The Gospel of John begins with words so profound that they reverberate across the entire canon of Scripture, drawing a direct line from creation to redemption: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). These verses form one of the clearest declarations that Jesus Christ is not only a man, prophet, or teacher but the eternal God of the Old Testament and the ruler of the cosmos. Using the Gospel of John as a foundation, this article will argue that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the great “I AM”—and that He reigns as Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of all things.
1. The Eternal Word: Creator and Sustainer of All Things
From the outset, John introduces Jesus as “the Word” (Logos), emphasizing His preexistence and active role in creation. The opening verses deliberately parallel Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” John writes:
“All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:3).
This clearly identifies Jesus as the Creator, the same God who spoke the universe into existence in Genesis 1. The unity of the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is on full display here. Jesus, the divine Word, is the agent through whom God created everything. This truth echoes Psalm 33:6: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.”
Not only is Jesus the Creator, but He also sustains the cosmos. Hebrews 1:3 declares that He “upholds the universe by the word of His power.” This unites the God of the Old Testament with the Christ of the New Testament. The God who stretched out the heavens in Isaiah 44:24 is the same Word made flesh in John 1:14.
2. The True Light: Revelation and Redemption
John identifies Jesus as the “true light, which gives light to everyone” (John 1:9). This connects directly with the Old Testament’s descriptions of God as the source of light and salvation:
- “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1).
- “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2).
When Jesus declares in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life,” He directly claims the role of God Himself. This statement is bold and undeniable, linking Him with the God who leads His people out of darkness and into salvation.
3. “I AM”: The Divine Name
Few passages in Scripture are as profound as John 8:58, where Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” This statement ties Jesus to the God of Exodus 3:14, where God revealed His name to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM.”
By claiming the divine name I AM, Jesus declares Himself to be the eternal, self-existent God of the Old Testament. The reaction of the Jewish leaders—picking up stones to kill Him (John 8:59)—underscores their understanding of His claim. Jesus was not speaking metaphorically; He was identifying Himself as the God of Israel.
The divine name I AM encapsulates God’s sovereignty, independence, and eternity—all of which belong fully to Jesus. This is one of the clearest and most explicit claims to His deity.
4. Signs and Miracles: Revealing Divine Authority
John structures his Gospel around seven miraculous “signs,” each revealing Jesus’ divine power and authority. These signs are not merely acts of compassion but deliberate demonstrations of Jesus’ identity as the God of the Old Testament. Consider a few examples:
- Turning Water into Wine (John 2:1–11): This first sign demonstrates Jesus’ creative power, echoing the God who provided wine as a blessing in the Old Testament (Psalm 104:14–15).
- Feeding the 5,000 (John 6:1–14): By multiplying loaves and fish, Jesus parallels God’s provision of manna in the wilderness for Israel.
- Walking on Water (John 6:16–21): Jesus’ control over the sea recalls the God of Exodus parting the Red Sea, demonstrating authority over nature.
These signs point beyond the immediate miracle to the deeper truth of Jesus’ divine identity. Each act ties Him to the God who revealed Himself throughout the Old Testament.
5. The Good Shepherd: Fulfilling Old Testament Imagery
In John 10:11, Jesus declares, “I am the good shepherd.” This statement connects directly to Old Testament imagery, where God is described as the shepherd of His people:
- “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).
- “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep” (Ezekiel 34:15).
Jesus fulfills these promises, presenting Himself as the shepherd who not only leads but also lays down His life for His sheep. This ultimate sacrifice demonstrates a covenantal love that only the God of Israel could provide.
6. Oneness with the Father
One of the most compelling declarations of Jesus’ deity comes in John 10:30: “I and the Father are one.” This statement affirms not just functional unity but shared essence between the Son and the Father. The response of the Jewish leaders—picking up stones for blasphemy—shows their clear understanding of what Jesus was claiming.
In John 14:9, Jesus makes this unity even clearer when He tells Philip, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” This reinforces the truth that Jesus is the visible manifestation of the invisible God, a truth also echoed in Colossians 1:15.
7. The Cross and Resurrection: Vindicating His Divinity
The ultimate demonstration of Jesus’ deity is His death and resurrection. In John 10:18, Jesus declares His authority over His own life and death: “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.” Only God has such authority over life and death.
The resurrection vindicates every claim Jesus made about His identity. Peter’s words in Acts 2:36 encapsulate this truth: “God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
8. Jesus as the Cosmic Christ
Finally, John’s Gospel shows that Jesus is not only the God of Israel but the Lord of the entire cosmos. In John 1:10–11, John writes:
“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him.”
This cosmic scope reveals Jesus as the Creator and Redeemer of all creation. His redemptive work extends to all nations, fulfilling the promise made to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 that through his seed, all nations would be blessed.
Conclusion: Worshiping Jesus as the God of the Bible
The Gospel of John provides an unshakable foundation for the belief that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament. From His role as Creator and Sustainer to His use of the divine name I AM, from His miraculous signs to His ultimate triumph in the resurrection, every page testifies to His deity.
This truth demands worship. The Jesus of the New Testament is the same God who covenanted with Abraham, delivered Israel from Egypt, and spoke through the prophets. He is the Logos, the I AM, the Good Shepherd, and the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. My prayer is that this understanding leads to a greater reverence for who Jesus is: the eternal God of the Old Testament and the ruler of the cosmos.
Reformed Faith Insights 