What event made Jesus' followers believe their leader was divine?

Answer 1

In my opinion, because the prophecies of the Messiah were fulfilled . And, His many miracles. For centuries, now, people have been looking for "signs" of the "prophetic fulfillment" of the Scriptures. In these last days they're looking for signs that point to the day of "Jesus' return" in accordance with what they believe the Scriptures say.

Mainly, most folks [both anciently as well as today] look to the prophecy regarding one coming in the "Spirit of Elijah" to herald the arrival of the Messiah.

But in the days when Jesus walked the earth as a flesh and blood man... the people were looking at the "ripe signs" of prophecy that pointed to the ORIGINAL ARRIVAL of the Messiah. Signs that began, slowly, decades earlier when certain "shepherds tending their flocks in the field" were apprised of this "King's birth" by angels and noised it about in the area of Bethlehem. The word began to spread that He was around... somewhere on earth. Then, as many as two years later when the vaunted "wise men," from the East passed through the region looking for the "King," based on the ancient prophecies and astrological phenomena.

Then came the real clincher for the expectation of the people as the time of the Messiah's exposure drew closer: the advent of John the Baptist... the prophetic figure who paved the way for the Messiah's arrival, and to whom the people looked to ultimately I.D. the Messiah. People crowded expectantly around him for his baptisms and preachings of repentance for the remission of their sins in preparation for the LORD's arrival. John had thousands of followers.

But, even John had to have the Messiah identified to him. And in the course of time... that revelation came:

"This was the testimony of John when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John whether he claimed to be the Messiah. He flatly denied it. 'I am not the Messiah,' he said. 'Well then, who are you?' they asked. 'Are you Elijah?' 'No,' he replied. 'Are you the Prophet?'

'No.'

'Then who are you? Tell us, so we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?' John replied in the words of Isaiah:

'I AM A VOICE SHOUTING IN THE WILDERNESS, prepare a straight pathway for the LORD's coming!'

Then those who were sent by the Pharisees asked him, 'If you aren't the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?'

John told them, 'I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is Someone you do not know, who will SOON BEGIN HIS MINISTRY. I am not even worthy to be His slave.' " (John 1:19-27 NLTNew Living Translation)

It was from among John's disciples that the first of Jesus' disciples emerged... one of them being Andrew... Simon Peter's brother. And it was Andrew and one other of John's disciples to whom John identified the Messiah:

"The following day, John was again standing with two of his disciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at Him and then declared, 'LOOK! THERE IS THE LAMB OF GOD!'

Then John's two disciples turned and followed Jesus. Jesus looked around and saw them following. 'What do you want?' He asked them.

They replied, 'Rabbi (which means Teacher), where are you staying?'

'Come and see,' He said. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when they went with Him to the place, and they stayed there the rest of the day.

ANDREW, Simon Peter's brother, WAS ONE OF THESE MEN who had heard what John said and then followed Jesus. The FIRST THING ANDREW DID was to find his brother, Simon, and tell him, 'WE HAVE FOUND THE MESSIAH' (which means the Christ).'

Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, 'You are Simon, the son of John - but you will be called Cephas' (which means Peter {or stone})..." (verses 35-42).

The "event" was relatively small. It was, initially, two disciples of John the Baptist who were first "convinced" that Jesus was the Lamb of God based on the word of their leader -- along with the electric expectation among the people throughout the land of the Messiah's impending arrival. And it was from there in the course of the next few years [and the succeeding centuries] that the conviction spread to certain others.

Answer 2

He died for them and then three days later he rose again plus the many miracles he performed the prophecies he fulfilled and that he never sinned

//There was no single event but many that led His followers to the truth about Jesus. He raised people from the dead, healed, manifested a multitude of miracles, lived by the Word of God and was Himself resurrected from the dead.//

Answer 3

Not one event but the whole of Jesus' ministry was directed to this end; that we might all believe that he is the son of God, the Messiah. Some believed at the start of his ministry, like Nathanael,(John 1.49); and some towards the end, like Thomas, (John.20.28)