This is the second installment of a series written by Wayne Jackson. It appeared in the June, 1976 edition of The Christian Courier which was published by the East Main Street Church of Christ in Stockton, California and edited by Jackson.
JESUS CHRIST, INCARNATE GOD - The Lord Jesus Christ was a Being of two natures. He was God (John 1:1) and He was man (I Timothy 2:5). There were heretics in the early centuries of the Christian era who denied the true nature of the Lord; the Gnostics, who were greatly influenced by heathen philosophy, asserted that Christ did not have a real human body, rather He only "appeared" to be man. On the other hand, the Arians rejected the Biblical doctrine of the Deity of Christ (as do their modern counterparts, the Jehovah's Witnesses). A scriptural view recognizes both the human and divine natures of the Son of God.
CHRIST'S HUMANITY - (1) The Lord's humanity was prophesied. He was to be the "seed" of woman and a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David (Genesis 22:18; 26:4; 28:14; II Samuel 7:12-13), the son of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14). The New Testament confirms that He was, "born of woman" (Galatians 4:4); indeed, the virgin (Matthew 1:23) and that He was the illustrious offspring of the aforementioned worthies (Cf. Matthew 1:1ff). Isaiah foretold that He would grow up and be a Man of sorrows (53:2-3) and Zechariah, speaking for Jehovah, declared that the stroke of death would come upon, "my Shepherd, and against the Man that is my fellow." (13:7)
(2) The New Testament clearly affirms the humanity of Jesus Christ. The Word became flesh and dwelt among men (John 1:14). By the power of the Holy Spirit, the child Jesus was conceived within the body of Mary (Luke 1:35) and hence, born "according to the flesh" (Romans 1:3). *NOTE: Those who endorse the Augustinian doctrine of "original sin" known in Protestant circles as "inherited depravity" have great difficulty here. If sin is inherited from human parents, since Jesus had a human mother, He must have been at least one-half depraved! A more monstrous doctrine it is difficult to imagine! Catholic theology, obviously recognizing this problem, contrived the notion of Mary's "immaculate conception", i.e., that by unique grace she was conceived apart from sin. Romanists have thus sought some consistency (though consistently wrong), while Protestants who so teach remain hopelessly inconsistent and grossly in error. He thus was, "made in the likeness of men" and was recognized, "in fashion as a man" (Philippians 2:7-8). Being human, he "advanced in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men" (Luke 8:23). Christ could be hungry (Matthew 4:2), thirsty (John 19:28), weary (John 4:6), sleepy (Luke 8:23) or tearful (Luke 19:41; John 11:35; Hebrews 5:7). Near the time of His death He experienced a "godly fear" (Hebrews 5:7) and even sweated "great drops of blood falling down upon the ground" (Luke 22:44). The Savior was truly Man!
The Purpose of the Incarnation - Why did the divine Word assume the human form? In order that Christ might be able to share the human experience, God sent His son, "in the likeness of the flesh of sin." (Romans 8:3, Note: This passage does not assert that Christ Himself possessed sinful flesh; only that He had a real body of flesh, and such fleshly bodies in all other responsible people are given to sin.) The Lord was tempted in all points, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Consequently, He is able to deal compassionately and justly (Cf. Hebrews 2:17; 4:15) with those whom He is not ashamed to call "brethren" (Hebrews 2:11). Moreover, it was essential that He become human in order that He might die! The writer of Hebrews makes it wonderfully plain that Jesus partook of "flesh and blood" that "through death He might bring it nought to Him that had the power of death, that is, the devil (2:14). Deity, as pure Spirit-essence, is immortal (I Timothy 6:16 - the Greek term denotes deathlessness) thus, it was imperative that the Lord become mortal in order to serve as an atonement for sin. Christ was therefore, "manifested in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16). He was manifested to take away sins" (I John 3:5).
THE DEITY OF CHRIST - The claims of the cults to the contrary notwithstanding, Jesus Christ was divine in the full sense of that term. Evidence for this is to be found in both Testaments. (1) Isaiah declared that the virgin would give birth to Immanuel, meaning "God is with us" (7:14; Matthew 1:23). (2) Again, the Messianic prophet denominates the coming Prince of Peace as Mighty God (9:6), a term elsewhere used of Jehovah (Jeremiah 32:18). (3) Isaiah also noted that John the Baptizer would prepare the way for Jehovah's (Christ's) coming (40:3; Matthew 3:3). The prophet even saw a vision of "the King, Jehovah of hosts" which was none other than Jesus (6:5; cf. John 12:36-41). (4) Zechariah describes the Lord as Jehovah's "fellow" (Hebrew, amith, meaning "to join, connect") and Keil observes that the word can only be used with God of one "who participates in the divine nature, or is essentially divine" (Minor Prophets, II, p. 397.) This is but a fraction of the Old Testament proof for the deity of our glorious Savior.
The New Testament, from beginning to end establishes the Deity of Christ, and such can only be denied as a result of unbelief, delusion or ignorance. Jesus spoke and acted as a divine person. (a) He declared that He was "one" with the Father (John 10:30, the neuter gender emphasizing "one essence or nature", Robertson, Word Pictures, V, p. 186.) so that in a manner of speaking, to see Him was to see the Father (John 14:9, 11). (b) He claimed a special relationship with the Father in distinction from that which others sustained (John 6:17-18. 20:17). (c) He forgave the sins of others; a prerogative of God alone (Mark 2:5, 7). (d) Even His prayers suggested that He was more than mere man. The Lord's prayers frequently contained the Greek term erotao (rendered: ask, beseech, pray), a word which implied, "that he who asks stands on a certain footing of equality" with him of whom the request is made. He never employed aiteo (rendered: ask) in His prayers because that term suggested a petition of an inferior to a superior (Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, pp. 144-145; Vine, Expository Dictionary, I, p. 79.). (e) He accepted the worship of men (John 9:38) which is only due God (Matthew 4:10), and which mere good men and angels refuse (Acts 10:25-26; Revelation 22:8-9). Truly, at His name every knee should bow (Philippians 2:10; cf. Isaiah 54:23).
The New Testament name for the divine nature is GOD. Since Christ fully possessed the divine nature, it is no surprise that He is called God several times in the New Testament. The Word was God (John 1:1). Christ was God only begotten. Thomas confessed Him to be, My Lord and my God" (John 20:28). The church of God was purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28). In Christ dwells all "the fullness of Deity" (Colossians 2:9). The Father said of Him, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever" (Hebrews 1:8). The use of the single article "the" in Titus 2:13 and II Peter 1:1 points to the fact that Jesus is both God and Savior (Dana & Mantley, Manuel Grammar of the Greek New Testament, p. 147.). Scores of similar arguments adorn the New Testament.
OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED - Some who teach the devilish error that Christ was no more than a "perfect man" (cf. The Watchtower Society's book, Let God Be True, p. 87.) attempt to find support for the heresy in the Scriptures. (1) It is alleged that the Lord only claimed to be God in an accommodative sense; in the same way that certain Old Testament leaders who acted on Jehovah's behalf were figuratively called "gods" (cf. Psalms 82:6; John 10:34.). A study of John 10 however, reveals the very opposite. Within this context (10:22-39) the Master had made several startling claims. His works were in the Father's name (25). He had the power to confer eternal life (28). He and the Father were one (30). The Jews understood the nature of such claims and they sought to stone Him for blasphemy. The Lord then quotes Psalm 82:6 where certain Old Testament judges were accommodatingly termed "gods." Rather though than classifying Himself with them, Christ shows that if that language was not inappropriate regarding Old Testament representatives of Jehovah, surely it was not inappropriate of Him, "whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world." (36) This was not a disclaimer of Deity. It was further affirmation of such, and they so understood it, for "they sought again to take Him." (39)
When the rich, young ruler addressed Jesus as "Good Teacher" the Lord asked: "Why callest thou Me good? None is good save One, even God." (Mark 10:17-18) Was Christ denying Godhood here? Of course not! Actually, He was asserting such. The young ruler had carelessly used the word "good" as though Jesus were but a good teacher in the same way that he supposed one could do a "good thing" (Matthew 19:16) to obtain eternal life. The Master Teacher was attempting to get the ruler to analyze the use of that term "good." Bickersteth paraphrases the Lord thusly: "If you call me good, believe that I am God; for no one is good, intrinsically good, but God." (Pulpit Commentary, Mark, II, p. 61.) Similarly, R. C. Foster renders it: "Do you know the meaning of this word you apply to me and which you use so freely? There is none good save God; if you apply that term to me and you understand what you mean, you affirm that I am God." (Studies in the Life of Christ, p. 1022.) This incident therefore, does not negate the Deity of Jesus.
(3) Infidelity further contends that Christ was admittedly ignorant of certain things (e.g., the time of His return - Matthew 24:36) which He certainly would have known had He been God and that on occasion He plainly acknowledged. "The Father is greater than I." (John 14:28) Concerning the first charge, it is well to note that the Lord only exercised the prerogatives of deity at the discretion of His Father's will (John 5:30); this was a part of His voluntary emptying when He assumed the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7). For example, Christ, consistent with the Father's will, could suspend the law of gravity and walk upon the Sea of Galilee (John 6:19). At other times He rode in the boat (Mark 4:26). Similarly, at times Jesus penetrated the thoughts of men (Matthew 12:25), while at other times He chose not to know their thoughts, and hence, "marvelled" at faith (Matthew 8:10) or the lack of it (Mark 6:6). While on earth, the Son of Man simply chose not to know the time of His return. As to the other charge regarding the Father being greater, such references as John 14:28 (cf. I Corinthians 11:3, "the head of Christ is God") relate to the fact that Christ "emptied Himself" of His original "equality with God" (Philippians 2:6-7). Though He emptied Himself and took the form of a servant, He nevertheless was still, "existing (present tense participle) in the form of God" (6) and thus was a divine Being.
Though we may not understand everything about the incarnation, how God could be man and vice versa, if our faith in Christ comes by the testimony of the Word of the Lord (Romans 10:17), we will acknowledge with certainty that Jesus Christ is the God-Man!
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