one God exists in more than one person. This doctrine of the Godhead has been a central, and at times divisive, theme in Christian theology. While the term “Trinity” came to prominence in later church history, the Bible itself speaks of God in terms that suggest a duality of Father and Son.
Elohim, the Hebrew word for God, is a plural noun used in the Old Testament to refer to the one true God. Genesis 1:26 records God saying, “Let us make man in our image,” indicating a plural conversation within the divine realm. This plurality does not deny monotheism but rather suggests the complex unity of God’s nature.
Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, is presented not only as distinct from the Father but also as sharing in the Father’s divine essence. In John 8:58, Jesus says, “Before Abraham was, I am,” a direct claim to the divine name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14. The Jews understood this as a claim to divinity, which explains why they reacted with outrage. In saying, “I am,” Jesus declared His timeless existence and identity with Yahweh.
The Role of the Holy Spirit
Alongside the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit plays a vital role in Christian theology. Yet, interpretations of the Spirit’s nature have varied throughout history. The traditional Trinitarian view holds that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son. However, other interpretations, such as Arianism and Modalism, challenge this view by denying the personhood of the Spirit, viewing the Holy Spirit instead as the power or presence of God.
In Luke 1:35, the angel Gabriel speaks to Mary about the Holy Spirit coming upon her, describing the Spirit as “the power of the Highest.” This identification of the Holy Spirit as the power of God highlights the Spirit’s role in the miraculous conception of Jesus. The association between the Holy Spirit and God’s power is a recurring theme in both Old and New Testaments.
Theological Debates Through History
The early church fathers grappled with questions about Christ’s nature and the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. From the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD to modern theological reflections, Christians have sought to defend the biblical truth of the Godhead. Figures like Athanasius defended the full divinity of Christ against the teachings of Arius, who argued that Christ was a created being.
In later centuries, other movements, such as Unitarianism and Socinianism, would also challenge traditional views on the Trinity. The Jehovah’s Witnesses, for example, teach that Jesus was Michael the Archangel before coming to earth, a view rooted in Arian theology. On the other hand, Modalism posits that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not distinct persons but simply different modes of God’s self-revelation.
Despite these differing views, mainstream Christianity has consistently upheld the full divinity of Christ, His preexistence, and His equality with the Father.
The biblical witness is clear: Jesus Christ is not merely a historical figure or a moral teacher. He is the eternal Son of God, fully divine and fully human, through whom all things were created and by whom all things are sustained. As Paul writes in Titus 2:13, we await “the appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,” a powerful declaration of Christ’s identity as both God and Savior.
For believers, the divinity of Christ is not just a theological point—it is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. To know Jesus is to know God, and through His death and resurrection, He offers eternal life to all who believe in His name.