God, the son

103 god the son

God the Son is the second Person of the Godhead, begotten by the Father from eternity. He is the word and image of the Father through him and for him God created all things. He was sent by the Father as Jesus Christ, God, revealed in the flesh to enable us to attain salvation. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, he was fully God and fully human, united two natures in one person. He, the Son of God and Lord over all, is worthy of honor and worship. As the prophesied redeemer of mankind, he died for our sins, was physically raised from the dead and ascended to heaven, where he acts as a mediator between man and God. He will come again in glory to rule over all nations as King of kings in the kingdom of God. (Johannes 1,1.10.14; Colossians 1,15-16; Hebrews 1,3; John 3,16; titus 2,13; Matthew 1,20; Acts of the Apostles 10,36; 1. Corinthians 15,3-4; Hebrews 1,8; Revelation 19,16)

Who is this man?

Jesus himself asked his disciples the question of identity that we want to face here: "Who say the people that the Son of Man is?" She remains up-to-date for us today: who is this man? What authority does he have? Why should we trust in him? Jesus Christ is at the center of the Christian faith. We have to understand what kind of person he is.

Very human - and more

Jesus was born the normal way, grew up normally, became hungry and thirsty and tired, ate and drank and slept. He looked normal, spoke colloquial language, walked normal. He had feelings: pity, anger, amazement, sadness, fear (Matthew 9,36; Luke 7,9; John 11,38; Matthew 26,37). He prayed to God as humans should. He called himself a man and was addressed as a man. He was human.

But he was such an extraordinary person that after his ascension some denied that he was human (2. John 7). They thought Jesus was so holy that they could not believe that he had anything to do with flesh, with the dirt, the sweat, the digestive functions, the imperfections of the flesh. Perhaps he had only appeared human, as angels sometimes appear human without actually becoming human.

By contrast, the New Testament makes it clear that Jesus was man in the full sense of the word. John confirmed:
"And the Word became flesh..." (John 1,14). He did not "appear" only as flesh and did not "clothe" himself only with flesh. He became flesh. Jesus Christ “came in the flesh” (1Jn. 4,2). We know, says Johannes, because we saw him and because we touched him (1. John 1,1-2).

According to Paul, Jesus was “made like men” (Philippians 2,7), “done under the law” (Galatians 4,4), “in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Romans 8,3). He who came to redeem man had to become essentially man, argues the author of Hebrews: "Because children are of flesh and blood, he also accepted it equally... Therefore he had to become like his brothers in everything ' (Hebrew 2,14-17).

Our salvation stands or falls with whether Jesus really was - and is. His role as our advocate, our high priest, stands or falls with whether he really has experienced human things (Hebrews 4,15). Even after his resurrection, Jesus had flesh and bones (John 20,27:2; Luke 4,39). Even in heavenly glory he continued to be human (1. Timothy 2,5).

Act like God

“Who is he?” the Pharisees asked as they witnessed Jesus forgiving sins. “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Luke 5,21.) Sin is an offense against God; how could a person speak for God and say that your sins have been erased, erased? That is blasphemy, they said. Jesus knew what they felt about it, and he still forgave sins. He even implied that he himself was free of sin (John 8,46). He made some amazing claims:

  • Jesus said he would sit at the right hand of God in heaven - another claim that Jewish priests found blasphemy6,63-65).
  • He claimed to be the Son of God - this was also a blasphemy, it was said, because in that culture that practically meant raising oneself to God (John 5,18; 19,7).
  • Jesus claimed to be in such perfect agreement with God that he only did what God wanted (Joh. 5,19).
  • He claimed to be one with the Father (John 10,30), which the Jewish priests also considered blasphemous (John 10,33).
  • He claimed to be so godlike that whoever saw him would see the Father4,9; 1,18).
  • He claimed he could send God's Spirit out6,7).
  • He claimed he could send out angels3,41).
  • He knew that God is the judge of the world, and at the same time he claimed that God gave him the judgment
    handed over (Johannes 5,22).
  • He claimed to be able to raise the dead, including himself (John 5,21; 6,40; 10,18).
  • He said that everyone's eternal life depends on their relationship with him, Jesus (Matthew 7,22-23).
  • He said the words Moses said weren't enough (Matthew 5,21-48).
  • He called himself Lord of the Sabbath - a God-given law! (Matthew 12,8.)

If he were only human, these would be presumptuous, sinful teachings. But Jesus backed up his words with amazing works. “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; if not, then believe me for the sake of works" (John 14,11). Miracles cannot compel anyone to believe, but they can still be strong "circumstantial evidence".

To show that he had authority to forgive sins, Jesus healed a paralyzed man (Luke 5: 17-26). His miracles prove that what he said about himself is true. He has more than human power because he is more than human. The claims about oneself - in every other blasphemy - were based on truth with Jesus. He could speak like God and act like God because he was God in the flesh.

His self-image

Jesus was clearly aware of his identity. At twelve he already had a special relationship with Heavenly Father (Luke 2,49). At his baptism he heard a voice from heaven say: You are my dear son (Luke 3,22). He knew he had a mission to serve (Luke 4,43; 9,22; 13,33; 22,37).

Jesus answered the words of Peter, “You are Christ, the Son of the living God!”: “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah; For flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:16-17). Jesus was the son of God. He was the Christ, the Messiah - anointed by God for a very special mission.

When he called twelve disciples, one for each tribe of Israel, he did not count himself among the twelve. He stood over them because he stood over all Israel. He was the creator and builder of the new Israel. At the Lord's Supper he revealed himself as the foundation of the new covenant, a new relationship with God. He saw himself as the focal point of what God did in the world.

Jesus boldly turned against tradition, against laws, against the temple, against religious authorities. He demanded of his disciples to leave everything and follow him, to place him first in their lives, to keep his absolute faithfulness. He spoke with the authority of God - and spoke at the same time with his own authority.

Jesus believed that Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in him. He was the suffering servant who was to die to save people from their sins (Isaiah 53,4-5 & 12; Matthew 26,24; Mark 9,12; Luke 22,37; 24, 46). He was the Prince of Peace who was to enter Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9,9- 10; Matthew 21,1-9). He was the Son of Man to whom all power and authority were to be given (Daniel 7,13-14; Matthew 26,64).

His previous life

Jesus claimed to have lived before Abraham and expressed this "timelessness" in a classic phrase: "Most truly, I say to you, before Abraham came into existence, I am" (John 8,58th). Again the Jewish priests believed that Jesus was usurping divine things and wanted to stone him (v. 59). In the phrase "am I" sounds 2. Mose 3,14 where God reveals his name to Moses: "Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: [He] 'I am' hath sent me unto you" (Elberfeld translation). Jesus takes this name for himself here.

Jesus affirms that “before the world was” He shared glory with the Father (John 17,5). John tells us that he already existed at the beginning of time: as the Word (John 1,1). And also in John we can read that "all things" were made by the word (John 1,3). The father was the planner, the word the creator, who carried out what was planned. Everything was created by and for him (Colossians 1,16; 1. Corinthians 8,6). Hebrews 1,2 says that God "made the world" through the Son.

In Hebrews, as in Colossians, it is said that the Son "carries" the universe, it "exists" in him (Hebrews 1,3; Colossians 1,17). Both tell us that he is "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1,15), “the image of his nature” (Hebrews 1,3).

Who is jesus He is a God being who became flesh. He is the creator of all things, the prince of life (Acts of the Apostles 3,15). He looks just like God, has glory like God, has an abundance of power that only God has. No wonder the disciples concluded that he was divine, God in the flesh.

Worth the worship

Jesus' conception was supernatural (Matthew 1,20; Luke 1,35). He lived without ever sinning (Hebrews 4,15). He was without blemish, without blemish (Hebrews 7,26; 9,14). He did not commit sin (1 Pt 2,22); there was no sin in him (1. John 3,5); he did not know of any sin (2. Corinthians 5,21). No matter how strong the temptation, Jesus always had a stronger desire to obey God. His mission was to do God's will (Hebrews 10,7).

People worshiped Jesus on several occasions4,33; 28,9 u. 17; John 9,38). Angels do not allow themselves to be worshiped (Revelation 1 Cor9,10), but Jesus allowed it. Yes, the angels also worship the Son of God (Hebrews 1,6). Some prayers were addressed directly to Jesus (Acts 7,59-60; 2. Corinthians 12,8; Revelation 22,20).

The New Testament praises Jesus Christ extraordinarily high, with formulas normally reserved for God: “To him be glory for ever and ever! Amen "(2. Timothy 4,18;
2. Petrus 3,18; epiphany 1,6). He bears the highest title of ruler that can be given (Ephesians 1,20-21). If we call him God, that is not too exaggerated.

In Revelation God and the Lamb are equally praised, indicating equality: "To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and authority forever and ever!" (Revelation 5,13). The son must be honored as well as the father (John 5,23). God and Jesus are equally called Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of all things (Revelation 1,8 & 17; 21,6; 22,13).

Old Testament passages about God are often taken up in the New Testament and applied to Jesus Christ. One of the most notable is this passage about worship: "Therefore also God exalted him, and gave him the name above all names, that in the name of Jesus himself."

Every knee should bow, which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2,9-11, a quote from Isaiah 45,23). Jesus is given the honor and respect that Isaiah says should be given to God.

Isaiah says there is only one Savior - God (Isaiah 43:11; 45,21). Paul clearly states that God is Savior, but also that Jesus is Savior (Tit1,3; 2,10 and 13). Is there a Savior or two? Early Christians concluded that the Father is God and Jesus is God, but there is only one God and therefore only one Savior. Father and Son are essentially one (God), but are different persons.

Several other New Testament passages also call Jesus God. John 1,1: “God was the Word.” Verse 18: “No one has ever seen God; the only begotten, who is God and is in the bosom of the Father, has announced him to us.” Jesus is the God-person who lets us recognize the Father. After the resurrection, Thomas recognized Jesus as God: "Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God!" (John 20,28).

Paul says the patriarchs were great because from them “Christ came after the flesh, who is God above all, blessed forever. Amen” (Romans 9,5). In the letter to the Hebrews, God Himself calls the Son "God": "O God, your throne is forever and ever..." (Hebrews 1,8).

“For in him [Christ],” Paul said, “dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2,9). Jesus Christ is completely God and still today has "bodily form". He is the exact image of God - God made flesh. If Jesus were only human, it would be wrong to put our trust in him. But since he is divine, we are commanded to trust him. He is unconditionally trustworthy because he is God.

For us, the divinity of Jesus is of crucial importance, because only when he is divine can he accurately reveal God to us (John 1,18; 14,9). Only a God Person can forgive us of our sins, redeem us, reconcile us with God. Only a God Person can become the object of our faith, the Lord to whom we are absolutely faithful, the Savior whom we venerate in song and prayer.

Truly human, truly God

As can be seen from the cited references, the "image of Jesus" of the Bible is distributed in mosaic stones throughout the New Testament. The picture is consistent, but is not collected in one place. The original church had to be composed of the existing building blocks. From biblical revelation she drew the following conclusions:

  • Jesus, the Son of God, is divine.
  • The Son of God became truly human, but the Father did not.
  • The Son of God and the Father are different, not the same
  • There is only one God.
  • The Son and the Father are two persons in the one God.

The Council of Nicaea (325 AD) established the divinity of Jesus, the Son of God, and his essential identity with the Father (Nicene Creed). The Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) added that he was also a man:

“[Following, then, the holy fathers, we all teach unanimously that to confess our Lord Jesus Christ is one and the same Son; the same is perfect in divinity and the same perfect in humanity, the same truly God and truly man...Born before time of the Father according to divinity...of Mary, the Virgin and Mother of God (theotokos) [born], he is as one and the same, Christ, Son, only-begotten, unmixed in two natures... The difference of natures is by no means abolished for the sake of union; Rather, the uniqueness of each of the two natures is preserved and combined into one person..."

The last part was added because some people claimed that the nature of God pushed Jesus' human nature into the background in such a way that Jesus was no longer really human. Others claimed that the two natures had joined to a third nature, so that Jesus was neither divine nor human. No, the biblical evidence shows that Jesus was fully human and totally God. And that's what the church has to teach.

How can this be?

Our salvation depends on the fact that Jesus was and is both, man and God. But how can the holy Son of God become man, take on the form of the sinful flesh?

The question arises mainly because the human, as we see it now, is corrupted. But that's not how God created it. Jesus shows us how the human can and should be in truth. First, he shows us a person who is completely dependent on the father. So should it be with humanity.

He also shows us what God is capable of. He is able to become part of his creation. He can bridge the gap between the uncreated and the created, between the sacred and the sinful. We may think it's impossible; for God it is possible. Jesus also shows us what humanity will be in the new creation. When he returns and we are raised, we will look like him (1. John 3,2). We will have a body like his transfigured body (1. Corinthians 15,42-49).

Jesus is our pioneer, he shows us that the way to God leads over Jesus. Because he is human, he feels with our weaknesses; because he is God, he can work for us in the right hand of God. With Jesus as our Savior, we can have confidence that our salvation is safe.

Michael Morrison


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