Jesus Christ

Jesus is also called the Word of God and the Son of God. Jesus (Joshua in Hebrew) was His given name when born in the flesh. He has existed eternally as the Son. There was never a time that He did not exist as the Son. He has always been God the Son. The Nicene Creed puts it, “begotten not made”.

“Begotten” did not mean that He did not exist at some point in eternity past. It meant that He proceeds in relationship and hierarchy from the Father. The Athanasian Creed is better, as it states that Christ is the eternal Son, “co-eternal, co-equal”. In the scripture, begotten also refers to coronation, in Christ’s case now as a man for us, after His resurrection. It means to invest with power (Ps 2:7, a coronation psalm).

Jesus Christ contains all the attributes of the Father. Is 9:6 includes “everlasting Father” and “mighty God” among Christ’s titles. His non-use of some powers in His incarnation was not due to inability. It was voluntary. His “not knowing the day nor the hour” was voluntary non-use, not lack of omniscience (Mk 13:32). Christ voluntarily limited His use of powers to do the Father’s will.

Christ chose humility to taste all things we face, to be our perfect High Priest (Heb 2:16-17). His expression: “I could call a legion of angels” and the way the soldiers fell when they came to arrest him, show that He possessed all power in His incarnation and could have used it (Matt 26:53, John 18:6). He gave Himself up to die on the cross because it was the Father’s will. No one took His life (John 10:17).

Mary knew that Jesus had power before His first public use of it at Cana, where He began to show forth His glory. This was the Father’s time (John 2:11). He was not only ministering by the Spirit, but also showing forth His glory. Before this His power was hidden to the public. His debating at age 12 shows He was always Spirit filled. He was Son “about His Father’s business” and Sonship is by empowerment.

The title “only begotten of the Father” means Jesus was the only man who came from the bosom of the Father and could show the Father to mankind (John 1:14, 18). The term does not mean that He was begotten before creation and prior to that He did not exist. The Son is eternal God.

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. (Rev 22:13).

Phil 2:7 does not say that He laid His power aside when He came in the flesh, but that He humbled Himself in His use of it. To deny He had power is to deny Him His glory, which is what He came to show forth. If He did not have power, Satan could not have tempted Him to use it at will. We talk on this more below when speaking about His ministry.