Talk of JESUS . com

Tag: son of god

  • Jesus Christ 2 the Person and His Roles

    Jesus Christ 2 the Person and His Roles

    Who is this Jesus? Has God sent us the Christ – the anointed Messiah?

    God and The Person of JESUS

    “JESUS IS and was and will be.

    Talk of JESUS .com Jesus Christ IS Lord – 1

    JESUS IS God! just as we introduced last time through the beginning in John’s Gospel — “..and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God..”

    “No one has ever yet seen God..”

    John 1:18a Berean Standard Bible

    If the Person of Jesus IS GOD, then how was God revealed in HIM? If no one has seen God then how IS Jesus (who the world has seen born, died and risen) the Very Person of the unseen God?

    Begotten, NOT made

    John continues [John 1:18 BLB].

    “.. the only begotten God who is in the bosom G2859 of the Father, He has explained Him.

    Gospel of John 1:18 LSB – Strong’s G2859 – kolpos – ‘the front of the body between the arms

    Look closely at John’s Gospel and understand that GOD IS ONE, yet God is a God of relationship – THREE PERSONS with very personal roles and relationships to created men and women.

    Jesus, himself, confessed:

    “I and the Father are one.”

    John 10:30

    the Personality of JESUS the Son

    • Can you attach a Personality to the Face of God who you cannot see?
    • Will you relate to a PILLAR OF FIRE or the unseen Hand of the whirlwind?

    Even so, the LORD GOD relates to those He loves even as a Father guides and provides for his own.

    God the Father of our Lord JESUS Christ reveals from His unseen ever-existence, two Personalities, a loving Father and His only Son, to which created mankind can relate in addition to His unseen Spirit-to-spirit power, Holy and separated from that which He has created.

    Roger@TalkofJesus.com

    Personality of sons and daughters of man

    per·son·al·i·ty (pûr′sə-nălĭ-tē) DEFINITION

    The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.

    Body, mind and spirit born of a woman

    1. The totality of qualities and traits, as of character or behavior, that are peculiar to a specific person.
    2. The collection of distinctive qualities of a person, especially those distinguishing personal characteristics that make one socially appealing
    3. The quality or condition of being a person.

    WE cannot comprehend the TOTALITY of the Personality of JESUS the SON of GOD any more than that of God the FATHER.

    Never-the-less the Bible reveals the Face of God in the Persons of the Father and the Son – it is, in part, a relationship to which even sinful man may relate.

    Jesus IS God from God

    The PERSON of JESUS — perhaps a little difficult to understand, but we can relate to HIS relationship as SON of the One Father of all, even Almighty God.

    And as mysterious and illusive is God’s power, so we must hear from what God has said through Scripture about the Person of the Holy Spirit.

    Our basic CHRISTIAN teaching and belief, including study of GOD [theology] as THE TRINITY is outlined in several creeds of the church, including the NICENE CREED written by our Church fathers in A.D. 325.

    JESUS Christ explained by the Nicene Creed

    We believe in one God..

    And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God,

    Begotten from the Father, only begotten,

    that is, from the substance of the Father,

    God from God, light from light, true God from true God,

    begotten not made,

    of one substance with the Father,

    through Whom all things came into being,

    things in heaven and things on earth…

    THINK about these TEACHINGS of our Church Fathers living just a few generations after the incarnate JESUS, Son of Man.

    Consider in your heart for a moment of our mortal time: 
    WHY would GOD show His Face to mankind as a Son, our Lord and Savior JESUS CHRIST?
    • We cannot be like GOD; but why would GOD want to become as one of us?

    Why not consider JESUS in your heart rather than dismissing the God you cannot see simply in your self-created thoughts?

    JESUS the Person of relationship with our personality

    JESUS did this for ME?

    Hear the theology of our our Church fathers as you embrace the mystery of God in more of the Nicene Creed:

    Jesus Christ..

    Who because of us men and because of our salvation came down, and became incarnate

    [Embodied in human form; personified – American Heritage Dictionary]

    and became man,

    and suffered,

    and rose again on the third day, and ascended to the heavens,

    and will come to judge the living and dead…

    JESUS.. the GOD-MAN!

    Returning to the unseen.. in the heavens..

    Christ ascended

    AND WILL COME AGAIN TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD..

    which is of course the ROLE and right of GOD ALMIGHTY, Creator of all men and Maker all things.

    the Role of Christ Jesus

    Even though we cannot fully understand incarnation, that is, GOD becoming a MAN — let’s not confuse the PERSON of JESUS (of one substance with the Father and the Holy Spirit) with the ROLES of JESUS.

    Χριστὸν – Christ

    And He [Jesus] said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

    And Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”

    Gospel of Luke 9:20 LSB [vs. 18-20]

    Χριστὸν θεοῦ – christos theos

    Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
    Peter replied, “You are the Messiah [Or the Christ. Messiah (a Hebrew term) and Christ (a Greek term) both mean “the anointed one.”] sent from God!”

    Gospel of Luke 9:20 New Living Translation

    MORE about JESUS the Messiah or Christ of God NEXT time, God-willing.

    Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel

  • Son-Man Risen!

    Son-Man Risen!

     “Are you the King of the Jews,” the Prefect Pilate had asked JESUS just three days ago?

    βασιλεύς King ?

    Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews.

    But my kingdom is not from the world.”

    Gospel of John 18: ESV 36 [in context John 18:28-40 AKJV]
    Case dismissed! This Man is NO threat to Rome or Jerusalem, Pilate COULD have said (had the Governor cared more about the Truth than public opinion.)
 
SO instead HE WAS CRUCIFIED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE and THREE DAYS AGO was BURIED in a GUARDED TOMB!

    The Jews had wanted a king more powerful than the Herod. Now these powerful pastors can celebrate THEIR Passover and finally dismiss this prophet JESUS saying,

    The King is DEAD! Long live the King.

    “Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar,” these Elder accusers of JESUS had taunted. The hereditary Chief Priests might no longer need to limp around the bloody temple sacrifices in order to please the multitudes.

    YET since the rising of the sun three days later, some witnesses now report the RISING of the SON-MAN, JESUS!

    Resurrection witnessed

    The leaders of Herod’s temple (for it had been rebuilt by the Great Herod who left many of the common areas of the courts unfinished) did NOT need any interruption of their indulgences and ceremonial place of authority over worshipers of God obligated to come to THEIR temple twice yearly.

    BUT even before THEY managed to convict and crucify the Christ so many followed the leadership of Jerusalem also sought to kill Jesus’ Apostles and most of all Lazarus.

    When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there [Bethany], they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he [JESUS] had raised from the dead.

    So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

    Gospel of John 12:9-11 ESV
    The Temple leadership, however, failed to seize and kill Lazarus (again) but seemed satisfied to crucify the Christ said to raise Lazarus from the grave. 

(But how could such a thing as that have really happened, those many men who did not believe in the resurrection questioned?)

    Jesus knew how these would REJECT Him not only because they did NOT believe Scripture, but also because these religious leaders could never envision their Messiah (the Christ, of whom the gentiles spoke) would be given the authority to raise the dead.

    For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father.

    Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

    Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

    Gospel of John 5:22-25 ESV

    “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 

    26For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 

    And he has given him authority to execute judgment,
    because he is [the] Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out,
    those who have done good to the resurrection of life,
    and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

    Gospel of John 5:27-29 ESV – Jesus claiming the Authority of the Son-Man Messiah

    Jesus certainly had demonstrated this Authority of the Christ by raising Lazarus from death!

    The LEADERS of JUDAH knew rejected the Truth they knew; but even the most faithful worshipers sometimes doubt the veracity of Holy Scripture.

    Does this sound familiar?

    Son-Man, can these bones live?

    + Note: Lit. “son man” – the Hebrew does not use articles bēn ‘āḏām – בֶּן־אָדָם 

    Picture yourself standing near Golgotha, where rotted bones of the crucified eventually fall to the dust. See any scene of a low valley of graves where flesh and bones decay in the dust and loved ones lament over the lifeless souls of their past..
    Ezekiel 37: KJV

    And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

    Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

    Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

    So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath [רוּחַ]came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

    Resurrection Prophesied

    And at that time Michael the great prince shall stand up, that stands over the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of tribulation, such tribulation as has not been from the time that there was a nation on the earth until that time: at that time thy people shall be delivered, even every one that is written in the book.

    And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to reproach and everlasting shame.

    Daniel 12:2 Brenton Septuagint Translation

    Christ holds His priesthood permanently

    The problem of the High Priests Annas and Caiaphas is no different than that pointed out by the author of the book of Hebrews.

    And the former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.

    Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

    Hebrews 7:25-27 LSB
    AND don't miss this about the necessity that the CHRIST should become the Perfect Sacrifice for our sins.

    For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

    What must you do to be saved?

    The Son-Man, JESUS (SAVIOR) Son WHO IS One with the Father and the Holy Spirit — Messiah [Christ] prophesied in Scripture IS the Very WORD of the LORD God!

    THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY?

    Good News!

    Spurgeon on Lazarus and resurrection

    Charles Spurgeon, the renowned English preacher of the 19th century provides us with further thoughts about what happened to Lazarus and those who already had mourned over his death.
THOUGH HE WERE DEAD - 14 September, A.D. 1884, Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington G.B.
John 11:24-26
    • here is the comfort which we may each one safely take, namely, that when Jesus comes the dead shall live.
    • Then we are also told that when Jesus comes, living believers shall not die. After the coming of Christ there shall be no more death for his people.
    • Resurrection with Jesus is resurrection indeed. Life with Jesus is life indeed.
    • I think that Jesus meant that even now His dead are alive. Again, even now his living do not die.

    Beyond these few brief points of comfort for the bereaved Spurgeon continues with a notable Scriptural truth WE tend to avoid:

    Methinks, first, this text plainly teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ is the life of his people.

    We are dead by nature, and you can never produce life out of death: the essential elements are wanting..

    .. The life of a Christian in its commencement is in Christ alone, not a fragment of it is from himself, and the continuance of that life is equally the same; Jesus is not only the resurrection to begin with, but the life to go on with.”

    Charles Haddon Spurgeon

    The multitudes of Jerusalem loved Jesus’ teaching and loved Jesus’ humility. YET many who yearned to gather in the Temple REJECTED the greater love of a Savior willing to die on the Cross rather than life the life of a great teacher.

    the resurrection and the life

    Spurgeon pleas with those with ears to hear teaching on the power of Jesus raising Lazarus and what the Christian disciple must do:

    “I tell you you must learn that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

    Hearken to that great “I,” that infinite EGO! This must cover over and swallow up your little ego.

    “I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.”

    WHAT ARE YOU?

    Less than nothing, and vanity; but over all springs up divine, all-sufficient personality, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

    .. further [Spurgeon points out],

    “he that believeth in Me”: that is it.

    He does not say, “He that loves me.”

    my Lord and my God!

    The GOOD NEWS of the RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST!

    Jesus *said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are those who did not see, and yet believed.”

    Gospel of John 20:29 LSB

    Alleluia!

    Talk of JESUS . com

    Christ IS Risen!

    Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel

  • The Last Word on Authority – Jesus Son of God

    The Last Word on Authority – Jesus Son of God

    John 19:

    Yesus facing Pilate

    Previously, Pilate had questioned Jesus apart from the crowds and asked if He is a king. Now, after having had Jesus scourged 39 times and coming out to the barely controlled crowds of Jerusalem, Pilate will question this ‘man’ a second time in his judge’s chambers within the palace.

    What has prompted Pilate’s new interrogation of Jesus?

    1. This ‘man’ kept silent during all 39 lashes, confessing no crimes to receive some mercy from the whip.
    2. When Rome’s Prefect had asked why Jesus should be crucified, the Jews answered Pilate, ‘.. because he made himself the Son of God.’

    Pilate may have also been a religious man, though as we pointed out previously the Romans had many gods.

    Could this man Jesus be one of them?

    In a private appeal

    Pilate said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to Him, “Are you not speaking to me?

    Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?”

    John 19:10b Pilate’s claim of authority to ‘the man’ Jesus

    Roman Authority

    Before we hear Jesus breaking the silence of Roman interrogation, let’s consider briefly an earlier encounter of Jesus in Galilee with a Roman officer.

    This healing by Jesus not only illustrates an absolute no questions asked authority of Roman Legions, but by his own high position, Pilate might have heard from this Roman leader who helped build a synagogue in Capernaum.

    Matthew 8:

    When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him..

    Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

    And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

    The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.

    For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me.

    And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

    When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

    Judean Authority

    Make no mistake about the authority of Rome’s governor Pontius Pilate. Rome revoked the kingdom of Herod Archelaus of Judah just two years after he failed to govern as Rome expected. They renamed the new Roman province Judea and placed a Roman Prefect in charge.

    Pilate governs with political authority similar to Antipas in Galilee to the north. Jesus of Nazareth is technically a subject of Herod Antipas. Pilate, however, may have heard of Jesus from a fellow Roman legion in the region of Galilee.

    Authority – Pilate’s understanding

    Pilate said to Him, .. Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?”

    ἐξουσία, the Greek word for authority simply means, power. I am in charge. I can do whatever I please.

    It could mean, I have influence and the privilege of judging you. In Pilate’s case, authority means: the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed). And specifically, the power of judicial decisions and authority to manage domestic affairs.

    And Jesus remains silent, Pilate must have thought? Silent even when scourged 39 times and questioned by the Prefect with authority to sentence the ‘Man’ to a Cross?

    Finally the Lord answers the authority of the governor in charge of this high Judean court.

    The Authority of Christ

    Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over Me at all, if it had not been given to you from above..

    John 19:11a NASB

    Don’t miss this: Jesus in essence refers to a higher authority (from above).

    Pilate is a religious man with many gods. Rome acknowledges these higher authorities as had Greece. These are gods defined as: the leading and more powerful among created beings superior to man, spiritual potentates (that is, kings and Caesars).

    Again, perhaps Pilate has heard the buzz of the crowds witnessing Jesus healing the sick and even raising the dead. Romans kept close to the everyday happenings in Judea. Had he perhaps heard about the Galilean legion’s servant who Jesus healed?

    Some dilemma, that a human judge should judge a god!

    12 As a result of this, Pilate made efforts to release Him..

    A Greater Sin

    Perhaps, in a sense, Pilate considers or acknowledges the Higher Authority of Jesus. To some extent Jesus’ answer actually exonerates Pilate, but convicts another.

    Listen to the second part of the Lord’s answer to Pilate:

    Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over Me at all, if it had not been given to you from above; for this reason the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”

    John 19:11 NASB

    A greater sin than Pontius Pilate? For Christ-followers remember by our creeds the the Lord Jesus “was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate?”

    Yet Jesus says that one who handed Him over to Pilate has the greater sin.

    Does the Lord mean to say that Pilate’s sin is forgivable? Perhaps.

    We assume here that Jesus refers to Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him to the Jews, is the one with the greater sin.

    • Have you ever considered that Annas or Caiaphas are truly the ones who handed Jesus over to the gentiles?
    • These High Priests of the Jews handed Jesus over to Pilate for crucifixion.
    • Annas, Caiaphas and other Jewish officials of the Sanhedrin, who betray their own Messiah, have greater sins than Pilate!

    Had you have not known of the Highest Authority of Jesus until now, you may be forgiven for not knowing. But now that you know Jesus, you must accept Christ or oppose God Almighty.

    Who will rule over you now?

    Opposition to Authority

    12 As a result of this, Pilate made efforts to release Him; but the Jews shouted, saying,

    “If you release this Man, you are not a friend of Caesar;

    everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar!”

    Pilate their Governor rules over those in the crowds and as Judea’s Governor. He appoints their religious authorities (who have consistently incited the crowds against the Authority of their Messiah) and outranks every member of the Sanhedrin in all civil matters.

    But the Jewish authorities cite a technical argument, not a religious reason – a political reason for Pilate to condemn their messianic opponent.

    • Jesus claims to be a king.
    • Caesar, a king and a god to the Romans also commands their loyalty.

    Will Pilate actually oppose the authority of Caesar by releasing a Man who makes claim as a king of the Jew?

    Of course, the Governor cannot allow the crowds to think that. Now he must sentence the Man. Rome’s judge returns Jesus to the public court of crowd justice.

    13 Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement—but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

    From the hour of Jesus’ betrayal by Judas under cover of darkness in Gethsemane until now, these trials, interrogations and cruel punishments have all been completed by morning’s end.

    14 Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour..

    The Jewish Authorities Prevail

    No one likes to see the opposition win — not you, not me — and not even Pilate.

    But in fact, here it would seem that evil prevails. Evil destroys its opponent in the agenda of those religious leaders who have stoked the hatred of the crowds.

    So they shouted, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” - John19:15 - collage of Jesus and Pilate with first and 21st century crowds

    Then he told the Jews, “Here is your king!” They shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Should I crucify your king?”

    The chief priests answered,

    We have no king but Caesar.

    John 19:15b KJV

    16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. KJV

    Who are ‘they’ who crucify Christ?

    We will explore the verdict, which would seem to suggest that the majority rules.

    Who crucified the Man of God, Christ Jesus? This we must ask NEXT as we follow Christ with His Cross to the skull where criminals hang from a tree.

    To be continued...

    Please subscribe to our new posts & COMMENT on this one.