Jesus was not divine?

I have a Buddhist friend out of my much-loved pool of Buddhist friends that said one day to me that Jesus never claimed to be divine.  I want to put that misconception to rest, because I have heard it more than once.  (As an aside, I think it is imperative that every Christian has some close friends outside of the Christian faith. It’ll keep you honest).

Jesus claimed many times in the New Testament writings, his divinity.  There are simple too many instances to treat here.  But here are some. 

Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied."
    Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?"

Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark."

[Jesus] said to them, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.

Even through his actions, he claimed divinity.  When asleep on the boat with his disciples, a storm came up and they woke him up to save them – yes they believed, most of them, most of the time, in his divinity as well.  At once he spoke to the storm and the wind and the water became still.  The story is recorded in Matthew chapter 8.

But some argue that all of these could be taken out of context or possibly the context was set by the writers.  After all the Jews he was talking to did not know half of the time what he was saying.  Even his own disciples were often confused because they had not frame of reference, no framework, for what he was saying.  The fact that God would come to earth as a man was just too hard to swallow, especially for the Jewish people of the time. 

So, if on the outside chance, you still believe Jesus did not claim to be divine.  I want to give you one more scripture reference.  John 8:58.

Jesus said, "Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad."
    The people said, "You aren't even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?"
    Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!"  The name “I Am” here is actually translated “I Am He who is.” He is invoking the name of God from Exodus 3:14, when Moses asked of God what to call him.  By the words and tense Jesus used, saying that he has always existed, unlike Abraham who did not always exist.

And as C.S. Lewis famously said, Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord.  Jesus left no wiggle room in this choice.

So next time someone says that Jesus never claimed to be divine, please correct them lovingly.  It is a lack of understanding the text that leads to this claim.  Remember, though you have read it, not everyone has read the text.  It may not be important to them like it is to you.