The following is a walk through a number of verses in the book of John, showing how many times Jesus tells the leaders of Israel and His disciples (or acknowledges the fact from others), that He is the Son of God. Note each section.
Jesus has spoken to a large group of disciples and told them they must eat His flesh. As a result, all leave Him except the twelve. Jesus asks, “Will ye also go away?” Simon Peter answers, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” John 6:67-69.
This is the second time Peter has affirmed Jesus to be the Son of God.
Jesus teaches in the temple. Some are debating if Jesus is the Christ. Jesus says, “Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. But ye know Him: for I am from him, And he hath sent me.” John 7:28.
These words are an acknowledgement that He is the Son of God.
On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus says, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” John 7:37. Again there is a discussion as to whether He is the Christ. The people are divided in their opinions. When the officers of the Pharisees return without Jesus, they are asked why they have not brought Him. “The officers reply, “Never man spake like this man.” John 7:43-46.
Again there is a debate with the Jews in the temple. ‘Your record is not true’, they say. Jesus replies, “Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go…. I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me… I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.” John 8:14-18.
The discussion turns to Jesus’ Father and the Jews say, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.” John 8:41.42.
The debate continues and finally Jesus says, “Before Abraham was, I am.” John 8:58. This causes the antagonists to pick up stones to throw at Him because they know it means Jesus claims to be God’s Son. The Saviour hides Himself and walks away. v59.
Jesus heals a blind man. The Jewish leaders are incensed because it is the Sabbath day. The man does not know who healed him and when Jesus meets him again later He asks, “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” The man answers, “Who is He Lord that I might believe on Him? And Jesus said unto Him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped Him.” John 9:35-38.
Jesus is at the Feast of Dedication and speaking to the Jews about His Father. At the end of the conversation, Jesus says, “I and My Father are one.” At this the Jews take up stones to stone Him. John 10:25-31. Jesus asks for which good works they want to stone Him. They say none of them, but because He has made Himself out to be God. Jesus replies, “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God?” John 10:32-39.
Lazarus is dead. Jesus and the disciples arrive. Martha runs to see Him. He tells her that those who believe in Jesus will never die. Martha replies, “Yea Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” John 11:25-27.
A few days before Jesus’ final Passover, Jesus teaches that He is the light of the world. He tells them, “I have not spoken of mystery; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” John 12:49.50.
Jesus continues to speak of his Father. Each time it aggravates the Jewish leaders, but they must wait for Judas to lead them to Jesus out of view of the people.
Jesus is speaking to some of His disciples. He tells that there would come a time when He would not speak in parables or proverbs. “I shall shew you plainly of the Father…. For the Father loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world and go to the Father.” John 16:25-28.
The disciples say, “Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now we are sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.” John 16:29.30.
“Jesus answered from, Do ye now believe?” John 16:31.
We can see that the disciples suddenly realise fully that Jesus “came forth from God” as well as “came into the world.” They say, “We are sure that thou knowest all things…” A divine Son would know all things.
It is not difficult to see that Jesus is happy about their discovery. His words convey a hidden relief, "Do ye now believe?” Before everything was a mystery, or a proverb to the disciples. Now they believe. Jesus is relieved.
In His prayer to his Father, Jesus shares this good news. “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world… I have given unto them the words which thou gavest men, and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.” John 17:6-8.
Can you see Jesus’ joy in these words to His Father?
At Christ’s illegal trial, Caiaphas asked the question, “Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Mark 14:61. In Matthew, the question is put, “I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.” Matthew 26:63.
Under oath Jesus replies, “Thou hast said…” Matthew 26:64. “I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Mark 14:62.
Jesus is under oath, and He says YES. The Sanhedrin does not believe Him. In other words they are calling Jesus a liar. Please note: This is not a -- Yes, I was begotten at Bethlehem. It was a -- Yes, I was begotten of the Father in heaven, and then I came to this world.
While Jesus is hanging upon the cross, the Jewish leaders pass by wagging their heads. “If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross… He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.” Matthew 27:43. Psalm 22:8. These men don’t let up on their belief that Jesus is not the Son of God, and they make a mockery of Him.
After Jesus dies, the centurion cries out, “Truly this was the Son of God.” Matthew 27:54. Mark says, “Truly this man was the Son of God.” Mark 15:39. Luke says, “Truly this was a righteous man.” Luke 23:47.
Based on the testimony of Christ's own words, you and I can believe with the Roman centurian, that Jesus is truly the Son of God. If not, then we must stand with the Jewish leaders and stone Him or consent to putting Him on the Roman cross.
What is your decision?
Stone Him