“I KNOW THAT MESSIAH IS COMING … who is called Christ,” said the woman of Samaria. “Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He’“ (John 4:25-26 RSV). A short time earlier a Galilean fisherman said to his brother, “We have found the Messiah, which means Christ” (John 1:41 RSV). He was the One who would “bring in everlasting righteousness” by establishing His everlasting kingdom. Jesus of Nazareth was born almost 2,000 years ago and His birth is now the dividing point of all history. He was recognized as the Anointed One prophesied by the Holy Scriptures of Old. He came as:
1. The promised King and Deliverer of the Jewish people (2 Samuel 7:11-13).
2. The One sent by God to be the Savior of the world (Luke 2:11; John 4:42).
3. “God with us” (Imanuel, Emmanuel), a Divine Deliverer (Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 7:14).
Prophecies Concerning Jesus Christ
The significance of Jesus Christ (Jesus the Messiah) cannot be denied in terms of His life and impact on world history. It is without equal. It is supported by a mass of evidence from Old Testament Scripture, written long before His birth. Identification is completed by matching each and every prophecy with the details of His life. There are over 200 of them, of which the following are examples:
1. Seed of the Woman (Genesis 3:15; Galatians
4:4).
2
. Birth at Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1,
Matthew 4-6).
3. His virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18, 23-25).
4. His forerunner (Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:1-3).
5. His entry into Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9; Luke 19:35-38).
6. His rejection (Isaiah 53:3; Psalm 69:8; John 7:5; John 19:15).
7. His betrayal (Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 10:4; Matthew 26:14-15).
8. Struck, spat upon (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 26:67).
9. Suffering for the sins of others (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 3:18).
10. Pierced on the cross (Psalm 22:16; Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34, 37).
11. Praying for His enemies (Isaiah 53:12; Luke 23:34).
12. Crucified with criminals (Isaiah 53:9, 12; Matthew 27:38).
13. Buried in tomb of rich (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60).
14. Rising from the dead (Psalm 16:8-10; Luke 24:46; Acts 13:33-35).
The same Scriptures prophesy His coming again (Psalm 50:3-6; Daniel 7:13; Zechariah 12:10; Zechariah 14:4, plus many New Testament references). They predict His universal rule (1 Chronicles 17:11-14; Isaiah 9:7; Daniel 7:14; Psalm 2:6-8; Psalm 45:6-7; Psalm 72:8; Psalm 110:1-3).
The Offices of Jesus Christ
The Lord Jesus uniquely combined in Himself the three great offices that come from God.
1. He is a Prophet.
He is the greatest of them all (Mark
6:4; Acts 3:22). He was the very One of whom Moses spoke (Deuteronomy 18:15-19).
2. He is a Great High Priest.
He represents His people before the Father and prays for them (Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 7:25). He was spoken of in 1 Samuel 2:35.
3. He is a King, the King of Kings
(Revelation 19:16). He came at first as King of the Jews (John 19:19). He is King today in the hearts of His people. He will be acknowledged by all in a coming day (Philippians 2:9-10).
The Deity of Jesus Christ
The Bible declares that Jesus Christ was God revealed in flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). He was the exact likeness of the unseen God (Colossians 1:15). How amazing that the living God came in the flesh (John 1:1, 14). How sad it was that “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not!” (John 1:10).
It was necessary that God save us. Only He had the power. “I, even I, am the Lord; and beside Me there is no Savior” (Isaiah 43:11). He came as Jesus of Nazareth to be our “great God and our Savior” (Titus 2:13). Mary said, “My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior” (Luke 1:47). The man-child to be born from her womb was her Savior and God. The Biblical references that point to Jesus as God are many.
1. He is Directly Called God
(John 1:1, 14; John 20:28; Romans 9:5; 2 Peter 1:1; 1 John 5:20). The Father addresses the Son as God (Hebrews 1:8).
2. He is Called the Son of God.
His hearers clearly understood this claim to mean that He was God (John 10:33-36). There is a lesser use of the term “son of God,” but He is the unique (only-begotten) Son of God (John 1:14, 18).
3. All the Fullness of God Dwells in Him.
(Colossians 1:19; Colossians 2:9). He is not a lesser form of God.
4. He Bears the Divine Names of God.
He is called the Alpha and Omega, the First and Last, the Beginning and End (Revelation 22:13; Revelation 1:8, 17; Isaiah 44:6). He is also the I AM (John 8:24, 58; Exodus 3:14). To say of himself “I AM” is a self-declaration of His Deity.
5. He is Worshipped As God
(Matthew 14:33; John 20:28; Philippians 2:10; Hebrews 1:6; Isaiah 45:23). This is exclusively for God (Matthew 4:10; Revelation 22:8-9).
6. He is to be Equally Honored
(John 5:23). God does not give His glory to another (Isaiah 42:8).
7. He Has the Divine Offices.
He is Creator (Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:2, 10). He is the Judge of all (John 5:22). He is the forgiver of sins (Matthew 9:2-6), yet only God does this (Isaiah 43:25).
8. He Has Life Within Himself
(John 5:26). He gives life to others but He is self-existent.
9. He Has All Divine Attributes.
He is unchangeable (Hebrews 13:8). He has all-power (Revelation 1:8), all-presence (Matthew 28:20), all-knowledge (John 21:17), eternity (Micah 5:2; 1 Timothy 1:16-17), and all other divine qualities.
10. He Did the Works of God.
He commanded the elements (Matthew 8:26-27; Mark 4:39-41). He created food for the multitude (Matthew 14:19-21; Matthew 15:36-38). He raised the dead (John 11:32-44; Luke 7:12-16).
The Humanity of Jesus Christ
Though He was fully and eternally God, He was also “the
man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus often referred to Himself as the Son of Man. He took on humanity to become like us in all things except sin. He experienced our emotions. He hungered, thirsted, suffered, wept and was weary. He experienced temptation by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11). He suffered, bled, died, was buried and rose again from the dead. He was different from ordinary men, yet fully human.
1. He Had Human Parents,
tracing back through David to Adam (Luke 3:23-38),
but He was born of a virgin through a conception by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-23).
2. He Had a Normal Body,
in appearance like others (Romans 8:3; John 4:9). He grew to manhood in normal fashion (Luke 2:40, 52),
but His life was untainted by sin (Hebrews 4:15).
3. He Was a Triune Being,
as others. He had a body (Hebrews 10:5), a soul (Matthew 26:38) and a spirit (Luke 23:46);
but We. exhibited a unique God-consciousness, communing intimately with the Father as no other man.
Many of His utterances can only be understood from the standpoint of His humanity—His cry on the cross (Matthew 27:46), and His very death.
The most important question that Jesus asked of men was “Whom say ye that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). He said that if they did not believe rightly about Him, they would die in their sins (John 8:24). Who do you say Jesus is?
Study Guide Jesus The Messiah: God’s Provision
Jesus asked, “Whom do you say that I am?” It was of the utmost importance that people recognize Him fully and acknowledge His identity. Test yourself.
1. Whom was the Samaritan woman looking for to reveal to her the truth of God (John 4:25)? How did Jesus respond to her statement (John 4:26)?
2. The coming of Messiah (translated “Christ” in Greek) was foretold hundreds of years before the Old Testament writings. Match the following verses on the right with the prophecy on the left.
Birth at Bethlehem a. Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18,23-25
His virgin birth b. Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:1-3
His forerunner c. Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 3:18
His entry into Jerusalem d. Isaiah 53:9, 12; Matthew 27:38
His betrayal e. Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60
Suffering for the sins of others f. Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1, 4-6
Pierced on the cross g. Psalm 16:8-10; Luke 24:46; Acts 13:33-35
Crucified with criminals h. Psalm 22:16; Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34,37
Buried in tomb of rich i. Zechariah 9:9; Luke 19:35-38
Rising from the dead j. Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 10:4; Matthew 26:14-15
3. Identify the three great offices of Messiah (Christ):
a. Deuteronomy 18:15-19, Mark
6:4
b. 1 Samuel 2:35; Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 7:25
c. Revelation 19:16; John 19:19; Philippians 2:9-10
4. In what ways was Jesus like other men while on earth?
How does it help you to understand that Jesus experienced common human emotions?
How was Jesus different from other men while on earth (as described in the following verses)?
Matthew 1:23
John 8:46
John 7:46
Mark 4:37-41
Luke 7:22
5. What attributes (qualities) of deity (God) are ascribed to Jesus Christ in the following verses?
Matthew 28:20
Mark 2:5-7
1 Timothy 1:17
Hebrews 13:8
Revelation 1:8
6. Answer by circling True or False.
a. God the Father addressed Jesus as God. (Hebrews 1:8) (True or False)
b. Jesus refused to allow men to worship Him. (Matthew 14:33; John 20:28-29) (True or False)
c. The Lord Jesus never claimed to be God. (John 8:58; John 10:30) (True or False)
7. When Jesus was born on earth (select one)
a. He ceased to be God when He became man.
b. He united in His own Person both deity and humanity.
c. He was not truly human because He was God.
d. His true father was Joseph just as His true mother was Mary.
8. Paraphrase (rewrite in your own words) John 1:1-3, 14.
9.
What do you say? Philippians 2:9-11 indicates that every creature will “bow the knee” to Christ at a future time. How and when will you do this in your life?
10.
What do others say? Contact at least three people this week and ask them the following questions. You may wish to say something like the following:
“I’m involved in a Bible Survey here in (name city). Could you help me by sharing your opinion on three important questions? (1) Who is Jesus Christ? (2) The Bible teaches that God became a man. If you were given an opportunity to be with Him, what would you expect Him to be like? (3) Do the expressions “Son of God” and “God the Son” mean the same thing to you? Please explain this. Thank you so much for your help. Would you like for me to mail/e-mail you a copy of the survey results? Thank you.”
Record their names and addresses on the 3x5 cards provided by the class leader. Record the answers on the back, indicating if survey results are desired. Then return the cards next class meeting. Results of the survey will be tabulated by the class leader and mailed to each person indicating an interest.