Jesus, the Man
Notes
Transcript
King of kings, yet born of Mary,
as of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
in the body and the blood.
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heav'nly food.
Philippians 2:5–11 (NIV)
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Humiliation of Christ Jesus
The Humiliation of Christ Jesus
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
In very nature God
In very nature God
Jesus expresses the true nature of God
More than just looks like/resembles (“form” in many versions)
Jesus possesses the indescribable glory of God in his pre-incarnate being
“Who” (person) and “What” (nature)
Jesus deity is made clear
He exercises creation power
27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
He shares the divine name
58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
He is the exact image of God
3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
He receives worship
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Did Not Consider Equality Something to Be Used to His Own Advantage
Did Not Consider Equality Something to Be Used to His Own Advantage
He possessed full equality with God as the one who shared his very nature but decides not to use it to his own advantage
He does not use it to his own advantage
Emptied Himself
Emptied Himself
Emptied himself of what?
Ceased to be God - no
Gave up his attributes - he would cease to be God
Appears limited – deceptive
Gave up the use of his attributes – he did use even his divine attribute ins his human life
Gave up the independent use of his attributes
1 Corinthians 11:3 “3 But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”
Galatians 4:4 “4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,”
John 7:16 “16 Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.”
Matthew 12:28 “28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
Took the very nature of a servant
Took the very nature of a servant
The need for a God-Man
Q: Why must he be a true and righteous man?
A: He must be a true man because the justice of God requires that the same human nature which has sinned should pay for sin. He must be a righteous man because one who himself is a sinner he cannot pay for others. (H16)
Q: Why must he also be true God?
A: So that, by the power of his divinity, he might bear the weight of God’s anger in his humanity and earn for us and restore to us righteousness and life. (H17)
His humanity is made clear
He is born
He obeys
He experiences humanity
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
He dies
30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
How is Jesus both divine and human?
Two natures; One person
Without confusion, without change, without division, without separation
One who, two whats (contra three whos; one what)
Became Obedient Unto Death
Became Obedient Unto Death
Jesus became a man to such fulness that he even experienced death
The Glorification of Christ Jesus
The Glorification of Christ Jesus
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
How does God respond to Jesus incarnation
Exaltation
How should we respond
Worship
Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all unite in teaching that we should confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This same one is perfect in deity, and the same one is perfect in humanity; the same one is true God and true man, comprising a rational soul and a body. He is of the same essence as the Father according to his deity, and the same one is of the same essence with us according to his humanity, like us in all things except sin. He was begotten before the ages from the Father according to his deity, but in the last days for us and our salvation, the same one was born of the Virgin Mary, the bearer of God, according to his humanity. He is one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, and Only Begotten, who is made known in two natures united unconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably. The distinction between the natures is not at all destroyed because of the union, but rather the property of each nature is preserved and concurs together into one person and subsistence. He is not separated or divided into two persons, but he is one and the same Son, the Only Begotten, God the Logos, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the way the prophets spoke of him from the beginning, and Jesus Christ himself instructed us, and the Council of the fathers has handed the faith down to us.
