Similar Posts:
- Did Jesus Say He Was God? Bart Ehrman
- Did Jesus and Others Say He Is God?
- Did Jesus Claim to be God in John? Ross Nichols
2/18/2025—Below are slides and my understanding of Dr. Bart Ehrman’s view of this question derived from his one-hour lecture on BSA, “Did Jesus Think He Was God?” The audio file and slides are in the Bart Ehram large-files directory on the USB memory card.
First – The Gospel According to John—written after the others—is the only gospel where Jesus says he and the Father are one and other statements to that effect. See the first slide image below. The author of John acknowledges the controversies Jesus caused with things he said and the Jews present tried to stone him. See the separate slide and scriptures below.
Second – In the synoptic gospels Jesus does not proclaim that he and God are one; or similar proclamations. They reported many other things he did and said. See the second and third slides below. If he had said it surely the writers of those gospels would have felt that was very important and included it. Such declarations would have caused controversies like the many other things he said that did not align with the Jewish laws. Two of those recorded controversies are in John, where he had to avoid being stoned for blasphemy. Given the likelihood that such a declaration would have caused an uprising, or at least a potential stoning, at least one of the writers of Mark, Matthew, or Luke would have proudly told us about it.
Conclusion:
- As the Synoptics do not have any record of him saying it then it is not likely he said it. Did he think it…how could we know what he thought? [Personal comment – We could know what he thought if we were divine psychics like several of my past Sunday School teachers. :-)]
- See the slide titled Tally below for the list of places he did not say it in contrast to the only place it is said he did; i.e. John.
From ChatGPT
In the Gospel of John, Jesus avoids being stoned:
- John 8:59 – After Jesus declares, “Before Abraham was, I am,” (John 8:58, NRSV), the Jewish leaders attempt to stone Him for blasphemy. However, He escapes:
“So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.” (John 8:59, NRSV) - John 10:31-39 – After Jesus proclaims, “The Father and I are one,” (John 10:30, NRSV), the Jewish leaders again attempt to stone Him for blasphemy:
“The Jews took up stones again to stone him.” (John 10:31, NRSV)
Jesus reasons with them, and though they attempt to arrest Him, He escapes.
The images below are most of his slides
