Is Jesus God? (John 8:42)

In the Gospel of John, it is written: "Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me," (John 8:42 NASB1995). Some use this verse to claim Jesus was not God; however, this reading misunderstands the passage. To understand this verse, we need to split it into parts.

"Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me ..." (John 8:42a NASB1995). The idea here is that if they truly obeyed God, they would not act in the manner that they are. "Their response to Jesus shows they are not truly God's children, but children of the Devil. The clear implication is that not all religious people are children of God ... but only those who believe in Jesus as Messiah," (Crossway 2040). C.f. Keener 274-275.

"... for I proceeded forth and have come from God ..." (John 8:42b NASB1995). There are a few possible interpretations of this phrase. Some use it to say that Jesus proceeds from the Father, a belief known as eternal generation. As Ellicott explains: "His presence with them was the result of His proceeding from God. As the Son of God He had eternal fellowship with the Father," (Ellicott). Some also argue that this passage may merely mean that Jesus was sent out to the Earth, among other theories.

"... for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me," (John 8:42c NASB1995). The Father sent Jesus: "... not by force, or against the will of Christ, or by change of place, but by assumption of nature; he sent him at the time agreed upon, in human nature, to obtain eternal redemption for his people: and upon both these accounts Christ is to be loved by all regenerate persons (i.e. saved people, redeemed)," (Dr. Gill). Jesus was sent down under the authority of the Father to fulfill the will of God, the will that both the Father, Son, and Spirit possess.

This verse by no means disproves that Jesus is God; rather, it is Jesus saying he was sent by God, so if they do not accept him there is a spiritual problem.

References:

Ellicott's Bible Commentary, Volume 1. N.p., Delmarva Publications, Inc., 2015.

ESV Study Bible. United States, Crossway, 2008.

Keener, Craig S.. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, 2nd Edition. United Kingdom, InterVarsity Press, 2014.

Wolever, Terry. John Gill's Exposition of the Old and New Testaments: Some Background on the First Three Editions. United States, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2018.