Great Doctrines

1. Great Doctrines

2. Lesson 5

3. Lesson Text—John 1:1-6 John 1:1-8 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

4. Lesson Text—John 1:1-6 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

5. Lesson Text—John 1:7-11 John 1:9-11 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

6. Lesson Text—John 1:12-14 John 1:12-14 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

7. Lesson Text—John 1:12-14 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

8. Focus Verse—John 1:14 John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

9. Focus Thought Jesus was the mighty God in the flesh of a human. God manifested Himself in flesh to save us and so we may know He understands our human plight.

10. Introduction I. The Incarnation The Incarnation assumed center stage in the drama of human existence. It is arguably the pivotal point of world history. We can scarcely measure the staggering impact this event has had on the world. Through the Incarnation, the Creator of the universe entered His creation. The One who is eternal and limitless crossed over into the finite realms of time and space as a human being.

11. I. The Incarnation Like the births of special figures in the Old Testament (see the nativity stories of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 25:19-26; Moses in Exodus 2:1-8; and Samson in Judges 13), the conception and delivery of the baby Jesus Christ were accompanied by signs that indicated their supreme importance. Some of these signs included visitations by angels (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; 2:9-14), shepherds (Luke 2:15-20), and eastern Magi (Matthew 2:1-12).

12. I. The Incarnation Jesus’ conception and birth, however, were also unlike any of His predecessors, for Jesus’ nature placed Him in a category of His own. The birth of the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ, was heralded by proclamations of “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10). The reason for the angel’s announcement of universal celebration was that Jesus was truly a one-of-a-kind individual.

13. I. The Incarnation The unique combination of His spiritual and biological makeup constituted an almost inexplicable mystery, for in Jesus Christ “God was manifest in the flesh” (I Timothy 3:16). Jesus was simultaneously God and man, divine and human, Creator and creature. No other person could ever claim His distinctive status as One in whom “dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9).

14. I. The Incarnation It is no wonder people who saw and heard Him struggled to understand—and in many cases even opposed—assertions about His true identity. (See John 10:33.) Oh, the mystery and wonders of the Incarnation!

15. The Incarnation I. The Incarnation Jesus Christ was unlike any person who has ever walked the earth. In the Incarnation, the world witnessed the unique blending of divine and human traits in one person. To truly understand Jesus, it is critical that we stress both His deity and humanity. Because people often fail to properly emphasize both of His natures, many heresies have arisen through the centuries.

16. I. The Incarnation These heretical views tend to espouse a false christology or understanding of Christ that elevates one aspect of His nature to the exclusion of the other. Arians and Ebionites, for example, taught that Jesus was not fully divine, whereas Docetists believed Jesus was not fully human. (See I John 4:3; II John 7.) If we are to uphold a correct, balanced, biblical perspective of Jesus, we must fully emphasize each of His two natures.

17. A. Jesus Was God in Flesh A. Jesus Was God in Flesh In His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus informed her that “God is a Spirit” (John 4:24). Naturally, we cannot see a spirit with our mortal eyes, unless that spirit decides to reveal itself to human beings (Luke 24:39). Since God is a Spirit, He is normally imperceptible to mortal eyes (I Timothy 1:17), unless He chooses to manifest Himself.

18. The Bible declares no one has ever seen God (John 1:18; I John 4:12), speaking of the eternal Spirit. However, in Jesus Christ, the invisible God was “made . . . known” (John 1:18; NIV) or was “explained” (New American Standard Bible). We could not see God, but by looking at Jesus Christ, we have seen the Father manifested in flesh (John 14:7-10). “The Word was God and became flesh; Jesus precisely reflected in visible form the character and nature of the invisible God.” I. The Incarnation

19. I. The Incarnation Stated another way, Jesus was the visible “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). The term “image” translates from the Greek word eikon, which can mean “likeness,” “form,” or “appearance” (Barclay-Newman Greek Dictionary). The writer of the Book of Hebrews offered a similar thought in Hebrews 1:3, where he described Jesus as “the express image of his person.” The New International Version translates the phrase as “the exact representation of [God’s] being.”

20. I. The Incarnation According to Strong’s Concordance, the word “image” translates from the Greek word transliterated charakter, which can refer to an “impression” or “the exact expression of any person or thing; marked likeness; precise reproduction in every respect; i.e. facsimile.” Jesus Christ precisely reflected in visible form the character and nature of the invisible Spirit of God.

21. I. The Incarnation In Jesus Christ, God took on or indwelt human flesh. In the first verse of the prologue, or opening section of the Gospel of John, John described Jesus as the “Word,” which translates from the Greek word logos. The expression harkens back to the creation account in Genesis where God created all things using His spoken word (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26). (Interestingly, He took a more personal approach to the creation of His prized work—mankind.)

22. I. The Incarnation According to James Voelz in What Does This Mean? the Greek word logos might be best expressed as signifying “communication” or “discourse.” God was expressing Himself in the creation. According to John 1:1, His Word was not only “with” Him, but “was” Him! That Word later became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). The word “dwelt” translates from the Greek word skenoo, which means “to tent or encamp.”

23. As was the case with the Old Testament Tabernacle (Exodus 25:8; 40:34-38), through Jesus Christ God’s presence dwelt in the midst of His people (Matthew 1:23). Jesus’ body became the temple of God (John 2:18-21). God’s action in the Incarnation, which He designed to reveal Himself to humanity by manifesting Himself within a human person, resulted in an incredible paradox. The Creator entered His own creation: “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not” (John 1:10; see also John 1:3). I. The Incarnation

24. I. The Incarnation The invisible God had taken upon Himself a human body (Colossians 2:9) and manifested Himself in flesh (I Timothy 3:16). The deity manifested within the tiny baby born in Bethlehem had existed from eternity (Micah 5:2), for He was “The mighty God, The everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6). To correctly understand Jesus, then, we must adequately account for the Bible’s references to His dual human and divine natures.

25. B. Jesus Was Truly Man B. Jesus Was Truly Man Jesus was made of human flesh as all humans. He was fully human in every way as we are, except He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15; I Peter 1:19; 2:22). As David Bernard pointed out in his book The Oneness of God, Jesus “was more than a human body—the shell of a human—with God inside. He was human in body, soul, and spirit with the fullness of the Spirit of God dwelling in that body, soul, and spirit.”

26. I. The Incarnation As a human, then, Jesus would have had “a human will, mind, spirit, soul, and body.” Since Jesus was a man, the Bible depicts Him experiencing a range of characteristics reflective of the human condition, including limitations, emotions, hurts, and even death. 1. The Gospels show Jesus experiencing human limitations. Although Jesus was God, in His humanity He was subject to a host of limitations.

27. I. The Incarnation Like all people, Jesus required food to eat (Matthew 4:2; Luke 4:2), water to drink (John 19:28), and air to breathe in order to survive. At times, along with His disciples, He became weary and needed rest (Mark 6:31; John 4:6), especially since the first century mode of transportation was typically by foot. Jesus was also limited in what He knew (Mark 13:32; Luke 8:45-47). As with all youth, Jesus’ body grew and developed, and He had to learn and acquire wisdom (Luke 2:51-52).

28. I. The Incarnation As a human, Jesus was not exempt from temptation. He experienced various trials during His ministry (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13), and He was tempted in all the ways we are tempted (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus also had to yield His will to that of his heavenly Father (Matthew 26:39, 42; Luke 22:42).

29. 2. Jesus experienced human pain. Jesus was not unacquainted with human suffering, whether it was emotional or physical pain. As a human, He experienced the full spectrum of human emotions. He was often moved to compassion when He saw people in need (Matthew 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 20:34). He wept at the tomb of Lazarus when He approached the gravesite (John 11:34-38), for He loved this family from Bethany (John 11:5, 36). He wept as He drew near to Jerusalem, knowing the fate awaiting the city (Luke 19:41-44). I. The Incarnation

30. He experienced the misery of shame as He hung on the cross (Hebrews 12:2). More than once He became angry (Mark 3:5; Luke 19:45-46; John 2:13-22). At times He “rejoiced in spirit” (Luke 10:21). As He had predicted, Jesus suffered many things during His trial and crucifixion (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; 17:25; 22:15). He was repeatedly beaten, scourged, and abused (Matthew 26:67; 27:26-31). He “endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2-3; 5:8; 13:12) and “suffered for us in the flesh” (I Peter 4:1). (See also I Peter 2:21-23; 3:18.) I. The Incarnation

31. I. The Incarnation The Old Testament foretold Christ’s painful suffering. Specific passages, such as those recorded in Psalm 22, prophesied in considerable detail concerning the intense emotional and physical anguish Jesus would experience. 3. Jesus died. Like all human beings (except those translated or raptured: Genesis 5:24; II Kings 2:11; Hebrews 11:5; I Thessalonians 4:17), Jesus died (Hebrews 9:26-27). He tasted “death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9).

32. I. The Incarnation He underwent a slow, agonizing death on a Roman cross (Matthew 27:45-50; Luke 9:22; Acts 2:23; 5:30; 10:39). Jesus was the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29, 36) who was slain for our sins (Revelation 5:6, 9, 12; 13:8).

33. C. Jesus Was Truly God C. Jesus Was Truly God Along with His humanity, Jesus was at the same time divine. Although many people of God through the ages experienced the anointing of God’s Spirit (Numbers 11:25; Judges 6:34; I Samuel 16:13; II Kings 2:9), none received the Spirit without measure as Christ did (John 3:34). Christ’s deity was not partial, “for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell” (Colossians 1:19).

34. I. The Incarnation Only in Jesus Christ “dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). He was God manifested in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16).

35. Matthew 1:23 “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

36. I. The Incarnation Because Jesus Christ was God in flesh, His actions and behavior reflected His divine nature and status. 1. Did Not Sin Though Tempted. Since Jesus was truly God, He never sinned. Not once in His approximately thirty-three years of life did Jesus ever commit a sin. His sinlessness confirmed His deity. Had He sinned, He could not have been our Savior.

37. I. The Incarnation Unlike other high priests, who needed on a daily basis to offer up sacrifices for their own sins, Jesus offered Himself only once (Hebrews 7:27), which was for the sins of all humanity, not for any personal sins since He had none. Jesus Christ “is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26). Although He is our great High Priest, Jesus can relate to our feelings and struggles, for He was tempted as we are, yet He remained “without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

38. Although they had become increasingly hostile toward Him—to the extent they would attempt to stone Him (John 8:59)—Jesus’ adversaries were completely unable to identify any transgression or wrongdoing in Him. Thankfully, Jesus “did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth” (I Peter 2:22). Jesus’ purpose in coming was to remove our sins. He could take away our sins since “in him is no sin” (I John 3:5). Paul reasoned that Christ’s sinless nature permitted Him to be the substitute for the penalty of sin we deserved. I. The Incarnation

39. I. The Incarnation “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:21). Atonement required a sinless lamb, and Christ met the criteria. We were washed “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (I Peter 1:19). 2. Performed Miracles. Jesus also demonstrated His deity by performing extraordinary miracles that amazed and baffled those who witnessed them.

40. Wielding supernatural power, Jesus performed miracles that were simply impossible by human means. One blind man who had been healed exclaimed, “Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing” (John 9:32-33). After Jesus calmed the stormy Sea of Galilee, the astonished disciples cried out in amazement, “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41). I. The Incarnation

41. I. The Incarnation That Jesus performed supernatural deeds was clearly evident and thus hard to deny. Even His opponents had to admit this was so (Acts 2:22). After Jesus irrefutably raised Lazarus, out of frustration they held a council and pondered what course of action to take: “What do we? for this man doeth many miracles” (John 11:47).

42. I. The Incarnation After His ascension, when Jesus performed miracles through His apostles (Mark 16:19-20; Acts 1:1-2), Jesus’ adversaries were again hard pressed to contest the reality of His supernatural powers: “What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it” (Acts 4:16).

43. Jesus’ miracles helped to convince many that He was who He claimed to be. “And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?” (John 7:31; see also 2:23; 9:16; 12:10-11). This was the purpose of His miracles or signs (John 5:36-37; 14:11; 20:30-31). For many who witnessed them, Jesus’ miracles led to the unavoidable conclusion that He was God (Matthew 14:33; 27:54; John 1:48-49; 20:28). I. The Incarnation

44. While the skeptics continued to doubt Jesus’ claims (John 12:37), rarely did they ever question whether a miracle had occurred (John 9:18). 3. Arose from the Dead. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead—His miracle of miracles—further established His divine nature. Although Jesus had been executed on a Roman cross, He came back to life again. “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:18). I. The Incarnation

45. I. The Incarnation He arose from the dead (Luke 24:3-6, 23, 34, 46; Acts 10:41; 26:23; Romans 14:9), a fact witnessed by many of His followers (I Corinthians 15:3-8). It would be quite a feat to raise someone from the dead, but it would be an even greater feat to raise oneself from the dead. Jesus Christ, as God in flesh, did exactly that!

46. The Scriptures state unequivocally that God raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:24, 32; 3:15, 26; 4:10; 5:30; 10:40; 13:30, 33, 37; Romans 10:9; I Corinthians 6:14; 15:15; Galatians 1:1; Colossians 2:12; I Peter 1:21). The living deity of Jesus raised the deceased humanity of Jesus. The divine Spirit within Him revived His dead body. Thus, Jesus could say to the Jews concerning His impending death and resurrection, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). I. The Incarnation

47. Born of a Virgin II. Born of a Virgin The virgin birth is an important component of Christ’s dual nature, for it explains how Jesus’ deity and humanity were united. While many skeptics have questioned or even denied the miraculous nature of His conception, Jesus’ birth from a virgin was prophesied many years prior by Isaiah. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

48. I. The Incarnation Matthew confirmed that the prophecy was fulfilled in the conception and birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:22-23). Luke recorded the account of Gabriel being sent to reveal to Mary her role in the Incarnation (Luke 1:26-27). The Scriptures in the New Testament use the term virgin three times in reference to Mary and her conception (Matthew 1:23; twice in Luke 1:27).

49. I. The Incarnation Although the Bible records details about the extraordinary, unusual conceptions of many significant infants (Isaac, Genesis 17:15-19; 21:5-7; Samson, Judges 13:2-7; and John the Baptist, Luke 1:11-20), only Jesus was born of a virgin.

50. A. Mary Conceived by the Holy Spirit’s Creative Action A. Mary Conceived by the Holy Spirit’s Creative Action According to the Scriptures, the conception of Jesus involved no human father, but Mary conceived through the agency of the Holy Spirit. While the Scriptures do refer to Joseph as Jesus’ father or parent (Matthew 13:55; Luke 2:27, 41; John 1:45; 6:42), the Bible makes it clear he played no role in Jesus’ conception. Further, Joseph had no sexual relations with Mary until after Jesus was born (Matthew 1:25).