Did Jesus Really Say He Was God?:
Making Sense of His Historical Claims
DETAILS:
Publisher: IVP Academic
Publication Date: October 23, 2025
Format: eARC
Length: 256
Read Date: September 14-October 5, 2025
What’s Did Jesus Really Say He Was God? About?
One of the most common things non-Christians will say about Jesus is something along the lines of, “He never claimed to be God, that’s something that Christians made up years/decades later.” As people probably no longer say, “big, if true.”
Del Rosario takes on this question (and variations of it) head-on—he takes just two passages of Scripture, examines what they say, looks at what critics say about it, and then argues that Jesus did claim divinity in the passages.
The Strengths
The strengths of this book come in the two parts (slightly more than 50% of the book) looking at Mark 2:1-12 (“The Healing of the Paralytic”) and Mark 14:53-65 (the examination before the Jewish leaders before going to Pilate). These passages are selected from Mark because it’s widely considered the earliest of the canonical gospels, and therefore less likely to have gone through any kind of mythologizing. Another reason they were selected is that the reaction of Jesus’ opponents highlights his claims of divinity.
For each passage, he begins by looking at the events depicted in the passage for a chapter or two. He then spends a chapter on the blasphemy accusation against Jesus. He concludes with a chapter on the claim of divinity made in the passage.
Seriously, I could’ve read more on each passage—not because he needed to say more, but because I enjoyed and benefited from the discussion. Or I could’ve read another passage or two for more examples of how his approach strengthens one’s confidence in Jesus’ claims.
The Weaknesses
Del Rosario employs a tool I’ve seen others use a couple of times—where they attempt to attach a numerical value on the probability of something happening the way a historical record says it does—and weighing that numerical value against a competing interpretation’s value.
Maybe this is just me, but it feels like trying to take history and making it a “real” science with numbers and whatnot. I just don’t understand the appeal of doing history this way.
I also tend to have a hard time following the discussion whenever it attempts to do that—maybe it’s a block on my part, maybe it’s because I already have little interest in it, or maybe it’s an inherent flaw in the idea. But I think the book would’ve been stronger without it.
So, what did I think about Did Jesus Really Say He Was God??
Del Rosario writes clearly and compellingly. The text—even when it gets technical—is straightforward and approachable by people who aren’t historical scholars (except for the numerical assignments).
Not only does reading this help buttress the confidence a reader has in the passage and Jesus’ claims in them, but Del Rosario gives his readers a model to follow when they come across similar passages. Whether that’s on your own or in reply to a challenge to Jesus’ claims of divinity.
Did he actually say x, y, or z? What do those sayings me? How did his listeners hear his claims? What is he really claiming in the passage—what does what he says mean? How does knowing that help make sense of his opponents’ reaction?
I really appreciated his focus on the text of Scripture in his apologetic here, not an appeal to reason or philosophical arguments, or a vague history—but to the revelation we’ve been given and then to see what that revelation said to the original readers/listeners.
I heartily encourage this book, and hope for a sequel or three, tackling similar passages.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from IVP Academic via NetGalley—thanks to both for this. Sorry it’s up late, it’s been one of those months.
This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
My Favorite Theology/Christian Living Books of 2025
By HCNewton
On January 11, 2026
In News/Misc., Theology/Christian Living
It’s finally time to wrap these lists, with my favorites in Theology and Christian Living (and related things). There’s some overlap in some of these titles, which just shows what kinds of things I was thinking about this year, I guess. I didn’t read as many books along these lines as I expected to/usually do–mostly because the ones I did read took some work to get through (and I had too many “project reads”). But these would’ve floated to the top in any year.
As always, re-reads don’t count for these lists.
(in alphabetical order by author)
by Michael P. V. Barrett
Barrett writes brief devotional meditations on some Old Testament passages (I’m not sure how brief because I read electronically, but they didn’t take terribly long to read). Which is good enough for a book–but Barrett writes with a depth that I don’t think I’ve come across in a devotional before. He gets to the heart and the nitty-gritty of the passages he looks at–and writes in a way that the reader will find application for their life, understanding of the passage, and a new/renewed reason to worship and serve the One who bought them.
The only thing that impressed me–almost every week–as much as the content was Barret’s ability to accomplish it so briefly.
by Mitchell L. Chase
My original post
I personally benefited from Chase’s definition of “wisdom” and how to find it in Scripture. I really appreciated his unwillingness to make Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and James the epicenter of his discussion, but to look for it throughout the Scriptures (see above). Tackling the topic of wisdom from a Redemptive Historical point of view rather than a Systematic perspective (which is what I’m used to, as I expect most are), really helped me to see the breadth of it—and even to help with my Systematic understanding of it (as it should).
All in all, this is a truly helpful and insightful read.
Why the Love of Money Is the Root of Racism and How the Church Can Create a New Way Forward
by Malcolm Foley
I’ve tried on at least four occasions to write a post about this book, and keep failing. I’m going to keep trying, but in the meantime, I’ll just say that this is one of the best books I read in 2025 regardless of genre/topic. Foley starts with Ida Wells’ point tying racism to money, and expands on that. He traces the connection between the love of money (which we know to be the root of all sorts of evil) and racism/racism-friendly policies and attitudes throughout U.S. History–particularly after the Civil War. And how the Church, to her shame, participates in those.
Then he points the way forward–using a variety of theological tools. Including the Westminster Larger Catechism’s teaching on the Eighth Commandment. It’s inspiring, it’s convicting, it’s full of hope.
by Carmen Joy Imes
My original post
Is this the most rigorous, robust work that I’ve ever read on The Church? No. Is this the most technical, theological work I’ve come across? No. Did this take a lot of effort to get through? No (and what a relief). Is this perhaps the most passionate work on the subject I’ve read? Yes. Is it perhaps the most persuasive about the need for individual believers (particularly in an individualist culture) to be involved with the Church? Also, yes.
It’s warm, it’s approachable, it’s learned in a non-off-putting way. Imes is a great guide through the topic and a fun companion through the stroll. She pointed out some things I hadn’t thought of before—and helped me grasp a couple of texts that I’ve struggled with for years.
by C. S. Lewis
There’s a lot of this book that I disagree with–but I appreciate the way that Lewis got to his conclusions. I also admit that Lewis might be closer to right than I am on those points. But the opening letter on prayer is one of the best things I’ve read on the topic, and while the rest of the book doesn’t reach those heights, I truly enjoyed and benefited from considering them. This is one of those books by him I hadn’t gotten around to reading in the past until my little Lewis-immersion project last year. It won’t be the last time.
by Zacharias Ursinus
As this is written by one of the chief authors of the Heidelberg Catechism, it’s impossible to get a more authoritative take on it. This is essentially the director’s cut of the catechism. Sure, we all know the answers, but how’d you get to that answer? Well, you think like so….
This is a treasure for anyone trying to understand and use the Heidelberg Catechism for personal use or for trying to raise the generation to follow.
by Drew Poplin
My original post
I hate the fact that books decrying the sin (or, in Poplin’s argument, heresy) of racism need to be written now. But the need for them is pretty clear to anyone in the American Church. This brief (perhaps too brief) book is a compelling read, calling racism what it is, an attack on God and His creation. Convicting, and hopefully convincing. It’s well worth the time to read.
by O. Palmer Robertson
Did this floor me as much as the first volume of this set (on the Gospels) did? Nope. But am I going to study Acts or Paul’s letters without consulting this in the future? Bigger nope. Robertson first traces the development of revelation and the Church’s understanding of it through Acts, then he spends the bulk of the book watching Paul’s themes develop and change over the course of his career–never contradictory, never inconsistent, but starting with certain emphases that develop into new ones given the events of his life and the needs of the Church throughout the First Century. It’s really a handy book to work through and to keep on hand for future use.
by Mikel Del Rosario
My original post
Del Rosario’s approach to the subject alone could put him on this list–let’s take an in-depth look at two passages and see what Jesus is claiming for himself in both. Let’s consider what the original audience heard–and seek to understand that by the way they reacted. Then let’s consider the implications of both. Del Rosario writes clearly and compellingly. The text—even when it gets technical—is straightforward and approachable by people who aren’t historical scholars.
Not only does reading this help buttress the confidence a reader has in the passage and Jesus’ claims in them, but Del Rosario gives his readers a model to follow when they come across similar passages.
by Cornelius Van Til
My original post
This is some pretty clear writing from a man widely considered not to be terribly clear all the time. Some of the commandments don’t get the same level of attention as others–and it makes sense given who Van Til is and his own driving focus.
It’s a very sound introduction, in line with the bulk of the Reformed stream of thought on the Law and its usage from the time of the Reformation forward. But a little more approachable given the length and the fact it was written in the 20th Century.