Jesus as God
Jesus Performs the Signs of the LORD's Coming
Jesus answers an identity question through deeds that echo Isaiah's descriptions of God's saving arrival.
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.
Old Testament YHWH Identification
Divine Identity
Authority over Life and Death
Fulfills YHWH Passage
Gives Life
Strength of evidence: Strong.
This passage provides substantial evidence relevant to Jesus' divine identity when read in its literary and historical context.
Scripture
What Was Said or Done
Asked whether he is the coming one, Jesus points to the blind seeing, lame walking, deaf hearing, dead rising, and good news reaching the poor.
Old Testament Background
Isaiah 35 announces that God will come and save, accompanied by opened eyes and ears and restored bodies; Isaiah 61 announces good news to the poor.
Exposition
Jesus effectively tells John's messengers to interpret his identity through the scriptural signs occurring in his ministry.
Why This Points to His Divinity
The force lies not in miracle-working alone but in the correspondence between Jesus' works and Isaiah's promised divine salvation.
Response of the Hearers
John's messengers witness Jesus' works and carry his answer back.