The Evidence
Every major primary source statement on whether divinity can be shared with humanity. Original language, English translation, manuscript source. Organized by position.
For: Divinity Can Be Shared
\u1f35\u03bd\u03b1 \u03b4\u03b9\u1f70 \u03c4\u03bf\u03cd\u03c4\u03c9\u03bd \u03b3\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u03c3\u03b8\u03b5 \u03b8\u03b5\u03af\u03b1\u03c2 \u03ba\u03bf\u03b9\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd\u03bf\u1f76 \u03c6\u03cd\u03c3\u03b5\u03c9\u03c2
"That through them you may become partakers of the divine nature."
The most explicit theosis statement in the New Testament. Koinonoi physeos = sharers in the nature (ontological, not merely moral). The proof-text for Eastern Orthodox divinization.
Read with manuscript scan →\u1f10\u03b3\u1f7c \u03b5\u1f36\u03c0\u03b1 \u03b8\u03b5\u03bf\u03af \u1f10\u03c3\u03c4\u03b5
"I said, you are gods."
Jesus quotes scripture calling human beings "gods." The most direct claim that divinity is not exclusive. Cited by every major theosis theologian.
Read with manuscript scan →\u0391\u1f50\u03c4\u1f78\u03c2 \u03b3\u1f70\u03c1 \u1f10\u03bd\u03b7\u03bd\u03b8\u03c1\u03ce\u03c0\u03b7\u03c3\u03b5\u03bd, \u1f35\u03bd\u03b1 \u1f21\u03bc\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c2 \u03b8\u03b5\u03bf\u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u03b7\u03b8\u1ff6\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd
"He became man that we might be made God."
The most famous sentence in the history of the theosis doctrine. The verb theopoiethomen is active and ontological: "be made god."
Read with manuscript scan →factus est quod sumus nos, uti nos perficeret esse quod est ipse
"He became what we are, that he might bring us to be what he himself is."
The earliest systematic theosis formula. More radical than Athanasius: not "God" in the abstract but "what he himself is."
Read with manuscript scan →\u1f35\u03bd\u03b1 \u03c0\u03ac\u03bd\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2 \u1f13\u03bd \u1f66\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd \u00b7 \u03ba\u03b1\u03b8\u1f7c\u03c2 \u03c3\u03cd \u03c0\u03ac\u03c4\u03b5\u03c1 \u1f10\u03bd \u1f10\u03bc\u03bf\u1f76 \u03ba\u1f00\u03b3\u1f7c \u1f10\u03bd \u03c3\u03bf\u03af
"That they all may be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us."
Christ prays that the mutual indwelling between Father and Son extend to all believers. Theosis extended universally.
Read with manuscript scan →\u1f14\u03c3\u03b5\u03c3\u03b8\u03b5 \u03bf\u1f56\u03bd \u1f51\u03bc\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c2 \u03c4\u03ad\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9\u03bf\u03b9 \u1f61\u03c2 \u1f41 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u1f74\u03c1 \u1f51\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd \u1f41 \u03bf\u1f50\u03c1\u03ac\u03bd\u03b9\u03bf\u03c2 \u03c4\u03ad\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9\u03cc\u03c2 \u1f10\u03c3\u03c4\u03b9\u03bd
"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Teleios = complete, having reached the telos. A command to become like God, not merely to behave well.
Read with manuscript scan →misit scintillam, quae correxit hominem et suscitauit et fecit eum uiuere
"He sent a spark, which corrected man and raised him up and made him live."
The Gnostic divine spark (scintilla): a fragment of divine light trapped in the body made by angels. The spark alone is saved.
Read with manuscript scan →Against: Divinity Is Exclusive
\u03bc\u03bf\u03bd\u03bf\u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u1f74\u03c2 \u03b8\u03b5\u1f78\u03c2 \u1f41 \u1f62\u03bd \u03b5\u1f30\u03c2 \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03ba\u03cc\u03bb\u03c0\u03bf\u03bd \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u03c1\u1f78\u03c2
"The only-begotten God, the one who is in the bosom of the Father."
Sinaiticus reads monogenes theos (only-begotten God), not monogenes huios (only-begotten Son). If Christ is the unique God, divinity may be his exclusive property.
Read with manuscript scan →panānumma Ūta-napištim amilu / inanna Ūta-napištim u sinništassu lū ēmūū kīma ilīni
"Previously Utnapishtim was a mortal man. Now let Utnapishtim and his wife become like the gods, like us."
The Mesopotamian answer: immortality was granted once, to one man, never again. Gilgamesh is refused. The oldest argument that the divine-human boundary is permanent.
Read with manuscript scan →Ambiguous: Claimed by Both Sides
\u1f10\u03b3\u1f7c \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f41 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u1f74\u03c1 \u1f15\u03bd \u1f10\u03c3\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd
"I and the Father are one."
The neuter hen (one thing), not masculine heis (one person). Unity of substance or merely of will? Arians, Nicenes, and Gnostics all claimed this verse.
Read with manuscript scan →\u03c3\u1f7a \u03b5\u1f36 \u1f41 \u03c5\u1f31\u03cc\u03c2 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u1f41 \u1f00\u03b3\u03b1\u03c0\u03b7\u03c4\u03cc\u03c2
"You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased."
Addressed to Jesus alone ("You are"), not declared publicly ("This is"). The adoptionists read this as the moment Christ received divinity; the orthodox read it as confirmation of pre-existing sonship.
Read with manuscript scan →\u1f10\u03bd \u1f00\u03c1\u03c7\u1fc7 \u1f26\u03bd \u1f41 \u03bb\u03cc\u03b3\u03bf\u03c2 \u00b7 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f41 \u03bb\u03cc\u03b3\u03bf\u03c2 \u1f26\u03bd \u03c0\u03c1\u1f78\u03c2 \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03b8\u03b5\u03cc\u03bd \u00b7 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03b8\u03b5\u1f78\u03c2 \u1f26\u03bd \u1f41 \u03bb\u03cc\u03b3\u03bf\u03c2
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Foundation of Logos theology. The Word is God, yet also "with" God (distinct). The Gnostics, Arians, and Nicenes all built from this verse in opposite directions.
Read with manuscript scan →