Was Jesus God? He Revealed About His Relationship with God

My beloved followers, for centuries, many have debated who I truly am. Some have claimed that I am God, that I and the Father are one in the same. But if that were true, why did I pray to the Father? Why did I say, ‘The Father is greater than I’ (John 14:28)? Why did I cry out, ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?’ (Matthew 27:46)?

If I were God, why would I be tempted by Satan for forty days? Can God be tested? Can God feel abandoned? Can God submit to a will greater than His own?

You have been told many things about me, but today, I ask you to listen—not to the voices of men, but to my own words. Did I come to be worshiped, or did I come to lead you to the One who sent me? Let us return to the truth, as I spoke it, and reconsider my relationship with the Almighty.

(Note: This is an imaginary conversation, a creative exploration of an idea, and not a real speech or event.)

Jesus as the Son, Not the Father

Moderator: Jesus of Nazareth
Participants: Bart Ehrman, John Dominic Crossan, Rabbi Tovia Singer, James D. Tabor

Jesus of Nazareth:
"Thank you all for joining this discussion. Many have debated whether I am God or if I am distinct from the Father. I often spoke of God as 'my Father,' and I prayed to Him, but over time, some have come to believe that I am one with God. Today, let’s examine the scriptures and history to clarify what I meant. Dr. Ehrman, would you begin?"

Bart Ehrman:
"Certainly, Jesus. Historically speaking, the earliest writings we have—like the Gospel of Mark—portray you as deeply connected to God, but not as God Himself. You pray, you express uncertainty about the future, and you explicitly say, ‘The Father is greater than I’ (John 14:28). The idea that you were divine in the same way as the Father took time to develop, particularly in the Gospel of John, which was written later than the others."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"That is true. I said, ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?’ (Matthew 27:46). If I were God, why would I say that? John Dominic Crossan, do you think my teachings align with the idea of being God?"

John Dominic Crossan:
"Not at all. You were a Jewish teacher in the tradition of the prophets. You spoke in parables, called for justice, and taught people to seek the Kingdom of God. Nowhere in the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—do you explicitly say, ‘I am God.’ That idea became more prominent as Christianity evolved, particularly under Greek philosophical influences."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"That raises an important question. Rabbi Tovia Singer, you are well-versed in the Hebrew Scriptures. What does Jewish tradition say about God having a son?"

Rabbi Tovia Singer:
"Jewish theology is clear: God is One, without division. The Shema prayer in Deuteronomy 6:4 says, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One.’ The idea of God taking human form is foreign to Judaism. In the Hebrew Bible, God says, ‘I am not a man’ (Numbers 23:19). Many of your Jewish followers likely saw you as the Messiah, but never as God Himself."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"That makes sense. I often called myself ‘the Son of Man,’ a phrase from the Hebrew scriptures referring to a human figure, not God. Dr. Tabor, how did the early Jewish followers of my teachings see me?"

James D. Tabor:
"They saw you as a teacher, a prophet, and possibly the Messiah, but not as God. Groups like the Ebionites, an early Jewish-Christian sect, believed you were an anointed servant of God, not divine. They followed your teachings but rejected later ideas about your divinity that emerged after Paul’s influence and later church councils."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"So it seems that my early followers did not think of me as God. And when I said, ‘I do nothing on my own, but speak just what the Father has taught me’ (John 8:28), I was affirming my dependence on God, not my equality with Him. Why, then, do so many today believe otherwise?"

Bart Ehrman:
"The shift happened gradually. Paul’s writings, the Gospel of John, and later church councils like Nicaea in 325 AD helped define Christian theology, making you co-equal with the Father. Before that, many early Christians saw you as a divinely chosen human, not God in the flesh."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"That helps clarify things. It appears that my teachings emphasized my role as a messenger and servant of God. If people listen carefully to my words, they will see that I always directed them to the Father, not to myself as God. Thank you all for this discussion."

The Temptation of Jesus—Can God Be Tested by Satan?

Moderator: Jesus of Nazareth
Participants: Reza Aslan, Richard Carrier, James D. Tabor, Geza Vermes, Elaine Pagels

Jesus of Nazareth:
"Thank you all for gathering once again. Today, we discuss an important moment in my life—the forty days I spent in the wilderness, fasting and being tested by Satan. Some say that if I were truly God, I could not have been tempted. After all, the scriptures say, ‘God cannot be tempted by evil’ (James 1:13). So, was my temptation real? And what does it mean about who I am? Reza Aslan, would you begin?"

Reza Aslan:
"Of course. Jesus, your time in the wilderness fits into a long Jewish prophetic tradition. Moses fasted for forty days on Mount Sinai, Elijah journeyed forty days to Horeb, and now you, too, fasted for forty days. These experiences represent purification and spiritual testing. If you were God, it wouldn’t be a real test. The fact that you faced hunger, doubt, and temptation shows your humanity."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"That is true. I felt hunger and weakness, just like any man would. But what about Satan's role in this? Richard Carrier, from a historical perspective, what does this story signify?"

Richard Carrier:
"The temptation narrative is deeply symbolic. In ancient mythology, gods were never truly tested—they were above human struggles. The fact that you were tempted suggests that early Christians saw you as a human prophet, not God Himself. Also, Satan's offer to give you ‘all the kingdoms of the world’ (Matthew 4:8) makes no sense if you were God. God already owns everything. The story only works if you were a man resisting worldly power."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"That’s an interesting point. If I had divine power, why would Satan think he could bargain with me? James D. Tabor, do you think the early followers of my teachings saw this as evidence of my humanity?"

James D. Tabor:
"Yes, absolutely. The earliest Jewish followers of yours, like the Nazarenes and Ebionites, saw you as a teacher and a prophet, but never as divine. This story would have reassured them that you were human, like the prophets before you. The idea that you were immune to temptation only emerged later, when Christian theology started emphasizing your divinity over your humanity."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"I see. If we go back to the Hebrew scriptures, we find examples of righteous men being tested, but never God Himself. Geza Vermes, from a Jewish perspective, what does this story mean?"

Geza Vermes:
"In Jewish thought, the idea of God being tested is completely foreign. The Hebrew Bible shows figures like Abraham, Moses, and Job facing trials, but God is always the one testing them, not the other way around. Your forty-day fast mirrors those of the prophets, confirming your status as a human servant of God. This story places you within that prophetic tradition, not in the role of God Himself."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"That aligns with my understanding of my mission—to serve God, not to claim divinity. But what about the later Christian traditions? Elaine Pagels, how did this story evolve over time?"

Elaine Pagels:
"In the early Christian period, different sects interpreted your story in various ways. Gnostic Christians, for instance, believed that you had divine wisdom but remained separate from God the Father. Some groups even taught that you only appeared to be tempted but weren’t really affected by it. However, the mainstream church later needed to emphasize both your divinity and your humanity, which created contradictions—because a truly divine being cannot be tested."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"So it seems that the story of my temptation affirms my role as a man who resisted sin and followed God’s will. If I had been God, then Satan’s test would have been meaningless. Thank you all for your insights."

The Evolution of Christology—When Did Jesus Become 'God'?

Moderator: Jesus of Nazareth
Participants: Bart Ehrman, Arian of Alexandria, Elaine Pagels, Reza Aslan, John Dominic Crossan

Jesus of Nazareth:
"Welcome back, my friends. In my lifetime, my followers saw me as a teacher, a healer, and a servant of God. Yet, centuries later, many came to believe I was not just the Messiah, but God Himself. This change in belief raises important questions: When did it happen? Why did it happen? And did I ever claim to be God? Bart Ehrman, as a historian, can you help us understand the timeline of this transformation?"

Bart Ehrman:
"Certainly, Jesus. The earliest followers of yours—those closest to you—did not consider you God. The Gospel of Mark, written around 70 AD, presents you as the Messiah, but not divine. However, by the time we get to the Gospel of John, written near the end of the first century, the language shifts. John records you saying things like, ‘I and the Father are one’ (John 10:30), which was later interpreted as a claim to divinity. But even then, it wasn’t settled. The real shift happened in the 4th century at the Council of Nicaea, where church leaders debated your nature and officially declared you ‘God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God.’”

Jesus of Nazareth:
"So, it seems that my divinity was not something my first followers taught, but rather something that evolved over time. Arian of Alexandria, you were one of the early church figures who resisted the idea that I was God. What was your argument?"

Arian of Alexandria:
"Yes, Jesus. In the early 4th century, many of us—especially those in the Eastern Church—believed you were created by God, not co-equal with Him. My argument was simple: If you were truly God, then God would have had to create Himself, which makes no sense. Instead, I taught that you were the greatest of all created beings—the firstborn of all creation, but not eternal like the Father. Many bishops agreed with me, but Emperor Constantine sided with the opposing view, and the Nicene Creed was born, declaring you to be ‘of the same substance’ as God."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"So, political and theological debates led to the formal doctrine of my divinity? That explains why my own words were reinterpreted over time. Elaine Pagels, you’ve studied early Christian sects that had different views of me. What did they believe?"

Elaine Pagels:
"The early Christian world was diverse. The Gnostics, for instance, saw you as a divine being filled with wisdom but distinct from the ultimate God. Some groups, like the Ebionites, believed you were fully human and simply a righteous prophet. Others, like the Valentinians, thought you were an enlightened teacher who came to guide humanity to higher knowledge. It wasn’t until Roman Christianity became dominant that one view—your divinity—was enforced as ‘orthodoxy.’ The Gospels that didn’t support this were labeled heretical and excluded from the Bible."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"So, the belief that I was God was not a universal teaching among my followers, but rather a doctrine that developed later. Reza Aslan, why do you think this change happened?"

Reza Aslan:
"Jesus, your teachings started as a Jewish movement. But as your message spread beyond Jewish communities and into the Greco-Roman world, things changed. In Jewish tradition, the Messiah was a human figure—chosen by God, but not divine. However, in the Greco-Roman world, people were used to gods taking human form—like Hercules, son of Zeus. When your followers preached to these non-Jewish audiences, they may have found it easier to describe you in divine terms. Over time, as Christianity became a state religion, the idea that you were God helped solidify religious authority and unify believers under one doctrine."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"So, in a way, cultural influences shaped how my identity was understood. John Dominic Crossan, you’ve written extensively on how early Christianity developed. What do you make of this evolution?"

John Dominic Crossan:
"The process was gradual. In your lifetime, you were seen as a rabbi and prophet. After your death, some of your followers believed you had been raised by God, and over time, that belief grew. The Gospel of John portrays you as divine, but the real shift happened in the 4th century, when theological disputes were settled by imperial decree. By then, the church needed a clear doctrine, and making you equal with God became the dominant view."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"This conversation has helped me understand how, over centuries, people moved from seeing me as a teacher to believing I was divine. But I must ask—if I had wanted people to think I was God, wouldn’t I have made it clearer? Instead, I prayed to the Father, I cried out in despair on the cross, and I taught people to worship God alone. It seems my original message has been transformed over time. Thank you all for this discussion."

Jesus’ Cry on the Cross—Why Would God Feel Forsaken?

Moderator: Jesus of Nazareth
Participants: Bart Ehrman, John Dominic Crossan, Geza Vermes, Rabbi Tovia Singer, James D. Tabor

Jesus of Nazareth:
"Welcome back, my friends. Today, we discuss my final words on the cross: ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?’ (Matthew 27:46). Some say this proves my humanity—that I was suffering, afraid, and calling out to God. Others struggle with the idea that if I were truly God, I could feel forsaken at all. Bart Ehrman, as a historian, what does this moment tell us?"

Bart Ehrman:
"It tells us that you were deeply human. The fact that you felt abandoned on the cross contradicts later Christian claims that you were fully God. In Mark, the earliest Gospel, you cry out in agony. But in later Gospels like Luke and John, your last words change—John has you say, ‘It is finished’ (John 19:30), which sounds more triumphant. That suggests that as Christian theology evolved, some writers wanted to present you as being in control rather than feeling despair."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"So, the way my final moments were recorded changed over time. But let’s go back to the original words. John Dominic Crossan, you’ve studied how my sayings fit into Jewish tradition. What do you think I meant?"

John Dominic Crossan:
"Jesus, your words come from Psalm 22, which begins with a cry of abandonment but ends in hope and vindication. Many scholars believe that you were quoting this psalm to express both your suffering and your faith in God’s deliverance. But if you were God, who were you calling out to? Yourself? That wouldn’t make sense. This moment reinforces the idea that you were a suffering servant, not a divine being in control of everything."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"That makes sense. I was in pain, crying out as any man would. But if I were truly God, would I have felt forsaken? Rabbi Tovia Singer, does this moment align with Jewish teachings about God?"

Rabbi Tovia Singer:
"Absolutely not. In Jewish thought, God is beyond suffering, beyond fear, and beyond death. The Hebrew Bible is clear: ‘God is not a man’ (Numbers 23:19). Your cry on the cross is a deeply human moment—one that reflects the anguish of a righteous person, but not of God Himself. This is why Judaism has never accepted the idea that you were divine. A truly divine being wouldn’t feel abandoned, because God is always in control."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"That’s an important distinction. I always taught my followers to trust in God. My suffering was real, but it was human suffering. James D. Tabor, how did my earliest followers interpret my death?"

James D. Tabor:
"Your earliest Jewish followers saw your death as the tragic end of a great prophet’s mission, not as a divine sacrifice. Groups like the Ebionites believed you were the Messiah, but they rejected the idea that you were God. It wasn’t until Paul’s influence spread that your death started being reinterpreted as a cosmic event for the salvation of humanity. But that wasn’t how the first disciples saw it."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"So, my earliest followers did not see my death as an atonement for sin, but later interpretations made it something more? Geza Vermes, from a Jewish historical perspective, what does this moment mean?"

Geza Vermes:
"Your words on the cross show that you were a deeply faithful Jew, turning to the scriptures even in your suffering. But they also prove your humanity. In Jewish tradition, the Messiah is a chosen leader, not God Himself. If anything, your final words confirm that you were dependent on God, rather than being divine."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"This conversation has given me much to think about. If I were truly God, I would not have felt forsaken. I was in pain, I was afraid, and I turned to God as I had always done. It seems clear that my words were a cry of faith, not evidence of divinity. Thank you all for sharing your insights."

The Jewish Perspective—Why Jesus Was Never Considered God

Moderator: Jesus of Nazareth
Participants: Rabbi Tovia Singer, Geza Vermes, Elaine Pagels, James D. Tabor, Arian of Alexandria

Jesus of Nazareth:
"My friends, thank you for joining me in this final discussion. From the time I walked among my people, the Jewish tradition has maintained strict monotheism—the belief in one God, indivisible and beyond human form. Yet, over time, many of my followers came to believe that I was not only the Messiah but God Himself. Today, we ask: Why was I never considered God in Judaism? Rabbi Tovia Singer, as a Jewish scholar, why did my people reject the idea that I was divine?"

Rabbi Tovia Singer:
"Jesus, Judaism has always been clear: God is one and cannot become a man. The Shema prayer states, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One’ (Deuteronomy 6:4). The idea that God would take human form contradicts everything in the Hebrew Bible. In Numbers 23:19, it says explicitly, ‘God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind.’ If your followers had stayed true to the scriptures, they would never have claimed that you were God."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"That is a strong statement. I never told my people to worship me, only to follow the will of the Father. Geza Vermes, as a historian of Judaism, what do you think?"

Geza Vermes:
"You were seen as a Jewish teacher and possibly the Messiah, but never as divine. The idea of a divine Messiah was foreign to Jewish thought. In Jewish history, messiahs were anointed leaders, like King David, chosen by God to lead the people. They were not expected to be God Himself. Your earliest Jewish followers, like the Ebionites, still saw you as a human prophet. It was only later, when Christianity spread to the Greco-Roman world, that your image changed."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"So, within Judaism, my role would have been as a teacher and a leader, not as God. But over time, that changed. Elaine Pagels, how did early Christian groups react to this idea?"

Elaine Pagels:
"Jesus, the early Christian world was incredibly diverse. Some groups, like the Jewish Christians, still saw you as a man inspired by God. But as Christianity spread to Gentile communities, ideas from Greco-Roman religion influenced how people saw you. In those cultures, gods often took human form, like Zeus or Hercules. This made it easier for non-Jews to believe you were divine. Eventually, the mainstream church labeled anyone who denied your divinity as heretics and excluded their writings from the official canon."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"That explains a lot. The message I preached was deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, but it changed as it reached new audiences. James D. Tabor, what do we know about how my earliest followers saw me?"

James D. Tabor:
"The earliest Jewish followers of yours—like James, your brother—saw you as a righteous teacher, not as God. The book of Acts shows that they continued to worship in the Temple and follow Jewish law. That wouldn’t make sense if they thought you were God. But when Paul came along, he took your message to Gentiles and started teaching a different view—one where faith in you replaced the need for the Jewish law. That shift laid the foundation for later claims of your divinity."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"So, Paul played a major role in reshaping my message. Arian of Alexandria, you lived in the 4th century, when these debates about my divinity were at their peak. What was your position?"

Arian of Alexandria:
"I argued that you were the Son of God, but not equal to God. I believed that you were a created being—chosen by God, but not of the same essence as Him. Many early Christians agreed with me, but the Roman authorities sided with those who declared you to be ‘God from God, Light from Light.’ At the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, my views were condemned, and the doctrine of the Trinity became official church teaching. But this was not the belief of the earliest Christians—it was a later development."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"This conversation has helped me understand how my message changed after I left this world. I came to guide people to God, yet now, many see me as God Himself. But if my own people, the ones who knew me best, never considered me divine, then perhaps those who follow me should reflect on what I truly taught. Thank you all for your insights."

Why Jesus Was Not God – A Discussion with Dolores Cannon

Moderator: Jesus of Nazareth
Participants: Dolores Cannon, Bart Ehrman, John Dominic Crossan, Rabbi Tovia Singer, James D. Tabor

Jesus of Nazareth:
"My friends, welcome to this discussion. Over time, many have debated whether I was God. Some believe I was the Divine in human form, while others say I was a teacher, a healer, and a servant of God. Dolores, in your research, you explored my life and mission. What did you find?"

Dolores Cannon:
"Jesus, my work in past-life regression took me to incredible places, including people who recalled lifetimes during your time. The information I received painted a picture of you as an enlightened soul, a highly evolved being sent to teach love and compassion. But you were not God. You never claimed divinity—only that you were a guide, a messenger of higher truth. The idea that you were God was a later creation of religious institutions."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"That is an important distinction. I often called myself ‘the Son of Man,’ and I prayed to the Father. Bart Ehrman, you have studied how early Christian beliefs evolved. When did people start calling me God?"

Bart Ehrman:
"It wasn’t immediate, Jesus. The earliest Christian writings, like the Gospel of Mark, portray you as the Messiah, but not God. In Mark 10:18, you even say, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.’ The idea that you were divine developed gradually. The Gospel of John, written decades after your death, portrays you as more than human. And by the time of the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, church leaders made it official that you were ‘God from God.’ But this was a theological decision, not something you clearly stated."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"That aligns with my teachings. I always directed people to God, not to myself. John Dominic Crossan, you have examined how my message changed over time. What do you think?"

John Dominic Crossan:
"You were a Jewish wisdom teacher, not a divine figure. Your message was about the Kingdom of God—not about worshiping you, but about transforming the world through love and justice. The divinity claim arose later, as the church sought to establish authority. Your original message was radical, but it was about empowering people, not elevating yourself to divine status."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"I see. So, my teachings were about bringing people closer to God, not replacing Him. Rabbi Tovia Singer, from a Jewish perspective, what do my words tell you?"

Rabbi Tovia Singer:
"Jesus, in Jewish tradition, God is One—indivisible and beyond human form. The Shema prayer says, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One’ (Deuteronomy 6:4). The idea that God could become a man contradicts everything in Jewish theology. If you were God, why would you pray? Why would you say, ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?’ (Matthew 27:46). That moment alone proves your humanity. The Jewish people never saw you as divine, only as a teacher who called for righteousness."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"I never intended for people to worship me. I wanted them to seek the Father. But over time, that message was altered. James D. Tabor, what did my earliest followers believe?"

James D. Tabor:
"Your earliest Jewish followers, like the Ebionites, saw you as the Messiah but never as God. They continued to worship in the Temple and followed Jewish law. It was Paul who introduced the idea that faith in you replaced the law, which led to later theological developments about your divinity. But the people who walked with you, your disciples, never believed you were God."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"This discussion has helped clarify my mission. I was sent to guide people to God, not to become the object of worship. Dolores, based on your research, what do you think people should take away from this?"

Dolores Cannon:
"Jesus, your message was about love, compassion, and awakening. People don’t need to worship you—they need to live by your teachings. The idea that you were God was a later distortion. What matters is the wisdom you shared, not the titles people assigned to you afterward."

Jesus of Nazareth:
"Then let this be a reminder to all: Seek truth, seek love, and seek God. I am but a servant, as we all are. Thank you all for your wisdom."

Short Bios:

Jesus of Nazareth – A Jewish teacher, healer, and prophet who preached love, forgiveness, and devotion to God. His teachings formed the foundation of Christianity, though his divinity remains debated.

Dolores Cannon – A hypnotherapist and past-life regressionist known for her work exploring reincarnation, soul contracts, and spiritual truths. She wrote Jesus and the Essenes, presenting alternative perspectives on Jesus’ life.

Bart Ehrman – A historian and biblical scholar specializing in early Christianity and textual criticism. He argues that Jesus did not claim to be God and that his divinity was a later development.

John Dominic Crossan – A Jesus Seminar scholar and historian who studies the historical Jesus. He emphasizes Jesus as a wisdom teacher and social reformer rather than a divine figure.

Rabbi Tovia Singer – A Jewish counter-missionary expert who refutes Christian claims of Jesus’ divinity, citing the Hebrew Bible’s strict monotheism and arguing that Jesus never fulfilled the Jewish Messiah’s role.

James D. Tabor – A biblical historian focused on early Christianity and Jewish-Christian movements. He argues that Jesus was seen as a prophet and messianic figure, but not as God, by his earliest followers.

Reza Aslan – A religious scholar and author of Zealot, portraying Jesus as a revolutionary Jewish preacher rather than a divine being. He highlights how Jesus’ identity evolved in the Greco-Roman world.

Richard Carrier – A historian specializing in early Christianity and ancient philosophy. He challenges traditional narratives and argues that Jesus’ divinity was mythologized over time.

Geza Vermes – A Jewish scholar and expert on the Dead Sea Scrolls, known for portraying Jesus as a charismatic Jewish teacher within the context of first-century Judaism.

Elaine Pagels – A scholar of early Christianity and Gnostic texts, she explores alternative Christian views that rejected Jesus’ divinity and examines how doctrine evolved over time.

Arian of Alexandria – A 4th-century Christian theologian who opposed the doctrine of Jesus’ divinity, arguing that Jesus was created by God but not co-equal with Him. His views were condemned at the Council of Nicaea.

Edgar Cayce – Known as the "Sleeping Prophet," he provided trance readings on spirituality and past lives, claiming that Jesus had multiple incarnations before his final mission.

Paramahansa Yogananda – An Indian yogi and spiritual teacher who revered Jesus as a divine master but not as God, emphasizing his teachings on self-realization and God-consciousness.

Origen of Alexandria – A 3rd-century Christian theologian who taught that souls preexisted before birth and that reincarnation was part of the soul’s journey—views later declared heretical.