common sense ministries

The God/man a conversation about Jesus

Fri, 31 May 2024 21:15:15 +0000

Introduction

How much do you know about the God-man Jesus Christ? Yes, we know that He die for our Sins and that true salvation only comes through a belief in Him. He is the Master of our life, and we are to serve Him alone.

However, God’s desire for all who know Him, is for us to become more like Christ. We do this by first growing in our knowledge of Christ. It stands to reason that we cannot grow to be like someone we do not know. The deeper our knowledge of Christ, the deeper our understanding of Him, and the more like Him we become.

Test your knowledge of Christ by answering the follow questions about our Lord and Savior?

What role does the Son of God play in the Trinity?
What is the Covenant of Redemption between God the Father and God the Son?
Describe the work of the Father, Son and of the Holy Spirit in Creation
What is the Covenant of Grace between God the Father and man?
Did Jesus make appearances in the Old Testament?
What is the Humanity of Christ, which is referred to the State of Humiliation of Christ?
What is your understanding about the Deity of Christ?
What is the Hypostatic Union of Jesus, and what does it truly mean?
What is the significance of the Incarnation of Jesus?
What role did the Holy Spirit play in the life of Jesus?
What are the Human names for Christ as well as His names for His Deity?
What was the significance of the seven last sayings as Jesus hung on the cross?
Describe what we can learn about Jesus through His Death, Resurrection, and Ascension?

These are but a sample of what there is to know about Jesus. My friends it is our duty and obligation to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God commands it. Join me as we search for these and many other wonderful facts about our Lord an Savior Jesus Christ.

A Secret from Eternity Past God had a Plan!

Welcome back, my dear friends, and welcome to my new series entitled, “The God/man,” a conversation about Christ Jesus. This will be by far the most exciting series I have studied, written about, and posted to date.

He was born in an obscure village,
the child of a peasant woman.
He grew up in still another village,
where he worked until he was thirty.
Then, for three years
he was an itinerant preacher.
He never wrote a book.
He never held an office.
He never had a family or owned a home.
He didn’t go to college.
He never traveled more than 200 miles
from the place he was born.
He did none of the things.
one usually associates with greatness.
He had no credentials but himself;
he was only thirty-three,
when public opinion turned against him.
His friends ran away.
He was turned over to his enemies,
and went through the mockery of a trial.
He was nailed to the cross,
between two thieves.
While he was dying.
his executioners gambled for his clothing,
the only property he had on earth.
When he was dead
he was laid in a borrowed grave,
through the pity of a friend.
Nineteen centuries have come and gone
and today he is the central figure
of the human race,
the leader of mankind’s progress.
All the armies that ever marched,
all the navies that ever sailed,
all the parliaments that ever sat,
all the kings that ever reigned,
put together, have not affected
the life of man on earth as much as that
One Solitary Life. *
*The poem is an adaption from James Allen Francis (1926)

John MacArthur writes:
“The biblical witness concerning the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is woven like a scarlet thread throughout the entirety of the written Word of God. As the second person of the Godhead, the Savior’s person and work constitute the central testimony of all Scripture: “Worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev. 19: 10).”

My friends, this will not be your basic Bible study about Jesus’ earthly ministry, which resulted in his death, burial and resurrection. I need to know more about my Lord and Savior than that, and I hope you do too. I need to know everything that God’s Holy Word has to say about Him.

So, your journey with me to find out about the God/man, Jesus Christ, will take us where the Holy Spirit leads us. I will talk about theological topics you may have never heard of or thought about, but I promise you, everything I share with you has been researched and backed up with the appropriate Scripture documentation.

To start our study of the “God/man,” we need to start before His birth in Bethlehem, before Genesis 1:1; we must travel to eternity past. It is here my friends, the very foundation for the Bible was laid. As you will see, the covenant made between God the Father and God the Son before time began will lead to the very writings of the Old and New Testaments, and our salvation.

The story of Jesus saturates the Bible. It is His all-encompassing story that gives context, meaning, and purpose to all of life, and prophecies of His first advent are found throughout the Old Testament.

One scholar, J. Barton Payne, has found as many as 574 verses in the Old Testament that somehow point to, describe, or reference the coming Messiah. Alfred Edersheim found 456 Old Testament verses referring to the Messiah or His times. Conservatively, Jesus fulfilled at least 300 Old Testament prophecies in His earthly ministry.

I’ll warn you now there will be times we will need to dig deep into the theology of God’s Word in order to lay the groundwork for what is to come. However, I encourage you to hang in there. Just remember one thing.

¹¹ The Lord is fully aware of how limited and futile the thoughts of mankind are, Psalm 94:11 (TLB)

If the Lord God of the Universe is fully aware of how limited and futile our minds are to understand at times, that leaves us with just one approach to this study. As believers, we must trust what the Word of God tells us and by faith believe it.

Hold on to Psalm 94:11, because here we go.

One Triune God
Before the beginning, there was nothing except God — one God — and he consists of one simple essence.

⁴ “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! Deuteronomy 6:4 (NKJV)

¹⁹ You believe there is one God. That is good! But even the demons believe that, and because they do, they shake. James 2:19 (NLV)

Our one God also exists eternally as three distinct persons. Each person of the Trinity (also known as the Godhead) possesses the entire essence of God.

¹⁶ After his baptism, as soon as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God coming down in the form of a dove. ¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, and I am wonderfully pleased with him.” Matthew 3:16-17 (TLB)

¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 NLT

This fact means that the three persons, though distinct from one another, are coequal in every perfection of the divine essence of God.
1. The Father is God.
a. The Father is not the Son.
b. The Father is not the Holy Spirit.
2. The Son is God.
a. The Son is not the Father.
b. The Son is not the Holy Spirit.
3. The Holy Spirit is God.
a. The Holy Spirit is not the Father.
b. The Holy Spirit is not the Son.

These distinct forms of relationship establish a definite order within the Trinity, so that it is proper to say with respect to their relationship only that the Father is first, the Son is second and the Spirit is third.

Before God created the universe, God was alone: self-contained, self-sufficient, self-satisfied, in need of nothing. God dwelt joyfully alone in eternity past with the Trinity. These three were together in fellowship with one another from all eternity. They loved each other.

It was during eternity past that the Triune God decreed many things. The most important being Covenant of Redemption. A covenant designed and agreed upon between God the Father and God the Son. This covenant ultimately lays the foundation for the Covenant of Grace, which was a covenant between God the Father and man — the plan of salvation for man.

John MacArthur in his book “Biblical Doctrine” states.
“The outworking of God’s saving grace on sinners begins long before any individual sinner experiences the benefits of that grace. Before the sinner’s conversion and justification, before the Savior’s substitutionary atonement, and even before the creation of the world itself, God’s redemptive grace has its origin in eternity past in the sovereign counsel of the will of the triune God.”

The Apostle Paul in Ephesians talks about God’s plan of Salvation before time began.
⁴ In Christ, he chose us before the world was made. He chose us in love to be his holy people—people who could stand before him without any fault. 5 And before the world was made, God decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. This was what God wanted, and it pleased him to do it. 6 And this brings praise to God because of his wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely. He gave us that grace in Christ, the one he loves. Ephesians 1:4-6 (ERV)

The Apostle Paul goes on to tell us.

⁹ And God gave me the work of telling all people about the plan for his secret truth. That secret truth has been hidden in him since the beginning of time. He is the one who created everything. 10 His purpose was that all the rulers and powers in the heavenly places will now know the many different ways he shows his wisdom. They will know this because of the church. 11 This agrees with the plan God had since the beginning of time. He did what he planned, and he did it through Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 3:9-11 (ERV)

Such a plan or Covenant could only be the result of a voluntary agreement among the persons of the Trinity, so that their internal relations assume the form of a covenant life.

The Salvation of Man was developed by the Triune God to flow this way.
God the Father proposed the redemption of sinners.
God the Son secured the redemption of sinners.
God the Holy Spirit applied that redemption to all the sinners who received it.

The provision of redemption which God made for His people before the foundation of the world was called the Covenant of Redemption. This became a mutually agreed upon covenant between God the Father and God the Son for the Salvation of His elect.

R.C. Sproul tells us.
“Long before the beginning of man, the Bible has much to say about God’s activity “before” the world was made. The Bible speaks often of God’s eternal counsel, of His plan of salvation and the like. It is a matter of theological urgency that Christians do not think of God as a ruler who ad libs His dominion of the universe. God does not “make it up as He goes along.” Nor must He be viewed as a bumbling administrator who is so inept in His planning that His blueprint for redemption must be endlessly subject to revision according to the actions of men. The God of Scripture has no “plan b” or “plan c.” His “plan a” is from everlasting to everlasting. It is both perfect and unchangeable as it rests on God’s eternal character, which is among other things, holy, omniscient, and immutable. God’s eternal plan is not revised because of moral imperfections within it that must be purified. His plan was not corrected or amended because He gained new knowledge that He lacked at the beginning. God’s plan never changes because He never changes and because perfection admits to no degrees and cannot be improved upon.

The Covenant of Redemption

R.C. Sproul comments:
“The covenant of redemption is intimately concerned with God’s eternal plan. It is called a “covenant” since the plan involves two or more parties. This is not a covenant between God and humans. It is a covenant among the persons of the Godhead, specifically between the Father and the Son. God did not become triune at creation or at the Incarnation. His triunity is as eternal as His being. He is one in essence and three in person from all eternity.”

What is a Covenant?
A covenant is a formally defined relationship between two parties, a solemn promise or oath. Every covenant is built on binding principles or rules, (i.e., you do this, and I will do that, or if you don’t do this, then I will do that) which are determined by the two parties entering into the covenant.

Charles Hodges states.
“The Father gave the Son a work to do; He sent Him into the world to perform it and promised Him a great reward when the work was accomplished. Such is the constant representation of the Scriptures. We have, therefore, the contracting parties, the promise, and the condition. These are the essential elements of a covenant.”

Let’s take a look at the requirements and promises that laid the foundation of this covenant between God the Father and God the Son.

REQUIREMENTS. The Father required the Son, who appeared in this covenant as the Surety (guarantor) and Head of His people, and as the last Adam, to make amends for the sin of Adam and of those whom the Father had given Him. He should do what Adam failed to do by keeping the law and thus securing eternal life for all His spiritual offspring.

This requirement included the following particulars:

a. That He should assume human nature by being born of a woman.
b. That He should assume this human nature with its infirmities, though without sin. It was absolutely essential that He should become one of the human race.
“⁴ But when the right time came, the time God decided on, he sent his Son, born of a woman, born as a Jew, 5 to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law so that he could adopt us as his very own sons.” Galatians 4:4-5 (TLB)
c. That He, who as the Son of God was superior to the law, should place Himself under the penal and federal ties to the law, which required His death on the cross. Thus, paying the penalty for sin and to merit everlasting life for the elect,
¹⁷ “Don’t misunderstand why I have come—it isn’t to cancel the laws of Moses and the warnings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them and to make them all come true. Matthew 5:17 (TLB)
d. That after having earned forgiveness of sins and eternal life through His death, burial and resurrection, He should apply the fruits of His accomplishments to God’s elect:

Complete pardon and forgiveness of sins, past, present, and future

Renewal of their lives through the powerful operation of the Holy Spirit

Eternal life with the Lord God of the Universe
e. By doing this, He would render it certain that believers would devote their lives to God,
¹² And so, dear brothers, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice, holy—the kind he can accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you. Romans 12:1-2 (TLB)

PROMISES. *
The promises of the Father were in keeping with His requirements. He promised the Son all that was required for the performance of His great and comprehensive task, thereby excluding all uncertainty in the operation of this covenant.

These promises included the following:

a. That He would prepare the Son a body, which would be a fit tabernacle for him; a body in part prepared by the direct work of God and uncontaminated by sin.
“⁵ That is why Christ said as he came into the world, “O God, the blood of bulls and goats cannot satisfy you, so you have made ready this body of mine for me to lay as a sacrifice upon your altar. 6 You were not satisfied with the animal sacrifices, slain and burnt before you as offerings for sin. 7 Then I said, ‘See, I have come to do your will, to lay down my life, just as the Scriptures said that I would.” Hebrews 10:5-7 (TLB)
b. That He would endow Him with the necessary gifts and graces for the performance of His task and particularly would anoint Him by giving Him the Spirit without measure, a promise that was fulfilled especially at the time of His baptism.
^{1 “}See! My servant, My chosen one! My much Loved, in Whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit on Him. He will say to the nations what is right from wrong. Isaiah 42:1 (NLV)
c. That He would support Him in the performance of His work and that He would deliver Him from the power of death and would thus enable Him to destroy the dominion of Satan and to establish the Kingdom of God.
¹⁵ From now on you and the woman will be enemies, as will your offspring and hers. You will strike his heel, but he will crush your head.” Genesis 3:15 (TLB)
d. That He would enable Him, as a reward for His accomplished work, to send out the Holy Spirit for the formation of His spiritual body (the Church). The Holy Spirit would take the lead for the instruction, guidance, and protection of the Church.
²⁶ “The Helper will come—the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God and who comes from the Father. I will send him to you from the Father, and he will speak about me. John 15:26 (GNT)
e. That He would give unto Him a numerous seed in reward for His accomplished work. A seed so numerous that it would be a multitude which no man could number, so that ultimately the Kingdom of the Messiah would embrace the people of all nations and tongues,
“²⁷ All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.” Psalm 22:27 (AKJV)
f. That He would commit to Him all power in heaven and on earth for the government of the world and of His Church.
²⁰ he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Ephesians 1:20-23 (NIV)
g. Finally, He would reward Him with a name that is above all names.
⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV) *Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology

Let me reemphasize at this point of our study that I am not talking about the Covenant of Grace. The two Covenants need to be distinguished from each other. The Covenant of Redemption was between the Father and the Son.

Louis Berkhof states:
“The counsel of redemption is the firm and eternal foundation of the covenant of grace. If there had been no eternal counsel of peace between the Father and the Son, there could have been no agreement between the triune God and sinful men. The counsel of redemption makes the covenant of grace possible.”

God’s Covenant of Grace, is between God and man and starts in the Garden of Eden when Adam failed to obey God and sinned.

¹⁵ From now on you and the woman will be enemies, as will your offspring and hers. You will strike his heel, but he will crush your head.” Genesis 3:15 (TLB)

God is already giving us hope of a Redeemer, (Genesis 3:15) is sometimes referred to as the protoevangelium, the first announcement of the gospel in Scripture. God’s promise to Eve that the seed of the serpent would bruise the heel of the seed of Eve and the seed of Eve would crush the head of the seed of the serpent, this is the foretelling that Satan would wound Christ on the cross, but that Christ would triumph over Satan on that same cross.
The two are clearly revealed in Scripture, and moreover they differ as to the parties, as to the promises and as to the conditions.

Why did God do this?

God works “all things according to the counsel of his will.”

¹¹In him we were also chosen having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, Ephesians 1:11 (NIV)

The psalmist repeats that the Lord does whatever he pleases.

³ Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. Psalm 115:3 (NIV)

⁶ The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. Psalm 135:6 (NIV)

God himself declares that he will accomplish all his “good pleasure.”

¹⁰ I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ Isaiah 46:10 (NIV)

“God causes all things to work together” according to his purpose.

²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (NIV)

My dear friends, do you truly realize the tremendous honor that was bestowed on you? The Triune God selected you before the beginning of time. It was God’s plan from eternity past that the Lord Jesus Christ would come to earth and die on a cross for you. Through His death you were justified and made righteous in the eyes of God. You are now one of His children and will spend eternity with Him.

¹⁵ For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” Romans 9:15 (NIV)

Right now, thank the Lord God of the Universe for the mercy and compassion He has shown you.

I am just beginning to scratch the surface of the God/Man of scriptures. We have a long way to go to unpack all that God’s Word has in store for us concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.

I hope you now understand that the reason for Jesus’s coming to earth was established and mapped out before time began. We will follow that scarlet thread that John MacArthur spoke about earlier. Next time, I will introduce you to the Covenant that God made with Adam, which will frame the direction of the entire Word of God.

Hold on to Psalm 94:11 throughout this entire study.

Until next time, my friend, may His mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

In the Beginning

Welcome back, my dear friends. As we continue our study of the God/man Jesus Christ, I’m going to keep us focused for now on the Triune God. I want you to have a clear understanding of the roles each of the Godhead performs before I focus us on God the Son. With this knowledge, you’ll have a clearer understanding when Jesus says:

^₃₈ For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. _{John 6:38 (NASB)}

I will now move on from eternity past to the “Creation.” We can define the doctrine of creation as follows: God created the entire universe out of nothing; it was originally very good; and he created it to glorify himself.

^₆ The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born._⁷He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs._⁸ Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him._⁹For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command. _{Psalm 33:6-9 (NLT)}

The Triune God’s revelation of Himself and His will for mankind was the beginning of the creation story. In this beginning, God created everything in the universe. This includes all the heavenly bodies, including every star and planet, as well as everything on the earth.

While the triune nature of God is not explicit in the Genesis account, God does reveal an “us” within the Godhead:

^₂₆ Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground. _{Genesis 1:26 (NLT)}

The Work of the Father, Son and of the Holy Spirit in Creation

Wayne Gruden in his book Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine states:

“God the Father was the primary agent in initiating the act of creation.”

“There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live.” _{1 Corinthians 8:6 (NLT)}

But the Son and the Holy Spirit were also active. The Son is often described as the one “through” whom creation came about.

_“¹ In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God._²He existed in the beginning with God. ^₃God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. ^₄The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone._⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” _{John 1:1-5 (NLT)}

The Apostle Paul says there is “one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”

“And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.” _{1 Corinthians 8:6 (NLT)}

We also read that the Son is the one “through whom” God “created the world.”

“God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.” _{Hebrews 1:1-2 (NLT)}

These passages portray a consistent picture of the Son as the active agent carrying out the plans and directions of the Father. The Holy Spirit also was at work in creation. He is generally pictured as completing, filling, and giving life to God’s creation.

_“² The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” _{Genesis 1:2 (NLT)}

The Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters, indicating a preserving, sustaining, governing function.

Job says,

“The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life” _{(Job 33: 4).}

The psalmist, in speaking of the great variety of creatures on the earth and in the sea, says, in (Psalm 104:30):

_³⁰ Then you send your Spirit, and new life is born to replenish all the living of the earth.”

If you remember my last study on the Triune God as it relates to the plan of Salvation, the Covenant between the three persons of the Trinity was the result of a voluntary agreement among themselves, so that their internal relations assume the form of a covenant life.

The Salvation of Man was developed by the Triune God to flow this way:

God the Father proposed the redemption of sinners.
God the Son secured the redemption of sinners through His death, burial, and resurrection.
God the Holy Spirit applied that redemption to all the sinners who were redeemed.

The same now holds true for the “Creation.”

God the Father spoke the creative words to bring the universe into being.
God the Son carried out these creative decrees.
God the Holy Spirit established and sustained God’s immediate presence in his creation

While the persons of the Trinity are equal in all their attributes, they nonetheless differ in their relationships to the creation. The Son and Holy Spirit are equal in deity to God the Father, but they are subordinate in their roles.

Wayne Gruden goes on to say.

“But why do the persons of the Trinity take these different roles in relating to creation? Was it accidental or arbitrary? Could God the Father have come instead of God the Son to die for our sins? Could the Holy Spirit have sent God the Father to die for our sins, and then sent God the Son to apply redemption to us?

No, it does not seem that these things could have happened, for the role of commanding, directing, and sending is appropriate to the position of the Father, after whom all human fatherhood is patterned.

^₁₄ For this reason I bend my knees before the Father, ^₁₅ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, _{Ephesians 3:14-15 (NASB)}

And the role of obeying, going as the Father sends, and revealing God to us is appropriate to the role of the Son, who is also called the Word of God.

These roles could not have been reversed or the Father would have ceased to be the Father and the Son would have ceased to be the Son. And by comparison from that relationship, we may conclude that the role of the Holy Spirit is similarly one that was appropriate to the relationship he had with the Father and the Son before the world was created.”

The work of the Holy Spirit seems to bring to completion the work that has been planned by God the Father and begun by God the Son.

Now I cannot explain to you how God can be three persons, and that each person is fully God, but there is only one God. This is too mind blowing for my finite mind to comprehend. So, I simply trust what the Word of God tells me and by faith believe it.

However, my friends, what I can talk about is the Persons of the Trinity and what the primary functions of each are as they relate to the world. We will find this information in the Word of God.

The different functions that we see the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit performing are simply workings of an eternal relationship between the three persons — a relationship that has always existed and will exist for eternity.

It may be said that there are no differences in deity, attributes, or essential nature between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God and has all the attributes of God.

The only distinctions between the members of the Trinity are in the ways they relate to each other and to the creation. In those relationships they carry out roles that are appropriate to each person.

Let’s take a deeper look.

THE ABSOLUTE GODHOOD OF GOD IS SEEN IN CREATION

Arthur W. Pink states

“With whom took He counsel in creation? Whom did He consult when He determined the various and manifold arrangements, adjustments, adaptations, relationships, of all His creatures? Did He not do everything after the counsel of His own will? Did He not decide that birds should fly in the air, beasts roam the earth, and fishes live in the sea? Did He not decide there should be one vast gradation among the creatures of His hand, instead of making everything equal and uniform? Did He not determine to make a revolving world on the one hand, and a floating atom on the other? Did He not determine to create the exalted seraphim to stand before His throne throughout endless ages, and also to make another creature which dies the same hour it is born?

Was He not undisputed Sovereign in all His creative acts? Yea, verily, for the Three Persons of the Godhead were all alone in their solitary majesty. Why should God take counsel? Could man add to His knowledge, or correct His errors? God sovereignly assigned all His creatures their various habitations, members, movements, as it pleased Him. God never consulted man about a single member of His body, or about its size, color, or capacity; instead, \”God set the members everyone of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him\” (1 Corinthians 12:18). Man is as truly the product of Sovereign creation as any other of God\’s creatures – sovereign, we say, not arbitrary.”

My friends, God not only created everything, but everything which He created is subject to His immediate control. God rules over the works of His hands. God governs the creatures He has made. God reigns with universal dominion. This is called the Sovereignty and Providence of God.

Let’s look at some examples of God\’s Sovereignty and Providence.

When He pleased, the sun and moon stood still.

^_“12On the day the Lord gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel. He said, Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.”^₁₃So the sun stood still, and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. _{Joshua 10:12-13 (NLT)}

At a word from Him, the sun went backward ten degrees on the dial of Ahaz.

^₈ I will send the sun backwards ten degrees as measured on Ahaz’s sundial!” So, the sun retraced ten degrees that it had gone down! _{Isaiah 38:8 (TLB)}

At His command, the Red Sea parted.

^_“21Meanwhile, Moses stretched his rod over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the sea, with walls of water on each side; and a strong east wind blew all that night, drying the sea bottom. _{Exodus 14:21(TLB)}

And at His command, it resumed its normal course.

^_“26When all the Israelites were on the other side, the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand again over the sea, so that the waters will come back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” ^₂₇Moses did, and the sea returned to normal beneath the morning light. The Egyptians tried to flee, but the Lord drowned them in the sea.” _{Exodus 14:26-27 (TLB)}

Yes, when He pleases, He reverses the order of nature, as when the fires of Nebuchadnezzar\’s furnace burnt not:

^_“22And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames leaped out and killed the soldiers as they threw them in! ^₂₃So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell bound into the roaring flames. ^₂₄ But suddenly, as he was watching, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisors, “Didn’t we throw three men into the furnace?” Yes,” they said, “we did indeed, Your Majesty.” ²⁵“Well, look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire, and they aren’t even hurt by the flames! And the fourth looks like a god!” _{Daniel 3:22-25 (TLB)}

When Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den for not worshipping King Darius:

^₁₆So at last the king gave the order for Daniel’s arrest, and he was taken to the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you worship continually, deliver you.” And then they threw him in. _{Daniel 6:16 (TLB)}

^₁₉Very early the next morning he hurried out to the lions’ den ^₂₀and called out in anguish, “O Daniel, servant of the Living God, was your God, whom you worship continually, able to deliver you from the lions?”

^₂₁Then he heard a voice! “Your Majesty, live forever!” It was Daniel! _²²“My God has sent his angel,” he said, “to shut the lions’ mouths so that they can’t touch me, for I am innocent before God; nor, sir, have I wronged you.” _{Daniel 6:19-22 (TLB)}

This, my friend, is but a small sample of God’s Sovereignty and Providence over everything in Heaven, on the Earth, and under the Earth. Even our time of death is the prerogative of God.

The late C.H. Spurgeon tells us.

\”The prerogative of life or death belongs to God in a wide range of senses. First of all as to natural life, we are all dependent upon His good pleasure. We shall not die until the time which He appoints: for our death-time, like all our time, is in His hands. Our skirts may brush away the portals of the sepulcher, and yet we shall pass the iron gate unharmed if the Lord be our guard. The wolves of disease will hurt us in vain until God shall permit them to overtake us. The most desperate enemies may waylay us, but no bullet shall find its lodging in any heart unless the Lord allows it.

Our life does not even depend upon the care of angels, nor can our death be surrounded on all sides by the malice of devils. We are immortal till our work is done, immortal till the immortal King shall call us home to the land where we shall be immortal in a still higher sense. When we are most sick, we need not despair of recovery since the issues from death are in Almighty hands. \”The Lord killeth and maketh alive: He bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up!\” When we have passed beyond the skill of the physician we have not passed beyond the relief of our God, to whom belong the issues from death.\”

Let’s now look at the Godhead’s creation of man and the introduction of Sin. Keep in mind, my friends, the Persons of the Trinity and what the different primary functions of each are as they relate to the world. Here you will see the combination of creation and the Covenant of Redemption coming together.

^₂₆Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.” _{Genesis 1:26 (NASB)}

^₇Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living person. _{Genesis 2:7 (NASB)}

^₈The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. _{Genesis 2:8 (NASB)}

After that, God created Eve from Adam’s body:

²¹Then the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep and took one of his ribs and closed up the place from which he had removed it, ^₂₂and made the rib into a woman, and brought her to the man. _{Genesis 2:21-22 (TLB)}

_²⁷So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” _{Genesis 1:27-28 (NASB)}

We are created “in God’s image,” the pinnacle of God’s creation, more like God than any other creature, appointed to rule over the rest of creation.

God the Father said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness.”

God the Son formed the man of dust from the ground.

God the Holy Spirit breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living person.

The Covenant of Redemption now comes into play.

^₁₅The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. ^₁₆And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; ^₁₇but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” _{Genesis 2:15-17 (NIV)}

I’m quite sure Satan and his minions watched with joy as Eve succumbed to his temptation.

^₆When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. _{Genesis 3:6 (NIV)}

Self-awareness came over Adam and Eve, and Sin was born.

^₇Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. _{Genesis 3:7 (NIV)}

This is where non-believers will say Satan sure pulled a fast one on God. He didn’t even see it coming. How can we believe in a God who is so clueless about what had just happened?

However, what they don’t know or understand was that the Covenant of Redemption was in place before time began. A covenant designed and agreed upon between God the Father and God the Son.

I am quite sure what God said next to the clueless Satan was the trump card that left Satan speechless.

^₁₅And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” _{Genesis 3:15 (NIV)}

God has already given us hope of a Redeemer, (Genesis 3:15) which is sometimes referred to as the protoevangelium, the first announcement of the gospel in Scripture. This represents God’s promise to Eve that the seed of the serpent would bruise the heel of the seed of Eve and the seed of Eve would crush the head of the seed of the serpent.

This is the foretelling that Satan would wound Christ on the cross, but that Christ would triumph over Satan on that same cross.

The Covenant of Redemption between God the Father and God the Son now starts to become the Covenant of Grace between God and man and starts in the Garden of Eden when Adam failed to obey God and sinned.

_⁴But when the right time came, the time God decided on, he sent his Son, born of a woman, born as a Jew,^₅ to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law so that he could adopt us as his very own sons. _{Galatians 4:4-5 (TLB)}

I have used the past two lessons to lay the foundation of the Godhead’s relationships with each other. Remember each has all the attributes of God, which makes each one God.

So, as we move forward to look at the life of God the Son, we are really looking at God Himself making Himself known through God the Son, Jesus Christ.

Now Psalm 94:11, will truly become important to us.

^₁₁ The Lord is fully aware of how limited and futile the thoughts of mankind are, _{Psalm 94:11 (TLB)}

As believers, we must trust what the Word of God tells us and by faith believe it.

We will now follow Jesus through the Old and New Testaments. My goal with each successive lesson is to reveal the complete picture of the God/man Jesus Christ.

Until next time, my friend, may His mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

Jesus in the Old Testatment

A Conversation About Christ Jesus

Welcome back, my dear friends. We now will follow Jesus through the Old Testament. As I said in my introduction, my goal with each successive lesson is to reveal the complete picture of the God/man, Jesus Christ.

We now will begin our journey through the Old Testament first to see what God’s Word has to say about our Lord, Jesus Christ. Although we will not meet the human Son of Man until the New Testament, God the Son and His approaching ministry is woven like a scarlet thread throughout the Old Testament.

The entire Bible is a beacon that points us to God’s offer of reconciliation, the hope of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. The theme of the entire Bible is Jesus Christ.

We will find that God has predicted Jesus’ coming beginning with Genesis until the time of His birth in Matthew. We’ll see Him through symbols, stories, images, prophetic predictions and more. The entire biblical story points toward Jesus.

Two important scriptures we need to keep in mind as we search for the Son of God are:

¹⁵The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Colossians 1:15 (NIV)

¹⁸No one has ever seen God. The only Son is the one who has shown us what God is like. He is himself God and is very close to the Father.John 1:18 (ERV)

The first evidence of Jesus in the Old Testament is through hundreds of messianic prophecies that point to Jesus Christ and were fulfilled by Him in His life on earth. These include prophecies about:

His unique birth

¹⁴All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). Isaiah 7:14 (NLT)

His earthly ministry

⁶¹The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released, and prisoners will be freed. Isaiah 61:1 (NLT)

His death and burial

⁷He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he never said a word. He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he stood silent before the ones condemning him. ⁸From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people of that day realized it was their sins that he was dying for—that he was suffering their punishment? ⁹He was buried like a criminal, but in a rich man’s grave; but he had done no wrong and had never spoken an evil word. Isaiah 53:7-9 (TLB)

Jesus Himself confirmed the fact that He is in the Old Testament. In the gospel of John, He explained to some religious leaders who had challenged Him that the Old Testament wasn’t talking about Him.

⁴⁶For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. John 5:46 NASB

⁴And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Exodus 24:4 (NASB)

Here are over 90 more Old Testament prophecies* that the Son of God fulfilled in the New Testament as the Son of Man.

Prophecy	Given
	Fulfilled
The serpent and the “seed” of Eve will have conflict; the offspring of the woman will crush the serpent. Jesus is this seed, and He crushed Satan at the cross.	Genesis 3:14-15
	Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 2:14
God promised Abraham the whole world would be blessed through him. Jesus, descended from Abraham, is that blessing.	Genesis 12:3
	Acts 3:25-26; Matthew 1:1; Galatians 3:16
God promised Abraham He would establish an everlasting covenant with Isaac’s offspring. Jesus is that offspring.	Genesis 17:19
	Matthew 1:1-2
God promised Isaac the whole world would be blessed by his descendent. That descendent is Jesus.	Genesis 28:13-14
	Matthew 1:1-2; Luke 1:33; 3:23-34
Jacob prophesied Judah would rule over his brothers. Jesus the king is from the tribe of Judah.	Genesis 49:10
	Matthew 1:1-2; Luke 1:32-33
The Jews were not to keep the Passover lamb overnight. Jesus was buried the day He died.	Exodus 12:10; Numbers 9:12
	John 19:38-42
The Jews were not to break the bones of the Passover lamb. Jesus’ bones were not broken on the cross.	Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12
	John 19:31-36
The Jews were to devote the firstborn males to God. Jesus is Mary’s firstborn male; He is also the “firstborn” over creation and the “firstborn” of the dead.	Exodus 13:2; Numbers 3:13; 8:17
	Luke 2:7, 23; Colossians 1:15-18
Moses promised another prophet like him would come. Jesus is that prophet.	Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-19
	Matthew 21:11; Luke 7:16; 24:19; John 6:14; 7:40
God told the Jews to never leave the body of someone who had been hanged overnight. Jesus was buried the day He died.	Deuteronomy 21:23
	John 19:31-36; Galatians 3:13
The word of God will be in hearts and mouths. Jesus is the Word who is in the hearts of His followers.	Deuteronomy 30:14
	John 1:1; Matthew 26:26
Moses promised God would atone for His people. Jesus’ sacrifice is that atonement.	Deuteronomy 32:43
	Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17
God promised David his offspring would rule forever. Jesus is descended from David, although His literal reign has yet to begin.	2 Samuel 7:12-13, 16, 25-26; 1 Chronicles 17:11-14, 23-27; Psalm 89:3-4, 35-37; 132:11; Isaiah 9:7
	Matthew 1:6; 19:28; 21:4; 25:31; Mark 12:37; Luke 1:32; 3:31
The nations, people and rulers plot against the Lord and His anointed. The Sanhedrin, the crowd, Herod Antipas and Pilate plotted against Jesus.	Psalm 2:1-2
	Matthew 12:14; 26:3, 4, 47; Luke 23:1, 7
God will tell someone He is their Father. God told the crowd at Jesus’ baptism that He is Jesus’ Father.	Psalm 2:7
	Matthew 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:11; 9:7; Luke 3:22; 9:35
David believes God will not abandon him to the grave. Jesus rose from the grave.	Psalm 16:9-10; 30:3; 86:13; Isaiah 26:19
	Luke 24:6-8; John 20
David cries out that God has forsaken him. Jesus uses the same words on the cross.	Psalm 22:1
	Matthew 27:46
David says his enemies mock and insult him. Jesus endured the same on the cross.	Psalm 22:7
	Matthew 27:38-44
David’s tormentors tease him, telling him to have God rescue him. The people said the same to Jesus.	Psalm 22:7
	Luke 23:35, 39
David describes his physical torment. The description matches the condition of someone who is being crucified.	Psalm 22:14-15
	John 19:28
David says that “dogs” surround him and pierce his hands and feet. Gentile soldiers put nails through Jesus’ hands and feet.	Psalm 22:16
	John 19:16; 20:20; Acts 2:23
David says that others divide his clothing. The Roman soldiers took Jesus’ clothes.	Psalm 22:18
	John 19:23-24
David says false witnesses will testify against him. False witnesses did testify against Jesus, although they didn’t have matching stories.	Psalm 27:12; 35:11; 109:6
	Matthew 26:60; Mark 14:55-59
David says he commits his spirit to God. Jesus used the same words on the cross.	Psalm 31:5
	Luke 23:46
God will protect the bones of the righteous. Jesus’ bones were not broken on the cross.	Psalm 34:20
	John 19:31-36
David talks of being hated without reason. Jesus was hated without reason.	Psalm 35:19; 69:4
	John 15:24-25
The psalmist says his friends will abandon him. The disciples abandoned Jesus.	Psalm 38:11; 88:18
	Matthew 26:56-58; Mark 14:50
David says he has come to do God’s will. Jesus came to do God’s will.	Psalm 40:6-8
	Matthew 26:39, 42; John 6:38; Hebrews 10:5-9
David talks about being betrayed by a friend. Jesus was betrayed by Judas.	Psalm 41:9; 55:12-14
	Matthew 26:14-16, 23; Mark 14:10-11, 43
The psalmists say God will rescue them from the land of the dead. God resurrected Jesus.	Psalm 49:15; 86:13
	Mark 16:6; Luke 24:6-8; John 20
The Lord ascends on high, bringing captives with Him. Jesus ascended to heaven, and believers go to heaven.	Psalm 68:18
	Luke 23:43; 24:51; Acts 1:9
David says he will be rejected by his siblings. Jesus’ brothers refused to believe who He was until after the resurrection.	Psalm 69:8
	Mark 3:20-21, 31; John 7:3-5
David has “zeal” for God’s house and His honor but will be reproached. Jesus showed that zeal by cleaning out the temple and was questioned by the Sanhedrin members.	Psalm 69:9
	Mark 11:15-17, 27-28; John 2:13-18; Romans 15:3
David talks of being fed gall and vinegar. Jesus was offered gall and vinegar on the cross.	Psalm 69:21
	Matthew 27:34, 48; Mark 15:23; Luke 23:36; John 19:29
Solomon asks God for foreign kings to bring him gifts and honor. The Magi did so for Jesus.	Psalm 72:10-11
	Matthew 2:1-11
Solomon tells God that as king he will deliver the needy and weak. Jesus did this.	Psalm 72:12-14
	Luke 7:22
The psalmist says he will speak in parables. Jesus spoke in parables.	Psalm 78:2
	Matthew 13:3, 35
God says He will make David His firstborn. Jesus, David’s descendent, is God’s firstborn.	Psalm 89:27
	Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:15
David’s enemies attacked him, but he refrained from responding. Jesus forgave His enemies.	Psalm 109:3-5
	Matthew 5:44; Luke 23:34
David asks that his betrayer’s life be short and his position be taken. Jesus’ betrayer, Judas, died, and Matthias took his place.	Psalm 69:25; 109:7-8
	Acts 1:16-20
David says his Lord will be made a priest of Melchizedek. Jesus is a priest of Melchizedek.	Psalm 110:4
	Hebrews 5:1-6; 6:20; 7:15-17
The psalmist says the stone the builders reject will become the cornerstone. Jesus was rejected by the Jewish leaders, but He is the basis of God’s salvation.	Psalm 118:22-23
	Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10-11; Luke 20:17; John 1:11
The Lord will redeem Israel from her sins. Jesus redeemed Israel.	Psalm 130:7-8
	Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:68
God told Ezekiel the people would not understand what He was doing. Jesus used parables to keep casual observers from understanding His teaching.	Isaiah 6:9-10
	Matthew 13:14-15
God promised that a virgin would conceive. Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived.	Isaiah 7:14
	Luke 1:26-35
God promised to send a Son who would be “God with us” (“Emmanuel”). Jesus is that Son.	Isaiah 7:14; 8:8, 10
	Matthew 1:21-23; John 1:14; 14:8-11
God promised a “stone” that people would trip over. Jesus is that stone.	Isaiah 8:14-15
	Matthew 21:42-44; Romans 9:32-33
God promised the land of Zebulun and Naphtali and “Galilee of the nations” a light for their darkness. Jesus is that light; at the time of Jesus, Galilee was a mix of Jews and Gentiles.	Isaiah 9:1-2
	Matthew 4:12-16
God promised David His Spirit would rest on his offspring. Jesus is that offspring.	Isaiah 11:1-2
	Matthew 1:1, 6; 3:16; Mark 1:10
Gentiles will come to God. A centurion and a Syrophoenician woman came to Jesus; the Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch responded to Paul’s gospel message.	Isaiah 11:10; 42:1; 55:4-5; Hosea 2:23
	Matthew 8:5-13; Mark 7:24-26; Acts 13:48
God promised a time when the blind would see. Jesus healed the blind.	Isaiah 29:18; 35:5
	Matthew 9:30; 11:5; 12:22; 20:34; 21:14; Mark 10:52
God promised a time when the deaf hear. Jesus healed the deaf.	Isaiah 35:5
	Matthew 11:5; Mark 7:31-37; 9:25
God promised a time when the lame would be healed. Jesus healed the lame.	Isaiah 35:6
	Matthew 15:30-31; 21:14
God promised a time when the mute would speak. Jesus healed the mute.	Isaiah 35:6
	Matthew 9:33; 12:22; 15:30; Luke 11:14
God promised a messenger who would announce the Lord’s coming. John the Baptist is that messenger.	Isaiah 40:3-5; Malachi 3:1
	Matthew 3:3; 11:10; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4-6
God is the shepherd who tends His sheep. Jesus is the good shepherd.	Isaiah 40:10-11
	John 10:11
God promised to put His Spirit on His servant. Jesus is that servant.	Isaiah 42:1
	Matthew 3:16; 12:18; Mark 1:10
God’s servant will not cry out. Jesus told those He healed to remain quiet.	Isaiah 42:2
	Matthew 12:19
God’s servant will be gentle. Jesus treated people gently.	Isaiah 42:3
	Matthew 11:29; 12:20
The nations will put their hope in God’s servant’s teaching. Nations put their hope in Jesus’ teachings.	Isaiah 42:4
	Matthew 12:21
God will send His servant as a light to the Gentiles. Jesus is a light to the Gentiles.	Isaiah 42:6; 49:6
	Luke 2:25-32
The writer says he will not be rebellious or turn away. Jesus obeyed God all the way to the cross.	Isaiah 50:5
	Matthew 26:39
Isaiah speaks of one who will be beaten and spit upon. Jesus was beaten and spit upon.	Isaiah 50:6
	Matthew 26:67; 27:26-30
The Suffering Servant will be so abused He will not look human. Jesus was beaten, whipped, crucified and pierced by a spear.	Isaiah 52:14
	Matthew 26:67; 27:26-30; 35
The Suffering Servant will be despised and rejected by His own people. Jesus’ tormentors rejected Him and spit in His face.	Isaiah 53:3
	Luke 23:18; Matthew 26:67; John 1:11
The Suffering Servant will bear the abuse we deserve for our physical and spiritual healing. Jesus did this.	Isaiah 53:4-5
	Matthew 8:17; Romans 5:6-8; 1 Corinthians 15:3
The Suffering Servant will bear our sins. Jesus bore our sins.	Isaiah 53:6, 8, 12
	Romans 4:25; 1 Peter 2:24-25
The Suffering Servant is like a lamb that does not defend itself. Although Jesus spoke during His trials, He never offered a defense.	Isaiah 53:7
	Matthew 27:12; Luke 23:9; John 1:29-36
The Suffering Servant’s people did not protest His death. Only Pilate protested Jesus’ death.	Isaiah 53:8
	Matthew 27:23-25
The Suffering Servant will die with the wicked. Jesus died with the two thieves.	Isaiah 53:9, 12
	Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27
The Suffering Servant will be buried in the grave of a rich man. Jesus was buried in the grave of Joseph of Arimathea.	Isaiah 53:9
	Matthew 27:57-60
God ordained that the Suffering Servant would suffer and die. God sent Jesus to die.	Isaiah 53:10
	John 3:16; 19:11; Acts 2:23; Philippians 2:8
The Suffering Servant’s sacrifice offers forgiveness of sins. Jesus’ sacrifice offers forgiveness of our sins.	Isaiah 53:11
	Acts 10:43; 13:38-39
The Suffering Servant will intercede for His abusers. Jesus asked God to forgive those who crucified Him.	Isaiah 53:12
	Luke 23:34
God promises a great light to pierce the darkness of Israel and the nations. Jesus is that light.	Isaiah 60:1-3
	Matthew 4:16; Luke 2:32; John 12:46
God promises someone to declare good news for the brokenhearted, captives and prisoners. Jesus is that someone.	Isaiah 61:1
	Matthew 3:16; Luke 4:18
God promises a “righteous Branch” from the line of Jesse who will do what is just. Jesus is that Branch.	Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:15-16
	Romans 3:22; 1 Corinthians 1:30
A woman will weep for her dead children. Herod killed the baby boys in Bethlehem.	Jeremiah 31:15
	Matthew 2:16-18
God makes a woman “encircle” or protect a man. The Holy Spirit conceived Jesus in Mary.	Jeremiah 31:22
	Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:35
God promises a new covenant. Jesus provides the work for that new covenant.	Jeremiah 31:31-34
	Matthew 26:27-29; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:15-20
“David” will return as his people’s shepherd. Jesus is that shepherd.	Ezekiel 34:23-24; 37:24
	John 10:11
Gabriel tells Daniel when the “Anointed One” will be “cut off.” This is the exact time Jesus is crucified.	Daniel 9:24-26
	Matthew 27:50
God will call His “child” from Egypt. Jesus returned from Egypt when He was young.	Hosea 11:1
	Matthew 2:13-15
Israel’s ruler will be struck on the cheek with a rod. Jesus was struck on the head with a staff.	Micah 5:1
	Matthew 27:30
The ruler of Israel will come from Bethlehem. Jesus was born in Bethlehem.	Micah 5:2
	Luke 2:4-7
God will live among His people. Jesus lived among the Jews.	Zechariah 2:10
	John 1:14
The Branch will be a priest in the temple. Jesus is a priest in the order of Melchizedek.	Zechariah 6:12-13
	Hebrews 7:11-28; 8:1-2
Israel’s king will ride a donkey. Jesus came into Jerusalem riding a donkey.	Zechariah 9:9
	Mark 11:1-10
God told Zechariah to take the thirty pieces of silver he earned and throw it to the potter. Judas took thirty pieces of silver and returned it to the priests who used it to buy the potter’s field.	Zechariah 11:12-13
	Matthew 26:14-15; 27:3, 6-10
If someone strikes the shepherd, the sheep will scatter. When Jesus was arrested, His disciples fled.	Zechariah 13:6-7
	Matthew 26:56; Mark 14:50
The Lord will come to the temple and refine the silver and the priests. Jesus came to the temple and threw out the money changers.	Malachi 3:1-3
	Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:15-19; John 2:13-16
The sun of righteousness will come. Jesus is that sun.	Malachi 4:2
	Luke 1:78
Elijah will return. John the Baptist fulfills the role of Elijah.	Malachi 4:5
	Matthew 11:13-14; Mark 9:11-13; Luke 1:17; 7:27-28

* Got Question.org

Let’s dig a little deeper into the theology of Jesus Christ. This is nothing more than digging into God’s Word to discover what He has revealed about Himself. When we do this, we come to know Him as Creator of all things, Sustainer of all things and Judge of all things. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end of all things.

¹³I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:13 (NIV)

There is a theology called Christophany that believes whenever someone received a visit from “the angel of the Lord,” that the relation between the Lord and the “angel of the Lord” is often so close that it is difficult to separate the two. This identification has led some interpreters to conclude that the “angel of the Lord” was the pre-incarnate Christ.

These appearances can be seen in the following:

When the angel of the Lord spoke with Hagar, Sarah’s mistress, who was pregnant with Abraham’s child, promising her child would be the founder of the Arab nations.

¹⁷Then God heard the boy crying, and the Angel of God called to Hagar from the sky, “Hagar, what’s wrong? Don’t be afraid! For God has heard the lad’s cries as he is lying there. ¹⁸Go and get him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.” Genesis 21:17-18 (TLB)

When the angel of the Lord spoke to Jacob, saying return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives there, and I will be with you.

¹Then, in my dream, the Angel of God called to me ¹²and told me that I should mate the white female goats with streaked, speckled, and mottled male goats ‘For I have seen all that Laban has done to you,’ the Angel said. ¹³‘I am the God you met at Bethel,’ he continued, ‘the place where you anointed the pillar and made a vow to serve me. Now leave this country and return to the land of your birth.’” Genesis 31:11-13 (TLB)

When the Lord appeared to Abraham in human form and told him that this time next year Sarah would bear a son to him.

18 The Lord appeared again to Abraham while he was living in the oak grove at Mamre. This is the way it happened: One hot summer afternoon as he was sitting in the opening of his tent, ²he suddenly noticed three men coming toward him. He sprang up and ran to meet them and welcomed them. Genesis 18:1-2 (TLB)

When the angel of the Lord called to Abraham not to harm Isaac.

¹¹At that moment the Angel of God shouted to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes, Lord!” he answered. ¹²“Lay down the knife; don’t hurt the lad in any way,” the Angel said, “for I know that God is first in your life—you have not withheld even your beloved son from me.” Genesis 22:11-12 (TLB)

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush.

3 One day as Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, out at the edge of the desert near Horeb, the mountain of God, ²suddenly the Angel of Jehovah appeared to him as a flame of fire in a bush. When Moses saw that the bush was on fire and that it didn’t burn up, Exodus 3:1-2 (TLB)

When the angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers.

³⁵That very night the Angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrian troops, and dead bodies were seen all across the landscape in the morning. 2 Kings 19:35 (TLB)

There are over 60 such references throughout the Old Testament.

Charles H. Spurgeon says, “Some may say then that Christ was then a created angel. The Old Testament uses the term angel of the Lord interchangeably with the Lord in reference to these visitations, but he is not a created angel. He is higher in nature, higher in rank, higher in intellect, and higher in power than they. Nothing less than the very God of the Universe. The very man who suffered on Calvary.”

The Son Is Greater Than the Angels

⁵For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus: “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father,” God also said, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.”⁶And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, “Let all of God’s angels worship him.” Hebrews 1:5-6 (NLT)

There are even deeper ways that Jesus is found in the Old Testament. Many Old Testament historical events double as symbols of what God would do in the future through Christ. These are seen in what we call “types.” A type is a person or thing in the Old Testament that foreshadows Jesus, the Son of Man, in the New Testament.

Type: Adam is a type of Christ because both their actions affected a great many people.	Genesis 3:17-19
	Romans 5:14
Type: Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb.	Exodus 12:1-11
	John 1:29-36
Type: The rock that produced water for Israel points toward Jesus and the living water.	Exodus 17:6
	John 4:10; 1 Corinthians 10:3-4
Type: The tabernacle where God dwelt among the Israelites is a type of Jesus, God with us.	Exodus 25:8; Isaiah 7:14; 8:8, 10
	Matthew 1:21-23; John 1:14; 14:8-11
Type: The feast of unleavened bread represents the purity of Jesus; Jesus’ burial is like a kernel in the ground, waiting to burst forth in life.	Leviticus 23:6
	1 Peter 2:22
Type: The feast of first fruits represents Jesus as the first fruit from the dead.	Leviticus 23:10
	1 Corinthians 15:20
Type: Those who looked up at the snake on a pole were saved. Those who “look up” at Jesus on the cross are saved.	Numbers 21:8-9
	John 3:14-15
Type: Boaz is a type of Christ the redeemer.	Ruth 4:1-11; Ezekiel 16:8
	Galatians 3:13; 4:5; Colossians 1:14
Type: Jonah was in the fish for three days. Jesus’ body was in the grave for three days.	Jonah 1:17
	Matthew 12:40

Jesus unites the Bible. He is not absent from the Old Testament, sitting on the bench, awaiting his fourth quarter winning play. He is the player-coach-manager directing all things. Throughout the Old Testament, He is the one and only Mediator of God Most High, marching purposefully toward his own incarnation. Jesus is Lord. He always has been.

Don Stewart of Blue Letter Bible tells us that the proper view of Scripture will be the perspective that Jesus held. He is our standard. Therefore, it is crucial that we hold the same view of Scripture as He did.

As we examine the attitude of the Lord Jesus toward the Old Testament, we find Him viewing it as totally trustworthy. Jesus accepted the entire Old Testament as the Word of God. He referred to the two divisions of the Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets, and He cited from fourteen separate books.

Jesus believed that the people actually existed, and the stories literally occurred. He confirmed the historicity of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, David, Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, Elijah, Elisha and Zechariah.

Jesus also confirmed several Old Testament accounts. These include God giving Moses the rite of circumcision, God providing the manna in the wilderness, David eating the bread of presentation, David as the writer of certain Psalms, Moses writing the law, the suffering of the prophets, the episode with Lot’s wife, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the destruction of Tyre and Sidon.

Jesus also confirmed several of the most controversial accounts recorded in the Old Testament. They include Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, the Flood in Noah’s day, and Jonah and the sea creature.

There also was the confirmation by Jesus of the authorship of certain disputed portions of the Old Testament — Daniel and Isaiah. Jesus quoted from Daniel as a prophet. He also cited both sections of Isaiah and attributed them to Isaiah alone. Jesus also spoke of Old Testament prophecy being fulfilled. He assumed the passages cited made divine predictions which needed to be fulfilled. He also saw the Old Testament as speaking of Him. It anticipated His coming into the world.

In addition, Jesus never cast doubt on any parts of the Old Testament. On the contrary, He believed all of it was equally authoritative.

Consequently, Christians, to be consistent, should have the same view as Jesus; the Old Testament is the divinely inspired Word of the living God.

Some Religions want you to believe that the Old Testament was written to the Jews and the New Testament is for the Gentiles. This is far from the truth.

God tells us that through the hundreds of messianic prophecies, the spiritual appearances of the Angel of the Lord, and the people of the Old Testament that were used as “Types” to foreshadow Jesus, the Son of Man in the New Testament.

¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

²⁸There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 (NLT)

These things lay the foundation of the Man they would call Jesus. The understanding of our Lord’s activities in the Old Testament are important because they blend the two Testaments together as one. This makes the Bible come alive as you see the Son of God active throughout the Old and New Testaments.

These two Testaments must always go together. As the great St. Augustine once put it, “The New Testament is concealed in the Old Testament and the Old Testament is indisputable in the New Testament.”

We are one together in Christ, and the whole Bible is for all of us.

Until next time, my friends, may His mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

The God/man His Deity

Welcome back, my dear friends. It is now time to meet the God/man Jesus Christ in the flesh. The arrival of Jesus Christ on Earth marked a pivotal moment, as he, in the flesh, revealed both the existing glory of his divine side and the soon-to-be-explored facets of his human nature.

Through this lesson I want to show you through God’s Word how Jesus, through His voluntary submission to the Father’s will, surrendered His divine prerogatives, experienced the limitations of humanity and embarked on a redemptive mission to reconcile the broken relationship between God and man. He achieved this through His death on the cross, His burial and His resurrection — the price required by God the Father for this reconciliation.

I want us to understand the love and compassion He had for us, as well as the pain, agony and rejection He suffered for us. The task He was sent on by the Father was of no small consequence.

He came to a world of lost sinners who really didn’t care about what He had to say. Yes, the Jewish people were looking for the Messiah they had been promised in the Old Testament. They were looking for a King to arrive and free them of Roman rule and reestablish the King David times of peace and plenty. But this man was an ordinary commoner just like them.

He came to a world that was under the domain of Satan, who was not willing to give up any of those sinners who were destined to join him in Hell.

First, we must understand the two different persons — His Divine side, His Deity, and His human side, His mortality — that made up Jesus as the person who walked the earth as God/man. Let’s start with His divine side, characterized by being the Alpha and Omega, the exact likeness of the unseen God and the Creator of all things, which showcased the unparalleled glory and honor he held in Heaven before his earthly journey:

- the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:13 (NIV)

- The exact likeness of the unseen God. Colossians 1:15 (TLB)

- He was the Creator who made everything in heaven and earth, the things we can see and the things we can’t; the spirit world with its kings and kingdoms, its rulers and authorities; all were made by Christ for his own use and glory. Colossians 1:16 (TLB)

- He was before all else began and it is his power that holds everything together. Colossians 1:17 (TLB)

- He shines out with God’s glory, and all that God’s Son is and does marks him as God. Hebrews 1:3 (TLB)
- He regulates the universe by the mighty power of his command. Hebrews 1:3 (TLB)

- He was far greater than the angels, as proved by the fact that his name “Son of God,” which was passed on to him from his Father, is far greater than the names and titles of the angels. Hebrews 1:4 (TLB)

- God said, “Let all the angels of God worship him.” Hebrews 1:6 (TLB)

- Before anything else existed, there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God. John 1:1

- ³He created everything there is—nothing exists that he didn’t make. John 1:3

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture of who Jesus Christ is with all His attributes that define Him as God. Let’s understand Philippians 2:6-8 before we move forward.

⁶who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bondservant and being born in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. Philippians 2:6-8 (NASB)

Philippians 2:6-8 sheds light on the self-emptying nature of Jesus, not relinquishing his deity but laying aside the privileges of heavenly glory, omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience to take on the form of a servant.

So, what exactly did Jesus empty Himself of? Let’s dig deep into God’s Word to answer this question. Without an understanding of what it means to empty Himself, you are open to the false prophetic claims of Earthly Religions that are being taught today.

Doctrine of Kenosis

The term “kenosis” encapsulates the doctrine of Christ’s self-emptying, emphasizing the laying aside of privileges rather than the abandonment of deity.

Jesus did not empty Himself of His divine attributes — no such attributes are mentioned in the verse, and it is obvious in the gospels that Jesus possessed the power and wisdom of God. Calming the storm is just one display of Jesus’ divine power.

³⁹He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Mark 4:39 (NIV)

In coming to earth, the Son of God did not cease to be God, and He did not become a “lesser god.” Whatever the “emptying” entailed, Jesus remained fully God:

“⁹For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,” Colossians 2:9.

It is better to think of Christ’s “emptying” of Himself as a laying aside of the privileges that were His in heaven. Rather than stay on His throne in heaven, Jesus “made himself nothing.” He veiled His glory, and He chose to occupy the position of a servant.

The kenosis was a self-renunciation, not an emptying Himself of deity. Nor was it an exchange of deity for humanity. Jesus never ceased to be God during any part of His earthly ministry. He did set aside His heavenly glory. He also voluntarily refrained from using His divinity to make His way easier. During His earthly ministry, Christ completely submitted Himself to the will of the Father (John 5:19).

¹⁹So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. John 5:19 (NLT)

As part of the kenosis, Jesus sometimes operated within the limitations of human nature. God does not get tired or thirsty, but Jesus did,

⁶Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. John 4:6 (NIV)

As God, Jesus knows all things. At least once, Jesus voluntarily surrendered the use of His omniscience, and answered the Apostles’ question with His human nature.

³As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3 (NIV)

³⁶“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Matthew 24:36 (NIV)

During other occasions, Jesus’ omniscience was on full display.

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

⁴³The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

⁴⁴Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. ⁴⁵Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

⁴⁶“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

⁴⁷When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

⁴⁸“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

⁴⁹Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

⁵⁰Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” ⁵¹He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” John 1:43-51

The one who was existing in the form of God took on the form or “nature of a servant.” The word “taking” does not imply an exchange, but rather an addition. The “form of God” could not be given up, for God cannot cease to be God; but our Lord could and did take on the very form of a lowly servant when he entered human life in his incarnation.

⁷rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature^] of a servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:7 (NIV)

All the Gnostics in the early church propounded the first heresy that He emptied Himself of His deity, that the deity entered Him at the time of His baptism and left Him at the cross. Well, this theory is not substantiated anywhere in the Word of God. He emptied Himself of something, but it was not of His deity.

He was 100 percent God when He was a baby reclining helplessly on the bosom of Mary. Even at that time, He could have spoken this universe out of existence because He was God. There was never a moment when He was not God. The apostle John writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Jesus did, however, renounce or set aside His privileges in several areas:

1) Heavenly Glory — While on earth, He gave up the glory of a face-to-face relationship with God and the continuous outward display and personal enjoyment of that glory.

⁵⁵But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Acts 7:55 (NIV)

2) Independent Authority — During His incarnation, Christ completely submitted Himself to the will of His Father,

³⁰By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. John 5:30 (NIV)

3) Divine Prerogatives — He set aside the voluntary display of His divine attributes and submitted Himself to the Spirit’s direction.

4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, ²where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. Luke 4:1-2 (NIV)

4) Eternal Riches — While on earth, Christ was poor and owned very little.

⁹For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)

5) A Favorable Relationship with God — He felt the Father’s wrath for human sin while on the cross.

⁴⁵From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. ⁴⁶About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (Which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. Matthew 27:45-46 (NIV)

Therefore, while the Son of God fully possessed his divine nature, attributes and prerogatives, he did not fully express them; they were veiled. At times, he did express them, such as when he read people’s minds (Matt. 9:4) and worked divine miracles (Luke 5:3–10). But the Master willingly submitted himself to the life of a slave. He surrendered the preincarnate glories from which he came. He left the worship of saints and angels to be despised and rejected by men, submitting himself to misunderstanding, denials, unbelief, false accusations, and every sort of reviling and persecution. As God the Son, he had every right to exercise his divine prerogatives at will. Yet, as the suffering servant of Yahweh, he surrendered himself to the will of the Father in everything.

Join me next time as we look at Jesus Christ the God/man and examine his human traits.

Until next time, my friends, may His mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

The God/man His human nature

Welcome back, my dear friends. In my last study, we looked at the deity of the God/man Jesus Christ. We will now look at His human nature or His humanity. These two lessons are essential in building the foundational picture of the God/man. Without an understanding of these two persons of Jesus Christ, you will have difficulty grasping the Hypostatic Union of Christ, which I will discuss in the next lesson. In that lesson, I will bring together the two persons into one person, the God/man.

Let us begin looking at the man Jesus Christ.

But when the right time came, the time God decided on, he sent his Son, born of a woman, born as a Jew, ⁵to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law so that he could adopt us as his very own sons. Galatians 4:4-5 (TLB)

When I speak of the humanity of Christ, it is necessary to begin with the virgin birth of Christ. Scripture clearly asserts that Jesus was conceived in the womb of his mother, Mary, by a miraculous work of the Holy Spirit and without a human father.

¹⁴Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 (NASB)

³⁴But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” ³⁵The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God. Luke 1:34-35 (NASB)

The Son of God as Man

¹⁴Since we, God’s children, are human beings—made of flesh and blood—he became flesh and blood too by being born in human form; for only as a human being could he die and in dying break the power of the devil who had the power of death. ¹⁵Only in that way could he deliver those who through fear of death have been living all their lives as slaves to constant dread.

¹⁶We all know he did not come as an angel but as a human being—yes, a Jew. ¹⁷And it was necessary for Jesus to be like us, his brothers, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God, a Priest who would be both merciful to us and faithful to God in dealing with the sins of the people. ¹⁸For since he himself has now been through suffering and temptation, he knows what it is like when we suffer and are tempted, and he is wonderfully able to help us. Hebrews 2:14-18 (TLB)

⁷but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bondservant and being born in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:7 (NASB)

“Made in the likeness of men” refers to the human nature Christ assumed. The “form of a servant” denotes the position or state which He entered.

The humanity of Christ was unique. History supplies us no analogy nor can His humanity be illustrated by anything in nature. It is unparalleled not only to our fallen human nature but also to fallen Adam’s.

The Lord Jesus was born into circumstances totally different from those in which Adam first found himself.

His humanity was produced neither by the natural procreation of a man and women (as is ours) nor by special creation, as was Adam’s.

⁷Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7 (NIV)

The humanity of Christ was under the immediate agency of the Holy Spirit, supernaturally “conceived” of the virgin.

His body was “prepared” by God…

⁵That is why Christ said as he came into the world, “O God, the blood of bulls and goats cannot satisfy you, so you have made ready this body of mine for me to lay as a sacrifice upon your altar. Hebrews 10:5 (TLB)

yet “made of a woman.”

⁴But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, Galatians 4:4 (NASB)

Christ’s humanity also is unique because it never had a separate existence of its own. The eternal Son assumed (at the moment of Mary’s conception) a human nature.

My friends, are you beginning to understand that the God/man was one person with two natures residing inside of Him.

The doctrinal importance of the virgin birth is seen in at least two areas.

It shows that salvation ultimately must come from the Lord, just as God had promised that the “seed” of the woman would ultimately destroy the serpent.

¹⁵And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 (NLT)

So, God brought it about by his own power not through mere human effort.

The virgin birth made possible the uniting of full deity and full humanity in one person. God used this means to send his Son into the world as a man.

¹⁶“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NLT)

If we think for a moment of other ways in which Christ might have come to the earth, none of them would so clearly unite humanity and deity in one person.

It would have been possible for God to create Jesus as a complete human being in heaven and send him to descend from heaven to earth without the benefit of any human parent.

But then it would have been extremely hard for us to see how Jesus could be fully human like we are and be a part of the human race that physically descended from Adam.

Christ’s humanity means that He is fallen humanity’s representative.

Because of the horrors of sin and death that came through the original human pair, (Adam and Eve) the one to remedy this tragic decision must be himself a human, the seed of the woman.

Jesus is, thus, the last Adam, the true human in whom all fallen humanity can be reconciled to God. The humanity that Christ assumed was complete: he took to himself all that it means to be human — body, soul, mind, and will — with sin being the only exception.

He was willing to be born in a dirty, filthy place — not the pretty, clean stable of Christmas pageants and Christmas cards.
He was circumcised on the eighth day.
He was willing to grow to adulthood in a miserable town named Nazareth.
He was willing to be an unknown carpenter.
He could have had the shekinah glory with Him all the time, but He did not. He did not have a halo around His head as we see in so many paintings of Him.
Judas had to kiss Him the night He was betrayed so that the crowd would know who the man was they were to capture.
He did not stand out from other men by some kind of inner light or glory around Him.

He was a human being, but He was God manifested in the flesh. He laid aside the prerogatives of His deity. How can we be sure that all He did was lay aside the prerogatives of His deity and not just give up His deity?

After He had finished His ministry, He gathered His own about Him on His last night on earth, and He prayed a very wonderful prayer to His heavenly Father. One thing He said in that prayer was this:

⁵Father! Give me glory in your presence now, the same glory I had with you before the world was made. John 17:5 (GNT)

Notice this carefully: He prayed to have His glory restored. He did not pray to have His deity restored, because He had never given up His deity. But now that He is returning to heaven, He is asking that His glory, the glory He had with His Father, be restored.

Obviously, He had laid that aside. “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation.”

In his humanity, Jesus experienced ordinary human growth and development. We read that when the family returned to Nazareth after presenting Him in the Temple to God.

³⁹When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. ⁴⁰There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him. Luke 2:39-40 (NLT)

The New Testament only records one story of Jesus’s childhood: the episode in the temple, when his parents left him in Jerusalem. (Luke 2:41-50). After that incident, Luke tells us.

⁵¹Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart. ⁵²Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people. Luke 2:51-52(NLT)

As a human, Jesus grew intellectually, physically, spiritually, and relationally.

John MacArthur tells us in The Incarnation of the Triune God:

“That He was born of a Jewish mother. He lived in a little village in Nazareth. He ate the way they ate. He talked in the language they talked. He transported Himself the way they did. He wore the clothes they wore, took care of Himself the way they took care of themselves. He ate what they ate. He drank what they drank.

In other words, He took on the scheme (pattern) of their life, the customs of their culture. So, by personal experience, He adapted to the outer manifestation of the time in which He lived. He was man at the deepest part of His nature. And He adapted to man in that climate, and that culture, and that time, and experienced all of their experiences, fully God, fully man, the mystery of the incarnation, and sinless all the while.

Do not think of Jesus as less than fully human. He was fully human. Did people come into this world through the natural process of birth, through the womb of a mother? So did He. Had others been wrapped in swaddling clothes? So was He. Had others grown up? So did He. Did others have brothers and sisters? He did. Did others learn a trade and work? So did He. Were other men at times hungry, and thirsty, and weary, and asleep? So was He. Were others grieved and angry? So was He. Did others weep? So did He. Did others rejoice? So did He. Were others destined to die? So did He. Did others suffer pain? So did He. Were others loved and hated? So was He. He was a man, in the form and the fashion of man.”

He suffered during His entire life. Since Jesus began to speak of His coming sufferings towards the end of His life, we are often prone to think that the final agonies constituted the whole of His sufferings.

Yet His whole life was a life of suffering. It was the servant-life of the Son of God, the life of the Sinless One in daily association with sinners, the life of the Son of God in a sin-cursed world.

The way of obedience was for Him at the same time a way of suffering. He suffered from the repeated assaults of Satan, from the hatred and unbelief of His own people, and from the persecution of His enemies.

In the last analysis all the sufferings of the Son of Man resulted from the fact that He took the substitutionary place of sinners. These facts include:

(1) He who was the Lord God of the universe had to occupy a menial position of a bondservant or slave, and although He had the inherent right to command as the Son of God, He was duty bound to obey.

(2) He who was pure and holy had to live in a sinful, polluted atmosphere, in daily association with sinners and was constantly reminded of the greatness of the guilt with which He was burdened by the sins of man.

(3) His perfect awareness and clear anticipation, from the very beginning of His life, of the extreme sufferings that would, as it were, overwhelmed Him in the end. He knew exactly what was coming, and the outlook was far from cheerful.

(4) Finally, the hardships of life, the temptations of the devil, the hatred and rejection of the people, and the abuse and persecutions to which He was subjected.

His sufferings were unique. We sometimes speak of the “ordinary” sufferings of Christ when we think of those sufferings that resulted from the ordinary causes of misery in the world.

We should remember that these causes were far more than the ordinary sufferings that you and I experience. No one could feel the tragedy of pain and grief and moral evil as Jesus could. Besides these more common sufferings there also were the sufferings caused by the fact that God the Father caused our iniquities to come upon Him like a flood.

The sufferings of the Savior were not purely natural; they also were the result of a positive deed of God,

¹⁰The Lord says, “It was my plan to crush him and cause him to suffer. I made his life an offering to pay for sin. But he will see all his children after him. In fact, he will continue to live. My plan will be brought about through him. Isaiah 53:10 (NIV)

More specific sufferings of the Savior also may be considered, such as the temptations in the desert as well as the agonies of Gethsemane and Golgotha.

The temptations of Christ formed an integral part of His sufferings. They are temptations that are encountered in the pathway of suffering. His public ministry began with a period of temptation, and even after that time, temptations were repeated at intervals right on into the darkness of Gethsemane. It was only by entering into the very trials of men, into their temptations, that Jesus could become a truly sympathetic High Priest and attain to the heights of triumphant perfection.

¹⁴We have a great high priest. He has gone up into heaven. He is Jesus the Son of God. So let us hold firmly to what we say we believe. ¹⁵We have a high priest who can feel it when we are weak and hurting. We have a high priest who has been tempted in every way, just as we are. But he did not sin. Hebrews 4:14-15 (NIV)

Join me next time, as I bring the deity of the Son of God together with the humanness of the Son of man, creating the man they call Jesus Christ.

Until next time, my friends, may His mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

The Hypostatic Union of Christ

Welcome back, my dear friends. The understanding of the hypostatic union is crucial to knowing the God/man in all His glory and humanism. I have a lot of scriptural information from God’s Holy Word to share with you. So, you may want to split it up in sections to read and understand.

The humiliation of Christ (the Lord God of the Universe) serves as a powerful reminder of the depth of God’s love and the lengths to which he was willing to go to reconcile humanity to himself. This is the cornerstone of our Christian faith, highlighting the humility and sacrificial love of Jesus Christ.

Let me pause for a moment and share something that’s on my heart that I wish more believers would think more deeply about what’s unfolding here. Have you ever fully grasped the magnitude of the love that the Almighty Creator has for you?

He came to earth in the form of God the Son and became a man just like you and me. Do you understand how humiliating it was for the Lord God of the Universe, the creator of everything full of unending love for all that He created, to humble Himself by taking on the form of man and dying so that the separation that Satan created between us and Him was restored?

My friends, I’m talking about God!

Through this humiliation, God willingly subjected himself to the limitations and suffering of a mortal existence.

During God’s earthly ministry, God faced ridicule and rejection from those around him. God was mocked by religious leaders, questioned by skeptics and misunderstood by his own disciples. God’s teachings often challenged the status quo and provoked the rage of those in power.

The ultimate humiliation came during the events leading up to his crucifixion. God was betrayed by one of his closest followers, arrested like a common criminal and subjected to a series of unjust trials. God endured physical abuse, including beatings, mockery, and the humiliating act of being stripped and dressed in a robe with a crown of thorns pressed down on His head until the blood ran down His face. Standing there, the solders mockingly worshiped God. Then God hung naked on the cross between two common thieves and died. God did this for you!

I’ve substituted the name God for Jesus Christ in the above description, but the names are one and the same. Jesus is God, and God is Jesus. Ponder on this my friends, and let it sink in.

This is what the Lord God of the Universe did for you and me. Amazing!

Lord, we worship and praise your Holy Name. You are our God, and we are your creation; we love you with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our mind.

The Hypostatic Union of Christ

At the core of Christology lies the doctrine that Jesus was not merely a human being, but that He also was fully God. This concept, known as the hypostatic union, reveals the dual nature of Jesus, who exceeds the ordinary limitations of human existence.

While it is a fundamental belief for many Christians, there have been various disagreements and criticisms regarding this doctrine throughout history. Some of the notable disagreements include:

Monophysitism: Christ’s divine nature absorbed or overwhelmed his human nature, resulting in a single, divine-human nature.
Nestorianism: There were two distinct persons in Jesus — one divine and one human — rather than one person with two natures.
Apollinarianism: While Jesus had a human body, his mind or spirit was purely divine. In other words, Jesus had a human body but not a human mind or soul.
Modern Criticisms: The concept is fundamentally illogical and difficult to fully comprehend, leading to confusion or inconsistency in Christian doctrine.

The solution to these controversies was settled by the Chalcedonian Definition of A.D. 451.

We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable [rational] soul and body; consubstantial [coessential] with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, in confusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of nature’s being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God, the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the prophets from the beginning [have declared] concerning him, and the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has been handed down to us.

The resulting statement, called the Chalcedonian Definition, guarded against Apollinarianism, Nestorianism and Monophysitism teachings.

The belief in the hypostatic union of Christ is a central tenet of Christian theology within the branches of Christianity, such as Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestant denominations.

Here are some reasons why believers hold to this doctrine:

Jesus has always been God, but He did not become a human being until He was conceived in the virgin Mary. Jesus became a human being to identify with us in our struggles.

¹⁴Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— ¹⁵and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. ¹⁶For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. ¹⁷For this reason he had to be made like them fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:14-18 (NIV)

More importantly, so that He could die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.

⁵In your life together, think the way Christ Jesus thought. ⁶He was like God in every way, but he did not think that his being equal with God was something to use for his own benefit. ⁷Instead, he gave up everything, even his place with God. He accepted the role of a servant, appearing in human form. During his life as a man, ⁸ he humbled himself by being fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death—death on a cross Philippians 2:5-8 (ERV)

The doctrine of the Hypostatic Union is supported by several scripture verses that highlight the dual nature of Christ as both divine and human. Here are some key verses.

⁹For Christ is not only God-like, He is God in human flesh. Colossians 2:9 (NLV)

This verse captures the essence of the Hypostatic Union, highlighting the inseparable union of God’s divine nature and Christ’s physical human form.

⁶Jesus has always been as God is. But He did not hold to His rights as God. ⁷He put aside everything that belonged to Him and made Himself the same as a servant who is owned by someone. He became human by being born as a man. Philippians 2:6-7 (NLV)

This passage reflects the idea that Jesus, while still divine, took on human form and attributes.

¹⁴Christ became human flesh and lived among us. We saw His shining-greatness. This greatness is given only to a much-loved Son from His Father. He was full of loving-favor and truth. John 1:14 (NLV)

This verse clearly states that the divine Word, Jesus Christ, became human and lived among man.

⁵There is one God. There is one Man standing between God and men. That Man is Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5 (NLV)

This verse speaks of the mediating role Jesus played between God and man to restore the broken relationship.

³⁰My Father and I are one!” John 10:30 (NLV)

Here, Jesus asserts His unity with the Father, signifying His divine nature.

⁴The Holy Spirit proved by a powerful act that Jesus our Lord is the Son of God because He was raised from the dead. Romans 1:4 (NLV)

This verse ties Jesus’ divine sonship to His resurrection, affirming His divine nature.

These verses are but a sample that form the scriptural foundation for our belief in the hypostatic union of Jesus Christ.

The doctrine of Christ reinforces key aspects of Christian belief, including redemption, understanding of God, human salvation, moral guidance and the revelation of divine truth.

Let’s look at both natures of the God/man separately so you can understand the hypostatic union more clearly.

His Human side

Birth and Childhood: Jesus experienced human birth and growth. He was born to Mary in Bethlehem, as described in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. He underwent the typical stages of human development, growing from infancy to childhood and manhood.

⁵¹Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. ⁵²And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:51-52 (NIV)

Emotions and Feelings: Throughout the Gospels, Jesus displayed a range of human emotions. For example, He felt compassion for the crowds.

³⁶When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36(NIV)

He experienced sorrow at the death of his friend Lazarus.

³⁵Jesus wept. John 11:35 (NIV)

He showed anger at the money changers in the temple.

¹²Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ¹³“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’ ” Matthew 21:12-13 (NIV)

Physical Needs: Like any human, Jesus experienced physical needs such as hunger, thirst and fatigue. He fasted for forty days in the wilderness.

²After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Matthew 4:2 (NIV)

He expressed thirst on the cross.

²⁸Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” John 19:28 (NIV)

He slept during a storm on the Sea of Galilee.

³⁸Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Mark 4:38 (NIV)

Social Interactions: Jesus interacted with people from various walks of life, engaging in conversations, sharing meals and forming relationships. He called disciples, spent time with sinners and outcasts, and attended social gatherings, such as weddings and feasts.

¹⁰While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. ¹¹When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Matthew 9:10-11 (NIV)

² On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, ²and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. John 2:1-2 (NIV)

Temptation and Struggle: Jesus faced temptation and spiritual struggle during his earthly life. The Gospels recount his temptation in the wilderness by Satan, highlighting his humanity while also affirming his victory over sin.

The Temptation of Jesus

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ²After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

⁵Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

⁷Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

⁸Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”

¹¹Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. Matthew 4:1-11 (NIV)

Physical Suffering and Death: The highpoint of Jesus’ humanity is seen in his suffering and death on the cross. He endured physical pain, humiliation and the agony of crucifixion, ultimately giving his life as a sacrifice for man’s sins.

¹⁶Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. ¹⁷Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). ¹⁸There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

¹⁹Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. ²⁰Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. ²¹The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”

²²Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

²³When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

²⁴“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”

This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,

“They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.”

So this is what the soldiers did.

²⁵Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman here is your son,” ²⁷and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

The Death of Jesus

²⁸Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

³¹Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. ³²The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. ³³But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. ³⁴Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. ³⁵The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. ³⁶These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” ³⁷and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced. John 19:16-37 (NIV)

These examples illustrate how Jesus shared in the human experience, demonstrating empathy, vulnerability, pain and suffering, and solidarity with humanity.

Certainly, in addition to his humanity, Jesus’ divinity also is evident in various aspects of his life and ministry as depicted in the New Testament. Here are some examples:

His Divine Side

Miracles: Jesus performed numerous miracles that displayed his divine power and authority over nature, sickness and even death.

Examples include:

Turning Water Into Wine.

³When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

⁴“Woman,^[^a^] why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

⁵His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

⁶Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.^[^b^]

⁷Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

⁸Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, ⁹and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside ¹⁰and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

¹¹What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. John 2:3-11(NIV)

Walking on Water

²²Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

²⁵Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

²⁷But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

²⁸“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

³²And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:22-33(NIV)

Healing the Sick

⁸ When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. ²A man with leprosy^[^a^] came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

³Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. ⁴Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Matthew 8:1-4 (NIV)

Raising the Dead

³⁸Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. ³⁹“Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

⁴⁰Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

⁴¹So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴²I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

⁴³When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” John 11:38-44 (NIV)

Feeding the Multitude

¹⁵As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

¹⁶Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

¹⁷“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

¹⁸“Bring them here to me,” he said. ¹⁹And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ²¹The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:15-21(NIV)

Authority in Teaching: Jesus’ teachings were characterized by profound wisdom, authority and insight into the nature of God and the kingdom of heaven. His authoritative teaching style distinguished him from other religious leaders of his time.

²⁸When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, ²⁹because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. Matthew 7:28-29 (NIV)

Forgiving Sins: Jesus demonstrated his divine authority by forgiving sins, a prerogative reserved for God alone. In Mark 2:5-12, Jesus forgives a paralyzed man’s sins, leading the religious leaders to recognize this act as an assertion of his divine authority.

⁵When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

⁶Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ⁷“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

⁸Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? ⁹Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, ¹¹“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ¹²He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Mark 2:5-12 (NIV)

Knowledge of the Human Heart: Jesus displayed knowledge of people’s thoughts, intentions and innermost secrets, revealing his divine omniscience. For example, he knew Nathanael before meeting him.

⁴⁷When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

⁴⁸“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” John 1:47-48 (NIV)

Perceived the Samaritan woman’s past.

¹⁶He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

¹⁷“I have no husband,” she replied.

Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. ¹⁸The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

¹⁹“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. John 4:16-19 (NIV)

The Transfiguration: The Transfiguration event is a significant manifestation of Jesus’ divinity. During this event, Jesus’ appearance was transfigured, and he was seen speaking with Moses and Elijah in the presence of his disciples Peter, James and John.

17 ¹ Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; ²and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. ³And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. ⁴Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

⁵While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” ⁶And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. ⁷But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” ⁸When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

⁹Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”

¹⁰And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

¹¹Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming ^[^b^]first and will restore all things. ¹²But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” ¹³Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist. Matthew 17 1-13 (NKJV)

The Resurrection: The ultimate demonstration of Jesus’ divinity is his resurrection from the dead. After his crucifixion and burial, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, conquering sin and death and affirming his identity as the Son of God.

The Empty Tomb

²⁰ Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ²So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

³So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) ¹⁰Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

¹¹Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb ¹²and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

¹³They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” ¹⁴At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

¹⁵He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

¹⁶Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

¹⁷Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

¹⁸Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. John 20:1-18 (NIV)

These examples highlight how Jesus’ divinity was manifested through his extraordinary works, authoritative teaching, knowledge and ultimately, his victory over death. They affirm the Christian belief in Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior of humanity.

His Divine and human natures working together.

Understanding how these two natures worked together in Jesus is complex and has been the subject of theological debate throughout history. Here are some ways in which Christ’s human and divine sides are believed to have worked together:

Unity of Person: Despite possessing two distinct natures — human and divine — Jesus Christ is considered one person, not two. This unity ensures that both natures are present in him without confusion, change, division, or separation. This means that Jesus is fully God and fully human simultaneously.
Communication of Attributes: Within the hypostatic union, there is a communication of attributes between the divine and human natures. This means that the properties of each nature are attributed to the one person of Jesus Christ. For example, Jesus’ human body could experience hunger and fatigue, while his divine nature remained unaffected. Similarly, Jesus’ divine nature endowed his human actions and teachings with divine authority.
Incarnation: The Incarnation refers to the act of God becoming flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. In this event, the divine Son of God took on human nature, dwelling among humanity. Through the Incarnation, Jesus’ divine and human natures were united in a single person, forming the basis of the hypostatic union.

¹⁴The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (NIV)

Sinlessness: Jesus’ divine nature ensured his sinlessness, enabling him to serve as the perfect sacrifice for humanity’s sins. Despite facing the same temptations as humans, he remained without sin, demonstrating the harmony between his human experiences and divine nature.

¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:15 (NIV)

Redemption: Jesus served as the mediator between God and man, reconciling them through his sacrificial death on the cross. By taking on human flesh and suffering, Jesus identified with humanity, while his divine nature made his sacrifice the atonement for the sins of the world.
Resurrection and Ascension: Jesus’ resurrection and ascension further demonstrate the interaction between his human and divine natures. His human body was raised from the dead by the power of his divine nature, and he ascended to heaven, where he reigns in glorified human form at the right hand of God.

¹⁰They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ¹¹“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:10-11(NIV)

Let me share several fundamental reasons that reinforce the doctrine of the hypostatic union.

1. Redemption and Salvation: The hypostatic union is essential for understanding how Jesus Christ serves as the mediator between God and humanity. As fully God and fully human, Jesus bridges the gap between the divine and the human, enabling reconciliation and salvation for humanity.
Atonement: The hypostatic union allows for Jesus Christ to serve as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of humanity. As both fully divine and fully human, his sacrifice on the cross has infinite value, capable of atoning for the sins of all humanity.
3. Experiential Understanding: Jesus’ humanity allows him to fully understand and empathize with human experiences, including suffering, temptation, and mortality. This empathy is key for his role as a compassionate and understanding savior.
4. Divine Revelation: Through the hypostatic union, Jesus Christ serves as the ultimate revelation of God to humanity. In him, the fullness of God’s nature is revealed, while simultaneously displaying in a form understandable to humans.
Model for Humanity: Jesus’ life serves as an example for humanity to follow. His divinity provides the perfect model of holiness and righteousness, while his humanity demonstrates the possibility of living a life in accordance with God’s will.
Fulfillment of Prophecy: Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets about the coming Messiah, who would be both divine and human.

²⁸Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:28-30 (NIV)

The hypostatic union of Jesus Christ not only provides insight into the natures of Jesus but also serves as a testament to the depth of God’s love and His desire to bridge the gap between divinity and humanity.

My friends, I know this lesson is extremely long, and for that, I do not apologize. As I said at the beginning, understanding of the hypostatic union is crucial to knowing the God/man in all His glory and humanism.

Take your time as you read through this lesson. Come back as often as you need to until you’ve absorbed all that I’ve written about the hypostatic union of the God/man.

Join me next time as we learn from God’s Word what is truly the significance of the Incarnation of Jesus.

Until next time, my friends, may His mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

The Significance of the Incarnation of Jesus

Welcome back, my dear friends. Throughout the past six lessons, we’ve learned:

The role the Son of God played in the Trinity.
The Covenant of Redemption between God the Father and God the Son.
The work of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit in Creation.
The Covenant of Grace between God the Father and man.
Jesus’ appearances in the Old Testament.
The Humanity of Christ, which is referred to as the State of Humiliation of Christ.
Understanding the Deity of Christ.
The meaning of the Hypostatic Union of Jesus.

These lessons were designed to teach us what the Scriptures say about the God/man. I pray that they’ve expanded your knowledge and love for Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

In this lesson, I want to take a different approach and focus on the importance of the Incarnation of the God/man. I’m going to talk about God’s love for His creation and the extent He went to to show that love toward us.

Although the word, Incarnation (God becomes flesh), does not appear in Scripture, the church has used the term to refer to the fact that Jesus was God in human flesh.

The Incarnation of Jesus is a central and foundational doctrine in Christianity, referring to the belief that Jesus Christ, the second person of the Holy Trinity, became fully human while remaining fully divine.

The scriptural proof for the birth of Christ is very extensive in the New Testament.

⁴But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, ⁵so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters. Galatians 4:4-5 (NASB)

¹⁴And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (NASB)

When God the Son became human, he had a human mother, yet no human father. A virgin conceived Him by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, and He was born without sin.

The virgin birth of Christ is mind-boggling. Yet it is necessary for our salvation. We must believe it happened because God says it did. We must proclaim it even though we cannot fully comprehend or explain it.

Listen to what the Apostles saw and experienced because of the Incarnation of Christ.

¹ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. ²The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. ³We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. ⁴We write this to make our joy complete. 1 John 1 – 4

This belief holds deep theological and spiritual significance for us. Here are some of the key reasons why the Incarnation is so important:

God Becoming Visible:

In the Incarnation, God reveals Himself in a tangible, relatable form — Jesus — as the Word made flesh.

¹⁴The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14(NIV)

This is the fullest and most direct revelation of God’s nature, love and purpose. While God had previously communicated through prophets and the Scriptures, Jesus as the God/man provides a more personal and intimate revelation.

Understanding God’s Nature:

Through Jesus’ actions, teachings and compassion, believers come to understand more about God’s character— His love, mercy, justice and holiness. God identifies with human experience in a unique and intimate way. Jesus not only experienced joy, friendship and love but also hardship, temptation, suffering and death. The writer of Hebrews states,

¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:15(NIV)

This shows that God doesn’t just observe human suffering from afar but has entered fully into it.

The Bridge Between Humanity and God:

The Incarnation is central to our understanding of salvation. Humanity, separated from God by sin, is reconciled through Jesus’ perfect life, sacrificial death and resurrection. By becoming human, Jesus represents all of humanity, allowing Him to atone for human sin.

Jesus, as the “new Adam,” succeeded where Adam failed. Where Adam brought sin and death into the world, Jesus brings life, righteousness and reconciliation.

¹²Sin came into the world because of what one man did. And with sin came death. So this is why all people must die—because all people have sinned. ¹³Sin was in the world before the Law of Moses. But God does not consider people guilty of sin if there is no law. ¹⁴But from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, everyone had to die. Adam died because he sinned by not obeying God’s command. But even those who did not sin that same way had to die.

That one man, Adam, can be compared to Christ, the one who was coming in the future. ¹⁵But God’s free gift is not like Adam’s sin. Many people died because of the sin of that one man. But the grace that people received from God was much greater. Many received God’s gift of life by the grace of this other man, Jesus Christ. ¹⁶After Adam sinned once, he was judged guilty. But the gift of God is different. His free gift came after many sins, and it makes people right with him. ¹⁷One man sinned, and so death ruled all people because of that one man. But now some people accept God’s full grace and his great gift of being made right. Surely they will have true life and rule through the one man, Jesus Christ.

¹⁸So that one sin of Adam brought the punishment of death to all people. But in the same way, Christ did something so good that it makes all people right with God. And that brings them true life. ¹⁹One man disobeyed God and many became sinners. But in the same way, one man obeyed God and many will be made right. Romans 5:12-19 (ERV)

His obedience to the Father even unto death reverses the effects of the Fall.

God’s Love Demonstrated in Action:

The Incarnation is the ultimate demonstration of God’s love for humanity.

⁶Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. ⁷Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,⁸ he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Philippians 2:6-8 (NLT)

It is said that Jesus “emptied himself” and took on human form, humbling Himself to the point of death on a cross. This act of humility and self-sacrifice exemplifies the depth of God’s love and His willingness to enter into human suffering.

The fact that God chose to take on human flesh emphasizes His desire for a close, intimate relationship with humanity. Jesus shared in the full range of human experiences — joy, sorrow, pain, and even death — making Him a compassionate and empathetic Savior.

Jesus as the Perfect Human Example:

Jesus’ life and actions serve as the model for how humans should live in obedience to God. His teachings on love, humility, forgiveness and service to others are seen as the blueprint for our lives.

We are called to “imitate Christ,” and this is possible because Jesus lived as a human. His human experiences, temptations and struggles serve as examples that believers can follow.

⁵ Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. ²Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT)

²¹For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his footsteps. 1 Peter 2:21 (NLT)

Transformation of Human Relationships:

The Incarnation teaches us how we should relate to others. Since God became human, every human life has an inherent dignity and is deserving of love, respect and care.

This belief drives our moral ethics, particularly in areas such as social justice, care for the poor and the defense of human rights. It exemplifies self-giving love. We are called to imitate this selfless love, serving others with the same humility and compassion that Jesus showed.

Jesus also underscores the importance of fellowship with others. Just as Jesus entered into the human condition, we are called to be present with others, particularly those who are suffering. This idea should inspire us to undertake countless acts of compassion, from caring for the sick and poor to advocating for the oppressed.

Messianic Expectations:

The Incarnation fulfills Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Messiah. For example,

Jesus’ birth, life and ministry are seen as the fulfillment of centuries of anticipation in Jewish Scripture.

The Defeat of Death and Evil:

By becoming human, Jesus entered into death and conquered it through His resurrection. This defeat of death is central to our hope and faith, assuring believers of eternal life and the ultimate victory over sin, death and the powers of evil.

Christ as the Conqueror of Evil:

The Incarnation also marks the beginning of the defeat of the powers of evil. Through His life, death and resurrection, Jesus overcomes Satan and the forces of darkness which have held humanity in bondage since the Fall.

¹⁵In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. Colossians 2:15 (NLT)

The Final Conclusion:

The Incarnation also ties into our belief in the new creation. In the Book of Revelation, the final vision of God’s kingdom is one in which God dwells with His people in a new heaven and new earth

²¹ Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. ²And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

³I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.^[ ⁴He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. Revelation 21:1-4 (NLT)

The Incarnation is the beginning of this process of God dwelling with humanity, and it will be fully realized with the (eschatology) end of the world as we know it.

The significance of the Incarnation is the foundation for understanding God’s deep love for humanity, how salvation is accomplished, and the lens through which we can understand the world, ethics and the ultimate purpose of life.

By becoming human, Jesus sanctified human nature, offered a perfect model for living, and made possible the reconciliation between God and humanity.

The Incarnation touches every aspect of Christian theology — God’s nature, human salvation, the meaning of life and the destiny of creation. The belief that God became man in the person of Jesus Christ is seen as a profound mystery, revealing the depth of God’s love and the lengths He would go to redeem and restore His creation.

The Incarnation reveals not only who Jesus is but also who humans are called to be — participants in the divine life, transformed by God’s grace, and destined for eternal communion with Him. It is the heart of the Christian mystery and the source of endless wonder, devotion and hope.

Thus declares The Scriptures: “He hath left us an example that we should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21)

Until next time, my friends, when we will dive into God’s Holy Word and learn about the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the God/man Jesus Christ, may Mercy, Peace and Love be multiplied to you.

The Hypostatic Union of Christ

Sat, 11 May 2024 16:29:01 +0000

My friends, I’m talking about God!

Through this humiliation, God willingly subjected himself to the limitations and suffering of a mortal existence.

I’ve substituted the name God for Jesus Christ in the above description, but the names are one and the same. Jesus is God, and God is Jesus. Ponder on this my friends, and let it sink in.

This is what the Lord God of the Universe did for you and me. Amazing!

Lord, we worship and praise your Holy Name. You are our God, and we are your creation; we love you with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our mind.

The Hypostatic Union of Christ

While it is a fundamental belief for many Christians, there have been various disagreements and criticisms regarding this doctrine throughout history. Some of the notable disagreements include:

1. Monophysitism: Christ’s divine nature absorbed or overwhelmed his human nature, resulting in a single, divine-human nature.

2. Nestorianism: There were two distinct persons in Jesus — one divine and one human — rather than one person with two natures.

3. Apollinarianism: While Jesus had a human body, his mind or spirit was purely divine. In other words, Jesus had a human body but not a human mind or soul.

4. Modern Criticisms: The concept is fundamentally illogical and difficult to fully comprehend, leading to confusion or inconsistency in Christian doctrine.