Outline
The Doctrine of Christ may indicate both a study of his person and his work. The doctrine e of person of Christ is crucial to the Christian faith. It is basic to soteriology, for if our Lord was not what he claimed to be, then his atonement was deficient, and insufficient, payment for sin.
I. THE PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST
A. OLD TESTAMENT PROPHESY
Prophecies concerning Christ, the coming messiah, are given in great number in the OT. These prophecies are often detailed and precise.
1. By Isaiah the prophet.
Isa 7:14; 9:6, 7.
2. By Micah the prophet. Micah 5:2
B. NEW TESTAMENT PROPHECY
1. To Zacharias – Lk 1:17,76
2. To Mary- Luke 1:31,35
3. To Joseph – Matt 1:20,21
4. To Elizabeth- Lk 1:42
5. To the Shepherds- Lk 2:10-12
6. To the Wise men- Matt 2:1,2
7. To Simeon – Lk 2:25-32
8. To Anna – Lk 2:38.
C. PROPHECIES THAT HE WOULD BE MALE, NOT FEMALE
Although Gen 3:15 refers to his death rather than his birth, the assumption is that the person referred to is male. This is relevant today in the light of an extremist feminist point of view. Some feminist resent the facts that God is father (not mother) and that Messiah is man (not woman). The Bible, however, is unequivocal: the Messiah is God. Cf. Isa 7:14; 9:6; 53:2.
D. PROPHECIES THAT HE WOULD HAVE NO EARTHLY FATHER.
Isa 7:14- the Hebrew almah may mean virgin, or young woman.
Some liberal scholars have seized upon the latter interpretation and wanted to say that the mother of Jesus needed not have been a virgin (cf Isa 7:14, RSV). Almah however always was understood to be a virgin; in those days, a young woman was a virgin.
When the LXX (Septuagint the Greek translation of the OT) translated almah in Isa 7:14 they used the Greek word that could only be translated ‘virgin’ (parthenos). This shows how the ancient rabbis understood almah. It did not cross their minds to any other word. Note: the LXX was in existence many years before Jesus was born. Thus when Matt 1:23 was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the LXX translation was used.
Matthew and Luke both make the explicit point that Mary was a virgin. (Matt 1:18;). Lk 1:34
II. THE PRE EXISTENCE OF JESUS CHRIST.
The scriptures clearly and distinctly teach that, as the second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ existed before his incarnation (Jn 1:1-5,8:58, 17:5,24; Col 1:13-17 Heb1:2). The nature of this preexistence was twofold, that is, as to God and as to creation. As to God Jesus Christ was “the only begotten of the Father” being begotten not in time, but in eternity. Theologically this truth is called “the eternal generation of the Son.”
As to creation, Jesus Christ is “the first born” (Rom 8:29,Col 1:15,18). In Colossian 1:15 Jesus declared to be “the first born of every creature” (of all creation ASV) and V.18 he is declared to be the first born from the dead. These then are the two relations in which he is first born-creation and resurrection. As applied to Christ, believers cannot share the title “ only begotten” but by spiritual son ship and resurrection, we share with him his title of “first born” (Gal 4:6;Heb 12:23). In the latter passage the Greek, was “first born” is in the plural (Rev.3: 14).
The Old Testament Appearing’s.
There are three pictures of the preexistent Christ as striking and beautiful as to deserve special attention and emphasis.
1. Slain Lamb.
This is a picture of the Passover lamb (Ex.12). John the Baptist identified Christ as the sacrificial lamb (Jn 1:29,1Cor 5:7). John the seer on Patmos had a vision of our Lord as the bleeding lamb (Rev. 12:11) slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8).
2. Obedient Servant.
This is the picture of Christ portrayed in Psalm 40:6-8(see Heb 10:5-10). Undoubtedly primary reference of these passages is to Exodus 21:2-6, where we read of the Hebrew bond slave who, unwilling to claim rightful liberty because of his love for his master, wife, and children, submitted to having his ear bored with an awl as the seal of voluntarily and perpetual service. In Psalm 40:6 the word opened means “digged” or “bored”- a reference to Exodus 21:6. This picture our lord is fulfilled in the gospel of mark, which represents him as the servant of Jehovah.
3. The beloved son
This is the picture presented in 2Sam 7:14-16,Psalm 2:7,89:26-29.at the baptism of Jesus, the Father identified him as the well -beloved son (Matt 3:17;Mk1: 11;Lk3; 22). This was repeated at the transfiguration (Matt 17:5,Mk 9:7 Isa 42:1).
III. THE INCARNATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
1. The meaning of the Incarnation.
The word incarnation means “in flesh” and denotes the act whereby the eternal Son of God took to himself an additional nature, humanity, through the virgin birth. The result is that Christ remains forever unblemished deity, which he has had from eternity past, but he also possesses true, sinless humanity in one person for ever (cf. Jn 1:14;phil 2:7-8, 1Tim 3:6).
2. Explanation of the Incarnation
Genealogies: There are two genealogies that describe the incarnation of Christ: Matt 1:1-16&Lk 3:23-38. There is considerable discussion and controversy concerning the relationship of this two genealogies. One thing is noteworthy: both genealogies trace Jesus to David (Matt 1:1; Lk 3:31) and thereby emphasize his rightful claim as heir to the throne of David (cf Lk 1:32-33).
3. Virgin birth
The virgin birth was the means whereby the incarnation took place and guaranteed the sinlessness of the Son of God. For this reason the virgin birth was essential. Isa 7:14 predicted the virgin birth and Matt 1:23 provides the commentary, indicating its birth of Christ. Matt 1:23 identifies Mary as a “virgin”(Gk parthenos, clearly denoting a virgin: Heb- alma a word always used of virgins of marriageable age). The texts of Matt and Luke are both clear on the teaching of the virgin birth. Matt 1:18 emphasizes Mary was pregnant before she and Joseph lived together, moreover, the same verse indicates her pregnancy was due to the Holy Spirit. Matt 1:22-23, stresses that the birth of Christ was in fulfillment of the Prophecy of the virgin birth in Isa 7:14. Matt 1:25 emphasizes that Mary remains a virgin until the birth of Christ. Lk 1:34 states that Mary had not had contact with a man, while in Lk 1:35 the angel explains to Mary that her pregnancy was due to the over shadowing of the Holy Spirit. The virgin birth is essential (and Biblical) doctrine; it is necessary if Christ was to be sinless. If had been born of Joseph he would have possessed the sin nature.
4. The purpose of the incarnation
a. To reveal God to us
Though God reveals himself in various ways including the magnificence of nature around us, only the incarnation revealed the essence of God, though veiled (Jn 1:18,14:7-11).
b. To provide an example for our lives
The earthly life of our Lord is held up to us as a pattern for our living today [1 Pet 2:21,1Jn 2:6] without the incarnation we would not have that example. As man he experienced the vicissitudes of life and furnishes for us an experienced example, as God he offers us the power to follow his example.
c. To provide an effective sacrifice for sin
Without the incarnation, we would have no savior. Sin requires death for its payment. God does not die. So, the savior must be human in order to be able to die. But the death of an ordinary man would not pay for sin eternally, so the savior must also be God. We must have a God –Man savior (Heb 10:1-10).
d. To destroy the works of the devil [1Jn 3:8]
Notice that this was done by Christ’s appearing. The focus is on his coming, not on his resurrection as might be expected. Why was the incarnation necessary to defeat Satan? Because Satan must be defeated in the arena he dominates, this world. So, Christ was sent into this world to destroy Satan’s works.
IV. THE NAMES OF JESUS CHRIST
1. Jesus
The name Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew Jehoshua, Joshua, Josh 1:1;Zech 3:1,or Joshua [regular form in the postexilic historical books], Ezra 2:2. The generally accepted opinion is that it is derived from the root yasha, to save.
2. Christ
If Jesus is the personal, Christ is the official, name of the Messiah. It is the equivalent of the Old Testament Messiah (from mashach, to anoint)
3. Son of Man
On the Old Testament this name is found in Ps.8: 4;Dan 7:13,and frequently in the prophecy of Ezekiel. It is also found in the Apocrypha, Enoch 46, 62, and II Esdras 13. It was the most common self-designation of Jesus. He applied the name to himself on more than forty occasions, while others all but refrained from employing it.
4. LORD. (KURIOS)
In Christ’s debate with the Pharisees, he demonstrated that Messiah was greater than simply a descendant of David. He reminded them that David himself called Messiah my Lord (Matt 22:44). In Romans 10:9,13 Paul refers to Jesus as Lord.
5. Son of God
Jesus claimed to be the Son of God on a number of occasions (cf Jn5: 25). This name for Christ is frequently misunderstood; some suggests it means the son is inferior to the Father. The Jews, however, understood the claim Christ was making; but saying he was the Son of God, the Jews said He was making Himself equal with God (Jn 5:19).
6. Lord and God
Jesus is called Yahweh in the NT, a clear indication of his full deity. (Lk 1:76;Mal 3:1;Rom 10: 13; Joel 2:32) he is also called King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev 19:16).
V. THE PERSON OF CHRIST
A. DIFFERENT VIEWS OF THE PERSON OF CHRIST
1. False views
Ebionism. Ebionism was the denial of the divine nature of Christ. It held our Lord to be merely man, whether naturally or supernaturally conceived.
Docetism. The term comes from a Greek word signifying “ to seem or appear.” This error flourished from the last part of the first to the latter part of the second century. It denied the humanity of Christ and was attacked by the apostle John in his first Epistle 4:1-3. In denying the reality of the Christ’s body, Docetism showed its connection with Gnosticism and Manicheans. Docetism was simply pagan philosophy introduced into the church.
Arianism. Arius, a presbyter of the church of Alexandria in Egypt in the fourth century, denied the deity of Christ and also his eternal generation from the father. This heresy was condemned at the counsel of Nicea, A.D. 325. This view originated in misinterpretation of the scriptural accounts of Christ’s state of humiliation, and in mistaking temporary subordination for original and permanent inequality.
Apollinarianism. Apollinarius, bishop of the church of Laodicea in the fourth century, denied the completeness of our Lord’s human nature. Accepting the threefold division of man’s nature as body, soul, and spirit, they denied to Christ as human soul, replacing it with the divine logos. In this way, he made Jesus only two parts human. He regarded the human soul as the seat of sin; Christ was sinless, therefore Christ could not have possessed a human soul. This heresy was condemned the council of Constantine noble, A.D. 381.
Nestorianism. notorious, bishop of the church at Constantine noble in the fourth century, denied the unique personality of Christ separating and erecting the two natures into distinct persons. Thus, he made our Lord two persons instead of one.
Eutychians. they went to the opposite extreme and said both natures (the human and the divine) mingled to make up a third and totally different nature from the original two natures.
2. The True View
The orthodox interpretation: promulgated at the council of chalcedon, A.D 451, this hold that in the one person, Jesus Christ, there are two natures, a human and a divine, each with completeness and integrity. These two natures are originally and indissolubly united, yet so that no third nature is formed thereby. In brief, the orthodox doctrine forbids us either to divide the person or to confound the natures. (A.H. Strong, systematic theology, p.673).
B. HUMANITY OF JESUS CHRIST
1. MEANING OF CHRIST HUMANITY
The doctrine of the humanity of Christ is equally important as the doctrine of the deity of Christ. Jesus had to be a man if he was to represent fallen humanity. First john was written to dispel the doctrinal error that denies the true humanity of Christ (cf 1 Jn 4:2). If Jesus was not a real man, then the death on the cross was an illusion; he had to be a real man to die for humanity. The scriptures teach the true humanity of Jesus. However, they also show that he did not possess man’s sinful, fallen nature (1 John 3:5).
2. HE WAS A VIRGIN BORN (see virgin birth notes)
3. HE HAD A TRUE BODY OF FLESH AND BLOOD
The body of Jesus “was like the bodies of other men except for those qualities which have resulted from human sin and failure”. Luke1-2 describes Mary’s pregnancy and her giving birth to the child Jesus, affirming the savior’s true humanity. Jesus was not a phantom as a docetic taught. Later in life, he was recognizable as a Jew (John 4:9) and as a carpenter who had brothers and sisters (Matt 13:55). Ultimately, he suffered greatly in his human body: he experienced the pain of the scourging (Jon 19:1), the horror of crucifixion (John 19:18), and on the cross he thirsted as a man (Jn 19:28) . These elements emphasize his true humanity.
4. HE HAD NORMAL DEVELOPMENT
Luke 2:52 describe Jesus’ development in four areas: mental, physical, spiritual, and social. He continued to develop in his knowledge of things; he grew in his physical body; he developed in his spiritual awareness; he developed in his social relationships. His development in these four areas was perfect; at each stage, he was perfect for that stage.
5. HE HAD HUMAN SOUL AND SPIRIT
Jesus was a complete human being, having a body, soul, and spirit. Prior to the cross, Jesus was troubled in his soul at tthe3 anticipation of the cross (Jn 12:27). At the prospect of his impending crucifixion, Jesus was troubled in his human spirit (Jn 13:21); when he ultimately died, he gave up his spirit (Jn 19:30).
5. HE HAD THE CHARACTERISTIC OF A HUMAN BEING
When Jesus had fasted in the wilderness, he became hungry (Matt. 4:2); when he and the disciple walked through Samaria, he became tired and stopped at the well to rest. (Jn 4:6); he was thirsty from the day’s journey in the heat (Jn 4:7). Jesus also experienced human emotions: He wept over the death of his friend Lazarus (Jn 11: 34-35); he felt compassion for the people because they were without capable leaders (Matt 9:36); he experienced grief and wept over the city of Jerusalem (Matt 23: 37; Lk 19:41).
C. THE DEITY OF CHRIST.
Many in our day deny the deity of Christ, knowing that in doing so they are undermining the central aspect of Christianity because they have removed from it the divine savior. Popularly, opponents of his deity assert that Jesus of Nazareth never claimed to be God. It was his followers, they, say, who made that claim for him, and, of course, they were mistaken. This is simply not so, for he did claim to be God, as well shall see.
1. HIS ASSERTIONS
Jesus of Nazareth claimed equality with God when he said that he and the father were one (Jn 5:18; 10:30). Those who heard him make this statement understood the force of such a claim, for they accused him of blasphemy. If he were only claiming to be some kind of superman, they would not have bothered with the blasphemy charge. When Christ stood before the high priest, he gave a clear affirmative answer to the question whether he was the Christ (Mtt 26:63-64). And his reply was given under oath. In both john 5:18 and Matthew 26:64 the phrase “son of God” is used, which some claim means something less than deity in order to avoid the conclusion that Christ claimed to be God. This is not so.
Not only did Jesus make the claim to be equal with God for himself, but the writers of the NT did the same. See Jn 1:1; 20:28;Rom 9:5;Phil 2:6;Tit 2:13.
2. HIS WORKS
Further, more, Jesus of Nazareth claim to do certain things which only God can do. In a classic confrontation with the scribes, the Lord demonstrated he had the power not forgive the sins by healing a man sick of the palsy. The scribes considered this claim to be blasphemy because they recognized that only God can forgive sins. The miracle of healing was done in order to validate Christ’s claim to be able to forgive sins (Mk 2:1-12). See also (Jn 5:27; 15:26; 5:25; 1:3;Colo 1:16; 1:17; Heb 1:3;Acts 17:31).
3. HIS CHARACTERISTICS
Jesus of Nazareth possessed characteristics, which only God has. He claimed to be all powerful (Mat 28:18); he displayed knowledge that could only have come from his being omniscient (Mk 2:8;Jn 1:48); he made a promise which we often quote that depends on his being present everywhere (Matt 18:20; cf Eph 1:23).
4. HIS ASCRIPTION
Others ascribed to the Lord the prerogatives of deity in substantiation of his own claims. He was worshiped by men and angels (Matt 14:33; Phil 2:10; Heb 1:6). His name is coupled with other members of the Trinity in a relationship of equality (Matt 28:19; 2Cor 13; 14).
5. HE POSSESSES THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
Among these attributes are life, self-existence, immutability, truth, love, holiness, eternity, omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence. All these attributes are ascribed to Christ in connection which shows that the terms are used in no secondary sense, nor in any sense predicably of a creature (see Prov 8:23;Matt 9:4; 27:18; 28:20; Lk 1:35;Jn 1:1; 4; 2:24,25; 5:26; 6:69;Eph 1:23; Col 1:17; 2:23; Heb 1:11; 7:16; 1Jn 3:16; Rev 1:8; 3:7).
6. HIS NAME
His name is associated with that of God upon a footing of equality. We refer to the baptism formula (Matt28: 19), to the apostolic benediction (2Cor 13:14), and to those passages in which eternal life is said to be dependent equally upon Christ and upon God, or in which spiritual gifts are attributed to Christ equally with the father (Matt 11:27; Jn 5; 23; Rom 10 10:17; 1Cor 12: 4-6; Col 3:1).
Remember that in each of these evidences for the deity of Christ, the proofs have been cited from two sources- the claim which the Lord himself made as taken from his own words, and the claims which others made of him in NT books other than the gospels.
D. THE DOCTRINE OF TWO NATURES IN ONE PERSON
1. EXPLANATION OF HYPOSTATIC UNION / TWO NATURES
The two natures of Christ are inseparably united without mixture or loss of separate identity. He remains forever the God-man, fully God and fully man, two distinct natures in one person forever. “Though Christ sometimes operated in the sphere of his humanity and in other cases in the sphere of his deity, in all cases what he did and what he was could be attributed to his one person. Even though it is evident that there were two natures in Christ, he is never considered a dual personality. In summarizing the hypostatic union, three facts are noted: a) Christ has two distinct natures: humanity and deity; b) there is no mixture or intermingling of the two natures; c) although he has two natures, Christ is one person.
Millard Erickson writes: the union of two natures meant that they did not function independently. Jesus did not exercise his deity at times and his humanity at other times. His action was always those of divinity-humanity. This is the key to understanding the functional limitations, which the humanity imposed upon the divinity. For example, he still had the power to be everywhere (omnipresence). However, as an incarnate being, he was limited in the exercise of that power by possession of human body. Similarly, he was still omniscient, but he possessed and exercised knowledge in connection with a human organism, which grew gradually in terms of consciousness, whether of the physical environment or eternal truths. Thus, only gradually did his limited human psyche become aware of who he was and what he had come to accomplish. Yet this should not be considered a reduction of the power and capacities of the second person of the Trinity, but rather a circumstance – induced limitation on the exercise of his power and capacities. (Systematic theology. P. 735)
2. KENOSIS AND HYPOSTATIC UNION
The kenosis problem involves the interpretation of Phil 2:7, (He) emptied [Greek. ekenosen] Himself. The crucial question is: of what did Christ empty Himself? Liberal theologians suggest Christ emptied himself of his deity, but it is evident from his life and ministry that he did not, for his deity was displayed on his numerous occasions. Millard Eriksson writes: a better approach to Phil 2:6-7 is to think of the phrase “taking the form of a servant” as a circumstantial explanation of the kenosis. Since λαβών is an aorist participle adverbial in function, we would render the first part of verse 7, “he emptied himself by taking the form of a servant.” The participle phrase is an explanation of how Jesus emptied himself, or what he did that constituted kenosis. While the text does not specify what he emptied himself of, it is noteworthy that “the form of a servant” contrast shapely with “equality with God”(v.6).
We conclude that it is equality with God, not the form of God, of which Jesus emptied himself. While he did not cease to be in nature what he father was, he became functionally subordinate to the Father for a period of the incarnation. Jesus did this for the purpose of revealing God and redeeming man. By taking on human nature, he accepted certain limitations upon the functioning of his divine attributes. These limitations were not the result of a loss of divine attributes but of the additio0n of human attributes. (Systematic theology P. 735).
SUMMARY
Jesus Christ was not part God and part man. Not only is Jesus Christ fully God, He is also fully human. He is 100 percent God and at the same time 100 percent human. That is, he held a full set of divine qualities and a full set of human qualities in the same person in such a way that they did not interfere with each other. He remains the God –man in heaven now and he will return as the “same Jesus” who assented in to haven from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:11). Numerous passages teach clearly that Jesus of Nazareth had a truly human body and a rational soul (1Cor 15:45,47;Lk 2: 40,52; Mk 2:16;Jn 4:6;Mk 9:19; 14:33,37; 15:33-38; 2:9,17; 4:15; 5:7-8; 12:2).
VI.THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST
A. THE THREEFOLD OFFICES OF CHRIST
According to the scriptures, Jesus Christ had a threefold work office, i.e., a prophetic ministry, a priestly ministry, and a kingly ministry.
1. Christ as a Prophet.
The predictive announcement that Christ should be a prophet is recorded in Deut 18:18,19 (see also Matt 13:57; 16:14: 21:11; Jn 1:21; 4: 19; 6:14; 7:40; 9:17; Acts 3:22; 7:37). Officially, the prophetic ministry of Christ began at the river Jordan when he was endued with the Holy Spirit and ended at the cross when he offered himself as a sacrifice for a sin (Matt 4:23-25; Lk 4:14-27; Acts 2:22-23;Heb 9:26-28).
The primary idea of the prophetic office is that of one who brings things to light or makes manifest. The secondary is prediction of the future. The OT prophet, then, exercised two functions: insight and foresight. Their prophet had also, so to speak, “hindsight,” for by revelation of the spirit he frequently knew things of the past. This was true of Moses when he penned the panorama of creation in Genesis. An OT prophet fulfilled his ministry in three ways: by teaching, by predicting, and by healing. Our Lord did all these (matt 5:17; 24:8-9).
2. Christ as Priest.
The predictive announcement that Christ should be a priest in recorded in Psalm 110:4 (see Heb 5:6; 6:20; 7: 21). Our Lord’s priesthood is not in the line of Aaron, but “ after the order of Melchizedek”- that is, it is not exercised on earth but in heaven; and it is unchanging and eternal. Officially or dispensationally, the priestly ministry of Christ began at the cross, when he offered himself as a sacrifice for sin, and will end at his returns, when as king he will sit on the throne of David ( Heb 8-9).
A priest is a God –appointed mediator between God and man through whose intercession, but the offering of blood, atonement is made and justification obtained for the guilty sinner (Lev 4:16-18).
The scope of the OT priesthood was three fold: namely, first, to offer sacrifices before the people; second, to go with in the veil to make intercession for the people; and third, to come forth to bless the people; or benediction.
The three fold scope of Priest hood in Christ’s ministry. As the great high priest, our Lord fulfills these three functions. The first reconciliation, he accomplished at his first coming, when on the cross he offere4d himself as a sacrifice for sin. The second, intercession, he is accomplishing in heaven between his first and second advents. And the third, benediction, he will accomplish upon his return.
3. Christ as King
The concept of king includes a wide range of prerogatives. A king in Israel had legislative, executive, judicial, economic, and military powers. The concept of Christ as King may be surveyed around five words: promised, predicted, proffered, rejected, and realized. Gabriel announced to Mary that her baby would have the throne of David and reign over the house of Jacob (Lk 1:32-33). Throughout his earthly ministry Jesus’ Davidic kingship was proffered to Israel (Matt 2:2; 27:11;Jn 12:13), but he was rejected. Many people in various cities re3jected his credentials (11: 20-30; 13: 53-58). The Pharisees rejected him. Herod, Pontius Pilate, gentiles and Jews all rejected him with finality at the crucifixion. Because the king was rejected, the messianic, Davidic kingdom was postponed. Though Christ is a king today, he does not rule as king. This awaits his second coming.
B. THE ATONEMENT
Jesus death sentence was crucifixion, the cruelest and most shameful method of capital punishment. Roman citizens could be crucified only for high treason, which is why, according to tradition, Paul, who was a citizen, was beheaded. (Crucifixion, because of its in human cruelty, was abolished by the emperor Constantine in A.D. 315.). Crucifixion was usually preceded by flogging or scourging with whips containing bones and metal in the lashes. This was done to weaken the victim’s resistance and shorten the time it would take him to die. The accused was then made to carry his crossbeam to the spot of execution, which for Jesus was the “place of the Skull” (Golgotha in Greek, Calvery in Latin), so called either because the area was shaped like a skull or because it was a place of execution.
Most scholars believe that Jesus died on April 7 in the year 30. According to mark, Jesus was crucified at 9:00 A.M (Mk 15:25) and remained on the cross until 3:00 P.M (Mk 15:33).
1. The importance of the atonement
The death of Christ has a prominent place in the NT. The last three days of our Lord’s earthy life occupy about one fifth of the narratives in the four gospels. Torry claims that the death of Christ is mentioned directly in the NT more than 175 times. Since there are 7,959 verses in the NT, this would mean that one out of every 53 verses refers to this theme.
The death of Christ is the essential thing in Christianity. Other religions base heir claim to recognition on the teaching of their founders; Christianity is distinguished from all of them by the importance it assigns to the death of its founder. Napoleon said when banished to St. Helena, that Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and he had founded mighty kingdom on force, that Jesus Christ had founded His own Love. This is true, if we mean love expressed in his substitutionary death.
2. The False Theories:
a. The payment –to-Satan theory
This says man had sold his immortal soul to Satan through sin and that Christ’s death was the devil’s “pound of flesh” ransom note. This is wholly untrue, for Christ’s death assured the final and eternal damnation of the devil. The only thing God owes Satan is a place in Gehenna hell forever.
b. The moral influence theory
Here we are told God allowed Christ to die to show that he can enter in to man’s sufferings. By this act, God thus may stimulate man’s sympathy for Christ. This too is false. God’s eternal plan is not to share man’s suffering with him, but rather to save him, that6 man might someday share the riches of Christ.
c. The example theory
Christ’s death simply showed how one man can give his life for others. But what would this single act accomplish? Soldiers, law officers, mothers, and other individuals had done this very thing thousands of time prior to and following Christ’s death.
d. The satisfaction theory
This teaches that Jesus died to appease God’s offended honor. It acted somewhat like a pistol dual at dawn where an insulated man takes revenge for prior insult and injury. While this theory is closer to the truth than the former ones, it still smacks of error. There was absolutely no revenge involved in the death of Christ.
e. The substitutional theory (True theory)
This alone the correct view. Dr. John Walvoord writes: Christ in his death fully satisfied the demands of a righteous God for judgment upon sinners and, as their infinite sacrifice, provided a ground not only for the believer’s forgiveness, but for his justification and sanctification.
VII. The Fact of the Atoning death
By perdition, types, descriptive terms, and explicit statements, the scripture clearly set forth the fact of the Atonement.
a. Types.
The typology of the OT is full of the Atonement. We may cite a few of the more striking types.
i) Coat of skins (Gen 3:21)
ii) Abel’s lamb (Gen 4:4)
iii) The offering of Isaac (Gen 22)
iv) The Passover lamb (Exo 12)
v) The levitical sacrificial system (Lev 1-7)
vi) The brazen serpent (Num 21; also see Jn 3:14; 12: 32)
vii) The slain lamb (Isa 53: 6; cf Jn 1:29; Rev 13: 8)
b. Predictions.
The OT abounds in predictions concerning the Messiah, his character, and his career. In deed there are said to be 333 specific, striking OT pictures of the sacrificial death of Christ. A few of these are-
i) The seed of the woman (Gen 3:15)
ii) The sin offering (Ps 22)
iii) The vicarious savior (Isa 53)
iv) The cut-off messiah (Dan 9:26)
v) The smitten shepherd (Zech 13:6,7)
c. Descriptive terms.
There are five scriptural descriptions for the sacrificial work of Christ.
i) Atonement
The word atonement occurs only once in the Authorized Version of the NT, namely, Romans 5:11. The Greek noun here is Katallage, which is more correctly, rendered reconciliation in the American Standard Version. The root of the Hebrew word for atonement is kappar, which literally signifies “ to cover” i.e. “forgive sin” (Ex 30:10). Ps 32:1 gives us both the figurative and spiritual meani9ng of atonement.
ii) Reconciliation.
Reconciliation is the translation of the Greek noun katallage, which literally signifies an exchange, i.e. of equivalent value in money –changing, or an adjustment, i.e., of a difference. The enmity between God and man has been destroyed, and amity has been restored. “ The word is used in the New Testament” says Thayer, “ of the restoration of the favor of God to sinners that repent and put their trust in to the expiatory death of Christ (Rom 5:11, ASV; 11:15; 2Cor. 5:18, 19).
iii) Redemption and Ransom.
Redemption is the translation of the Greek nouns lutrosis and apolutrosis, signifying a releasing or liberation from captivity, slavery, or death by the payment of a price, called a ransom. Redemption is from the Latin and signify a buying back (Lk 1:68;2:38; Rom 3:24; 1Cor. 1:30; Eph 1:7,14; Col 1:14;Heb 9:12,15). Thus, Christ is the ransom, who delivers us from sin and death (Matt 20:28; Gal 3:13; 1Tim 2:6 1Pet 1:18).
The meaning of ransom is clearly set forth in Lev 25:47-49. It is the price paid to buy backs a person or thing for which it is held in captivity. So sin is like a slave market in which sinners are “sold under sin” (Rom 7:14); souls are under sentence of death (Ezek 18:4). Christ by his death buy sinners out of the market, thereby indicating complete deliverance from the service of sin. He losses the bonds, sets the prisoners free, by paying a price- that price being his own precious blood.
iv). Substitution.
Although this is not a Biblical word, it is clearly implied by two Greek words. Anti ‘for’ ‘in place of’ (Matt 5:38; 20:28; Mk 10:45). Huper ‘for’ ‘in behalf of’ ( Jn 10:15; Rom 5:8; Gala 1:4 Heb 2:9).when one combines the idea of sacrifice with the idea of redemption , reconciliation and salvation , one comes to an obvious conclusion : Christ was our sacrifice- in our place, he was therefore our substitution.
v) Propitiation. Greek word is hilasterion (Rom 3:25; Heb 9:5).
a. Propitiation: to win the favor of; to appease; to placate.
b. It is carried out with reference to another party, or person – not a thing.
c. In Lk 18:13 the verb hilaskomai means ‘ be merciful to’ and is used of God’s attitude towards the sinner.
d. We propitiate (win the favor of)a person rather than a sin ( 1Jn 2:2)
1) Expiation refers to removal of sin, and forgiveness.
2) Propitiation refers to God, whom satisfaction is made: the removal of wrath by the offering of a Gift.
CH Spurgeon said: there is no gospel apart from these two words: substitution and satisfaction.
Jesus Christ was our substitute-both by his death and also by his life. Jesus Christ was our satisfaction, since his precious blood satisfied the justice and wrath of God.
VIII. THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST
It is important to emphasize that the resurrection of Jesus was a genuine bodily resurrection out of a real death. It is the cardinal miracle of the Bible upon which our faith and salvation rest. There is surely no other single doctrine in all the Bible so hated by Satan as the resurrection of Christ. The resurrection of Christ was denied by some.
A. False Theory Concerning Christ’s Resurrection
1. The Fraud theory
This says that either Jesus or his disciple (or both) simply invented the entire thing. It would have us believe that Christ was simply a cleaver crook who read the prophecies regarding the messiah in the OT and set about arranging for them to be fulfilled by himself. However, it would have been somewhat difficult for and imposter to arrange the place where he was to be born (it had to be Bethlehem), or for some roman soldiers to cooperate by not breaking his bones on the cross.
2. The Swoon Theory
The swoon theory, advanced by Strauss, holds that Jesus did not really die, but simply swooned from the pain and torture of the cross. The cool air of the sepulcher and the stimulus of the spices used in the embalming revived him.
Reply: We reply that the blood and the water and the testimony of the centurion (Mk.15: 45) proved actual death. The rolling away of the stone and Jesus’ power directly afterward are inconsistent with an immediately preceding soon and suspended animation.
3. The Vision Theory
Renan advocated this theory; this would advocate that the early disciples were guilty of using some kind of primitive LSD. If this be true, then the practice was certainly wide spread, for on one occasion alone over five hundred claimed to have seen him. There is not one speck of Biblical or secular evidence to support such an empty story.
4. The Spirit Theory
This theory was held by Theoderkeim, who says Jesus really died but the only his spirit appeared, assuring them of his continued life and imparting such instructions as were needed to direct them in spreading his doctrines over the face of the earth.
Reply: we reply that Jesus himself denied that he was a bodiless spirit-“ a spirit has no flesh and bones as you see me having”( Lk 24:39). This theory would, however, still involve a miracle, that of materialization, and nothing is gained by substituting one miracle for another. The very nail prints were still there.
B. Biblical Explanation
It was a physical and bodily resurrection as shown by the following.
1. Other resurrections, according to the Gospel accounts, were bodily resurrections. If we are not to believe in the possibility of physical resurrection, then obliviously the miracles recorded as wrought by the Christ upon Jairus’s daughter, the young man of Nain, and Lazarus must be rejected at once, for it is evident to the intelligent reader that these resurrections are represented as being physical and bodily. (Lk 7:11-18;Matt9:18-26; Mk 5:21-24,35-43;Jn 11:32-44).
2. He appeared in the same wound. According to Luke 24:37-39, Jesus invited the close inspection of the resurrection body in which he appeared to the disciples in the upper room. Similarly, according to John 20:27, he invited Thomas by physical touch to identify that body with the one in which he had been crucified and buried.
3. The apostles believed in his bodily resurrection. The empirical and the objective proof s of the resurrection where so complete as to show thoroughly convince the apostles that they staked their lives upon it with no motive for believing it if it were false. They believed it because the evidence compelled them to believe it. Both conscience and common sense reject the idea that they would preach the resurrection which such power and vitality if they did not believe it to be historically true Jn 20:3-8;Acts 2:22-24;1Cor 15:5-8.
4. The proofs of the resurrection: (a) the empty tomb (b) the tremendous changes in the life of the disciples (c) the silence from both the Romans and Pharisees. Not once did either of these enemy groups ever attempted to deny Christ’s resurrection. (d) The change from Saturday to Sunday as the main day of worship. (e) The existence of the church.
C. The Result of the Christ’s Resurrection
1. It is the fulfillment of God’s promise to the Fathers (Acts 13:32-33). The reason Jesus Christ is the seed in which all nations shall be blessed in his turning them away from their iniquities. Further more, the resurrection is the substance of the promise made to the Fathers (compare Acts 26:6-8 with Acts 23:6). Jesus’ resurrection reveals God’s ability to keep his word and to use his mighty power for us.
1.It establishes the deity of Jesus Christ beyond a doubt: “and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead (Rom 1:4-cf Lk 24:3; Acts 2:36).
2. It is a proof of the provisional justification of believers (Rom 4:23-25)
3. Through it believers are begotten unto a living hope (1Pet 1:3,4)
4. It makes the unchanging priesthood of Christ available to the believer (Heb 7:22&25 - cf Jn 11:42;Rom 8:34; 1Jn 2:1)
5. it gives an illustration of the measure of God’s power which is placed at the believer’s disposal ( Eph 1:19-20)
6. It makes possible the believer’s fruitage unto God (Rom 7:4)
7. It is God’s pledge of future judgment (Acts 17:31)
8. It furnish us an impregnable ground of assurance of our own future resurrection “ knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you” (2 Cor 4:14-cf 1Thess 4:14).
IX. THE ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST
A. The importance of this study
1.It is an essential link between the resurrection of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
2.It tells us where Jesus went after he ascended.
3. It tells us what happened after he arrived.
4.It tells us where he is now and what he is doing there
5.It tells us why he will come again!
6.It explains a number verses in the OT which were of immense comfort to the early church who searched the scriptures to understand what was happening.
B. The Facts Regarding the Ascension
1. Jesus Went Up: He ascended on high’ (Eph 4:8)
a. Greek anabaino: to arise from the depths to the heights
b. The word is actually used 81 times but most of these do not refer to Jesus’
Ascension but merely to ‘going up’.
2. He disappeared.
He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight-At 1:9
a. This means one movement they saw him and the next they did not!
b. This shows how literal the event was.
c. Bible –denying the liberals love to deride the idea of Jesus’ ascension.
d. The ascension is not a myth nor a symbol; it was a literal, distinct event.
3. He disappeared behind a cloud: a cloud hid him from their sight’ (Acts 1:9)
a. It is not certain whether this was a literal cloud in the sky- it may have been a spiritual phenomenon, like the pillar of the cloud (Ex 13:22), which enveloped Jesus after he was few feet of the ground.
4. His ascension was unexpected. (Acts 1:6)
5. His ascension was visible- Acts 1:9
Unlike the resurrection, for which there were no eyewitnesses, the ascension was visible to the naked eye.
6. It was a bodily Ascension
a. It was a transformed body, yes.
b. But it was the same Jesus: touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have’ (Luke 24:39)
c. The same Jesus went to heaven: this same Jesus was been taken from you in to heaven (Acts 1:11)
C. The Significance of the Ascension
1. It ended the earthly ministry of Christ. It marked the end of the period of self- limitation during the day of his sojourn on earth.
2. It ended the period of his humiliation. His glory was no longer veiled following the ascension (Jn17: 5; Acts 9:3,5). Christ is now exalted and enthroned in heaven.
3. It marks the first entrance of resurrected humanity into heaven and the beginning of a new work in heaven (Heb 4:14; 2:16; 6:20). A representative of the human race in a resurrected, glorified body is the Christian’s intercessor.
4. It made the decent of the Holy Spirit possible (Jn 16:7). It was necessary for Christ it ascend to heaven in order that he could send the Holy Spirit.
D. The Benefit for the Believers.
We as the believers receive several important benefit from the ascension and exaltation of Christ. The exalted Lord is now our friend and advocate at the right hand of the Father, engaging in the ministry of intercession on our behalf (see Rom8: 34; Heb7: 25; 1Jn2: 1). He has entered into a new phase of his priestly ministry.
We have the assurance that “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9).
And lastly, his exaltation is accompanied by his sending of the Holy Spirit to be “another comforter” or helper (Gk parakletos, “helper” ‘intercessor’) to us (see Jn 14:16-26). Consequently, today, even though the Lord is separated from us physically, we can enjoy genuine union with him through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, given to take the things of Christ and apply them to our hearts. In this very important sense, then, Jesus Christ is available to everyone today, no longer limited by the restrictions of physical appearance by which he operated during the time of his earthly ministry. These indeed are marvelous blessing available to us because of Christ’s ascension and exaltation.
X. THE PRESENT AND FUTURE MINISTRY OF CHRIST
A. The Present Ministry of Christ
1. The risen and accented Christ is praying for his people. This has several benefits: it guarantees the security of their salvation (Heb 7:25); it assures continued fellowship in the family of God (1Jn 2:1); and it is a powerful preventive against sin in their lives (Jn17:15).
2. The Lord is preparing a place for our everlasting habitation (Jn 14:3)
3. The head of the church is engaged in various activities on behalf of the members of his body. Further, more he indwells every member of the body of Christ (Gal 2:20). He himself indwells us and he has sent the spirit who also indwells us.
4. The Lord is also engaged in answering our prayers (Jn 14:14). When we pray in his name he will answer and the result will be even greater works than he did while on earth ( Jn 14:12).
5.He gives special help for particular needs (Heb 4:16)
6. He is concerned with the fruitfulness of his followers (Jn 15:1-16
B. THE FUTURE MINISTRY OF CHRIST
1. He will raise the dead. In the future all people will hear the voice of Christ raising them from the dead. Some will be called to eternal life and others to condemnation. Believers of the church age will be raised at the rapture of the church (1Thess 4:13-18). OT saints will apparently be raised at the second coming (Dan12:2). The unbelieving dead of all time will not be raised until after the millennium (Rev20: 5).
2. He will reward all people. Believers will be judged by him at the judgment seat of Christ (1Cor3:11-15) after the rapture of the church. The out come of this judgment for all will be heaven, though with a varying number of rewards. All will receive some praise from God (1Cor 4:5).
3. He will rule this world. (Rev19: 15)