THE INCARNATION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
Hebrews 1:1-6
Isaiah 9:6,7
John 1:1-5, 14-18 Virgin Birth
Firstborn – Jesus as
Christ – Testimonies re
INTRODUCTION
Hebrews 1:1-6 shows the person and work of Christ as Messiah and Saviour of mankind. Christology is a most important subject. The message of Hebrews is that God has stepped into history with the Creator becoming a creature. It is quite clear that we are talking about the Lord Jesus Christ,
His victory at the Cross showed His superiority over everything including the angels. In the first six verses we have the summary of the subject. This passage is very profound. The most important thing is that God became man and dwelt amongst us.
Isaiah 9:6, 7 looks forward to the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here it should be noted that the child is born and the Son is given. The humanity of Christ was born of Mary as the Son, the 'pre-incarnate' deity known as the WORD (Logos in Greek) always existed. Here we have the deity and humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ brought together to form the hypostatic union. The full meaning of this is hidden from us even yet.
The term 'pre-incarnate Christ' means the appearances of the Lord before the incarnation, before He was born of the Virgin Mary. Before you talk about the virgin birth you have to talk about the person who is being virgin born, the person who is God and man, and that He was God before he became man.
The Lord Jesus Christ is unique in the history of the universe - Christ is unique - Emmanuel - God with us. What was He doing before He was born? The doctrine of the person of Christ is crucial to the Christian faith. It is basic to Soteriology [saviour-hood] because if He was not what He claimed to be then His atonement was deficient and therefore not sufficient.
This is why an incorrect view of the Lord Jesus Christ will give an incorrect view of salvation, sanctification and eschatology. Because of the pre existence of Christ He was there to be given, before He was given, being eternally with the Father, He is God. John 1:1
Because of His eternality He did not come into existence and was therefore not a created person. John 8:58 - there is no point in human history, there is no time in the future when He will not be able to say "I AM" because He is from eternity to eternity. If that is incorrect you have no Saviour.
Looking at the character of God, He is eternal life, Christ is eternal life. What was the Lord doing before he was born as a member of humanity? He was the Creator - Hebrews 1, the Angel of Yahweh in the Old Testament. The person of Christ demands a virgin birth because God is becoming man and no human male can be involved in His birth because it is through the male that the Carnal Sin Nature comes.
THE BIRTH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
The birth of the Lord Jesus Christ in Bethlehem (house of bread) in Judea was probably in the autumn. The date of the birth of our Lord has been placed variously from 1 to 7 BC. Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem when Cyrenius was Governor of Syria and Herod was king in Jerusalem. - Luke 2:2
Justin Martyr also stated this referring to taxation records which were still in existence in his time to confirm that Joseph and Mary were resident in Nazareth and went to Bethlehem for the census. Until the middle of the 19th century the only historical reference to Cyrenius as the Greeks called him or as he was known by the Romans P.Sulpicius Quirinus was to a period some 10 years after the death of Herod which caused the school of higher criticism to try and discredit the account in Luke.
However the German Dr Zumpt proved that Cyrenius was twice the Governor of the province and that his first period dated from BC 4 when he succeeded Quinctilius Varus.
Josephus tells us that Herod died in the 37th year of his reign. It is known that Herod was made king by the Romans in 40 BC during the consulship of Domitus Calvinus and Asinius Pollio thus his death was either in 4 or 3 BC.
Josephus also states that on the night that Herod ordered the execution of his sons, who he believed were plotting to overthrow him; there was an eclipse of the moon. It is also known that Herod died within days of their execution.
Johnson in his "Eclipses Past and Future" states that there was a lunar eclipse observable at Jerusalem with a maximum effect at 2:34 am on 13th March BC 4 with the next one visible in that city being a full eclipse at 12:15 am on the 9th January BC 1. It is therefore seen that the year of Herod's death was 4 BC.
Josephus also tells that Archelaus remained for 7 days in seclusion after the death of Herod, and that whilst he was well received initially he had to call in the guard prior to his going to Jerusalem on 8th Nisan to celebrate Passover. It is therefore concluded that Herod died in the last two weeks of March 4 BC.
The Greek word for young child which described our Lord at the time of Herod's search for him indicates a child less than 18 months old but not a baby.
It is clear from scriptural evidence that Jesus Christ was born in September / October and it would appear likely that this was either in the year 5 or 6 BC.
The Lord Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea to the Virgin Mary by means of the Holy Spirit. - Luke 2:7
Joseph was demonstrated to be the legal though not natural father. -Matthew 1:16-20 4 BC Visit of the Wise Men from Babylon, or further East in Persia, seeking the child born to be king whose star they had seen in the east. Herod sees this as a threat to his dynasty and asks the Wise Men to report back to him once they have located the Christ child so that he may eliminate the threat, but being divinely guided they escape by another route. - Matthew 2:1-12
Herod kills all the small boys two years old and under in an attempt to eliminate the legitimate King of the Jews but Joseph, Mary and the young Jesus travel to Egypt until Herod is dead. - Matthew 2:13-18
Herod the Great dies in the spring. Just prior to dying due to paranoia he kills some of his sons thereby removing the immediate threat to Jesus from the Herodian line.
ARCHELAUS, was the ethnarch of Judea, Samaria and Idumea until 6AD. During his reign of ten years he made many enemies and exercised great cruelty towards both Samaritans and Jews alike putting to death according to Josephus 3000 Jews in the Temple not long after his accession. In 6 AD as a result of complaints to the Emperor from his brothers and subjects he was banished to the far regions of the Roman Empire and his kingdom became a Roman province. - Matthew 2:22
As teachers we are responsible for the teaching ministry of the Church. By being a Pastor you have an axe put at your neck by the Lord. The Lord's judgment is harsher on the unfaithful Pastor than on others. We are to teach the full doctrine of the unique person of the Lord Jesus Christ to the sheep in our care, so they know the truth about him as their Saviour and Lord
Isaiah 41 - gives the meaning of the Lord Jesus Christ. John 1:14 shows that God became flesh and dwelt amongst us. He has not left us in the dark about who he is. The result of accurate preaching about the incarnation will be worship in the lives of the hearers.
True theology will cause you to end all study with you on your knees, false theology will have people arguing with each other, and this is also the division between good and bad Bible teaching.
THE PURPOSE OF THE INCARNATION
God became flesh to reveal Himself to us, to provide an effective sacrifice for sin, to fulfill the Davidic covenant, to destroy the works of the Devil, to be a sympathetic High Priest for mankind and have the right to judge. They all focus on the purpose of the Lord's coming. This is a central point of the Christian faith not just the "Christmas" message. What was predicted by Isaiah came to pass.
There are over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the incarnation of Christ.
Some points to note
[a] The humanity of Christ was purposed from before the foundation of the world - Ephesians 1:4-7, 3:11, Revelation 13:8.
[b] Every type and prophecy of the Old Testament concerning Christ was in anticipation of the Incarnate Son of God.
[c] The fact of the humanity of Christ is seen in His annunciation and birth. - Luke 1:31-35
[d] His life here on earth revealed His humanity.
[e] The humanity of Christ is seen in His death and resurrection.
[f] The fact of the humanity of Christ is seen in that He ascended into heaven and is now, in His human glorified body, ministering for His own.
[g] When He comes again it will be "the same Jesus" coming as He went, in the same body though glorified in which He became incarnate.
In His incarnation He becomes head of the Church.
JOHN’S GOSPEL AND THE SAVIOUR
Seven passages in John's gospel bring this together and provide the key to that gospel.
The main purpose of the incarnation was that He came to die for your sins.
John 1:29 - Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world;
John 3:14, 15 - The person who came to hang on the tree;
John 6:51 - The living bread came down from heaven; to give eternal life to those who eat of it.
John 10:11 - The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep
John 11:49-52 - The only person to die for the nation
John 12:24 – Shows that the grain of wheat has to die so that it may bear much fruit.
John 15:13-14 - The example that ‘greater love hath no man than he who will lay down his life for his friends’.
You cannot get around it the Lord came to die. The cross/empty tomb is central.
He had to become human to be King, Priest, Mediator and Saviour.
DOCTRINES
VIRGIN BIRTH
1. Jesus Christ had to be born of a virgin to fulfil prophecy. (Isaiah 7:1 4)
2. Jesus had to be born of a virgin to confirm the curse of Coniah. (Jeremiah 22:28-30)
a) Coniah was a believer but an evil king at the time of the Babylonian captivity.
b) Coniah is also in the direct line of Christ in Joseph's lineage from David (Matthew 1:6, 1:11, 1:16) through Solomon. This is the Kingly line.
c) Mary was also in the direct line of Christ from David (Luke 3:23, Luke 3:31) through Nathan. In Luke 3:23 Joseph is the son-in-law of Heli, Mary's father.
d) Both lines, Solomon's and Nathan's meet in the person of Jesus Christ but by the virgin birth Coniah's line is cut off as Joseph is the legal but not natural father of Jesus Christ.
3. Jesus had to be born of a virgin to not have the sin nature of Adam. The sin nature of man comes down through the male. (1 Timothy 2:14)
a) Adam, as the head, was responsible for his wife.
b) Eve was deceived and sinned.
c) Adam made deliberate choice.
4. In order to be the God-Man Jesus had to be conceived of the Holy Spirit to Mary.
5. The virgin birth is therefore critical especially in the doctrine of Redemption, Imputation and Propitiation. NO virgin birth - NO salvation.
CHRIST: FIRSTBORN
1. He is the firstborn of all Creation - Colossians 1:15, John 1:18, 1 John 4:12
2. He is called the first born of Mary. As such he is the elder of the household and as He is descended from David through both of His genealogies he inherits the kingdom of David. Through Mary He has his title as Messiah - Matthew 1:25, Luke 2:7
3. The Lord is the firstborn of the Royal Family of God - Romans 8:29
4. He is the firstborn in resurrection; He is the first to be raised from the dead - Colossians 1:18, Hebrews 1:5, 6
5. He is the first fruits of resurrection. - 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
6. The church is called the assembly of the firstborn. - Hebrews 12:23
CHRIST: TESTIMONIES ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
TESTIMONIES BY CHRIST OF HIMSELF
1. He claimed to transcend the Mosaic Law, and to be entitled to rewrite it. (Matthew 5:21-48.)
2. He claimed pre-existence as God. He freely used the divine 'I AM' which was the name of Yahweh God in the Old Testament. (John 6:35, 8:12, 58, 10:7, 11, 11:25, 14:6, 15:5)
3. He told the disciples to pray in His name. (John 14:14)
4. He claimed to have come down from heaven and that He would return to where He came from. (John 3:13, 6:33, 42, 50-51, 62; 14:2-7)
5. He claimed power over death. He spoke of laying his life down and that He had the power to take it up again. (John 10:17-18)
6. He claimed that death could not hold Him and that he would rise up again in three days. (John 2:19)
7. He claimed to be able to raise up all the dead on the last day. (John 5:25-29, 11:25)
8. He claimed that he was the judge of all men. (Matthew 25:31; John 5:22)
9. He claimed that to trust Him was the same as trusting God; thereby making Himself equal to God. (Matthew 28:18-19, John 14:1)
10. He claimed that man can only really know God as He is revealed in Him. (Matthew 11:27; John 14:6)
11. He accepted worship as right for Himself, that belonged only to God; from Nathaniel (John 1:49), from Peter (Matthew 16:16) and from Thomas. (John 20:28)
12. He claimed that to see Him was to see God the Father. (John 14:9-10)
13. He claimed that He should be honoured as God is honoured; indeed that God is honoured when He is honoured. (John 5:22-23)
14. He claimed to be able to forgive sin, and give to all who believe in Him eternal life. (Matthew 9:2; John 10:28, 3:16-21, 6:35, 11:25)
15. He claimed that eternal judgment awaits those who reject him as Saviour. (John 3:36; Matthew 25:41-46)
16. He taught with absolute authority. (Matthew 7:29, Mark 1:22, John 14:6)
17. He claimed universal power. (Matthew 28:18)
18. He claimed that God the Father and He were one. (John 10:30)
19. He insisted that all revelation was fulfilled in Himself. He saw Himself as anticipated typologically in Jonah (Matthew 12:39-41, Luke 11:29-32), Solomon (Matthew 12:42, Luke 11:31), David (Matthew 12:3, 4, Mark 2:25-26; Luke 6:3, 4) and Isaiah. (Matthew 13:13, 14, Mark 4:12 and Luke 8:10)
TESTIMONIES ABOUT CHRIST IN ISAIAH
1. His Godhead (40:12-18, 51:13)
2. His Incarnation (7:14, 9:6)
3. His Lowly Youth (7:15, 9:1-2, 11:1, 53:2)
4. His Servant hood (11:2, 42:1)
5. His Mildness (42:2)
6. His Tenderness (42:3)
7. His Obedience (50:5)
8. His Message (61:1-2)
9. His Miracles (35:5-6)
10. His Sufferings (50:6, 52:13-15)
11. His Rejection (53:1-3)
12. His Passion (53:4-6)
13. His Vicarious Death (53:8)
14. His Burial (53:9)
15. His Resurrection (53:10)
16. His Ascension (52:13)
17. His High Priestly Ministry (53:12)
18. His Exaltation (52:13-15)
19. His Role as Judge (63:1-6)
20. His Second Advent (59:20-21)
21. His Millennial Reign (9:6-7, 11:3-9)
TESTIMONIES BY UNBELIEVERS
1. Judas Iscariot (Matthew 27:4) - I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood.
2. Pontius Pilate (John 19:4, 6) - I find no crime in him.
3. Herod the Usurper (Luke 23:15) - No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him: and lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.
4. Pilate's wife (Matthew 27:19) - Have nothing to do with this just man.
5. The dying thief (Luke 23:41) - This man hath done nothing amiss.
6. The centurion of the Golgotha detachment (Luke 23:47) - This man was a righteous man.
7. The Roman soldiers at Golgotha (Matthew 27:54) - truly this one was the son of God.
STATEMENTS HE MAKES ABOUT HIMSELF IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION
1. "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last" - Jesus Christ knows all things (1:11)
2. "I am the first and the last" - He is eternal (1:17)
3. "I am he that liveth and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forever more, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death " - He became the God - man and died for us conquering death and saving us from an eternity in hell (1:18)
4. "These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks." - He has the ministers of the church in his hand and is present in the churches. (2:1)
5. "These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive." - He combines eternality with his sacrificial death. (2:8)
6. "These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges." - He is and has the Word of God. (2:12)
7. "These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass" - He is not only Saviour but is also Judge. (2:18)
8. "These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars."- He gave the church the Holy Spirit so that the church can function (3:1)
9. "These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth and no man openeth." - He is holy true and has authority. He also gives opportunities to enable us to serve. (3:7)
10. "These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God"; - He has the final authority and is the revelation of God and the source of God's creation. (3:14)
11. "Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." - He calls to man but does not coerce the freewill of man. (3:20)
Hebrews 1:1-6
Isaiah 9:6,7
John 1:1-5, 14-18 Virgin Birth
Firstborn – Jesus as
Christ – Testimonies re
INTRODUCTION
Hebrews 1:1-6 shows the person and work of Christ as Messiah and Saviour of mankind. Christology is a most important subject. The message of Hebrews is that God has stepped into history with the Creator becoming a creature. It is quite clear that we are talking about the Lord Jesus Christ,
His victory at the Cross showed His superiority over everything including the angels. In the first six verses we have the summary of the subject. This passage is very profound. The most important thing is that God became man and dwelt amongst us.
Isaiah 9:6, 7 looks forward to the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here it should be noted that the child is born and the Son is given. The humanity of Christ was born of Mary as the Son, the 'pre-incarnate' deity known as the WORD (Logos in Greek) always existed. Here we have the deity and humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ brought together to form the hypostatic union. The full meaning of this is hidden from us even yet.
The term 'pre-incarnate Christ' means the appearances of the Lord before the incarnation, before He was born of the Virgin Mary. Before you talk about the virgin birth you have to talk about the person who is being virgin born, the person who is God and man, and that He was God before he became man.
The Lord Jesus Christ is unique in the history of the universe - Christ is unique - Emmanuel - God with us. What was He doing before He was born? The doctrine of the person of Christ is crucial to the Christian faith. It is basic to Soteriology [saviour-hood] because if He was not what He claimed to be then His atonement was deficient and therefore not sufficient.
This is why an incorrect view of the Lord Jesus Christ will give an incorrect view of salvation, sanctification and eschatology. Because of the pre existence of Christ He was there to be given, before He was given, being eternally with the Father, He is God. John 1:1
Because of His eternality He did not come into existence and was therefore not a created person. John 8:58 - there is no point in human history, there is no time in the future when He will not be able to say "I AM" because He is from eternity to eternity. If that is incorrect you have no Saviour.
Looking at the character of God, He is eternal life, Christ is eternal life. What was the Lord doing before he was born as a member of humanity? He was the Creator - Hebrews 1, the Angel of Yahweh in the Old Testament. The person of Christ demands a virgin birth because God is becoming man and no human male can be involved in His birth because it is through the male that the Carnal Sin Nature comes.
THE BIRTH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
The birth of the Lord Jesus Christ in Bethlehem (house of bread) in Judea was probably in the autumn. The date of the birth of our Lord has been placed variously from 1 to 7 BC. Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem when Cyrenius was Governor of Syria and Herod was king in Jerusalem. - Luke 2:2
Justin Martyr also stated this referring to taxation records which were still in existence in his time to confirm that Joseph and Mary were resident in Nazareth and went to Bethlehem for the census. Until the middle of the 19th century the only historical reference to Cyrenius as the Greeks called him or as he was known by the Romans P.Sulpicius Quirinus was to a period some 10 years after the death of Herod which caused the school of higher criticism to try and discredit the account in Luke.
However the German Dr Zumpt proved that Cyrenius was twice the Governor of the province and that his first period dated from BC 4 when he succeeded Quinctilius Varus.
Josephus tells us that Herod died in the 37th year of his reign. It is known that Herod was made king by the Romans in 40 BC during the consulship of Domitus Calvinus and Asinius Pollio thus his death was either in 4 or 3 BC.
Josephus also states that on the night that Herod ordered the execution of his sons, who he believed were plotting to overthrow him; there was an eclipse of the moon. It is also known that Herod died within days of their execution.
Johnson in his "Eclipses Past and Future" states that there was a lunar eclipse observable at Jerusalem with a maximum effect at 2:34 am on 13th March BC 4 with the next one visible in that city being a full eclipse at 12:15 am on the 9th January BC 1. It is therefore seen that the year of Herod's death was 4 BC.
Josephus also tells that Archelaus remained for 7 days in seclusion after the death of Herod, and that whilst he was well received initially he had to call in the guard prior to his going to Jerusalem on 8th Nisan to celebrate Passover. It is therefore concluded that Herod died in the last two weeks of March 4 BC.
The Greek word for young child which described our Lord at the time of Herod's search for him indicates a child less than 18 months old but not a baby.
It is clear from scriptural evidence that Jesus Christ was born in September / October and it would appear likely that this was either in the year 5 or 6 BC.
The Lord Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea to the Virgin Mary by means of the Holy Spirit. - Luke 2:7
Joseph was demonstrated to be the legal though not natural father. -Matthew 1:16-20 4 BC Visit of the Wise Men from Babylon, or further East in Persia, seeking the child born to be king whose star they had seen in the east. Herod sees this as a threat to his dynasty and asks the Wise Men to report back to him once they have located the Christ child so that he may eliminate the threat, but being divinely guided they escape by another route. - Matthew 2:1-12
Herod kills all the small boys two years old and under in an attempt to eliminate the legitimate King of the Jews but Joseph, Mary and the young Jesus travel to Egypt until Herod is dead. - Matthew 2:13-18
Herod the Great dies in the spring. Just prior to dying due to paranoia he kills some of his sons thereby removing the immediate threat to Jesus from the Herodian line.
ARCHELAUS, was the ethnarch of Judea, Samaria and Idumea until 6AD. During his reign of ten years he made many enemies and exercised great cruelty towards both Samaritans and Jews alike putting to death according to Josephus 3000 Jews in the Temple not long after his accession. In 6 AD as a result of complaints to the Emperor from his brothers and subjects he was banished to the far regions of the Roman Empire and his kingdom became a Roman province. - Matthew 2:22
As teachers we are responsible for the teaching ministry of the Church. By being a Pastor you have an axe put at your neck by the Lord. The Lord's judgment is harsher on the unfaithful Pastor than on others. We are to teach the full doctrine of the unique person of the Lord Jesus Christ to the sheep in our care, so they know the truth about him as their Saviour and Lord
Isaiah 41 - gives the meaning of the Lord Jesus Christ. John 1:14 shows that God became flesh and dwelt amongst us. He has not left us in the dark about who he is. The result of accurate preaching about the incarnation will be worship in the lives of the hearers.
True theology will cause you to end all study with you on your knees, false theology will have people arguing with each other, and this is also the division between good and bad Bible teaching.
THE PURPOSE OF THE INCARNATION
God became flesh to reveal Himself to us, to provide an effective sacrifice for sin, to fulfill the Davidic covenant, to destroy the works of the Devil, to be a sympathetic High Priest for mankind and have the right to judge. They all focus on the purpose of the Lord's coming. This is a central point of the Christian faith not just the "Christmas" message. What was predicted by Isaiah came to pass.
There are over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the incarnation of Christ.
Some points to note
[a] The humanity of Christ was purposed from before the foundation of the world - Ephesians 1:4-7, 3:11, Revelation 13:8.
[b] Every type and prophecy of the Old Testament concerning Christ was in anticipation of the Incarnate Son of God.
[c] The fact of the humanity of Christ is seen in His annunciation and birth. - Luke 1:31-35
[d] His life here on earth revealed His humanity.
[e] The humanity of Christ is seen in His death and resurrection.
[f] The fact of the humanity of Christ is seen in that He ascended into heaven and is now, in His human glorified body, ministering for His own.
[g] When He comes again it will be "the same Jesus" coming as He went, in the same body though glorified in which He became incarnate.
In His incarnation He becomes head of the Church.
JOHN’S GOSPEL AND THE SAVIOUR
Seven passages in John's gospel bring this together and provide the key to that gospel.
The main purpose of the incarnation was that He came to die for your sins.
John 1:29 - Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world;
John 3:14, 15 - The person who came to hang on the tree;
John 6:51 - The living bread came down from heaven; to give eternal life to those who eat of it.
John 10:11 - The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep
John 11:49-52 - The only person to die for the nation
John 12:24 – Shows that the grain of wheat has to die so that it may bear much fruit.
John 15:13-14 - The example that ‘greater love hath no man than he who will lay down his life for his friends’.
You cannot get around it the Lord came to die. The cross/empty tomb is central.
He had to become human to be King, Priest, Mediator and Saviour.
DOCTRINES
VIRGIN BIRTH
1. Jesus Christ had to be born of a virgin to fulfil prophecy. (Isaiah 7:1 4)
2. Jesus had to be born of a virgin to confirm the curse of Coniah. (Jeremiah 22:28-30)
a) Coniah was a believer but an evil king at the time of the Babylonian captivity.
b) Coniah is also in the direct line of Christ in Joseph's lineage from David (Matthew 1:6, 1:11, 1:16) through Solomon. This is the Kingly line.
c) Mary was also in the direct line of Christ from David (Luke 3:23, Luke 3:31) through Nathan. In Luke 3:23 Joseph is the son-in-law of Heli, Mary's father.
d) Both lines, Solomon's and Nathan's meet in the person of Jesus Christ but by the virgin birth Coniah's line is cut off as Joseph is the legal but not natural father of Jesus Christ.
3. Jesus had to be born of a virgin to not have the sin nature of Adam. The sin nature of man comes down through the male. (1 Timothy 2:14)
a) Adam, as the head, was responsible for his wife.
b) Eve was deceived and sinned.
c) Adam made deliberate choice.
4. In order to be the God-Man Jesus had to be conceived of the Holy Spirit to Mary.
5. The virgin birth is therefore critical especially in the doctrine of Redemption, Imputation and Propitiation. NO virgin birth - NO salvation.
CHRIST: FIRSTBORN
1. He is the firstborn of all Creation - Colossians 1:15, John 1:18, 1 John 4:12
2. He is called the first born of Mary. As such he is the elder of the household and as He is descended from David through both of His genealogies he inherits the kingdom of David. Through Mary He has his title as Messiah - Matthew 1:25, Luke 2:7
3. The Lord is the firstborn of the Royal Family of God - Romans 8:29
4. He is the firstborn in resurrection; He is the first to be raised from the dead - Colossians 1:18, Hebrews 1:5, 6
5. He is the first fruits of resurrection. - 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
6. The church is called the assembly of the firstborn. - Hebrews 12:23
CHRIST: TESTIMONIES ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
TESTIMONIES BY CHRIST OF HIMSELF
1. He claimed to transcend the Mosaic Law, and to be entitled to rewrite it. (Matthew 5:21-48.)
2. He claimed pre-existence as God. He freely used the divine 'I AM' which was the name of Yahweh God in the Old Testament. (John 6:35, 8:12, 58, 10:7, 11, 11:25, 14:6, 15:5)
3. He told the disciples to pray in His name. (John 14:14)
4. He claimed to have come down from heaven and that He would return to where He came from. (John 3:13, 6:33, 42, 50-51, 62; 14:2-7)
5. He claimed power over death. He spoke of laying his life down and that He had the power to take it up again. (John 10:17-18)
6. He claimed that death could not hold Him and that he would rise up again in three days. (John 2:19)
7. He claimed to be able to raise up all the dead on the last day. (John 5:25-29, 11:25)
8. He claimed that he was the judge of all men. (Matthew 25:31; John 5:22)
9. He claimed that to trust Him was the same as trusting God; thereby making Himself equal to God. (Matthew 28:18-19, John 14:1)
10. He claimed that man can only really know God as He is revealed in Him. (Matthew 11:27; John 14:6)
11. He accepted worship as right for Himself, that belonged only to God; from Nathaniel (John 1:49), from Peter (Matthew 16:16) and from Thomas. (John 20:28)
12. He claimed that to see Him was to see God the Father. (John 14:9-10)
13. He claimed that He should be honoured as God is honoured; indeed that God is honoured when He is honoured. (John 5:22-23)
14. He claimed to be able to forgive sin, and give to all who believe in Him eternal life. (Matthew 9:2; John 10:28, 3:16-21, 6:35, 11:25)
15. He claimed that eternal judgment awaits those who reject him as Saviour. (John 3:36; Matthew 25:41-46)
16. He taught with absolute authority. (Matthew 7:29, Mark 1:22, John 14:6)
17. He claimed universal power. (Matthew 28:18)
18. He claimed that God the Father and He were one. (John 10:30)
19. He insisted that all revelation was fulfilled in Himself. He saw Himself as anticipated typologically in Jonah (Matthew 12:39-41, Luke 11:29-32), Solomon (Matthew 12:42, Luke 11:31), David (Matthew 12:3, 4, Mark 2:25-26; Luke 6:3, 4) and Isaiah. (Matthew 13:13, 14, Mark 4:12 and Luke 8:10)
TESTIMONIES ABOUT CHRIST IN ISAIAH
1. His Godhead (40:12-18, 51:13)
2. His Incarnation (7:14, 9:6)
3. His Lowly Youth (7:15, 9:1-2, 11:1, 53:2)
4. His Servant hood (11:2, 42:1)
5. His Mildness (42:2)
6. His Tenderness (42:3)
7. His Obedience (50:5)
8. His Message (61:1-2)
9. His Miracles (35:5-6)
10. His Sufferings (50:6, 52:13-15)
11. His Rejection (53:1-3)
12. His Passion (53:4-6)
13. His Vicarious Death (53:8)
14. His Burial (53:9)
15. His Resurrection (53:10)
16. His Ascension (52:13)
17. His High Priestly Ministry (53:12)
18. His Exaltation (52:13-15)
19. His Role as Judge (63:1-6)
20. His Second Advent (59:20-21)
21. His Millennial Reign (9:6-7, 11:3-9)
TESTIMONIES BY UNBELIEVERS
1. Judas Iscariot (Matthew 27:4) - I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood.
2. Pontius Pilate (John 19:4, 6) - I find no crime in him.
3. Herod the Usurper (Luke 23:15) - No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him: and lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.
4. Pilate's wife (Matthew 27:19) - Have nothing to do with this just man.
5. The dying thief (Luke 23:41) - This man hath done nothing amiss.
6. The centurion of the Golgotha detachment (Luke 23:47) - This man was a righteous man.
7. The Roman soldiers at Golgotha (Matthew 27:54) - truly this one was the son of God.
STATEMENTS HE MAKES ABOUT HIMSELF IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION
1. "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last" - Jesus Christ knows all things (1:11)
2. "I am the first and the last" - He is eternal (1:17)
3. "I am he that liveth and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forever more, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death " - He became the God - man and died for us conquering death and saving us from an eternity in hell (1:18)
4. "These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks." - He has the ministers of the church in his hand and is present in the churches. (2:1)
5. "These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive." - He combines eternality with his sacrificial death. (2:8)
6. "These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges." - He is and has the Word of God. (2:12)
7. "These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass" - He is not only Saviour but is also Judge. (2:18)
8. "These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars."- He gave the church the Holy Spirit so that the church can function (3:1)
9. "These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth and no man openeth." - He is holy true and has authority. He also gives opportunities to enable us to serve. (3:7)
10. "These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God"; - He has the final authority and is the revelation of God and the source of God's creation. (3:14)
11. "Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." - He calls to man but does not coerce the freewill of man. (3:20)
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