Jesus Christ

Table of Contents / Overview

JESUS CHRIST

Having learned about God and His great power and seen how He used that power to create man and all we see about us, we are now in a position to study the great purpose He had in view and to see how that purpose has been developing steadily ever since. It is fitting that we turn our attention first to Jesus, the Son of God. It is fitting because he is at the heart of God's purpose, he is pre-eminent in all God's creation, he is the one whom God sent to be the Saviour of mankind.

In this lesson we shall consider the outlines of the work of Jesus. It is particularly important that we understand how he came into being and what nature he had. We shall not be in a position to understand his work fully until we have studied the Old Testament teaching concerning man's fall and present mortality. These matters will form subjects for later studies after which we shall return to gather together the details in a fuller study of Christ's work, past, present and future.

As an introduction to this lesson read the following passages:-

READ
Luke 24 v 44-47
Colossians 1 v 17-20
Hebrews 1 v 1-4
Hebrews 2 v 7-9

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JESUS IS GOD'S SON

Lesson 2 demonstrated the unity of God. Jesus is not God, he is the Son of God.

READ
Matthew 3 v 16-17
Mark 1 v 1
Luke 1 v 31-32
John 1 v 34

Many of the epistles, in their introductions refer to God as "the Father" of Jesus, and to Jesus as His Son. Study these also. Note that NOWHERE in the Bible does the phrase "God the Son" occur: always it is "Son of God" - a most important difference. Jesus always stressed his dependence on his Father. Trinitarian teaching that he was equal with his Father is false.

READ
John 5 v 19 & 30
John 14 v 28

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JESUS WAS ALSO SON OF MAN

Jesus was able to be both Son of God and Son of Man through the miracle of his birth. Mary, a virgin* at the time when she conceived Jesus was enabled to do so through the power of the Holy Spirit.

READ
:
Matthew 8 v 20
Mark 10 v 45
Luke 19 v 10
John 1 v 51
Matthew 1 v 20
Luke 1 v 34-35
Galatians 4 v 4

*Note: Mary later married Joseph and had sons and daughters by him (see Matthew 1 v 25 and 13 v 55-56). The Roman Catholic contention that Mary remained a virgin is entirely unscriptural.

JESUS HAD NO EXISTENCE BEFORE HE WAS BORN OF MARY

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JESUS POSSESSED ORDINARY HUMAN NATURE

Being born a member of the human race, Jesus was of the same nature as other men, sharing the experiences and emotions common to man, including death.

READ
John 11 v 35
Hebrews 2 v 11 & 14-16

He is, therefore, able to be sympathetic with us in our weaknesses and failings, although he never sinned.

READ
Hebrews 2 v 17-18
Hebrews 4 v 15

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FULFILMENT OF OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES

The coming of Jesus was a fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies. Many of the details of his life, death and work were foretold by the prophets of Israel. Here are some of them:-

  Compare With
The Town of his birth Micah 5 v 2 Matthew 2 v 4-6
Birth of a Virgin Isaiah 7 v 14 Matthew 1 v 22-23
Flight into Egypt Hosea 11 v 1 Matthew 2 v 15
Herod's attempt to destroy him Jeremiah 31 v 15 Matthew 2:17-18
Work of his forerunner, John the Baptist Isaiah 40 v 3
Malachi 3 v 1		 Matthew 3 v 3
Matthew 11 v 10
Jesus' miracles Isaiah 35 v 5 Matthew 11 v 4-5
Matthew 9 v 27-30
Mark 7 v 32-35
John 5 v 3 & 8-9
Riding into Jerusalem upon an ass Zechariah 9 v 9
Psalm 118 v 26		 John 12 v 13-15
Betrayal Psalm 41 v 9
Psalm 55 v 12-14		 John 13 v 18
Exact words Jesus uttered upon the cross Psalm 22 v 1 Matthew 27 v 46
Resurrection Psalm 16 v 10 Acts 2 v 27 & 31

The Prophets foretold the threefold work of Christ as:

Prophet Deut. 18 v 15
Priest Psalm 110 v 4
King Psalm 72 v 1


From the foregoing examples it is clear that part of the work given to the Prophets was to herald the coming of the Saviour.

READ
Acts 3 v 18 & 22-24

With the coming of Jesus, this aspect of the ministry of the Prophets was completed.

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UNFULFILLED PROPHECIES CONCERNING JESUS

The same Old Testament Prophets who foretold Jesus' birth, sufferings, rejection and death also spoke of his coming to reign over all nations in righteousness.

Stephen (the first disciple to suffer martyrdom for Christ) reminded his adversaries that Moses, Israel's great leader, was at first rejected by the children of Israel, but much later he returned to save them.

READ
Acts 7 v 25, 27-28, 35, 37, 51-52

Stephen's argument here is that the same pattern - rejection, departure, return in power - applies to Jesus.

READ
Acts 3 v 19-23

Look up these Old Testament prophecies which were not fulfilled by Christ when he first came, and which therefore await fulfillment when he returns.

READ
:
Psalm 2 v 7-9
Psalm 72
Isaiah 9 v 6-7
Daniel 7 v 13-14
Zechariah 12 v 10
Zechariah 14 v 4 & 9

The work of Christ, when complete, will have removed from the earth all sin, suffering and death.

*Note: The subjection of Jesus Christ to God at the end, when his work is complete, is a further proof that he is not God, or equal with the Father.

In the beginning Adam introduced sin into the world, and death by sin: it is the work of Christ to restore to Adam's race the blessings that Adam lost.

READ
I Cor. 15 v 21-22 & 45-47

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CONCLUSION

Jesus said - "This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." This shows the importance of understanding the position of Jesus Christ in God's plan and the way he was related to God his Father. Though born of a woman, and sharing human weakness and suffering, yet he overcame all weakness and bore all suffering, including death on the cross, without once going contrary to the will of his Father.

It was to enable him to do this that he was born of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, making him the Son of God. Because of this great victory he has been given a name which "is above every name" and has the power to deliver others from human weakness and suffering. He is, therefore, described in the Bible as "the Saviour of the world". Exactly what this means and how we can benefit from his great work will be clear from later lessons.

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QUESTIONS

Using references where possible to support your reply, answer the following:

  1. Quote FIVE examples of Old Testament Prophecies that were fulfilled during Jesus' ministry on earth.
  2. Quote THREE examples of Old Testament Prophecies that have still to be fulfilled
  3. Who was the first recorded follower of Jesus to suffer martyrdom?
  4. What was the nature of Jesus Christ while he lived on earth?
  5. " Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Mark 1 v 1). Explain what you understand by this statement.
  6.  "Behold a virgin shall be with child." (Matthew 1 v 23). Explain what you understand by this statement.