CHRISTOLOGY – THE STUDY OF JESUS CHRIST The Deity of Christ 1.
His Pre-existence a. Although His pre-existence does not prove His deity, it is necessary to validate His claim to be the revelation of God. b. Certain works which are said to be done could only have been accomplished if He existed before time. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or pow ers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Col. 1:16-17)
c.
He was and is the eternal Son, co-existent and co-eternal with the Father. In the beginning was the W ord, and the W ord was with God, and the W ord was God. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:1, 3)
d.
Jesus affirmed His pre-existence when the Jews challenged Him about His age. "You are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!" “I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:57-58)
e.
Names given to Christ in the Old Testament indicate His pre-existence. "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." (M icah 5:2) O LORD, are you not from everlasting? M y God, my Holy One, we will not die. O LORD, you have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, you have ordained them to punish. (Hab. 1:12)
2.
The unique claims of Jesus for Himself a. Jesus claimed equality with God. For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. (John 5:18) “I and the Father are one."(John 10:30)
b.
He claimed to know the Father in a direct and perfect manner, as no other can. "All things have been committed to me by my Father. N o one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to w hom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (M att. 11:27) W hen Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. (M att. 14:13) All things have been committed to me by my Father. N o one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." (Lu. 10:22)
c.
He claimed to be the final judge of all men.
“Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the w ill of my Father who is in heaven. M any will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (M att. 7:21-23) “The Son of M an will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there w ill be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” (M att. 13:41-43) “W hen the Son of M an comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.” (M att. 25:31, 33)
3.
The Unique Works of Jesus a. He showed power to work miracles, and to empower others to do the same. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. (M att. 10:8) The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those w ho have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. (M att. 11:5) And 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. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. (M att. 14:19-21)
b.
He demonstrated the power to forgive sins. A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crow d, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. W hen Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ‘W hy does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! W ho can forgive sins but God alone?’ Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was w hat they w ere thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, ‘W hy are you thinking these things? W hich is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of M an has authority on earth to forgive sins....” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “W e have never seen anything like this!”(M k. 2:1-12)
c. d.
He had the power to raise the dead. (John 11) He accepted the worship of others. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’(M t. 14:33)
4.
The Unique Attributes of Jesus a. He claimed to be eternal. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”(John 8:58) “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (John 17:5)
b.
He claimed omnipotence. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (M att. 28:18)
c.
He showed omniscience. “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (M t. 11:27) Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.(John 2:23-25)
d.
He spoke of His omnipresence. “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (M t. 18:20) “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of M an.” (John 3:13)
The Humanity of Christ 1.
The Incarnation a. Without the incarnation, there could be no atonement and no intecessory ministry. b. The Incarnation (“in flesh”) was the way in which Christ took on humanity. c. The virgin birth was the method of the incarnation. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Is. 7:14) “‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’--which means, ‘God with us.’” (M att. 1:23) . . . and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of M ary, of w hom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. (M att. 1:16)
d.
The purposes of the incarnation (1) To reveal God to man. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. (John 1:18)
(2)
To provide a sacrifice for sin. The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll-- I have come to do your w ill, O God.'" First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Heb. 10:1-10)
(3)
To show an example for living. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (I Pet. 2:21)
(4)
To destroy the works of the devil. H e who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.(I John 3:8)
(5)
To enable him to be a merciful and faithful High Priest. Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. (Heb. 5:1-2)
2.
Proofs of Humanity a. He had a human body, born as a baby, developed as human beings do. This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother M ary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she w as found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (M att. 1:18) But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, . . .(Gal. 4:4) And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:52)
b.
He had a human soul, which made His humanity complete. “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.” (John 12:27) Then he said to them, “M y soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” (M att. 26:38) Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” W hen he had said this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46) “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (M att. 11:29)
c.
He had the characteristics of a human being. (1) Hungry After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. (M att. 4:2)
(2)
Thirsty Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” (John 19:28)
(3)
Grew tired Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. (John 4:6)
(4)
Experienced love and compassion W hen he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (M att. 9:36)
(5)
Wept Jesus wept. (John 11:35)
(6)
Was tested For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. (Heb. 4:15)
(7)
Suffered bodily pain, died, and was buried (M att. 27:33-66; M ark 15:22-47; Luke 22:44; John 19:16-42)
d.
He possessed human names. (1) Son of man “For the Son of M an came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10)
(2)
Son of David W hen he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (M ark 10:47)
(3)
Jesus “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he w ill save his people from their sins.” (M att. 1:21)
(4)
A man For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, . . . (I Tim. 2:5)
the divine-human person 1.
2.
3.
The result of the union between the deity of Christ and His perfect humanity was a theanthropic person, or God-man. a. He unites in Himself all the conditions of both. b. This person is the pre-existent Christ who assumed human nature, both personalizing and redeeming it. The One Person a. The basis for His person is the eternal deity. b. A person may consist of two or three natures. (1) A trinitarian person, as God is, has but one nature, that of divine substance or essence. (2) A human person has two natures: a material body and an immortal soul. (3) Christ, as the God-man, had three natures: the divine, a human soul, and a human body. c. The personality of the God-man depended on the divine nature. The Impeccability (sinlessness) of Christ a. There was no sin in Christ’s human nature because of His miraculous birth. b. Because Christ joined humanity to His deity, the human nature that Christ took was sanctified. c. Christ was free from sin because He was the pre-existent Son, second Person of the Trinity. d. Christ was also free from actual sin. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” (I Pet. 2:22) Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. (Heb. 7:26)
e.
The two dilemmas: posse non peccare (able not to sin) or non posse peccare (not able to sin). (1) The viewpoint usually held is the first one. (2) How could the temptations have been real if He could not have sinned? (3) Hebrews 4:15 indicates He was tested with a view to proving He was sinless. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. (Heb. 4:15)
(a) (b)
He was not tested in every specific test in which a man is tested. He was tested in all the areas in which a man can be tested. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. (I John 2:16) W hen 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. (Gen. 3:6) Then Jesus w as led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘M an does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “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.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘W orship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. (M t. 4:1-11)