Gospel

JESUS IS GOD, UNDERSTANDING CHRIST'S DIVINITY AND HUMANITY

by Ezekiel Olukolajo
04/11/25
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Jesus is God! Understanding the Mystery of Christ's Divinity and Humanity

In the Christendom, one of the topics that have stirred up theological debate, reverent awe, and intellectual inquiry, is the person and divine nature of Jesus Christ. For instance, one of the most frequently asked questions by people within and outside the Christian faith is this: If Jesus is God, why did He pray to God? To the natural mind, it seems like a paradox—how can God pray to Himself

But when we approach this question not through the lens of human reasoning alone, but through the illumination of Scripture and the wisdom given by the Holy Spirit, we begin to understand one of the most sacred and profound truths in all of Christian doctrine: Jesus is truly God, and yet, He became truly man for our salvation. This dual nature is not a contradiction—it is a divine mystery.

Jesus: The Eternal Word of God

To understand why Jesus prayed, we must begin with who He is eternally. Jesus did not begin to exist when He was born in Bethlehem. Rather, the Bible reveals that He existed from the beginning—as the eternal Word of God.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” — John 1:1,14

Jesus is not a created being. He is the Creator. He is the Living Word, co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Before anything was made, Jesus was. He spoke creation into being (Colossians 1:16), and He upholds all things by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). He is fully divine, possessing all the incommunicable attributes of the Godhead—eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, and immutable. 

The Mystery of the Incarnation

The Word did not merely appear as a man—He became man. This act is known as the Incarnation. In order to fulfill God’s plan to redeem humanity, Jesus had to take on human flesh, live under the limitations of a human body, and experience life as we do—but without sin.

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” — Philippians 2:6-7

In the days of His earthly life, Jesus did not cease to be God. He was still fully divine, but He veiled His glory, submitting Himself to the constraints of human experience. This is why we read of Jesus being hungry, tired, weeping, suffering—and yes, praying.

Why Did Jesus Pray?

This is the core of the question. If Jesus is God, why did He pray?

The answer lies in His dual nature. Jesus was God in flesh—fully divine and fully human. In His humanity, Jesus submitted Himself to the will of the Father, demonstrating perfect obedience, dependence, and communion. His prayers were not a sign of inferiority, but of relationship. Just as a son speaks to his father, so Jesus communed with His Father in heaven.

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save Him from death…” — Hebrews 5:7

Jesus prayed:

*To model dependence on God for us.

*To fulfill the role of the obedient Son.

*To intercede on our behalf.

*To express genuine human emotion in His suffering.

In Gethsemane, when Jesus prayed, “Not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42), He wasn’t dividing Himself from God, but submitting His human will to the divine plan of redemption. This submission was necessary for Him to be the perfect sacrifice for sin.

God in Heaven, God on Earth

This is the mystery: Jesus never ceased to be God, even as He walked the dusty roads of Galilee. He said in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” At the same time, He could say in John 14:28, “The Father is greater than I”—not because He was less in essence, but because, in His humbled, incarnate state, He chose to operate under the authority of the Father.

Jesus operated as a Servant King, taking on our likeness, bearing our burdens, and experiencing every human temptation. Yet, He never sinned. And because He lived fully as man, He could stand in our place. But because He remained fully God, His sacrifice carried eternal power and value.

The Fullness of the Godhead in Bodily Form

Scripture leaves no room for doubt about the divinity of Jesus Christ:

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” — Colossians 2:9

Though veiled in human flesh, Jesus carried the fullness of the Godhead. He could calm the storm, raise the dead, forgive sins, and receive worship—things no mere man or prophet could rightly do.

The miracle is not merely that God became man, but that He remained fully God while doing so, never once ceasing to be who He was from eternity past.

The Resurrection Confirms the Mystery

When Jesus rose from the dead, He was declared to be the Son of God with power (Romans 1:4). The resurrection confirmed that the One who had died was not just a man, but God in the flesh, victorious over sin and death.

After His resurrection, Jesus declared:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” — Matthew 28:18

His glorified body was no longer veiled in the same limitations. He ascended back to heaven and now reigns in glory with the Father, interceding for us.

Jesus is God—And He is Worthy of Worship

The earliest followers of Jesus believed, preached, and died proclaiming this truth: Jesus is Lord. Not simply a good teacher or a Prophet. Not just a miracle worker. But the Son of the Living God—worthy of worship, obedience, and allegiance.

Thomas, upon seeing the resurrected Jesus, declared:

“My Lord and my God!” — John 20:28

And Jesus did not correct him. He received that worship because it was rightfully His.

A Mystery to Believe, Not Fully Explain

Jesus is God. This is not a theological riddle to be solved, but a divine truth to be believed, cherished, and declared. In the days of His flesh, He prayed—not because He was less than God, but because He willingly submitted Himself to the path of salvation for our sake.

The human mind may struggle to grasp how Jesus could be God and still pray to God. But the Christian faith rests not on human comprehension, but divine revelation. We believe what Scripture reveals: that Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), the Word made flesh, and the Savior of the world. He is eternally at home with the Father, yet He came to dwell among us. He is the Son of God, yet also called Himself the Son of Man. He is the Lamb who was slain, and the King who reigns forever.

The majesty of Christ lies in this sacred mystery: He is God come down to us, and man lifted up to God. He is not 50% God and 50% man—He is 100% God and 100% man, a truth no earthly logic can fully comprehend but which faith joyfully receives.

When we call Him Son of God, we bow in worship.
When we call Him Son of Man, we draw near in comfort.

This is the Jesus we believe in—divine in nature, human in experience, perfect in sacrifice, eternal in reign. This is the glory of the gospel: God became man to bring man back to God.

And in Jesus Christ, the fullness of God’s love, power, and mystery is revealed.

Shalom!

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