Who Is Jesus?

When considering who Jesus truly is, it can be helpful to look closely at how Scripture describes Him — including in the New World Translation. One passage that sheds light on this is John 5, where Jesus heals on the Sabbath and then explains the meaning of His actions.

In the NWT, John 5:16–18 says that the Jews sought to kill Jesus “because… he was also calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God.” This is not presented as the Jews’ misunderstanding or exaggeration. It is John’s inspired explanation of what Jesus was actually doing. Jesus’ words placed Him on equal footing with the Father in a way no created being could claim.

A few verses later, John 5:23 (NWT) adds that the Father’s purpose is “in order that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.” The phrase “just as” is significant. It does not describe a lesser honor or a different category of respect. It describes the same kind of honor given to the Father — something Scripture reserves for God alone.

These statements raise an important question:

If Jesus receives the same honor as the Father, and if He places Himself on equal footing with the Father, what does that say about His nature?

This is not about winning an argument. It is about letting Scripture speak for itself. Even within the NWT, Jesus is presented as someone far greater than a created being. He is shown as One who shares the Father’s authority, receives the Father’s honor, and stands in a relationship with the Father that no creature could ever claim.

If Jesus were merely created, He could not bear the full weight of human guilt.

If He were not fully God, He could not fully save.

But if Scripture presents Him as eternal, divine, and worthy of the same honor as the Father, then His ability to save completely makes perfect sense.

This is an invitation to reflect on what the Bible — including the NWT — actually says about Jesus. The more closely one looks, the more clearly His identity shines through.