BOOK
BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY
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BIBLE
STUDY LESSON
For
the week beginning Sunday September 22, 2019
UNDERSTANDING
WHO JESUS IS (Part 4)
JESUS’ SONSHIPS
In the bible JESUS is presented as having five son-ships while HE
was here on earth: HE
was known as the SON of GOD, SON of man, SON of David, SON
of Abraham, and SON of Mary:
SON OF GOD
In the biblical Greek, the word used for “only begotten” is
“monogenes” and it is used five times in the Gospel of John to reference, just
WHO JESUS is. GOD is eternally the FATHER of CHRIST JESUS, and CHRIST JESUS is
eternally the SON of GOD. The TRINITY (GOD the FATHER, GOD the SON, and GOD the
HOLY SPIRIT) is quite literally the “ETERNAL GENERATION”, and this terminology
lends reason to the fact, that, even though it is not “generation” in the
ordinary sense of the word, THEIR generation is unique and eternal because
there is no beginning or end to it, and, there was never a time when it did not
exist (Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1-18 & 3:16-17, Galatians 4:4).
SON OF MAN
CHRIST is called “The SON of Man” 80 times in the New Testament. It
is a term that speaks to the “humanity of JESUS, and signifies that HE represented
“the human race” in what HE did here on earth. In fact, HE spent HIS first
thirty years on earth, showing us how to live perfectly as human beings under
GOD.
In the Old Testament the term “son of man”
is used in the Book of Ezekiel 90 times by the LORD to address the prophet
Ezekiel, who HE used to represent the concept of a “coming MAN” from Heaven,
WHO would be blessed by GOD (JESUS). Failure to emphasize and declare the
humanity of JESUS is just as destructive to Christian doctrine as denying HIS
deity, and is indeed, a sign of a “false prophet”, or antichrist (1 John
4:1-3).
SON OF DAVID
JESUS is the ONE WHO the bible says will reign on the throne of
David forever (2 Samuel 7:11-13, Matthew 1:1, 6, 20, 9:27, 12:23, 15:22, 20:30-31,
21:9). JESUS is also seen as a descendant of David in Revelations 3:7, 5:5, and
22:16. The fact that JESUS is called the SON of David tells us that GOD’s plan
was for HIM to fulfill the covenant promise that HE had given to David when HE
said that one of his descendants would always sit on his throne in Israel.
SON OF ABRAHAM
The “Abrahamic Covenant”, the “Davidic Covenant”, and the Covenant
ushered in by JESUS are all linked together and serve to give CHRIST an
inseparable role in the eternal promise of GOD’s blessings upon mankind. The
title “SON of Abraham”, like the “SON of David” relates JESUS to the promise
given to Abraham by GOD (Matthew 1:1, Luke 3:23-34, & 19:9).
The promise to David links JESUS to the
throne of Israel, while the promise to Abraham links JESUS extensively to the
entire human race (Genesis 12:3). It indicates the wide extent of JESUS’
ministry, and also forms the basis for the Gospel to be preached throughout the
world (Matthew 28:18-20).
SON OF MARY
Another title given to JESUS is that HE is the “SON of Mary” (Luke
1:26-38, 2:1-7, Matthew 13:55). In order for JESUS to be presented as a perfect
sacrifice for the sins of man, HE had to be, first, born of woman so that HE
could operate here on earth as a 100% human being.
GOD’s requirement as payment for sin has
always been in the form of a perfect, unblemished sacrifice. Mary was the woman
chosen by GOD, through which HE would deliver JESUS to mankind as an
propitiation for our sins, once and for all time. HE lived HIS first thirty
years or so on earth specifically to show us how to live and operate perfectly
under GOD, without the embodiment of the HOLY SPIRIT.
Remember, the HOLY SPIRIT did not come upon
JESUS until HE was approximately thirty years old, after HIS baptism by John
(Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, Luke 3:21-22, John 1:29-34), and HE had lived
perfectly under GOD even up to that point, because HE shared “GOD’s nature”
just as all human beings do, who, do not live perfectly under GOD. And so the
absence of the HOLY SPIRIT in man can no longer be used as an excuse to sin.
THE HYPOSTATIC UNION
The uniqueness of the person of CHRIST JESUS includes all that GOD
is, and all that man is, apart from sin. The Apostle John calls HIM “Monogenes
Theos” in the Greek (John 1:18b), which means “the only begotten GOD”, or, in
other words, “the only human who was born of woman and later became GOD”.
In our understanding of Scripture as it
pertains to the incarnate CHRIST, one must be extremely careful not to neglect
all the evidence of HIS deity, or, the essential character of HIS humanity. And
while it may be difficult to detect exactly how these two natures meld in their
work and activities, it is only necessary that we understand that the
embodiment of the two natures constitute history’s one and only “Theanthropic
Person”. No one, before or after CHRIST JESUS, will ever possess both these
characteristics. JESUS CHRIST, was both, 100% man, and, 100% GOD, but not at
the same time. HE is the GOD WHO became human for our sake, and the human who
returned to HIS glory as GOD, through HIS victorious mission on earth, and HIS
perfect obedience to GOD the FATHER, in Heaven, while performing HIS mission.
A
Sunday school lesson by,
Larry
D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
