Lesson 6: Christology, "Who is Jesus Christ?" I. Key Scripture passages for this topic of Bible Doctrine Colossians 1:13-23 Heb 1:1-4 Gen 1, 3:15, II. Lesson Notes A. Introduction: a. The Meaning of Christ b. The Importance of the Study i. Martin Luther s Quote: ii. Chalcedonian Definition of the Hypostatic Union of Christ THE CREED OF CHALCEDON states Following, then, the holy fathers, we unite in teaching all men to confess the one and only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This selfsame one is perfect both in deity and also in humanness; this selfsame one is also actually God and actually man, with a rational soul and a body. He is of the same reality as we are ourselves as far as his human-ness is concerned; thus like us in all respects, sin only excepted. Before time began he was begotten of the Father 1, in respect of his deity, and now in these last days, for us and on behalf of our salvation, this selfsame one was born of Mary the virgin, who is God-bearer in respect of his humanness. (Here is the meat of the statement of Hypostatic Union) We also teach that we apprehend this one and only Christ Son, Lord, only-begotten in two natures; without confusing the two natures, without transmuting one nature into the other, without dividing them into two separate categories, without contrasting them according to area or function. The distinctiveness of each nature is not nullified by the union. Instead, the properties of each 1 The concept that the Son of God eternally originates from the Father probably goes too far in attempting to understand the eternal relationship between the Father and the Son. Since God has no beginning or end, it is a contradiction to suggest an eternal origin for one of the Persons in the Godhead. Nevertheless, we must insist that the Second Person of the Trinity is God the Son, begotten of the Father in the sense of being the Father s heir. 1
nature are conserved and both natures concur in one person and in one hypostasis. They are not divided or cut into two prosopa (persons) but are together the one and only and only-begotten Logos of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus have the prophets of old testified; thus the Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us; thus the Symbol of the Fathers has handed down to us. B. Presumed Doctrines: Authority of Scripture (See Bibliology) Attributes of God (See Theology Proper) Trinity (See Theology Proper) Fall of Man (See Anthropology II) C. Christ as Creator 1. The Heir of All things and Creator of the World Hebrews 1:1-3: 1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 2. The Creator and Sustainer of All Things 2
Colossians 1:15-17 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 3. The Word of God Genesis 1 a. Then God said The Word of God bringing about the of God. b. Gen 1:26-28: Let us make man in our image. The nature of God is reflected in the creation of mankind as individual persons and united in the corporate entity of marriage. c. Function of man in dominion: Failure of Adam would set up history for the success of the Last Adam. D. Christ Predicted in His Person and Work 1. The Seed of the Woman: Genesis 3:15ff 15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel. Salvation image in v20-21. The Seed of the Woman figured in the substitution of the sacrifice of the animal to provide garments for Adam and Eve. 2. The Seed of Abraham: a. Gen 12:1-3: The Abrahamic Promise b. Gen 22:1-14. Isaac as the seed of Abraham and the new picture of the Seed of the Woman. He is set up here as the type of Christ i. v2: THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON Your only son even though Ishmael was also Abraham s son. 3
ii. v2 THE BELOVED SON. Your son whom you. iii. v6 THE LAMB OF GOD (WHO IS GOD), The Lord would provide as the offering. God Himself is the One who is the sacrifice; yet God would provide for Himself a lamb for the sacrifice in the Person of Christ. 3. Judah as a Type: Gen 37-50 The Story of Joseph a. Judah is the scoundrel of Gen 38 b. Judah is the SUBSTITUTIONARY SACRIFICE in Gen 44! c. The KINGLY RULER in Gen 49:10 4. The Angel of the Lord a. Appears to Joshua in Joshua 5 b. Appears in the Book of Judges: Freeing people from oppression in military context 5. Messiah: RULER a. Son of David; 2 Sam 7 i. Desire to build a house = TEMPLE ii. The Lord will build David a house = DYNASTY b. Messianic Psalms (mostly) written by David i. Ps 2: The Ruling King 4
ii. Ps 8: Man as designated to rule over God s works; ref to Gen 1:26-28 iii. Ps 110: The Messiah as High Priest and King in one person 6. Messiah: SUFFERING SERVANT a. Isaiah 53 b. Book of Hebrews: High Priest and Substitutionary Sacrifice 7. Shekinah Glory: THE PRESENCE OF GOD in the TEMPLE a. Ex 40 b. Ezek 10, 43 c. Haggai 2:1-9 8. Messiah: The GREAT PROPHET: Dt 18:18 E. Christ in the Incarnation (First Advent) 1. John 1:1-18 a. Tying the Messiah to Deity b. Tying the Messiah to the Creator c. Tying the Messiah to the Role of Savior d. Tying the Messiah to Humanity; 5
e. Tying the Messiah to Scripture f. Only begotten does not mean birth but inheritance. 2. Matthew 1 and Luke 3 Genealogies a. Virgin Birth: Seed of the Woman. b. John Deith c. Matthew King of Israel d. Mark Suffering Servant e. Luke Son of Man 3. Impeccability of Christ 4. Christ s Work on the Cross a. Redemption b. Reconciliation c. Propitiation d. Unlimited Atonement 5. Resurrection: Verification of His 6
6. Ascension into Heaven 7. Session at the Right Hand of the Father: A man in the presence of God for the first time since 8. High Priesthood Work (Heb 4-10) F. Christ in the Kingdom (Second Advent) 1. Kingdom begins at Second Advent 2. Establishment of the Kingdom building the population for leadership in the Kingdom a. Revelation 19: The Description of the Returning Christ b. Rev 20 Summary: Jesus is Prophet, Priest, King AND JUDGE of all mankind. Unrighteous man will be judged by the only righteous man! 7
III. Questions for Reflection and Interaction: 1. Why is the phrase seed of the woman mysterious? 2. What do Jesus and Adam have in common? What makes them different? 3. Are you able to trace the prophetic anticipation for the Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ 4. Can you defend the Bible s testimony that Christ will be the judge of all mankind against the charge that God is unfairly judgmental or strict? 5. What does only begotten mean when it refers to the Deity of Christ? Hint: It s not that God the Son is somehow born of God the Father in His Deity from eternity past. 8
6. What unique things about Jesus qualify Him to be the savior of the world? 7. Did you learn anything new (to you) about your Savior in this lesson? What? IV. Looking to the Future Like the rest of human history, the future of all creation focuses on the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we have already seen, both the Old and New Testaments presented a glorious and eternal future kingdom of Messiah, in which Jesus Christ would rule in righteousness over all the nations. The Millennium is the first thousand years of this kingdom and the last chapter in nonresurrected human history. There will still be death and sin in the Millennium, but human government and the natural environment will be perfect and at peace. Jesus will rule in this initial phase of His Kingdom as predicted in passages like Psalm 2, Isaiah 11, and Revelation 20. As Church Age believers, we are being groomed now to rule with Him in this future Millennial period and on into the eternal state (Mt 19:28; Luke 22:30; Rom 8:18-25). The Bible s emphasis in the passages about the Millennial Kingdom is always its King. The Millennial reign of Christ will conclude with a Satan-inspired rebellion of mankind against the Lord s administration, which God will defeat (Rev 20:7-10). Then the Lord Jesus will render a judgment on all the people who ever lived throughout all of human history at the Great White Throne Judgment. The Eternal State of the New Heavens and the New Earth follows the Great White Throne Judgment. In Revelation 20-21 we read of the features of the New Jerusalem and the presence of God with mankind. This event of co-location is the capstone of God s revelation or selfdisclosure to mankind, being an advance on the Millennium s presence of God the Son on earth in Jerusalem because the permanent abode of God will be with men. Knowing these things as they relate to our Lord Jesus Christ gives us incredible motivation to obedience and selflessness in this life. If we truly understand what the Bible is saying about the 9
destiny of Jesus Christ and our position in Him as co-heirs of all things, then we can understand our present suffering and endure it with an eye on the future glory that God has promised us. 10