One of the most fascinating and debated questions in the history of Christianity is how Jesus’ followers viewed him: Did they believe he was God? Or did this belief develop over time as the early Christian community reflected on his life, teachings, and resurrection? The question is complex, as the early followers of Jesus came from various backgrounds, and their understanding of Jesus evolved in the decades following his crucifixion. By examining the New Testament, early Christian writings, and the historical context, we can gain insights into the beliefs of Jesus’ earliest followers regarding his divine identity.
The Earliest Followers: Jesus as Messiah and Lord
The earliest followers of Jesus, including the apostles and Jewish disciples, viewed him within the framework of Jewish messianic expectations. In first-century Judaism, the Messiah was expected to be a human leader—descended from King David—who would bring about God’s kingdom on earth, restore Israel, and bring justice. The idea that the Messiah would be divine was not a widespread belief in Judaism at the time.
However, Jesus’ followers began to perceive him as more than just a human messiah after his crucifixion, especially in light of their belief in his resurrection. This belief marked a significant turning point, leading them to regard Jesus as their risen “Lord.” In Acts 2:36, Peter declares, “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” Here, “Lord” could be seen as a title of authority, indicating Jesus’ exalted status rather than full equality with God. However, the use of “Lord” in early Christian worship would soon take on deeper theological meaning, ascribing to Jesus a unique closeness to God that went beyond what was typical for Jewish expectations of the Messiah.
Jesus as “Son of God”
The title “Son of God” is used frequently in the New Testament to describe Jesus. In the Jewish context, “Son of God” could refer to someone with a special relationship with God, such as Israel itself, kings, or angels, without necessarily implying divinity. However, in early Christian thought, “Son of God” took on a more unique significance. For Jesus’ followers, this title expressed a profound sense of Jesus’ relationship to God that went beyond typical Jewish understanding.
In passages like Matthew 16:16, Peter proclaims Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This statement likely conveyed a sense of divine mission and intimacy with God rather than an explicit identification of Jesus as God. The understanding of Jesus as “Son of God” began to evolve after his death and resurrection, taking on divine overtones as early Christians interpreted Jesus’ role in cosmic and salvific terms.
Paul’s Letters and the Exalted Christ
One of the earliest and most influential voices in early Christianity was Paul, who wrote his letters within a few decades of Jesus’ crucifixion. Paul’s writings provide some of the earliest evidence of a belief in Jesus’ divine nature. For example, in Philippians 2:6-11, Paul describes Jesus as existing “in the form of God” but choosing to humble himself by becoming human and dying on a cross. This passage, often referred to as the “Christ Hymn,” suggests that Jesus’ followers viewed him as having a divine nature even before his incarnation.
Paul’s letters also present Jesus as central to salvation and cosmic order, roles traditionally reserved for God. In 1 Corinthians 8:6, Paul redefines the Shema, the Jewish affirmation of one God, by including Jesus: “For us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” Here, Paul places Jesus alongside God the Father, attributing to him a divine role in creation and sustenance, a clear indication that Paul regarded Jesus as more than just a human teacher or prophet.
The Gospel of John and Jesus as the Logos
Among the four canonical Gospels, the Gospel of John presents the most explicit claims to Jesus’ divinity, showing a fully developed view of Jesus as God incarnate. John’s Gospel opens with the famous declaration, “In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). This concept of Jesus as the divine “Word” represents a unique theological perspective, portraying Jesus as both distinct from and fully one with God. In John 1:14, the statement “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” implies that Jesus, as the Logos, was the divine presence of God in human form.
Throughout the Gospel, Jesus makes “I am” statements, such as “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35) and “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). In John 8:58, Jesus even says, “Before Abraham was, I am,” echoing the divine name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14. These statements indicate that by the time John’s Gospel was written, likely in the late first century, Jesus’ followers believed in his divine status, identifying him with the God of Israel.
Worship and Prayer: Evidence of Early Christian Belief in Jesus’ Divinity
One of the strongest indicators that Jesus’ early followers believed he was divine is found in their practices of worship and prayer. For Jews of the time, worship was reserved exclusively for God, yet early Christians began to pray to Jesus, sing hymns to him, and invoke his name for healing and miracles. In 1 Corinthians 16:22, Paul uses the phrase “Marana tha,” meaning “Come, Lord,” a prayer addressed directly to Jesus. Such practices would have been considered blasphemous within Judaism unless Jesus was regarded as divine.
Similarly, in Revelation, written in the late first century, Jesus is depicted as receiving worship from angels and saints in heaven, an image that places him on par with God in terms of divine honor and glory. Revelation 5:13 describes a heavenly scene where “every creature in heaven and on earth” worships both God and the Lamb (Jesus). This portrayal reflects a belief that Jesus shared in the worship due only to God.
The Evolution of Belief: From Messiah to Divine Son
It’s important to recognize that early Christian belief in Jesus’ divinity did not emerge all at once. The process was gradual, as Jesus’ followers grappled with the meaning of his life, death, and resurrection. Initially, they may have seen Jesus primarily as the Messiah and the “Son of God” in a special sense. Over time, however, their understanding deepened, and they came to view Jesus as possessing divine attributes and worthy of worship alongside God the Father.
The Council of Nicaea in 325 AD marked a significant milestone in Christian doctrine, affirming that Jesus was “of the same substance” (homoousios) as the Father, meaning that he was fully divine. This declaration was not an invention but a formalization of beliefs that had been developing since the earliest years of the Christian movement. By this time, Jesus’ followers widely believed in his divinity, a belief that had been foreshadowed in the writings of Paul, the Gospel of John, and early Christian worship practices.
Conclusion: The Followers of Jesus and His Divine Identity
From the earliest days, Jesus’ followers sensed that he was more than an ordinary prophet or teacher. Although they initially may not have fully comprehended his divine nature, their reflections on his resurrection, his teachings, and their experiences of his presence led them to a profound belief in his divinity. As early Christian writings show, this belief grew over time, culminating in an understanding of Jesus as both fully human and fully divine.
While the exact moment when Jesus’ followers first considered him to be God may be difficult to pinpoint, the New Testament and early Christian practices clearly indicate that by the end of the first century, many Christians were worshiping Jesus as God. This belief became central to Christian identity and has remained foundational to the Christian faith ever since.
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