The One Verse That Proves Jesus Claimed to Be God
By Jonathan Morrow
If you could only choose one verse in the entire Bible to show that Jesus claimed to be God, could you do it? And more importantly which verse would you choose?
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Today, I’m going to walk you through one powerful verse from Scripture that clearly proves Jesus claimed to be God. I’ll also share two common mistakes Christians make in conversations about this topic and how you can avoid them.
So let’s dive in.
Is Jesus Really God?
There are a lot of opinions about Jesus. Culture often tries to fit Him into various boxes prophet, teacher, moral leader, or spiritual guide. But if you follow Jesus and want to have meaningful spiritual conversations with others, it’s crucial to be able to explain what Jesus Himself claimed.
In fact, the famous atheist Richard Dawkins boldly says in The God Delusion:
“There is no good historical evidence that Jesus thought he was divine.”
Really?
That’s a huge claim. So how should we respond especially when skeptics seem so confident, so credentialed, and, let’s be honest, a bit intimidating?
That’s what we’re going to explore by looking at both what not to do, and what you should do instead.
Two Ways Not to Make the Case
Let’s start with what doesn’t work.
1. The “I Just Believe” Approach
This is the common fallback in tough conversations. Someone asks, “How do you know Jesus is God?” and we reply, “I just believe it.”
Now, having strong personal faith is good but just believing something doesn’t make it true. Truth isn’t defined by sincerity. Everyone’s entitled to their own beliefs, but not to their own reality.
So if someone says, “I don’t believe that,” and all you’ve got is “Well, I do,” you’ve hit a conversational dead end.
2. The “The Bible Says So” Argument
I personally believe the Bible is the inspired, authoritative Word of God and I’ve even written a book defending that. But if you’re talking with someone who doesn’t believe the Bible is true, quoting Scripture alone won’t be persuasive.
Imagine this exchange:
“Jesus is God.”
“How do you know?”
“The Bible says so.”
“Well, I don’t believe the Bible.”
See the problem? You need more than that.
A Better Way: The Historical Approach
So what’s the better way to show that Jesus claimed to be God?
History.
We evaluate claims about the past the same way in any discipline through eyewitness testimony, early written records, and historical context. The same applies to Jesus.
The earliest biographies of Jesus, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were all written in the first century. That’s incredibly close to the events themselves by historical standards. Eyewitnesses were still alive. Paul’s letters also affirm this.
So we ask: What do these early sources say about Jesus’ claims?
The One Verse That Proves It
Let’s go to the Gospel of Mark, the earliest gospel, and look at Mark 14:61–62. This is where Jesus is on trial before the high priest:
“But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him and saying to Him, ‘Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?’
And Jesus said, ‘I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’”
(Mark 14:61–62, NASB)
Immediately, the high priest tears his clothes and declares that Jesus has committed blasphemy, a crime punishable by death.
Why? Because they understood exactly what Jesus was claiming.
Why This Is So Powerful
In this short exchange, Jesus uses three key titles for Himself:
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The Christ – the long-awaited Messiah.
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The Son of the Blessed One – a reference to being uniquely related to God.
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The Son of Man – and this is the title that seals the deal.
Why? Because Jesus is referencing Daniel 7:13–14, a prophecy where one like a “Son of Man” comes with the clouds of heaven, receives dominion, glory, and a kingdom that will never end. This figure is worshipped by all nations, a role reserved for God alone.
“His dominion is an everlasting dominion… and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.”
(Daniel 7:14)
So when Jesus says “You will see the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven”, the high priest knows exactly what He means. Jesus isn’t just claiming to be a prophet. He’s claiming divine status. That’s why they accused Him of blasphemy.
Conclusion: What You Should Take Away
If you’re trying to show someone that Jesus claimed to be God, Mark 14:61–62 is your go-to passage. It’s historically early, theologically loaded, and provoked a dramatic response from Jesus’ accusers.
Here’s how to put this into practice:
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Ask questions. Gauge whether the person believes in the Bible or not.
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Meet them where they are. Use historical evidence, not just faith statements.
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Point to this one powerful moment in Mark 14, and show them that Jesus wasn’t misunderstood. He claimed to be the divine Son of Man—and everyone around Him understood what He meant.
So if this was helpful to you, give it a like, share it with someone who has questions, and start applying this in your own conversations.
And I’ll see you in the next article.
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