1. Rev. Christopher J. Respass ABI—Major Bible Themes, Lesson 7 Fall 2014

2. If you had to describe the second member of the Trinity to a person who had never heard of him, how would you describe him?

3. Jesus Christ is the god-man. Isaiah 9:6a says “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given….” There is a clear distinction between a child that is born (human) and a son that is given (divine). Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary (Matt. 1:18-20), yet he had no beginning because he was before all things (Col. 1:17).

4. In Jesus Christ, we see the miraculous brining together of both humanity and divinity. This is known as the “hypostatic union.” To speak of Jesus as “only God” or “only human” is heretical. The second member of the Trinity is both: God and Man. You cannot understand Jesus without understanding both aspects of his nature—deity and humanity. We will begin with his Deity

5. Do you believe most people have a problem with Jesus being a man or being God? Why is that?

6. I. Direct Statement of the Deity & Eternity of the Son of God A. John 1:1-2: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” B. Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

7. C. John 8:58-59: Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.” Why are they so mad? The Jews understood that Jesus was making a claim that he was God. In Exodus 3:14 “God said to Moses, “ I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘ I am has sent me to you.”

8. D. John 17:5 “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

9. II. Implications that the Son is Eternal 1. The works of creation are ascribed to the Son (John 1:3, Col. 1:16, Heb. 1:10) 2. The titles of the Lord Jesus indicate his eternal being: “Son of God”“Only begotten Son” “First & the Last”“Alpha & Omega” “Mighty God”“God with us”

10. 3. The preexistence and eternity of the Son of God are implied in the fact that he has the attributes of God: a) Life (John 1:4) b) Self-existence (John 5:26) c) Immutability (Heb. 13:8) d) Eternity (Heb 1:10-12) e) Omnipresence (Matt 28:20) f) Omniscience (1 Cor. 4:5) g) Omnipotence (Matt 28:18)

11. III. Other Examples of Deity & Eternity 1. Power over Nature a. stilled the storm (Matt. 8:26-27) b. Multiplied fish & loaves (Matt. 14:19) c. turned water to wine (John 2:1-11) 2. Power to lay down his life and retrieve it (John 10:17-18) 3. Power to forgive sin (Mark 2:5-7)

12. 1. Why is the deity of Jesus Christ important to the Christian faith? 2. Why is it critical to understand and be able to explain the hypostatic union?

13. QUESTIONS

14. Chapter 8God the Son: Incarnation