The Lord Jesus is the pre-announced name of the Son of God as man. It signifies “Jehovah the Savior” (Matt. 1:2121And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)). What is revealed of Him historically may be thus divided:
1. His birth and early years until He was about thirty years old.
2. His baptism by John; His being anointed with the Holy Spirit, and consequently John’s testimony that He was the Lamb of God, the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit, and the Son of God. This testimony attracted, as to a new center, some of John’s disciples. Subsequently, and before entering upon His public ministry, He was led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
3. His public ministry, extending over the period of three-and-a-half years.
4. His sufferings and death upon the cross.
5. His resurrection and subsequent exaltation to glory.
1. Begotten by the power of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the Virgin Mary, as predicted in Isaiah 7:1414Therefore 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). The details of this wonderful event are given in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. The former gospel records the accomplishment of the prophetic word that God would be present with His people, signified by the name Immanuel, “God with us.” The latter, that the babe born of Mary was “that Holy thing,” called “the Son of God.” For thirty years He led a life of lowly retirement, but the references of scripture to this period show that He grew up under the eye of God in the perfection of manhood, and yet in conscious Sonship to the Father, the vessel of the grace and wisdom of God.
2. At thirty years of age He took His place in Jordan with the repentant remnant of Israel, entering in by the door according to divine appointment, and He fulfilled righteousness in being baptized of John. He was at once owned of God by being sealed with the Holy Spirit, as distinct from all the others baptized, a voice from heaven declaring “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” The gospel of John, at this moment, shows the momentous issues which hung upon the truth of His person. The taking away of the sin of the world by the Lamb of God, the baptizing with the Holy Spirit, and Himself as the powerful attraction and commanding object for repentant sinners. The gospels of Matthew and Luke here record His being led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. It was necessary that the tempter of man should be overcome by man, and Jesus overcame all the wiles of Satan by the spiritual power of the word of God. Thus vanquished, the devil left Him for a season.
3. In the power of the Spirit (John the Baptist’s preparatory ministry having closed through his imprisonment by Herod), He now commenced the marvelous ministry of divine words and works of grace and power which is presented to us in the four gospels.
In Matthew we see Him as the Seed of promise, the Son of Abraham, and as the Son of David, the Heir of the throne of the Lord in Israel; He is also Emmanuel, the Jehovah of Israel.
In Mark He is viewed as the Son and Servant of God, acting and speaking for God in the midst of the circumstances of sin and sorrow into which He had entered.
In Luke He is Son of Man, yet altogether of a new order of manhood, the vessel of grace for man in the like circumstances of sin and sorrow.
In John He is the Word, the Light and Revelation of God, but He became flesh and tabernacled here, full of grace and truth; and, as the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He fully declared God, whom no man had seen at any time.
It is said of Him, that He “went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil.” He relieved man of every pressure which sin had brought upon him. He preached glad tidings to the poor, and brought to man the light of another sphere—the kingdom of God. It is also said of Him, that “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses.” He refused to judge, for He came to save. He perfectly set forth God to men, and in Him as Man God found His delight. His words were the words of God (John 3:3434For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. (John 3:34)), and the Father who dwelt in Him did the works (John 14:1010Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (John 14:10)). His presence among men exposed men and revealed the thoughts of many hearts, and divine wisdom in Him detected the hollow religiousness, the infidelity, and the worldliness of the heart of man. As sent to do the will of God, He received all that came to Him, drawn by the grace of the Father. He led them and went before them as the Good Shepherd, held them in His hand, securing them thus for eternal life, and finally laid down His life for the sheep. In death He wrought redemption and by that work gave effect to His ministry.
4. From the first He was refused by the leaders of Israel, and “the world knew him not.” From the mount of transfiguration, where God gave Him honor and glory, He descended to suffer at the hands of men, though His death was according to “the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.” Because of this enmity of man, He retired beyond Jordan till the time came for the counsels of God to be accomplished in His death. During that period He visited Bethany to raise Lazarus, but again retired into the wilderness till six days before the Passover. He then presented Himself to Zion as her king, cleansed the temple of God, and judged with divine wisdom all the questions by which they sought to entrap Him. Then approached the “hour” of man and of “the power of darkness.” Jesus, knowing that this hour was at hand, ate the last Passover with His disciples, and instituted the Lord’s supper. He then crossed the Kidron valley into the garden of Gethsemane. There His soul was “exceeding sorrowful even unto death” in the anticipation of the cup which He had to drink, but, in the submission which flowed from His perfect accord with the Father’s will, He received the cup from the Father’s hands, and went forth to drink it. On the cross the judgment of God as to sin was fully executed; God was glorified as to it, and redemption was accomplished, hence a dying malefactor who turned to Jesus could that day be with Him in Paradise. He gave up His life, and the blood and water which flowed from His dead side witnessed that expiation and cleansing for man are alone found in His death. His death also laid the righteous ground for God to effectuate His counsels with regard to man, and to fulfill His promises.
5. Though rejected here by men, He was “raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father,” and “God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” As Lord, He administers everything for God according to the redemption He has accomplished, and the place He has taken in resurrection life and glory. He is there as the last Adam and the Second man, the Head and pattern of a new race of men. He is also the Advocate, Intercessor, and High Priest on behalf of those who believe on Him, who are still in weakness on earth and need His support and aid.
He is sitting at the right hand of God until His enemies are made His footstool. It is revealed that He will descend from heaven into the clouds to receive His own to Himself: the living changed and the dead raised in glory will be caught up to meet Him in the air. He will come with all His saints to reign where once He was rejected. He will purge out of His kingdom all evil and reign in righteousness, King of Righteousness and King of Peace. He will finally, having put down all enemies, deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; and, as the Son who has assumed manhood, take the place of subjection to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all—supreme in a vast universe of bliss, the Son being the Head and Pattern of the whole redeemed and blessed race of man.
He is Judge of living and dead, and all that have done evil He will exclude from the presence of God, in the hopeless and helpless misery prepared for the devil and his angels. He will thus have brought to an issue the whole question of good and evil. Good will be forever secured, and evil be in its own place of powerless misery.