I'm working on a book about Christmas, so I'm spending some time in the beginnings of the Gospels & here's the thing:

You can't walk through the front door of *any* of the Gospels without getting hit over the head with Jesus's divinity.

The "Jesus-was-a-good`teacher-but-never-claimed-to-be-God" hypothesis is dead on arrival in Matthew, Luke & John. So, what about Mark? Does it stand any chance in the Gospel that was written first?

Nope.

Even if we say that the line in Mark 1:1 about Jesus being "the Son of God" is primarily pointing to his messiahship, rather than his divinity, we then have the problem of the Isaiah/Malachi quote in Mark 2-3 & what follows it.

Mark's quotation describes a messenger crying out in the wilderness to prepare the way for the Lord God himself. Then Mark introduces John the Baptist, as a messenger in the wilderness preparing the way for...JESUS.

Let the reader understand.

In case we didn't get the message that Jesus isn't just a good teacher, Mark records a voice from heaven saying, "You are my beloved Son" (Mark 1:11), an unclean spirit calling Jesus, "the Holy One of God" (Mark 1:24) & a slew of healing miracles that set the mood for Mark 2:1-12

In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus is presented with a paralyzed man. He tells him his sins are forgiven. The scribes are thinking, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Then Jesus rams home the point by healing the man to prove that, yes, he *does* have the right to do what only God can do.

Then Jesus gets questioned about why his disciples don't fast. He says, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?" (Mark 2:19)

Why is he calling himself the bridegroom? Because time & again in the OT, prophets depict God as a faithful husband to his people.

This thread could go on & on & on. Walk inside any of the Gospels & every room is filled with Jesus's divinity. To be sure, they're also filled with his humanity. But you won't find so much as a broom cupboard that lets you believe he's "just a good teacher."