CAMPUS CHURCH BIBLE SCHOOL

Module 5. The nature of God: (3) the Person of the Son

5.1. INTRODUCTION

Of the OT Scriptures Jesus said, “These are they that testify of me” (Jn. 5:39). Not simply “they testify of me [among many other things]” but “these are specifically designed to testify of me”. So when we enquire what the Scriptures teach concerning Christ we have the whole Bible before us. (Illustration from “Preaching Christ”; are OT references to Christ icebergs or islands?)

We shall therefore devote two sessions to God the Son, considering firstly the Person of Christ (module 5) and secondly the Work of Christ (module 6).

5.2 The deity of Christ 

Technically the title ‘Christ’ (‘the anointed one’) refers to His mission of redemption while ‘Son’ refers to His eternal nature. However, for simplicity we shall use the terms interchangeably. 

The first thing to establish is the Bible’s teaching that the Son is no less divine than the Father or the Spirit. His full deity is denied by ‘Unitarians’ a term which includes Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christadelphians and Mormons, who all consider the Son to be a created being (cf. 4th Century Arianism).

We have already studied some relevant Scriptures in module 3 (The Trinity). See also notes on p.4. Here we extend this study by a detailed examination of the prologue to John’s Gospel (1:1-18) where Christ is called ‘the Word’ for reasons that will emerge.

i) The Son is eternal. 
“In the beginning was [existed] the Word” (vv. 1-3). Since all things were created through Him it follows that He himself is not a created being. 

ii) The Son is distinct from the Father yet shares the Father’s divine nature. 
“ ... the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (v.1).

iii) The Son, as God, is self-existent. 
“In Him was life ...” (v.4); John 5:26; "For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.” John 8:58; Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."

iv) The Son is the Creator; creation is the prerogative of God. 
“All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” (vv.3, 10). Compare Heb. 1:1 and Col. 1:16.

v) The Son was begotten not made. 
“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (v.18). Compare Nicene Creed: “I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, Begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of very God, Begotten, not made, Being of one substance with the Father, By whom all things were made” Like generates like. Ps. 2:7; “I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You’.” Three NT connotations: (a) Christ the eternal Son (‘Eternal generation’; Jn. 1:14,18; 3:16,18; Col. 1:15). (b) Christ the incarnate Son (the firstborn, Heb. 1:6; Rom. 8:29). (c) Christ the first-born from the dead (Ac. 13:33; Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5).

vi. The Son is God’s Word to mankind. 
So described in John 1 and more explicitly in Heb. 1:2. The Father reveals and communicates Himself through Christ. “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (v.18). “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (Jn. 14:9-11 [expand]).

vii. The Son is the Father’s agent. 
True of creation (Heb. 1:2), providence (Heb. 1:3, “upholding all things ..”), salvation (Jn. 17:2, “Authority over all flesh ...”) and judgement (Jn. 5:22-23, “The Father ... has committed all judgement to the Son ...”). John Owen: “As to operation he [the Father] works not but by the Son” (cited p.36 A glorious high throne).

viii. The Son yields precedence to the Father. 
1 Cor. 15:27-28. Note, not just during Christ’s earthly life. 

5.3 THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST

Just as some deny the deity of Christ so also some deny His true humanity. This was especially true of the Docetists (‘Jesus was a phantom, pure spirit’; cf. Christian Science today) and Gnostics of early centuries AD who considered matter to be evil and thus found it inconceivable that God could really become a man.

“The word became flesh.” (John 1:14) 

“God was manifest in the flesh.” (1 Tim 3:16)

“He partook of the same [flesh and blood].” (Heb 2:14)

“And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist.” (1 John 4:3)

i. Christ’s humanity fits Him to be our Redeemer. 
Redemption for the human race would have been impossible without Christ becoming flesh. Under the Mosaic law, only a relative had the right to buy land from one in financial difficulties (Lev. 25:25). Thus Boaz was the ‘kinsman redeemer’ who, related to Naomi, acted as redeemer and bought land from Naomi and married Ruth (Ruth 4). All of this prefigured Christ, who by becoming man also became our ‘near-kinsman’ (Heb 2:11-17). 
 
ii. Christ’s humanity enabled Him to earn righteousness as a man. 
He was without sin (Heb. 4:15). It is this human righteousness that is imputed to us in salvation (Heb. 5:8-9).

iii. Christ’s humanity enabled Him to die (Heb 2:9). 
Angels cannot die, but to sacrifice himself for our sins the Lord Jesus became for a while lower than the angels. He became man and thus was able to die. His humanity is essential to all that He did on the cross (Phil. 3:5-8).
 
iv. Christ’s humanity fits Him to be our High Priest (Heb. 2:17; 4:15)
The Lord Jesus is the Great High Priest who, as both God and man, is uniquely fitted to be the mediator between God and men. He has unrestricted access to the throne of grace yet has genuine sympathy for His people on earth — based on experiences in this world that are uniquely connected with His humanity, including rejection, suffering, misunderstanding, weariness and pain.
 
v. Christ’s humanity fits Him to be the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:22, 49)
As Adam is the representative head of fallen humanity, so Christ is the representative head of the new restored humanity (Heb. 2:7-8). We were “in Adam; we are “in Christ”. (See also Rom. 5:12-21). 
  
vi. Christ’s humanity links Him with David and thus the throne of Israel (Matt 1:1, Luke 1:32, Rom 1:3).
Christ’s links with David are central to the biblical narrative.
He was made of the seed of David according to the flesh (Rom 1:3). 
He was born in the City of David (Luke 2:11). 
He was promised the sure mercies of David – Acts 13:34 (2 Sam 7:12-14 – the seed, the throne, the house). 
His is both the root and the offspring of David (Rev 22:16). 
He is both David’s Son and David’s Lord (Matt 22:43-45). 
He will sit on the throne of David (Luke 1:32). 
 
vii. Christ’s humanity enables Him to fulfil scripture
Many Old Testament prophecies would have gone unfulfilled if Christ had never become man. For example, the prophecy that the seed of the woman would bruise Satan’s head (Gen 3:16); Isaiah’s prophecy of a virgin birth (Isa. 7:14); the promises to Abraham (Gal. 3:14); and the prophecy of a Messiah nailed by hands and feet (Psa. 22:16). These physical events in the life of the Messiah could not have been fulfilled if He had not become a real man of flesh and blood.
 
viii. Christ’s humanity is essential to the fulfilment of God’s will that all creation will be under a man (Heb 2:6-9)
The New Testament reveals that the dominion over creation lost by the first man (Adam) will be regained by the second man, Christ. The crown that Adam forfeited will yet be worn by a real man in the very same world in which it was lost by a man (Heb 2:6-9). Thus Christ’s humanity is essential to this eventual triumph.

NOTES ON THE DEITY OF CHRIST WITH SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES

 Passages where Jesus is unquestionably called or described as God
•	Col. 2:9: He is indwelled by the fullness of deity.
•	Jn. 1:3, Heb 1:2,8-12; Col 1:16-17; He was the creator of all.
•	Heb. 1:3: He is the exact representation of God’s nature. 
•	Jn. 14:8-10; He who sees Me sees the Father. 
•	Heb. 1:8; The Father addresses son as God. 
•	Jn. 1:1-3; The word was God. 
•	Phil. 2:6-8; Jesus existed in the form of God. 
•	Jn. 20:28; “My Lord and My God”. 
•	Isa. 7:14; "Emanuel: God with us". 
•	Isa. 9:6; "Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace". 

Passages where Jesus is called Jehovah (JAHWE)
A. When you read the Old Testament passage it is certainly talking about Jehovah. But these passages are often quoted in the New Testament and APPLIED TO CHRIST. This proves that Jesus is Jehovah God along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. 

	Old Testament	New Testament	
Creator of all	Ps. 102:24-27 	Heb. 1:8,10-12	
Jehovah enthroned	Isa. 6:1-10	Jn. 12:37-42	
Prepare way for	Lsa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1 	Mt. 3:3; Jn. 1:23,30	
Jehovah pierced	Zech. 12:10 	Jn. 19:37	
Call on Jehovah	Joel 2:32 	Acts 2:21,36; 4:10-12	

B. Jehovah is described in the Old Testament by a number of unique titles. These titles are applied to Jesus Christ in the New Testament. 
			
 	Old Testament 	New Testament 	
The great "I Am"	Ex. 3:13-14 	Jn. 8:57-59	
Lord of lords	Deut. 10:17	Rev. 17:14	
Lord of glory	Ps. 24:10; 29:3 	1 Cor. 2:8	
First and Last	Isa. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12 	Rev. 1:17; 2:8; 22:13	

C. Jehovah is spoken of in the Old Testament as possessing distinct and unique attributes. Yet these qualities are directly attributed to Jesus Christ proving He is Jehovah God, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. 
			
 	Old Testament 	New Testament 	
The only Creator 	Isa. 44:24	Jn. 1:1-3; Col. 1:16,17 	
The only Rock	Deut 32:4,12; Isa 44:8 	1 Cor. 10:4	
Alone Knows Hearts	1 Ki. 8:22-23,39	Mk. 2:5-8; Jn. 2:24-25 	
Won’t give glory away	Isa. 42:8	Jn. 17:5; 1:14 	
The only Saviour	Isa. 43:11; 45:21 	Mk. 2:7; Tit. 2:13