Jesus as God
Isaiah Saw the Glory of Jesus
John interprets Israel's unbelief through Isaiah and identifies the glory seen by Isaiah with the glory of Jesus.
How this passage contributes to the case:
The labels below identify the kinds of evidence for Jesus' divinity found in this passage.
Select a label for an explanation.
Divine Identity
Old Testament YHWH Identification
Pre-existence
Divine Glory
Fulfills YHWH Passage
Shares Divine Glory
Pre-exists Earthly Life
Strength of evidence: Strong.
This passage provides substantial evidence relevant to Jesus' divine identity when read in its literary and historical context.
Raphael — Biblical Works
Scripture
What Was Said or Done
After quoting Isaiah 53 and Isaiah 6, John says Isaiah spoke these things because he saw Jesus' glory and spoke about him.
Historical and Cultural Context
Isaiah 6 depicts the prophet seeing the Lord enthroned while seraphim proclaim YHWH's holiness.
Old Testament Background
Isaiah 6:1-10; Isaiah 53:1 are the direct backgrounds.
Exposition
John's antecedent is Jesus: Isaiah saw his glory. This identifies the pre-incarnate glory of Christ with the glory manifested in Isaiah's YHWH vision.
Why This Points to His Divinity
This is one of John's strongest Old Testament divine-identity connections because it explicitly interprets a YHWH theophany Christologically.
Response of the Hearers
Despite many signs, many do not believe in Jesus.