Life In Christ Center, 3095 Cherry Heights Road, The Dalles, Oregon 97058

(541) 296-1136

*Permission is given for publication of excerpts and condensed versions.

Chapter 2. THE SON OF GOD

Chapter 3. THE SON OF MAN

Chapter 1 THE MOST IMPORTANT MATTER

Suppose someone asked you, "What's the most important issue facing the world?" What would you answer? Peace? Hunger? AIDS? Justice? Freedom?

Certainly all of these are issues of global importance. But none is the most important. Another matter far outweighs them all. At the same time it is vitally relevant to each one of them.

This one crucial issue confronts every one of us. It touches the core of our being. It determines the outcome of life itself.

It is of primary importance to all else. Practically all of the human problems of the world can be traced back ultimately to ignorance or misunderstanding of this one supreme priority. On the other hand, it is the ultimate answer to all "people problems," personal and global.

What is this most important matter? It is Jesus Christ.

Now, some will dismiss the idea--and Jesus Christ--regarding it as simplistic and irrelevant. But others, who have considered the matter properly (or will do so seriously), will agree that the fundamental consideration is indeed Jesus Christ.

Why is Jesus Christ the most important consideration in life?

Because He is the Son of God (Matthew 16:16);

Because all things were created by Him and by Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:16,17);

Because He is the only Savior (Acts 4:12);

Because the person who has Jesus Christ has life, but the person who does not have Jesus Christ does not have life (1 John 5:12)

Whether one believes it or not, it is so. What is affirmed in Scripture is confirmed in real life. So then, reason demands that we give urgent, honest, thorough attention to Jesus Christ.

The Bible urges believers, "Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess" (Hebrews 3:1 NIV).

That is exactly what we are going to do.

Chapter 2 THE SON OF GOD

We must understand clearly from the very outset that the Person we are considering is no mere mortal. He is the Son of God--"God, the Son." He is not all there is to God; yet the fullness of God dwells and is revealed in Him (Colossians 2:9). He is the Second Person of the eternal Godhead--the Trinity. The Jesus of history is the Christ of faith.

This is the explicit and express declaration of the Father. At Jesus's baptism God announced dramatically from heaven, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17 KJV).

Later, Jesus took three of His disciples to a mountain, where He was transfigured before them. A bright cloud overshadowed them. From the cloud they heard again the voice of God the Father repeating the same declaration (Matthew 17:5).

Many years later the apostle John, who had been an eye and ear witness of this dramatic event, wrote, "This is the witness of God, which He has testified of His Son" (1 John 5:9). He goes on to say that if we do not believe the record that God gave of His Son, we make Him a liar.

Jesus Himself was very clear and emphatic about His deity. "If you believe not that I am he, you shall die in yours sins" (John 8:24). The word "he" was supplied by the translators. Jesus referred back to Exodus 3:15, where God appeared to Moses and announced Himself as "I AM." So Jesus was saying that if we do not believe that He is fully God, we will die in our sins.

So that no one would mistake His claim, He stated again, "Before Abraham was, I AM" (verse 58).

Jesus taught that He is One with the Father, not only in purpose but also in essence. "I and my Father are one," He said (John 10:30). "The Father is in me, and I in Him" (verse 38). To His disciples He said, "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves" (John 14:10,11 NKJV).

Now, who would dare make such a claim as this? Someone who is only an outstanding religious teacher, a good man but a mere mortal? Of course not. He would be either a mad egomaniac or an arch deceiver.

It will not do to avoid the issue by asserting that Jesus did not say these things. That is only an evasion, an affront to the historical record, inadmissible on sound literary and historical principles. We must accept or reject the record, but not pick and choose among its components according to one's own subjective and speculative criteria. That will not stand up under careful, objective research.

Only God Himself can legitimately make the claims that credible eyewitnesses verify that Jesus made. So then, if Jesus of Nazareth was insane, dismiss Him. If He was a hoax, denounce Him. But if He is God, as He claimed to be and as His resurrection proves Him to be, WORSHIP HIM!

Even demons recognized Christ's deity. As Jesus drove them out, many of them cried, "You are the Son of God!" (Matthew 8:29; Mark 3:11; Luke 4:41).

The prophet declared, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

Peter confessed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 16:16,17).

The historical record consistently and repeatedly affirms that Jesus is God. John 1:1 reads, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (See also Romans 9:5).

"In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9). See also Acts 20:28 and 1 Timothy 3:16.

In Titus 2:13 it is written, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ." Because the definite article (the) applies to both "great God" and "our Savior," both terms refer to Jesus Christ.

In the first three verses of Hebrews, chapter one, we read: "God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" (New King James Version).

When he was an old man, exiled to the island of Patmos for the faith, John the apostle was given an awesome vision of things to come. That vision included a dramatic preview of the glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here is how he described it in the Spirit.

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He does judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word Of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations; and He shall rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His vesture and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Revelation 19:11-16).

Because Jesus Christ is fully God, He is much higher than the angels. And so Hebrews 1:6 commands, "let all the angels of God worship Him."

All true believers have always acknowledged Jesus Christ as God and therefore have worshiped Him. The wise men announced, "we have seen His star in the east and are come to worship Him" (Matthew 2:2. See also verse 11). As soon as Jesus calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee, "they that were in the ship came and worshiped Him, saying, Of a truth You are the Son of God" (Matthew 14:33).

When "doubting" Thomas met the risen Jesus face-to-face, he exclaimed in reverent worship, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). The literal translation is "The Lord of me and the God of me."

On the morning of Christ's resurrection an angel commanded the astonished women who had come to the tomb to go and announce the good news to His disciples. "And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him" (Matthew 28:9).

Later, our risen Lord led His disciples out to Bethany, blessed them, and then ascended into Heaven. "And they worshiped Him." We read the eye-witness account in Luke 24:50-52.

Beating back the onslaught of those who denied the absolute deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the ancient Church affirmed in the Nicene Creed that He is "very God of very God, begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father."

In Revelation 5:8-10 the curtains of the future are parted and we see 24 elders, representing the true believers of all ages, falling down before Jesus in consummate worship for all eternity, "saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation; and have made us to our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth."

DIVINE QUALITIES

Because Jesus Christ is fully God, He possesses totally all the qualities of God.

Jesus Christ is eternal. As the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, He has no beginning nor ending. Before coming to earth as a man, He existed forever with the Father. His "goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting" (Micah 5:2). In His high-priestly prayer to the Father, Jesus prayed, "Glorify Me with Your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world was" (John 17:5. See also verse 24). Furthermore, Colossians 1:17 declares, "And He is before all things and by Him all things consist." And in verse 13 of the last chapter of the Bible, the Lord Jesus speaks from Heaven, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." Yes, Jesus Christ is alive forevermore!

Jesus Christ is immutable. That is, He is changeless. Quoting Psalm 102, the inspired author of the Epistle to the Hebrews writes concerning Jesus, "You are the same, and Your years shall not fail." And Hebrews 13:8 states emphatically, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (New King James Version).

Jesus Christ is omnipotent. That is, He is all-powerful. He has the power to forgive sins (Matthew 9:6). He has power over demons (Mark 1:27). He has power over the elements, stilling the wind and calming the waves (Luke 8:25). He exercised the power to lay down His life and take it again (John 10:18). He has power over all flesh, to give eternal life to as many as the Father has given Him (John 17:2). And just prior to His ascension, He said to His disciples, "All power is given to Me in Heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:18). Jesus Christ has all authority to exercise the full power of deity. Bring every need to Him now in full confidence. He will not fail you.

Jesus Christ is omniscient. That is, He is all-knowing and all-wise. "Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men" (John 2:24). Peter acknowledged, "Lord, You know all things" (John 21:17). Nothing takes our Lord by surprise. He knows and fore-knows all things. He foretold His death and resurrection (Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; 22:37; John 18:4). He knew who would betray Him (John 6:64; 13:11). He knew that He would return to the Father (John 7:33; 13:1; 14:28; 16:5,10,28). He knows that He will come again (John 14:3), although while He was on earth He did not know the day and hour (Mark 13:32) because of the fact that He temporarily set aside the full functions of deity when He took upon Himself our humanity. That self-imposed restriction is now completely removed. Now in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3).

Jesus Christ is omnipresent. That is, He is everywhere present at once. He is not limited by space, distance, and location. In Matthew 18:20 He assures us, "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." And just before His ascension to the Father, He assured His disciples (and all believers), "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20 New King James Version). Because He is omnipresent, Jesus is positionally in His glorified body at the right hand of the Father as our reigning High Priest, and at the same time by His Spirit living in and among us.

Jesus Christ is Lord. The angels announced to the shepherds. "For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11).

John the Baptist considered himself unworthy even to carry Jesus' shoes (Matthew 3:11). He also spoke of Christ's lordship when he said, "He that comes from Heaven is above all" (John 3:31).

Jesus Himself affirmed His lordship. He said to His disciples, "You call me Master and Lord, and you say well, for so I am" (John 13:13). He declared Himself to be Lord of the sabbath (Luke 6:5).

In his sermon on the Day of Pentecost, Peter announced, "Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made that same Jesus, Whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36). See also Acts 10:36.

Paul takes up the same theme in Romans 14:9. "For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living" (New King James Version).

The Holy Spirit always affirms the lordship of Jesus. "No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:3 New King James Version). Every spiritual utterance and every theology that is of God will confess the full deity and lordship of Jesus Christ. Any "revelation" that downgrades and diminishes Jesus is false and is to be rejected totally, even if it claims to have been given by an angel from Heaven (Galatians 1:8,9).

Some day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10,11). Some will do so in faith and love; others will do so in fear and shame. Which will it be for you? Romans 10:9 says, "If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved."

This means more than merely saying it with your lips. It says "believe in your heart." Genuine confession of faith is the truthful declaration that a person has personally submitted the heart in faith to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Accept Him as Lord; confess Him as Lord; obey Him as Lord!

Chapter 3 THE SON OF MAN

The Bible clearly teaches the full deity of Jesus Christ. It also clearly teaches His full humanity. In Jesus of Nazareth, God became fully human while remaining fully God. God came in the flesh. This is called the incarnation. This act of God is a marvelous, divine mystery. The Second Person of the eternal Godhead lay as a tiny human baby in a manger, His divinely conceived humanity the product of the virgin's womb. Immanuel--God with us! Tremendous!

This does not mean that Jesus was half-god/half man. Such a being would be nothing more than the fantasies of Greek mythology. Jesus Christ is at once both fully God and fully man. This joining of both the divine and human natures in Jesus Christ is called the hypostatic union. He is at once and the same time both the Son of God and the Son of Man.

His human origin was in the womb of Mary; His divine nature came from Heaven, where He exists eternally with the Father.

"He that comes from Heaven is above all," said John the Baptizer in reference to Christ (John 3:31). Jesus Himself stated categorically, "I came down from Heaven" (John 6:38); "I am from above" (John 8:23); I proceeded forth and came from God" (vs. 42). The inspired apostle writes in 1 Corinthians 15:47, "the second man is the Lord from Heaven."

An error regarding either the deity or the humanity of Jesus, or both, is a common feature of all cults. In fact, it can be said truthfully that the cults themselves are an attack on the real Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Many of the definitive teachings in The Scriptures concerning Jesus Christ were given by the Holy Spirit during a time when the philosophical ideas of Gnosticism threatened to subvert the truth concerning Christ and thus destroy the gospel itself. Both Paul and John wrote in this historical milieu. So the precious truths concerning Christ that flowed from the pens of the inspired apostles were directed first against this incipient gnosticism.

One of the major attacks of this philosophical thought-system was on the true humanity of Jesus. Matter was looked upon as evil, leading some to deny that Jesus had a real physical body. But if Jesus did not have a physical body, He did not really suffer and die in the flesh and rise again bodily. Thus we would have no Savior.

The same error survives today in the many mystical and metaphysical cults that deny the deity and/or humanity of Jesus Christ. Usually they can be detected by their "buzz words": "universal, religious science," "science of mind," "universal all." Stay clear of them.

The Scriptures meet these errors straight on. Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This is the Bible's clear message.

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same, that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Hebrews 2:14).

"Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God (1 John 4:2,3).

"For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist" (2 John 7).

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. This fact is firmly established.

But suppose that you were a resident of Nazareth in Galilee long ago. You knew the little boy in the carpenter's shop. He looked very much like any other lad in town. Each Sabbath he was in the synagogue with his family. He seemed so completely human. Of course, he did seem to be precocious. And he was very serious-minded for his age. In time he grew up to be one of the town bachelors.

Suddenly one day he up and moved to Capernaum, a town on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The next thing you hear, this home-town boy is going around saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" He is teaching, and people are following him. You hear strange reports of miracles. Then you begin to hear the startling claims he is making for himself: "Lord." "Master." "Son of God." His followers call him the Messiah, the one foretold through the centuries by the prophets, and he acknowledges the claim.

So, what do you think? Jesus of Nazareth. Your neighbor. The man down the street. Is He the Messiah? The Son of God? The Savior?

He demands that you believe on him. He says that you will appear before him at the judgment. He says that your eternal destiny depends on what you do with him and his word.

Just who is this man? What right does he have to make such shocking claims? Does he fulfill the ancient prophecies? If he is truly the promised Messiah, he must--he will--fulfill every one of them exactly. Does this Jesus of Nazareth?

Well, let's see.

The Scriptures record that the Messiah will come from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10). Jesus is of the tribe of Judah.

Isaiah prophesied that He will be of the lineage of David (Isaiah 9:7; 11:1-5). Jesus was from the lineage of David (compare Matthew, Chapter 1, and Luke, Chapter 3).

Micah predicted that He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Jesus was.

Now we are beginning to narrow it down.

In Daniel 9:24-27 we find an amazing prophecy. The first part of verse 25 reads: "from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks" (King James Version). It is generally recognized that "weeks" here means weeks (sevens) of years.

Here is a definite prediction that there would be 483 years from the decree "to restore and to build Jerusalem" to the Messiah. Let's see what happened. Circa 457 B.C. Artaxerxes Longimanus issued a decree to Ezra (see Ezra, Chapter 7), later reaffirmed and expanded to Nehemiah, to go to Jerusalem and begin the process of restoration. Add 483 years, and we arrive at the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus of Nazareth!

There is more. Hosea 11:1 says that God's Son would be in Egypt. Joseph and Mary took Jesus there as a very young child (Matthew 2:14,15).

Jeremiah 31:15 records the prediction of the massacre of the innocents. It happened in connection with the birth of Jesus (Matthew 2:16-18).

Isaiah 9:1 and 2 predicted the Galilean ministry of the coming Messiah. Matthew 4:12-16 reports how Jesus fulfilled this prophecy.

Zechariah 9:9 predicted the triumphal entry. Matthew 21:1-9 records its fulfillment. And who is that riding on that colt? Jesus of Nazareth!

We come now to the crucifixion of Jesus. Let us see how many ancient prophecies were fulfilled on that one day.

He was betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9 -- Mark 14:10).

He was sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12,13 -- Matthew 26:15).

The money was used to buy a potter's field (Zechariah 11:13 -- Matthew 26:6,7).

Isaiah said that He will be silent before His accusers; that He will suffer for our sins; that He

will be numbered with the transgressors; that He will intercede for the transgressors; and that

He will be buried with the rich (See Isaiah, Chapter 53). All these things happened to Jesus.

Psalm 22 predicted that He will cry, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?" It

says also that He will be mocked; that His garments will be gambled for; and that His hands,

feet, and side will be pierced. It all happened to Jesus the day of His crucifixion.

Isaiah 50:6 and 52:14 declare that He will be abused, disfigured, and spit on. It all happened

that day to Jesus.

His relatives will stand far off on that fateful day (Psalm 38:11). They did (Luke 23:49).

None of His bones will be broken (Psalm 34:20). That was true of Jesus (John 19:33-36).

The mathematical odds that all of these things would happen to one person by chance are astronomical and therefore prohibitive.

In addition, we face the prophecies concerning the coming Messiah that involve natural impossibilities. For example, Isaiah 7:14 says that "God With Us" will be born of a virgin. Jesus was. Psalm 16:10 says that His soul will not be left in Sheol and that His flesh will not experience corruption. That is what happened to Jesus.

Psalm 16:10 predicted His bodily resurrection. To this Jesus added His own predictions (Matthew 16:21; 20:19; 26:32; Mark 9:9; John 2:19; 10:17,18). On the third day Jesus fulfilled all of these by rising bodily from the dead, a fact attested to by so many primary witnesses as to be established beyond any reasonable doubt by any objective criteria.

Also, His ascension is foretold in Psalm 68:18. After His resurrection, Jesus fulfilled this also (Luke 24:50,51). He is now seated on the right hand of God the Father.

To what conclusion does all of this overwhelming evidence drive us? Jesus Of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of God, God in the flesh.

Yes, there is a Man in the glory, the Man Christ Jesus!

Chapter 4 THE FULLNESS OF HIS NAME

Who is this divine Person, Son of God and Son of Man? Joseph was directed by the angel to call His name Jesus--Jehovah Savior--"for He shall save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).

JESUS--the lovely, heaven-spoken name! How beautiful. What music to the humble soul. What sublime majesty. All Heaven bows to that name, and all earth shall do the same.

The fullness of His name is of such magnitude that much more than one English word of five letters is required to express it. For this reason many names, titles, and designations are ascribed to Him in The Scriptures. Each one reveals something about who He is and what He does. Each one focuses on a quality of His character, something inherent in His Person and/or position, a provision of His redemptive work, or a relationship to His Church and/or to the individual believer. In this verbal revelation of God in Jesus human language is exhausted. Words are employed to their limit in expressing the fullness that is in Him.

As we explore the names, titles, and designations of our Lord in the inspired, written word, we must keep in mind that we are engaged in far more than a mere exercise in words. We are learning more of Him. We are coming into a fuller knowledge of Him. Our pursuit is the full fellowship of all that He is. We want to know more about Him so that we can know Him better, grow in Him, and experience His fullness.

Unless we have this soul-thirst for Christ, our consideration of Him will be little or nothing more than a sterile academic inquiry. That is utterly unworthy of Him. He is the fullness of God revealed and made available to us. He is life itself. Let our quest for Him be a quest for life itself in its fullest measure.

Who is this Jesus? What are His life-giving and life-sustaining relationships to us?

He is God. He is "the mighty God" (Isaiah 9:6). Referring to Jesus, the voice in the wilderness cried, "Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God" (Isaiah 40:3). "Lord" in this passage is "Jehovah" ("Yahweh"), the covenant name of God Almighty. This was fulfilled when John the Baptist came as the forerunner of Jesus.

"And the Word was God" is the witness of John 1:1. Thomas hailed Him as "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28). He is "God blessed forever" (Romans 9:5), "The great God and our Savior" (Titus 2:13), "The true God and eternal life " (1 John 5:20).

He is the Alpha and the Omega; the Beginning and the End; the First and the Last (Revelation 1:17; 22:12,13). He is the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9,22); the Blessed and only Potentate (1 Timothy 6:15); I AM (John 8:24,58); Jehovah-tsidkenu--the Lord our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:5,6; 33:15,16). He is the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24); Immanuel--God with us (Isaiah 7:14; 8:8; Matthew 1:23). He is Lord of all (Acts 10:36).

Jesus Christ is the Creator. "All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made" (John 1:3). There is "one Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom are all things, and we by Him" (1 Corinthians 8:6). Ephesians 3:9 declares that God created all things by Jesus Christ. By Him God made the worlds (Hebrews 1:1,2). Jesus is called the Everlasting Father, that is, the Progenitor (Forefather) of the ages (Isaiah 9:6). He is the Beginning (Source) of the creation of God (Revelation 3:14). He is "the Firstborn of every creature" (Colossians 1:15-17), by Whom the Father created all things. "Firstborn" signifies unique relationship with the Father, not derivation. Every creature--all creation--comes from Jesus Christ. He is the One through Whom God the Father mediated the act of creation.

Jesus Christ is the Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1). He is the Word of Life (1 John 1:1), the living Word of God (Revelation 19:13).

He is the Son of God. "Son" means relationship, not origin, because He is eternally co-existent with the Father. This relationship is essential and eternal. Christ's incarnation in the womb of the virgin Mary did not begin the relationship (that is, His Sonship), but fully actualized it in time and space history for the purpose of accomplishing the plan of redemption.

The confession of Peter is still God's "open secret" concerning Jesus: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16. See also Matthew 2:15).

Jesus is the Son of the Blessed (Mark 14:61); the Son of the Highest (Luke 1:32). Jesus is the "only begotten of the Father" (John 1:14), the "only begotten Son" (John 3:16). "Only begotten" (monogenes) does not mean origin but uniqueness. Jesus is the only-one-of-a-kind Son. He is the holy child (Acts 4:27), the Beloved Son (Matthew 3:17). As such, He is the Heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2).

Jesus is the Image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:5), "the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person (Hebrews 1:3). In modern language it could be said that Jesus is the living photograph of God.

As we have seen, Jesus is the Son of Man (Matthew 8:20; Mark 8:38; Luke 18:8; John 1:51; Acts 7:56). He is called The Man (Acts 17:31; 1 Timothy 2:5). He is the Last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45), the Second Man (vs. 47). He has brought about the new humanity. He is the Seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15), the Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16). He is the Son of David (Matthew 1:1; 20:30), the Root and Offspring of David (Isaiah 11:1,10; Revelation 22:16), the heavenly "David" (Jeremiah 30:9; Hosea 3:5).

Who is Jesus? He is the Christ of God (Luke 9:20), the Anointed (Psalm 2:2), the Messiah (Daniel 9:25,26; John 1:41; 4:25,26); the Chosen of God (Luke 23:35), the Elect of God (Isaiah 42:1). He is the righteous Branch (Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15; Zechariah 3:8; 6:12), the Nazarene (Matthew 2:23).

Jesus is God's righteous Servant, prophesied by Isaiah (Isaiah 42:1; 53:11; Matthew 12:17-19).

He is the Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25). He is the Covenant of the people and a Light of the Gentiles (Isaiah 42:6). He is the Messenger of the covenant (Malachi 3:1).

He is the Prophet foretold to Moses. God said to Moses, "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like you..." (Deuteronomy 18:18). Peter declared that this Prophet is none other than Jesus Christ (Acts 3:22-26).

Jesus is the Light of the world. "That was the true Light, which lights every man coming into the world" (John 1:9). He announced, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of life" (John 8:12). And Revelation 21:23 records, "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." He is the Bright and Morning Star (Numbers 24:9; 2 Peter 1:19; Revelation 2:28; 22:16). He is the Dayspring (that is, the sunrise, the eastern dawning (Luke 1:78). He is the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2).

Jesus is the Holy One (Isaiah 41:14; Mark 1:24; Acts 3:14). He is the Just One (Acts 7:52).

He is the only Savior (Luke 2:11; Acts 4:12; 5;31). He is the Lamb of God (John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:9; Revelation 5:6). He is our Passover (1 Corinthians 5;7), an offering and a sacrifice (Ephesians 5:2). He is the Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53:3). He is a Ransom (1 Timothy 2:6). He is our Propitiation, that is, the One who gained the favor of God toward us by satisfying on our behalf the moral requirements for pardon (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). Therefore He is our Redeemer (Job 19:25; Isaiah 59:20), and the Author of eternal salvation (Hebrews 5:9).

Jesus is the Firstbegotten from the dead (Colossians 1:18; Revelation 1:5), the Firstfruits of them that slept (1 Corinthains 15:20,23), the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25).

He is the Surety (Guarantee) of the better covenant (Hebrews 7:22). He is the Testator Who now lives to administer His own will (Hebrews 9:16,17).

He is the Apostle and High Priest of our confession (Hebrews 3:1), the Author and Finisher of our faith (12:2), the Forerunner into the holiest of all (6:20). He is the Ladder to Heaven (John 1:51), the Way (14:6), the Door (10:7).

Jesus is our living and eternal High Priest, faithfully interceding on our behalf before the Father (Hebrews 2:7; 3:1; 4:14,15; 5:5; 6:20; 7:26; 8:1; 9:11; 10:21), a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, and the only Priest of the Melchizedek priesthood. He is the Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle (Hebrews 8:2), our only Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; 12:24), our Advocate before God the Father, our Attorney in Heaven (1 John 2:1,2).

Jesus is the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11). He is our great Physician (Matthew 9:12).

Jesus is the King (Psalm 2:6; Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 9:9 and Matthew 21:5; Matthew 25:34; Revelation 17:14; 19:16). He is the King of Israel (John 1:49), the King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2 and John 19:19). He is the Prince of the kings of the earth (Revelation 1:5), the Prince of life (Acts 3:15), the Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6), the "Shiloh" of Genesis 49:10.

He is the Captain of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10), our Horn of salvation (Luke 1:69), the Leader and Commander of the people (Isaiah 55:4), the Governor (Matthew 2:6) and Ruler in Israel (Micah 5:2). He is Master and Teacher (John 3:2; 13:13), Scepter (Numbers 24:17), the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5).

Jesus is the Cornerstone (Psalm 118:22; Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6). He is the Stone (Genesis 49:24 and Isaiah 28:16), a sure foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11), the solid Rock (Isaiah 8:14; 1 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Peter 2:8), either on Whom we build or over Whom we stumble, either on Whom we fall or Who will fall on us.

Who is Jesus? He is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls (1 Peter 2:25; Zechariah 13:7), the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), the Great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20), the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4).

Jesus is the Head (Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; 5:23; Colossians 1:8; 2:19).

He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and the Water of Life. He is the True Vine (John 15:1); a Comforter (John 14:16); Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6); a Refuge (Isaiah 32:2); our Deliverer (Romans 11:26), The Life (John 14:6), the Refiner and Purifier (Malachi 3:3).

He is the Lily of the Valley and the Rose of Sharon (Song of Solomon 2:1). He is our Bridegroom (Matthew 9:15; 25:1,6; John 3:29; Revelation 21:2). He is the Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:46). He is our Hope (1 Timothy 1:1), the Hope of Israel (Acts 28:20), and the Hope of Glory (Colossians 1:27).

He is the Reaper (Revelation 14:15), the righteous Judge (Isaiah 2:4; Acts 10:42; James 5:9).

Who is Jesus? He is the Desire of All Nations (Haggai 2:7). He is our "wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification" (1 Corinthians 1:30). He is altogether lovely (Song of Solomon 5:16). He is KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:16)!

Believe Him. Receive Him. Worship Him. Follow Him. Obey Him. Know Him and experience Him in His fullness!