Jesus is the Son of God

Andrew Adams, Orillia, ON

THE SON - EXPOSED (Matthew 1:16, 21, 25)

The name "Jesus" stands eternally as the human designation of the One who came from God. But there is far more to that name than just the identification of a specific person. The name is a compound word derived from a Hebrew root word and a Greek root word. The Hebrew word is "Jah," the title of the Eternal God (Psalm 68:4; 118:14). The Greek word is "sozo" which means save or rescue or deliver. Therefore, His name means "Jehovah" (the) Saviour, immediately linking this blessed person with both Deity and humanity simultaneously. In Him, God has exposed Himself (John 1:18) to mankind in a way that he can understand (Heb. 1:2). He is the exposition of the Godhead in physical humanity (Colossians 2:9).

His Sonship is an eternally valid relationship. It is proclaimed PROPHETICALLY in Proverbs 30:4, "What is His name, and what is His son’s name, if thou canst tell?" PARABOLICALLY in Mark 12:6, "Having yet therefore one son, his well beloved, he sent him also last." PERSONALLY in John 5:26, 37; 14:9. PURPOSEFULLY in 1 Corinthians 15:28. The name of Jesus is mentioned by itself 620 times in the Gospels, 35 times in Acts, but only 31 times in all the epistles and Revelation. This highlights the fact that once he had risen from the dead the disciples took up the preference of linking His name with the complimentary titles of "Lord" and "Christ," using them in various combinations for doctrinal reasons. The full title "Lord Jesus Christ" comes into use first in the Acts and is used a total of 81 times in the New Testament.

THE SERVANT- EXERCISED (Acts 1:1)

The characteristic attitude of the Man Jesus is that of a servant. In the verse referred to, He begins to do before He teaches, so that

His teachings are substantiated by His works. In other words, "He practiced what He preached." Philippians 2:7 instructs us that though God-form was essentially His, He took on Him servant-form to reveal the depth of His purpose in coming to the death of a cross as an expression of His obedience. The Gospel according to Mark reveals Jesus as the perfect servant, always active, serving, meeting the needs of humanity, fulfilling His Father’s objectives. (Fortytwo times Mark records that Jesus did such-and-such "immediately," anon," "straightway" and "by-and-by"). It is the servant character of Jesus that displayed the standard of excellence that God expects of His disciples. God is not looking for pride, but submissiveness. He saw it perfectly displayed in His Son. He is not seeking independent workers, rather dependent worshippers. He found it in the One who said, "Not my will, but Thine be done" while He was on His face upon the ground.

THE SAME - EXALTED (Acts 2:36)

Having lived the life that the Father desired of Him and the death that God required of Him in order to be the Saviour, He returns to the glory from which He had come in the first place. But, wonder of wonders, He is still the "same" Jesus. Though He has been exalted far above all principality and power, His personality and character have not changed as a result of His exaltation. But to the reality of that humanity has been added all the glory that He originally had (Lord, see John 17:5), and all the glory that He is due as a result of a finished work (Christ). Because He finished the work and satisfied God, He has been given the highest place in the universe, and every knee is constrained to bow to Him in the value of that human Name, Jesus (Phil. 2:9). At the same time, He has not lost His interest in those for whom He died, for "He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Heb. 4:15), and therefore, is a caring, competent High Priest to represent our cause in the presence of God. Because he was once here, as we are, He can thoroughly understand the issues and situations that we face, and be sympathetic to us in our needs. It is Jesus, the Man who has become our Advocate and High Priest. Consequently, it is "this same Jesus" who is about to return to this earth in power and great glory, according to the word of the angel in Acts 1:11. His exaltation to the throne of the universe has not changed His character as the Man who walked on earth. Such is the permanence of that humanity which He has accepted that Hebrews 13:8 says that He is "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever."

(To be continued)