The Person, Christ Jesus

Praise and glory to God in the highest! 
Greetings in the Glorious Name of Jesus and the Power of the Holy Spirit. 

Galatians 1:3-5
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.

Ever since 2000 I have been on a journey that has proven to be the greatest adventure of my life so far.  The opportunity God has given me to explore His Word and grow in His grace and peace, has been so awe inspiring.  In 2003, I began to study who Jesus is.  Over the years I have used bits and pieces of the knowledge to help me and others understand the Gospel message.  Awhile back I was prompted to put together those things I have learned and to continue to learn in one place.  Starting today and for the next 3 weeks I will be sharing on the person of Christ Jesus. 

The focus Scriptures are Colossians 1:11-23, Hebrews 1:1-14.  I cannot say I have complete understanding of what I have learned, I believe it is true and by faith accept it is true.  I continue to grow in my love for God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and He is gracious, patient, and longsuffering along the way.

Colossians 1:11-23
Some speak of Jesus as a great man, a great teacher, or even a great prophet.  Some refer to Him as the founder of a new religion.  None of these are incorrect.  They all are true and yet there is more to who Jesus is.  We, God’s children, must include Son of God, Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) (anointed), Emmanuel (God with us), Lord (Supreme Master), and we must remember Jesus who is our Savior, “for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21). When we, His followers, speak of the person of Jesus, this is who we are talking about. (Easton’s Bible Dictionary)

To believe that "Jesus is the Christ" is to believe that he is the Anointed, the Messiah, Emmanuel foretold by the prophets, the Savior sent of God.  That he is, in a word, what he claimed to be. (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

This is to believe the gospel, the rule and reign of Christ, by the faith given, which is the only way we can be reconciled unto God. Jesus being the Christ is the testimony of God, and the very faith that constitutes one as a Christian. (1 Corinthians 12:3; 1 John 5:1)
J.C. Lambert explains, “Man is incapable of understanding God completely because God is holy and man is sinful.” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

Because of the great schism between man and God, He provided a way back into a personal relationship with Himself. To bridge this gap between God and man, God took the form of man in Christ Jesus, and brought reconciliation to all who accept Jesus as the Messiah. Let’s look at the Scriptures that show us Jesus as God and Jesus as man.

The Deity of Jesus: Jesus is God
Let's consider Hebrews 1:1-14, for the Scriptures to show us the deity of Jesus.

1. Verses 4-6 and 13-14 the angles will worship Jesus and He has charge over the angles
2. Jesus is the Creator v 10
3. Jesus is unchangeable v 12
4. Jesus is eternal v 11
5. Jesus is justice/righteous v 8

In verse 8 Christ is addressed as God, spoken of as King, and anointed.  The qualities of his kingship are justice, righteousness, and hatred of wickedness - qualities which can only characterize mercy, grace, truly a holy righteous reign. In His deity Christ Jesus is above or superior to all. To this exalted and honored position Christ Jesus has been anointed rather than appointed, and this anointing of Jesus brings victorious eternal, rule and reign.
A few statements of who Jesus said He was/is/always will be
John 10:25-38, 14:6-7; John 10:6-10; Matthew 27:11; John 6:47-48…

Jesus, fully God, proclaimed that He, the Son of Man, was the way into the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Humanity of Jesus: Jesus is man
Let’s read several passages and look at how Jesus’ humanity is illustrated:

1. John 4:6-7
2. John 11:35
3. Matthew 23:37-39
4. Matthew 4:1-11
5. Luke 22:14-16

Jesus told Satan the same phrase each time he was tempted in the desert: “The scriptures say.”   He knew the Word and its power to battle evil. Jesus fully man understands all we go through (Hebrews 2:14-18).

Jesus as man performed many miracles which clearly demonstrating the Holy Spirit’s complete influence in and through His life. Philip Noordmans explains; It was after His baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit that Jesus began to heal, teach, and proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 3:13-14).  (A Primer on the Empowering Works of the Holy Spirit, pp 11-12)

Matthew 8 records some of the miracles Jesus did. 
v 3: Jesus heals the leper
v 6-13 Jesus heals the Centurions daughter
v 16-17 Jesus heals Peter’ s mother
v 23-27 Jesus calms the storm

Jesus did many wonderful miracles and taught the ways of God more plainly, so that we would know God/Him better.  He walked as man and yet he walked with great compassion and grace.  He demonstrated the Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22); showing the full and complete emersion of the Holy Spirit in His life.  Jesus showed His complete dependence on God (John 5:19-23).  There was no man before, during, or since that can make the claims Jesus did.  Jesus is who he said he is.

Christ Jesus is the perfect image of God and man; he has authority over all of heaven the earth (Matthew 28:18).  Jesus fully God and fully man.  His experiences were just like ours today. 

He was tempted (Matthew 4:1-11) just like we are.  Though he never yielded, this allows him to understand when we are tempted.  When each of us fail, he forgives us as we confess our sins to him (1 John 1:9).

He suffered pain and rejection just like we do (John 1:10-11).  Everything we experience in this life Jesus knows all about. 

To be the complete expression of God, Jesus had to be God.  To be seen and understood by man, Jesus had to be man.  Christ Jesus has a dual nature – He is God – He is man.  I cannot say I have a solid understanding of the theology.  I do believe it is true, and by faith accept all of who Jesus says He is. I heard someone say once, death showed us Jesus is man, His humanity, and the resurrection showed us He is God, His deity.

It is by faith we believe, and by faith we accept Jesus as the: Son of God, Messiah (anointed), Emmanuel (God with us), Lord (Supreme Control) Christ (Anointed), and Savior (Freedom from eternal death).  This is who Jesus is and always will be.  He will come again to redeem His people, the Church, and we will live forever in His presence.  The very basis for the Churches existence is because of who Jesus is.    

Over the next three weeks I will be sharing the roles Jesus has in our lives as His followers: Prophet, King, and Priest.  I pray you are encouraged and strengthened as you continue to grow in your knowledge and love of God our Father, Christ Jesus our Lord and Holy Spirit our Comforter. 
 
Work Cited
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Electronic Database Copyright © 1996, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.
Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers
Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.
Meet the Rabbis: Rabbinic Thought and Teachings of Jesus, Brad H. Young ©2007, Baker Publishing Company.
A Primer on the Empowering Works of the Holy Spirit, Philip J. Noordmans © 2018, Kindle Direct Publishing.