Claim 7 of 15 · Case 12 · Jehovah’s Witnesses
In John’s Gospel, Jesus’ hearers understood his calling God his own Father as a claim to equality with God, and Jesus did not take it back.
One claim from the free evidence repository at apologetics.pro.
A common objection is that “Son of God” must mean someone lesser than God. The text points the other way. In John 5, the crowd reacts to Jesus as though he has claimed equality with God, and in the verses that follow Jesus strengthens the claim rather than softening it. This is a claim about what the passage says and how first-century hearers took it, which any reader can check.
The full case is made in The Trinity, claim 9 (Jesus both submits to the Father and possesses equality with God); this claim keeps only what is specific to this audience.
Backed by 1 piece of evidence
The Gospel of John, chapter 5, verses 18 to 23
The reaction comes from native speakers standing in front of Jesus, and Jesus responds by claiming equal honor rather than correcting a misunderstanding, which is stronger than any single title argued in the abstract.