The Bible is filled with what seems as many contradictions. We all need an authority to interpret this holy book. Taking specific scripture passages out of context can always lead to confusion.
One will always get a better feel for what the author is trying to convey by reading the complete paragraph and chapter.
Taking scriptures out of context, and breaking down, the specific grammar does not teach honest, biblical scholarship. This is common sense to anyone who’s ever read a book.
Make no mistake, Jesus claimed to be God.
John 8:58-59 Jesus claims directly to be God when he says “before Abraham was, I am “
Some will deny that, but the Jews around Jesus, instantly picked up stones to kill him for blasphemy. That is the specific sin/claim of being equal to God. If Jesus did not say that he was God, then why were they trying to kill him for blasphemy? Just common sense.
John 10:30-33 “I and the father are one “ and again, the crowd picks up stones to kill him for blasphemy. Again, the claim of blasphemy is to claim yourself equal to God. He may have not said in our English translation “I am God “but in Aramaic, that’s exactly what he said. They even told him “you make yourself, God “
When the apostles asked, “show us the father “. Jesus replies “whoever has seen me, has seen the father. Pretty direct quote of Jesus saying he is God.
Mark 2:5-7 Jesus, forgives, a sinner, and the Jews say “who can forgive sins, but God alone? “ what does Jesus do? Immediately after he forgives his sins, he heals the man.
Mathew 25:31 states that Jesus is the one who judges the world, who separates the wheat from the weeds, he alone decides who goes where.
Of course, 100% depends on where you put the authority of interpreting the Scriptures. I’ll put the authority in where the Scriptures came from. Others put the authority in an organization that picked up a Catholic book and decided that they knew better than the people who wrote, protected, taught l, lived by it righteous teachings.
TTWSYF