“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” –John 14:6
“All truth is God’s truth, as all life is God’s life; but God’s truth and God’s life are incarnate in Jesus…Jesus is not only the way to God; he is the truth of God – how could he be otherwise, since he is the embodiment of God’s self-revelation? – and he is the life of God, ‘the true God and eternal life’ (1 Jn. 5:20), manifested on earth to give his flesh ‘for the life of the world’ (Jn. 6:51).”
F.F. Bruce, The Gospel and Epistles of John
The Way
Jesus came to show us the way to the Father (obedience) and eternal life (John 5:19ff). Satan shows us the way to deny the Father (disobedience) that leads to death.
The invisible God came to dwell in the midst of His chosen people the Israelites, originally in the tabernacle that stood in the desert during the time of Moses, and then later in the temple at Jerusalem during the time of Jesus. He dwelt in the inner-most chamber called the Holy of Holies that was separated by a sacred veil. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest was permitted to enter in to offer a blood sacrifice for the sins of the people and himself. This was the only way and the only person who could approach God.
Jesus, as the Lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world, atoned for our sins once and for all by sacrificing His own blood (life). The moment He accomplished this at the time He died on the cross and offered up His spirit to His Father, the veil was torn from top to bottom supernaturally by God (Matt 27:51), showing that anyone can now have access to God through faith in Christ’s sacrificial atonement (Heb. 9:6-15). He is the new way to the Father, replacing the old way that served as a foreshadow of the coming day when God would fulfill His promise that we would live by faith, no longer having the need of an earthly temple to worship God, but instead become the living bodily temple of the Holy Spirit, and therefore able to worship Him in Spirit and truth (Jn. 4:21-24).
“I am the way; that is, the way by which those must get to heaven who will ever come there. Christ is our way to heaven by the doctrine which he taught; by his death, by which he purchased this heavenly inheritance for us; by his holy life and conversation, setting us an example that we should follow his steps; by the influence of his Spirit, guiding us to, and assisting us in, those holy actions by which we must come unto glory.” –Matthew Poole’s Commentary1
The Truth
“Truth – Heavenly reality revealed in Christ.”2 “Contrary to Greek background, truth is personal, not merely intellectual; truth is acquired through the revelation of God, not through mental application; truth is not abstract, but has been individually revealed in history.”3
“God is truth – His eternal reality is ultimate reality. There are no external standards to evaluate his reality; according to John, his truth can only be accepted through faith in Jesus as the one who comes down from heaven. Thus ‘the time has now come’ when true worshippers will worship the Father only as revealed by Christ (Jn. 4:23-24). However, as ultimate reality, God the Father is the only standard by which all truth or falsehood, light or darkness are measured in this world (Jn. 5:33; 8:31-32; 42-47).”4
“Jesus is both the messenger and the message of truth – No one but Jesus can reveal truth because only he has been personally sent into the world by God. His authority is rooted in his commission (Jn. 3:17; 4:34; 5:24, 30; 6:26; 8:25; 17;18; 20:21). But Jesus is more than a mere courier. By perfectly testifying to the Father, he also testifies to himself (Jn. 8:18), because he and his Father are one (Jn. 10:30). To know Jesus is to know the Father (Jn. 14:9). Consequently, Jesus can say that he, too, is the truth (Jn. 14:6). Of course this is commensurate with the prologue’s claim that the Logos is God (Jn. 1:1, 18). John presents Jesus as the final revelation of God; the one against whom all claims to meaning and reality are to be evaluated.”5
“Doing the truth – …truth is only apprehended through revelation. God’s sheep have been marked from eternity so that they always ‘hear his voice’ and come to him (Jn. 10:14, 27). …The disciples now worship the Father in Spirit and truth (Jn. 4:23-24). This does not direct disciples inwardly to examine motivations or sincerity; rather, it orients them outwardly, directing them to offer worship that is commensurate with who God truly is: The divine Spirit approached only through the incarnate Christ.”6
Jesus and His Father are one (Jn. 10:30), so everything He is, everything He says and does, is of the truth. To know Him, to know His teachings and to witness Him practice what He preaches is to know what truth is. He is of the eternal kingdom of God, and reveals it to those who seek His truth. What is He contrasting the truth to? The lie. The kingdom of this world is ruled by the Evil One, the Devil, and there is no truth in him. He is an accuser, a liar, and a murderer (Jn. 8:44). The earth has become subject to death and decay along with humanity ever since the first man, Adam, chose to rebel against God by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Yet because we have become separated from God who is the source of truth and life, we have become blinded of the truth. We may have an awareness of God, but we think He is like us, that His ways are like our ways (Is. 55:8-9; Ps. 50:21). When Jesus started His ministry on earth after being baptized by John the Baptist and by the Holy Spirit descending from on high, Jesus revealed the details of the kingdom of God with His very life, God in bodily form.
The Life
Jesus Christ is the author of natural, spiritual, and eternal life. Through Him all things were made (Jn. 1:3). When we commit our lives to Jesus as our Savior, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit who gives life, reviving us from spiritual death (Acts 2:38; 2 Cor. 3:6; Jn. 6:63). Because Jesus was God (the Son), and therefore sinless, He was able to be resurrected from death to eternal life (Acts 2:31-33; Heb. 5:9). Because of this gracious act of atonement, He is also the giver of eternal life to those who believe in Him (Jn. 11:25-26; 1 Jn. 5:11; Titus 3:4-7). Jesus is the life. All of humanity is now in a fallen state, dead in their trespasses and sins that separate them from the only source of life, God. If we refuse His free gift of salvation we will perish and the wrath of God will remain in us (Jn. 3:16; 1 Jn. 5:11). How dark do our lives have to get before we start searching for the light?
Jesus Was Fully God and Fully Human
Jesus is the God-Man, He is fully God and fully human, not part God and part human (Col. 2:9). How is it possible for Jesus to be both God and Man? He claims to be God, “before Abraham was, I AM” (Jn. 8:58); yet in Matt. 1:1 He is said to be the Son of Abraham. He is the Son of David (Matt. 1:1) yet He is also David’s Lord (Matt. 22:43-45). The incarnation of God becoming a man is a mystery to us, in fact it requires God to give us faith to believe it (Eph. 2:8), even though Jesus demonstrated this truth by doing only what God could do throughout His public ministry; and Scripture also testifies by all of the prophecies foretold about Him that only God could fulfill.7a
In the OT we see God revealing Himself from heaven towards earth (Gen. 18:1-2; Exod. 3:2; 23:20; Isaiah 6:1-5; Jn. 12:41; Is. 7:14; Mal. 3:1). “In all these manifestations we see God appearing, making Himself visible and revealing Himself as the redeeming, delivering, helping, and friendly God to the saints, until we come to God manifest in the flesh.”7b
We also see God revealing Himself from earth heavenwards, “for from the beginning of the history, God’s people were told that they were to be delivered through a man, the seed of the woman, one who belongs to Shem, the seed of Abraham, one of the tribe of Judah, the Son of David, the servant of God, the root of Jesse, growing up out of a dry ground. Now as they saw God coming down from heaven, and then saw man going up to heaven, how difficult must it have been for them to combine those two lines. When Jesus says “Salvation is of the Jews,” when the prophet Jonah says “Salvation is of Jehovah,” Jesus is the explanation and combination of the two things, for He who came out of Israel, out of this earth, was none other than the Only Begotten of the Father.”7b
Isaiah gives us remarkable Insight of this phenomenon of God becoming man:
Isaiah 9:6-7
“For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
Here is Lewis Sperry Chafer’s commentary on this verse:
“Incomparable titles are here ascribed to that unique Person who is never duplicated in heaven or on earth, who combines both humanity as a child born and Deity as a Son given. He is here said to be Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Father of eternity, and The Prince of Peace; yet this is that One – Jehovah – who, as declared above, shall sit on David’s throne. All that can be ascribed to Jehovah Elohim is ascribed directly to Christ, and therefore Christ is Jehovah.”8
Henry Morris makes this significant comment:
“Here, once again, we confront the mystery of the divine-human nature of Christ, the “hypo-static union,” as theologians have called it. Christ, as man, suffered and died, “more than any man” (Is. 52:14), but as God He could endure infinite and eternal punishment in a finite time and specific place, thus satisfying forever the righteousness of God and manifesting to perfection His redeeming love.”9
Jesus was human just like us in every way except for one – He was without sin (Jn. 15:10; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 2:22; 1 Jn. 3:5).
Jesus the Messiah
What does it mean that Jesus is the Messiah? The term “messiah” basically means someone who is set apart as sacred, to make holy, by anointing them with oil. When God called upon a prophet, priest or king to be set apart for His services, He would anoint them with oil. You could say that was God’s way of manifesting His touch or impartation of Himself (power, wisdom, discernment) in a tangible way, therefore making it sanctified.
In the N.T. the word Messiah is translated Christ. (Matt. 1:16; Lk. 2:11). Jesus was not “a” messiah, but “The Messiah,” a proper name, who is referred to in Daniel 9:25-26.
| “Jesus of Nazareth was not anointed with the anointing oil which was typically used for the priests of the Levitical priesthood.1 Rather, he was anointed with the Holy Spirit, “the oil of gladness.” In Psa. 45:6–7, it is written, 6 O’ God, Your throne is forever and ever; the scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of righteousness. 7 You loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore O’ God, Your God anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions. This event was documented in all four of the gospels.2 In addition, in Acts 10:38, it is written, 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. KJV, 1769 …It is certainly true that Christians are also anointed by God the Father with the Holy Spirit who dwells in them.4 The difference is that the Lord Jesus Christ does not possess the Holy Spirit “from a measure.”5 The Greek word μέτρου, the genitive declension of the noun μέτρον, means a measuring instrument. God the Father did not restrict the quantity of the Holy Spirit given to His Son. Rather, “all the fullness of deity” dwells in the Lord Jesus Christ.6 Footnotes 1 cp. Exo. 29:7 2 Matt. 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22; John 1:32–3; also, Luke 4:18 cp. Isa. 61:1 4 1 John 2:27 5 John 3:34: «ἐκ μέτρου» 6 Col. 1:19, 2:9 When was Jesus anointed and who did the anointing? https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/54988/when-was-jesus-anointed-and-who -did-the-anointing |
The N.T. reveals that the Jews were expecting the Messiah (Jn. 1:41; Matt. 4:25). But they thought He was to be a political and military leader to give them victory over their enemies. They did not understand that He was the Lamb of God who came to deliver them from their sinful nature. Our fallen nature has blinded us to perceive that this world is a kingdom temporarily ruled by Satan. Jesus came to reveal His kingdom, which is spiritual. (So at the time Jesus walked the earth, He was in visible form revealing His invisible kingdom. Satan is invisible, but his kingdom, this world, is visible.) They could not comprehend Is. 52:13-53:12, which reveals that the Messiah was to be a suffering servant, a crucified deliverer (1 Cor. 1:23).
How could the O.T. Messianic prophecies be fulfilled by anyone other than God? “There are hundreds of prophecies, so that the possibility of their accidental convergence on any ordinary man is completely ruled out by the laws of probability. Some of the prophecies are so framed, in fact, as to preclude their fulfillment by anyone living after the first century A.D. For example, the patriarch Jacob said, in Genesis 49:10, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come.” The name “Shiloh” is a title of the Messiah, and the prophecy states that Judah’s tribe would remain the chief tribe in Israel, in particular providing their kings, until Messiah would come. The prophecy must have been fulfilled prior to the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem in A.D. 70, by which time certainly all semblance of a scepter had departed from Judah.”10
“As the Messiah, Jesus is divinely appointed king who brought God’s kingdom to earth (Matt. 12:28, Lk. 11:20). His way to victory was not by physical force and violence, but through love, humility, and service.”11
See Jesus as Messiah by T.D. Alexander https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/jesus-as-messiah/
The Word Of God
As the Word of God, Jesus makes the father known.
John 1:1-2 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.”
“The Word is God’s self-expression in creation, revelation, and salvation. The Word is the message and person of God, making manifest his love for the world and shining his light in the darkness. …It is Jesus the Word who speaks on behalf of God. Jesus is the very voice of God; his statements and actions are entirely God’s. Everything God has ever said, is saying, and will say is made manifest in Jesus the Word.”12
Think about how amazing this is. God is the only living God, and He reveals Himself to mankind through His Son in word and deeds. He is not distant, unapproachable or unknowable like other gods who are the invention of man. He wants us to know Him personally, intimately. This is natural, for think of how little children desire their parent’s attention constantly. It shouldn’t be any different with our relationship with God, knowing how much He loves us (Jn. 17:3).
I AM
Jesus claims to be God by using the expression “I AM” For Himself. “Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM’” (John 8:58).
“I AM” is God’s way of saying He is eternal and pre-existent. He made this revelation about Himself to the Jews in Exod. 3:14. By saying “I am who I am” (the LXX translates it “I am the one who is”), is for Him to say “God is,” and that His nature is unique and divine.
“Yet Jesus is not simply using a familiar divine name for himself. His statement would not have been heard as “I am Yahweh.” Rather, as the “I Am” statements especially in Ch. 8 reveal, Jesus claims to share in God’s eternal existence. He has life in Himself (5:26), and the power to lay down His life and take it again (10:17-18). He also has the power to give life to those who keep His word (8:1; 17:2), thus exercising the unique life-giving prerogative of God.”13
Only God Can Reveal God
If Jesus was fulfilling prophecy and doing what only God could do, then He must be God. How would it have been possible for a mere man to have made known God unless He revealed Himself to him and empowered him with His power? What would be the purpose to use a mere man to reveal Himself if he was in sin and therefore unable to atone for our sins? (Moses had a gifted relationship with God, but was he able to change the rebellious nature of the Israelites (Num. 21)?) He would not have been able to be resurrected to heaven, and therefore He would not be able to send us the Holy Spirit who resurrects us from spiritual death to life, and empower us to be His witnesses.
Jesus told the Pharisees who opposed Him and refused to believe in Him, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him”(Jn. 8:28-29). (And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”(Jn. 3:14-15).) (Notice that Jesus says “I do nothing of Myself.” God the Son chooses not to step outside of His Sonship in disobedience to His Father God, unlike Satan who acted in disobedience and rebellion against his Maker. He demonstrated how we, as children of God, should submit to God in the same way through His Spirit.)
When the Jews crucify Jesus, then His true identity will be revealed. “‘Then you will know that I am’(Jn. 8:28). That the understanding occurs ‘then’ is significant; the Son is revealed at the cross. While the world intends the cross to be the world’s final word about Jesus, in reality it will be God’s final word about Jesus, the coronation of Jesus as the divine authority and Judge. Yet further, this coronation will declare Him Savior of the world (Jn. 4:42).”14
Designations Attributed To Christ
There are certain designations attributed to Christ:
As the Servant of God, He would be humble and submissive to the point of accepting the sin of the world by dying in our place in order to set us free from death and the wrath of God.
“It is apparent that while on the one hand the servant metaphor describes the nation collectively, on the other it describes a leader who is distinguished from the nation but commissioned to turn the nation back to God (Isa. 49:5), and not only Israel, but to bring salvation to the nations of the whole earth (Isa. 49:6). Though collectively Israel had failed as Yahweh’s servant, the individual servant would never fail (Isa.42:1-7). Though despised and abhorred, he would be honored by the nations (Isa.49:7). Though collectively Israel had been rebellious and stubborn, the coming Servant would be attentive and obedient, even to the point of terrible suffering (Isa. 50:4-9). He would be mistreated and rejected, but in his passion he would vicariously bear the sins of the nation even unto death (Isa. 52:13—53:12).”15
Many Jews failed to understand that the Messiah had to come as the suffering Servant who laid down His life for the sin of mankind which is why they did not understand Jesus and His teaching of the reign of the kingdom of God on the earth.
As the Son of David, He is the expected anointed (Messiah) king, a descendant from David, who was to be their Deliverer, to rule in an everlasting kingdom (2 Sam. 7:12-17; Jer. 33:14-17). He not only is the physical son of David, but spiritually He is David’s Lord (Mk. 12:35-37; Rev. 22:16).
As the Son of God, He is referring Himself to Psalm 2:7 where God Makes reference to His Son, the future Messianic ruler (Ps. 2:2). By making references to God as His Father, he was declaring His divinity (Jn. 5:17; 10:30; 14:10-11; Matt. 11:27).
As the Son of Man, Daniel 7:13-14 describes Him to be clothed by God with heavenly glory, exercising God’s rule on the earth. In this sense Jesus was using this term as being the Messiah. It also refers to the humanity of Jesus, He was sent from God and born of a woman. It was His humanity that enabled Him to be a sacrifice for sin in our place (being human ourselves), it was His deity that enabled Him to be the sacrifice, because it had to be spotless (sinless); and because He was sinless (God), the grave could not hold Him, He was resurrected to the authoritative right hand of the father.
As the Lord Jesus Christ – “Essential truth relative to the Person of the Redeemer is revealed in this, His complete and official title.
The name Lord, being none other than Jehovah, declares His Deity.
The name Jesus belongs to His humanity and the way of salvation through His redeeming sacrifice – ‘A body hast thou prepared me.’
The title Christ, though used as general identification of the Second Person, in its technical implication means all that is anticipated in the OT – Prophet, Priest, and King.”16
“The divine name Yahweh is usually translated “LORD” in English versions of the Bible, because it became a practice in late OT Judaism not to pronounce the sacred name YHWH, but to say instead “my Lord”(Adonai) – a practice still used today in the synagogue. When the vowels of Adonai were attached to the consonants YHWH in the medieval period, the word Jehovah resulted.”17
To address someone as Lord in general terms is to acknowledge a master, someone in an authoritative position; or out of respect, someone who is superior. It is God, “The alpha and Omega, who is and who was and who is to come” (Rev. 1:8; 22:13), and the Creator of all things, who is the One who has supreme authority.
“After the resurrection, the title “Lord,” as applied to Jesus, became much more than a title of honor or respect. Saying, “Jesus is Lord,” became a way of declaring Jesus’ deity. It began with Thomas’ exclamation when Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection: “Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:28).18
“Christ must be our Lord in reality as well as in name. This means that we are His servants and that we obey His commandments. Similarly, He is our Master (literally ‘teacher’) and we are His disciples (literally ‘learners’), so that we also believe His words. Thus, the doctrine of His Lordship involves our acceptance of His absolute authority, both in belief and in practice.”19
By confessing Jesus Christ as Lord (Philip. 2:11; Rom. 10:9), you are personally declaring:
- You have repented of your fallen nature to be self-sufficient which resulted in separation from God (death)
- You have been forgiven, justified, and made righteous in Christ
- You have been spiritually resurrected into eternal life by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit
- You recognize Him as Lord of your life and all of creation, worthy of all glory, honor, and praise
John 13:13 “You call me Teacher (Master KJV) and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.”
Acts 2:36 “God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
His Offices
Jesus holds the office of several significant positions, including Prophet, Priest, King, and Shepherd.
“The Lord is called Messiah, Anointed, because He is the true, perfect, and all-sufficient Prophet, Priest, and King. In this threefold office Christ is the only mediator between God and man; in this threefold office He brings light, love, and life to our hearts. These three offices comprise His mediatorial work. They are inseparably connected one with another, and they all culminate in the Cross. The basis of His Messiahship is His Sonship. He is the Christ, because He is the Son of the living God. He is Prophet, Revealer of the Father, true and faithful Witness, because from all eternity He was in the bosom of the Father. We ‘hear Him,’ because, He is God’s ‘beloved Son.’ He is the true and only High Priest, because the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth from all sin. He is the King, because He who said unto Him, ‘Thou art My Son, today have I begotten Thee,’ appointed Him King on His holy Mount Zion and heir of all things.”20
A Prophet is a person chosen by God to communicate His message to man.
A Priest is a person whose responsibility is to present man to God. Christ is our mediator and represents both of these offices.
Prophet – “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, 16 according to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’ 17 “And the Lord said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good. 18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him” (Deut. 18:15-18).
“We are accustomed to regard Christ as the Prophet, because He taught on earth, and is now instructing the Church through His Spirit. But Christ is the Prophet, chiefly through the cross. If He had not died as the Sin-bearer, all previous Prophets would have uttered predictions, raised expectations and hopes, which never came true, which remained shadows without substance, words without reality.
…It is there, that the name of God is declared perfectly, that the glory of the Lord is revealed, that depths of Divine love and mercy, holiness and truth, wisdom and power are manifested, which angels had never known before. It is on the cross that Jesus is The Prophet.”
…The Spirit of Christ was in all the Prophets, and testified beforehand of His sufferings, and the glory that should follow: so that we may say, Christ is the Prophet in all Prophets. But he Himself, by His death and resurrection, is that final, all-sufficient Revealer of the Father, and of the Divine purposes, whom we are to hear and obey.”21
Priest – “In the Epistle to the Hebrews the priest is the person through whom and through whose ministry people draw near to God, through which they are ‘sanctified,’ i.e., made a people of God and enabled to worship. …Men are presented as sinful people, and without mediation of some kind they cannot draw near to God at all.
Through Christ as the Mediator between God and man, man’s sin is effectually removed and the way into the Holiest is opened for all. The system of the O.T. priesthood and the priests’ sacrifices were indeed of God, but that system was not the true and final one, for the simple reason that the priesthood was imperfect.”22
“He is our great High Priest who offered Himself on the cross, as one sacrifice for sins forever, and all priesthood and sacrifice are fulfilled in in him.”23
Heb. 2:17 “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”
Heb. 4:14-16 “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
“But it was on the cross that He offered Himself as a sacrifice unto God. There, he was Priest, Altar, and Sacrifice; Sin-offering, and burnt-offering.”24
“The functions of priesthood may thus be summed up as approaching God for man, offering to God for man, and interceding with God for man.”25
King – The Gospel of Matthew puts emphasis on Jesus as the Messiah, the promised King and ruler of Israel who was of the lineage of King David. Here are some O.T. passages that reveal the kingly office of the Messiah: 2 Sam. 7:13-14; Ps. 72; 89;2; Is. 9:6-7; Jer. 23:5; Zech. 9:9; 14:9.
“The prophets made it clear that God’s promises would be fulfilled by a new king, a descendant of David. He would establish God’s rule and introduce a new age in which the evil effects of the fall are undone. The miracles of Jesus point to the fact that he is that king. They are signs of the new creation he has come to establish. When Jesus heals a demon-possessed man, who is also blind and mute, an astonished crowd asks, could this be the son of David?’”26
Jesus made it clear that His kingdom is not of this world (Jn. 18:36). He describes the ways of His kingdom in Matthew chapters 5-7. In fact, the whole emphasis of the Bible is that Jesus in the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 17:14; 19:16; 1 Tim. 6:15). He came to reveal His kingdom and beckon us to return to having devoted submission to Him of having rulership over our lives.
For more details on the expectant Davidic King see The Messianic Hope by Daniel J. Lewis, Pgs. 11-13, http://troychapel.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/21-Messianic-Hope.pdf
Shepherd – “After the destruction of all the institutions upon which Judah depended—kingship, temple and land—God would search out his scattered sheep as the Good Shepherd (Eze. 34:11-15). He would bind up the wounded and strengthen the weak, shepherding the flock with justice (Eze. 34:16, 22).”27
A shepherd’s responsibility is to watch over and care for his flock. Jesus is referred to as the Great Shepherd who watches over His flock, the church and protects them from all harm. In fact, Jesus has ultimately protected us from entering the gates of hell by laying down His life for us. That is what makes Him the True shepherd (Jn. 10:2, 11-16; 1 Pet. 2:25). Psalm 23 describes the loving details of our Great Shepherd’s involvement in our lives.
Who Is Jesus Christ?
Philippians 2:6-11 “…who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
In Luke 9:18-20 Jesus asks the disciples two important questions, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” and “But who do you say that I am?”
“Peter’s Great Confession (Lk. 9:7-9, 18-22) Herod, who had heard of Jesus’ public ministry and was fascinated to the point of trying to see him, posed the same question as everyone else, “Who is this?” (9:9). Finally the question that has been hinted at in virtually every story recounted so far is directly put forward by Jesus to his disciples. “Who do the crowds say I am?” and of course even more important, “But what about you, who do you say I am?” Demons recognized Jesus immediately, but the crowds still speculated that Jesus might be an ancient prophet or even John the Baptist, none of which were strictly messianic identifications. This lack of perception, of course, was augmented by Jesus’ persistent refusal to sensationalize his ministry. Peter, as a spokesman for the group, responded with the great confession, “[You are] the Messiah of God!” It is obvious that Luke invites his readers to concur. At the same time, it is extremely significant that Jesus, once the correct answer had been given, immediately began to distance himself from the more popular concepts of messiahship.92 Once the confession was made, he directed the disciples toward the nature and character of his messiahship which would climax with suffering, rejection, death and resurrection.
92. A variety of messiance pretenders had come and gone in the decades previous to Jesus, most of them political and materialistic in outlook. While there is certainly continuity between the messianic ideals of the OT and Jewish thought, it is also fair to say that Jesus shattered almost every popular messianic expectation in his renunciation of power, and particularly, in his suffering and death, cf. R. Klein, “Aspects of Intertestamental Messianism,” The Bible in Its Literary Milieu, ed. J. Maier and V. Tollers (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979) 191-203.”28
“What we think of Him determines what we do and who we are. The ideas we hold about industry, wealth, government, morals and religion mold society and alter lives. Therefore, what we think of Christ today influences our lives and thoughts more than anything else.”29
Many people today are not familiar with the details of who Jesus is and why He came, and especially the meaning of Him being the Messiah. This is mostly due to ignorance from never being taught about it. The world system has no interest in making these truths known, and would prefer to eliminate the true knowledge of God from the face of the earth, as testified by the many stories of martyrdom throughout the centuries. But they seem to be able to tolerate the numerous variations of the Gospel that fall short of the truth or the full story though, as represented by the many different religious organizations and ministries.
What do you know about Jesus, who is He and why does it matter?
“We must believe that Jesus is God or that He’s an impostor. ‘You are Christ, the Son of the living God’ exclaimed the impulsive, fervent Peter (Matt. 16:16). His response revealed that he grasped Christ as the Messiah – the fulfillment of the prophecies of the old Hebrew prophets. This confession was great because it exalted Christ as the Son of God; it lifted Him above humanity and crowned Him with deity. From then on, Jesus revealed to His handful of disciples new truths about His teachings.”30
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Notes
1. www.biblehub.com/commentaries/john/14-6.htm
2. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Editors: Joel B. Green, Scot McKnight, I. Howard Marshall, 1992 Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship of the U.S.A., pg. 860
3. Ibid., pg. 861
4. Ibid., pg. 861
5. Ibid., pg. 861
6. Ibid., pg. 861-862
7. a) 351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ http://www.newtestamentchristians.com/bible-study-resources/351-old-testament-prophecies-fulfilled-in-jesus-christ/
b) Divine Unity of Scripture by Adolph Saphir, Pg. 294, https://archive.org/details/divineunityofscr00saph/page/294/mode/1up
8. Systematic Theology by Lewis Sperry Chafer, Vol.5, Pg. 29
9. The Bible Has the Answer by Henry M. Morris, 1971 Baker Book House, Pg. 43
10. Ibid., Pg. 29
11. Nelson’s New Illustrated Dictionary, 1995, 1986 by Tomas Nelson Publishers, Pg. 827
12. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, John, Pg. 120
13. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Editors: Joel B. Green, Scot McKnight, I. Howard Marshall, 1992 Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship of the U.S.A., Pg. 377
14. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, John, Pg. 412-413
15. The Messianic Hope by Daniel J. Lewis, Copyright 2001 by Diakonos, Pg. 14 http://troychapel.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/21-Messianic-Hope.pdf
16. Systematic Theology by Lewis Sperry Chafer 1948, 1976 Kregel Publications, Vol. 1, Pg. 337-338
17. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1995, 1986 by Tomas Nelson Publishers, Pg. 503
18. What Does it Mean That Jesus is Lord? https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-is-Lord.html
19. The Bible Has the Answer by Henry M. Morris, 1971 Baker Book House, Pg. 58
20. Christ Crucified by Adolph Saphir https://archive.org/details/christcrucified00saphgoog/page/n35/mode/2up
21. Christ Crucified by Adolph Saphir, https://archive.org/details/christcrucified00saphgoog/page/n37/mode/2up
22. The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament, Spiros Sodhiates, Th.D., 1992, 1993 AMG International, Inc., Pg. 264
23. Understanding the Bible by John Stott, 2001 Baker Books, Pgs. 14-15
24. Christ Crucified by Adolph Saphir, https://archive.org/details/christcrucified00saphgoog/page/n37/mode/2up
25. The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament, Spiros Sodhiates, Th.D., 1992, 1993 AMG International, Inc., Pg. 760
26. God’s Big Picture by Vaughan Roberts, 2002 Inter Varsity Press, Pg. 113
27. The Messianic Hope by Daniel J. Lewis, Pg. 13, http://troychapel.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/21-Messianic-Hope.pdf
28. The Gospel According to Luke by Daniel J. Lewis Pg. 33 http://troychapel.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/27-Luke.pdf
29. What Jesus is All About by Dr. Henrietta C. Mears, 2004 Pg. 49
30. Ibid., Pg. 50