Greetings Omega
It appears that I started on the wrong foot with you!
I apologize! I confess the tone of my post could have been a lot better! ops: Please accept my apology.
Greetings Scorpion.
Thanks for your reply.
I will look over it.
However, please note: I will be concentrating on your assertion that Jesus claimed to be Almighty God.
On first impressions, ...
1) John 10:36 ... Jesus clearly claims to be the Son of GOD
2) John 8:58 ... you appear to make a link between this verse and Exo 3:14 ... I don't see any grounds for you to do so. Jesus uses the term "I am - ego eimi on quite a few occasions e.g. John 4:26, 8:24,28;
Even the healed blind man did so - John 9:9. It appears to me that the expression,
"I am [he]! - ego eimi!" is equivalent to "It's me!"
If you are implying that John 8:58 answers my question, should it not read
"Before Abraham was, I am GOD"??
Yes! His hostile audience wanted to stone him, but it appears to me, that it wasn't for the reasons that you claim. I believe the clues to why they wanted to stone him lie in the discourse of John 8:31-58 especially
(John 8:53) Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
3) As for Luke 5 and the such like, I believe Acts 2:22 sums it up ...
(Acts 2:22) Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by [THROUGH] him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Compare (Acts 10:38 ) How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
GOD performed all the miracles and wonders and signs THROUGH Jesus the Christ [hence the Anointed One], His Son!
However, like I said, this is solely my reply based on first impressions ... I need to read your reply in depth.
BTW, just a thought! Jesus' usage of Psalms 82 in John 10 may be an indication of the legitimate and scriptural way that Jesus, the Son of the Living GOD, may indeed be called 'god' a la Exo 7:1, 4:16, Exo 22:8-9.
Just a thought.
Adam Pastor