Are We All Gods?

The concept that humans might possess divinity or ascend to godhood is not just a fleeting thought of the modern age. This idea has been debated and dissected for centuries. Scriptures from the Bible, such as Psalm 82 ¹⁾, John 10, Genesis, and 2 Peter, are often cited in these discussions. But to truly grasp the essence of these verses, we must delve deep into their context and the broader narrative of the Bible. Let's embark on this exploration.

The intriguing opening of the psalm reads, “God stands in the assembly of El; in the midst of the gods he renders judgment.” (Psalm 82:1). To the casual reader, this might seem like an endorsement of polytheism. But as with many scriptures, understanding the full context of the passage is crucial.

The Psalms, rich in poetic flair, are replete with metaphors, similes, and allegories. In Psalm 82, the term “gods” is translated from the Hebrew word “elohim.” While “elohim” often refers to God Himself, it can also denote rulers, judges, or other influential figures. In this Psalm's context, these “gods” are likely human rulers or judges, whom God is rebuking for their failure to uphold justice.

Looking at the Psalm as a whole reveals it is structured as a dramatic courtroom scene. God the Supreme Judge presides to pass judgment on the unjust “gods” — earthly authorities who have failed to defend the poor and needy. The imagery of God standing among lesser “gods” underscores His supremacy over all earthly powers. The Psalmist uses irony and metaphor to highlight the stark contrast between God's perfect justice and the corruptness of human rule.

Verse 6 elaborates, “I thought, 'You are gods; all of you are sons of the Most High.'” This further underscores the notion that these “gods” are humans in positions of authority. Their title, “sons of the Most High,” doesn't imply divinity but rather their duty to embody God's justice on earth.

The Psalm concludes with a stark reminder of their mortality: “Yet you will die like mortals; you will fall like all the other rulers.” Their earthly authority doesn't exempt them from the human fate of death.

Building on the courtroom metaphor, Jesus himself refers to this same verse in the Gospel of John.

In John 10:34, Jesus, while addressing the Jewish leaders, quotes Psalm 82:6, saying, “Is it not written in your law, 'I said, you are gods'?” This was in response to accusations of blasphemy because He claimed to be the Son of God.

Jesus wasn't endorsing the idea that all humans are gods akin to God. Instead, He was spotlighting the inconsistency in the Jewish leaders' reasoning. If the scriptures could figuratively label human rulers as “gods,” why were they outraged by Jesus identifying Himself as the Son of God? Jesus was masterfully exposing their double standards.

Jesus' opponents had just accused Him of blasphemy for claiming a special father-son relationship with God. Yet Psalm 82, which they accepted as scripture, used the term “gods” poetically for humans. Jesus turned the tables by using their own accepted scriptures to challenge their limited, literalist interpretation. His skillful response revealed their hypocrisy and forced them to reconsider their accusations.

Beyond Psalm 82, additional isolated verses are sometimes cited as evidence for human divinity. However, looking closely at the context reveals a different meaning.

One such example is Genesis chapter 3, where God reflects on the state of humanity after Adam and Eve's disobedience.

Following Adam and Eve's transgression, God observed that man had become “like one of us, knowing good and evil.” This wasn't an acknowledgment of newfound divinity but a lament over humanity's fallen state and their newfound moral awareness.

God's reflection that mankind had become “like one of us” echoes the serpent's temptation that eating the forbidden fruit would “make one wise, like God.” This demonstrates that humanity's attempt to grasp equality with God had tragic consequences. The verse underscores the unbridgeable gap between Creator and created — we can never transcend our creaturely state.

Similarly, in 2 Peter, metaphorical language is used to describe the spiritual growth of believers, not their divinization.

Here, believers are described as becoming “partakers of the divine nature.” This doesn't suggest we morph into gods. Instead, it speaks to our spiritual transformation and our journey away from worldly corruption towards godly virtues.

This verse uses rich, metaphorical language to describe the process of sanctification. Through Christ, we share in God's moral excellence. However, this is not an intrinsic divinization, but rather an external process of being conformed to His likeness through the Spirit. We reflect godly attributes without becoming autonomous deities.

In contrast to these isolated verses, the overriding message across Scripture is that God alone possesses divinity. Numerous passages adamantly proclaim this truth.

The Bible repeatedly and unambiguously asserts there is only one true God. The divine attributes are His alone. Any suggestion of human godhood fundamentally contradicts Scripture's staunch monotheism. Several verses ²⁾ resoundingly repudiate any notion of human divinity or polytheism.

In Isaiah 43:10, God declares “Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.” This powerfully affirms God's eternal, unrivaled status as the one Creator and only object of worship. There can be no other gods formed either before or after Him. He is preexistent, having no beginning or end.

Through Isaiah, God forcefully reaffirms His singular divine nature and authority, asserting that there's no deity besides Him. In chapter 44 verse 6, God emphasizes “I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.” Then again in chapter 45, He states “I am the LORD, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God.” God leaves no room for misunderstanding — all divinity resides in Him alone.

Moses declares to Israel “You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; besides him there is no other.” This underscores the same truth — the Lord alone is God, without rival.

At the temple's dedication, Solomon prays that “all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other.” God's exclusive claim to deity is affirmed again.

Jesus quotes the Shema ³⁾: “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.“ He grounds Christianity in the foundational truth that the Lord alone is God.

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul affirms there is only “one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” This succinctly encapsulates Christianity's staunch monotheism and exclusivity. There cannot be other “gods” or other mediators, because the one true God has provided the sole mediator in Christ.

Paul stresses that God alone is “immortal, invisible, the only God” (1 Tim 1:17). All other beings are mortal and visible creations, distinct from the unseen eternal Creator. As Paul unambiguously states to the Corinthians, “there is only one God” (1 Cor 8:6). This precludes any possibility of human deification or polytheism.

By underscoring Jesus as the one mediator between God and humanity, Paul repudiates notions of humans ascending to divine status. Our path is through the one mediator appointed by the one God, not through seeking autonomous godhood. 1 Timothy 2:5 thus powerfully affirms monotheism and rebuts claims of human divinity.

In light of Scripture's emphatic monotheistic foundation, the notion of human divinity clearly does not hold up. Rather, the biblical narrative points to only one eternal God worthy of worship.

Given the overwhelming biblical testimony to God's exclusive divinity, the notion of human godhood clearly does not hold up. Although some individual verses, especially if taken out of context, may appear to suggest the idea that humans can attain godhood, the Bible's overarching narrative paints a different picture.

It's vital we interpret scriptures according to the Bible's overarching monotheistic framework rather than isolating verses and taking them out of context. God's Word, viewed holistically, conveys profound and consistent truths about who God is and who we are in relation to Him. There is, and always will be, only one eternal, unrivaled God worthy of worship. While uniquely made in His image, humans remain finite creatures distinct from our infinite Creator.

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