Did Jesus say he was God?

From the book The Gospel of John Original Version , Volume 2, translated by James David Audlin.

Traditional dogma-based interpretations of [John] 5:18 wrongly assume Jesus is declaring himself the Son of God, divinity incarnate, and that the Pharisees reject this assertion as blasphemy. Judaism is a strictly monotheistic religion, and though equating oneself with God is usually considered at least inappropriate it is never declared outright blasphemy Jesus never strays from strict monotheism in this gospel.

Jesus does say he and the father are one (17:22), but the context makes it clear that the goal is for all humanity also to be one with God and with each other (17:20-23). And this is not a oneness of identity, but a oneness of unity and commitment, as when an entire people are one in spirit and will. This indeed is the Jewish concept of covenant: for example, just as a husband and a wife remain separate persons in terms of individual identity but “become one flesh” in terms of unity and commitment (Genesis 2:24), Jesus was in the same way one with God and wanted all humanity to join him in such commitment. Even Paul gets close to this understanding in Romans 12:4-5.

James F. McGrath (NTS, 1998) says standard translations are wrong to render [the Greek] as “therefore”; he properly reads it as a concessive particle: Jesus claims God as his father yet at the same time (not “therefore”) he makes himself equal with God. Thus, McGrath concludes, the Pharisees are not challenging the God’s-son claim; rather, they are saying Jesus is no dutiful son because he presumes to usurp the unique prerogatives of God his father, making himself equal to his father, rather than being deferential and respectful toward God as a son should be. This accusation, McGrath continues, is based on the fifth commandment in the Decalogue (Exodus 20:12), and probably Deuteronomy 21:18-20, where a “stubborn and rebellious son” is one who “does not obey the voice of his father and the voice of his mother” (who form together the image of Elohim of which Jesus is claiming to be son). Indeed, such a son should be accused before the village elders as “a glutton and a drunkard” (Jesus is so accused in Luke 7:34), who must then condemn him to death by stoning. I think McGrath is right, and Jesus is here not being accused of equating himself with God but usurping God’s prerogatives, and so they may have demanded his execution as required by Leviticus 24:16. Note that Jesus emphatically answers this accusation, and not that of claiming to be God, in the subsequent verses.

I copied and posted this from the lexicon so I could address and put to rest a concern some may have.
let me explain. Jesus never said he was god the only thing he ever claimed was to be equal to his father right. Well there is two things people need to know first and foremost.
Everyone has there own God. your god is literally your higher self your over soul as it where, right? ok and since we all are emortal spiritual beings having a temporary human experience then is not safe to say that we to are an over soul to our lower self? So in a sense we to are destined to become more. Yet if we believe in any way that we are not equal to or worthy of becoming more, then would we not limit our own spiritual evolution?
Secondly to live for our God is to allow our God AKA soul to live vicariously through us. Thus allowing our soul to evolve above us so we may evolve to equal standing and as such evolve our own lower self. And so the great circle of life and evolution continues. So if my soul desires to experience the construct and reality of becoming the Salvation to others. or any other reason. Then gladly will I walk that path in honor to my Soul. This is what it means to live for God.
As a reward I get to experience this percieved reality with them, my Mother/Father. Even thow I completely comprehend that, this heaven is being created for me, gladly do still embrace the opportunity to allow father to live vicariously through me. So you see it was never out of rebellion nor was it anything near a disillusion to conceptualized reality. So remember this some times being lost is so close to being found.