The Person of Jesus of Nazareth
In this series, we have seen that God created all things in six days and at the end of those six days he called his creation “very good.” We saw that mankind is the crown of his creation, being created in the image of God and being given the position of dominion and stewardship over God’s creation. The first two humans, Adam and Eve, sinned, rebelled against God by breaking his command to not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The entrance of sin into the world brought evil and physical death into God’s creation. God’s creation was no longer “very good”. God’s creation was now Fallen and with the Fall mankind lost (while still retaining aspects of) God’s image.
God did not leave Adam and Eve without hope. Read Genesis 3:14-15.
Jesus of Nazareth is the promised offspring of Eve that did defeat sin, death, and the Devil (the Serpent). The Old Testament traces the history of God’s people, following the lineage of Adam and Eve that would give birth to the Savior of mankind.
What do the following verses reveal about Jesus of Nazareth?
1 Tim 2:5 –
Rom 9:5 –
Luke 2:40, 52 –
Matt 4:2 –
John 19:28 –
John 4:6 –
Luke 8:23 –
John 19:34 –
What do the following verses reveal about Jesus of Nazareth?
1 John 5:20
John 1:1
Colossians 2:9
Matt 26:63-64
John 14:9
John 10:30
Do these two sets of verses seem to reveal contradictory truths? How can we make sense of these revelations concerning the person of Jesus of Nazareth?
Scripture reveals that Jesus, from the instant of his incarnation, is both fully God and fully man.
The Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD produced the Chalcedonian Creed to counter the false explanations of the union of the two natures of Christ and the down-right heretical teachings concerning the incarnation of Christ. Four key statements can be drawn from this creed:
1. Christ is fully (perfectly) God.
2. Christ is fully (perfectly) human.
3. The divine nature and human nature are united in the person of Jesus Christ.
4. Jesus Christ is one person.
These four statements can be placed along each side of a box. This box is the Chalcedonian Box. As long as any teaching, anecdote, or analogy of the person and work of Christ maintains that Jesus is fully God, fully man, one person, with two natures, it lands within this box. When one of these doctrines is distorted, or worse, erased, the teaching lands outside of the box is appropriately labeled a heresy.
Alan Shlemon, a speaker, teacher, and writer, for Stand to Reason, created a slide for a presentation he gave on the incarnation of Christ. At the center of the slide is the Chalcedonian Box with a clipart image of Jesus in the middle of the box. Outside of the box lies DC’s Batman and Superman and Marvel’s the Hulk and Spider-Man.
How are Batman, Superman, the Hulk, and Spider-Man not good analogies to use to explain how Jesus can be one person with two natures? Why does it matter if we are missing the mark of Scripture with these comic book analogies? Also, more importantly, what Christological heresies align with these modern-day comic book superhero analogies to let us know that people have actually taught Christ in these throughout history, and in some cases still do!
Do not confuse the Virgin Conception with the Immaculate Conception. The Virgin Conception is taught in Scripture, whereas the Immaculate Conception is an invention of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Sinlessness of Jesus of Nazareth
- Committed no sin – 1 Peter 2:22
- Endured Temptations, still no sin – Heb 4:15
- Yet what happened? 2 Cor 5:21
More verses for why Jesus is truly God
- Jesus existed before the world began = John 17:5
- Created all things = Colossians 1:16-17
- Jesus said “I Am” = John 18:58
- He is present forever = Matt 28:20
- Fills all things = Eph 1:23
- Forgives sins = Matt 9:2-8
- Raises people from the dead = John 11:17-44
What is the significance of Jesus’ humanity?
What is the significance of Jesus’ divinity?
Andy Wrasman 