Matthew 1:20-23 says, “For that which is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” In this passage there are three main points which strongly prove that our Lord is God Himself:
(1)He was born through the impregnation of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God Himself. Hence, when He was born through the impregnation of the Holy Spirit, that was God incarnated. This exactly agrees with John 1:14 which says that He is God who became flesh.
(2)God ordained His name to be called Jesus. “Jesus” in Greek is equivalent to “Joshua” in Hebrew (Num. 13:16; Heb. 4:8), which means Jehovah Savior. This tells us that this Jesus is Jehovah God who became our Savior. Hence, He is God Himself.
(3)God not only ordained His name to be Jesus, but men also called Him by the name Emmanuel, which means God with us. This also indicates that He is God. He-the One who became flesh and dwelt among men-is God with men. In His God-ordained name “Jesus,” there is “Jehovah,” and in His name “Emmanuel” by which men called Him, there is “God.” He is Jehovah, and He is God. He is “Jesus,” Jehovah Savior, and He is also “Emmanuel,” “God with us.”
The New Testament shows us that on a number of occasions (particularly immediately before the Lord’s birth, at His baptism, and at His death), God clearly revealed either directly or through angels and men, that the Lord is the Son of God; that is, that the Lord has divinity and the Godhead, and is equal with God (John 5:17-18).
The word spoken by the angel Gabriel who was sent from God when Jesus was to be conceived was, “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest....The holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:32, 35).
Then later God spoke from heaven after the baptism of Jesus and said, “And behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I delight” (Matt. 3:17). And when John the Baptist saw the Holy Spirit descend upon the Lord, he said, “And I have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34). When the Lord first began calling people to follow Him, Nathanael said, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God” (John 1:49).
After the Lord walked upon the sea, caused Peter to do the same, and calmed the wind, the disciples said, “Truly You are the Son of God” (Matt. 14:33).