This is article eight in the Educational Theology Series (ETS).
The story of Jesus Christ (the son of God and savior of the world) begins in heaven, before the creation of the universe (Joh 1:2-3; 3:16, 6:40, 10:22-42; 17:5; Heb 1:2; etc.). Heaven is “the eternal and transcendent” realm of “God, the angels and glorified believers” (Ryken, 2000, p. 370).
Jesus Christ was involved in creation as a person of the Godhead (see Trinity, monotheism) (Joh 1:1-3, 1:10, 1 Cor 8:6, Col 1:16, Heb 1:2).
The apostle John stated this decisively in the gospel of John. He referred to Jesus as “the Word” (i.e. ho Logos) who, as God Himself, was involved in all creation (Joh 1:1–3) before His earthly birth (Joh 1:14); and, as God Himself, He actualizes eternal salvation having paid the price of sin (Joh 1:29).
Nash (2003) noted how the apostle John's non-Philonic Greek use of “the Word” (i.e. ho logos) corresponds with biblical Hebrew as “the Word of God” and “The Word of the Lord [Yahweh].” “James D. G. Dunn explained that such texts present the word of Yahweh ‘as Yahweh himself acting, acting decisively in creation, in judgment, in salvation’” which is what the apostle John asserted (pp. 70-77).
Creation followed, and humanity was formed in the image of God (i.e. Imago Dei) (Gen 1-2; Pothier, 2024, pp. 17-27). Then humanity sinned, falling into travail (Gen 3). And while that travail continues (Rom 8:22-24), its ultimate defeat (along with death and hell) is now assured for those redeemed by Jesus Christ (Rev 1:18, 21-22; etc.).
Long before the arrival of Jesus, Old Testament authors wrote of Jesus Christ’s pre-earthly existence and prophesied of His arrival and purpose (France, 1998; Kaiser, 1995; NASB, 1997; Payne, 1973, pp. 665-668; Rose Publishing, 2005, pp. 129-134). Also, see Borland (2010).
As Shelley (1995) stated, "Christianity's roots go back into Jewish history long before the birth of Jesus Christ" (p. 1).
France’s (1998) careful analysis summarized:
"The whole of the Old Testament is gathered up in him. He himself embodies in his own person the status and destiny of Israel, and in the community of those who belong to him that status and destiny are to be fulfilled, no longer in the nation as such" (p. 76); and “The whole theological system of the Old Testament points forward to his work, and in his coming the whole Old Testament economy finds its perfection and fulfilment” (p. 78); and “The patterns of God's working which the discerning eye could trace in the history and institutions of Israel were all preparing for the great climax when all would be taken up into the final and perfect act of God which the prophets foretold. And in the coming of Jesus all this was fulfilled. That was why he could find 'in all the scriptures the things concerning himself'” (p. 80).
France (1998) concludes:
“The source of the distinctive Christian use of the Old Testament was not the creative thinking of the primitive community, but that of its founder. It was not the early church which inscribed its theology on the blank cheque of its Master's teaching, but Jesus whose teaching and life initiated that theology. The church did not create Jesus, but Jesus created the church.
The reason for this was not just that he was a creative thinker with new ideas, but that he was the one ‘of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote’, and that he himself knew this, and ‘beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself’” (p. 226).
Kaiser (1995) concurred concluding:
"As far as the case for the Messiah is concerned, the relationship between the OT [Old Testament] and NT [New Testament] is one of strong continuity and progressive revelation" (p. 234) and, "the fulfillment of prophecy is also a major part of biblical revelation. That fulfillment did not come about merely by the church's determination to say that it was so. There would be very little, if any, apologetic value in coming to that conclusion. No! The realities of what eventually happened had to fit perfectly what had been declared in word prior to its happening" (p. 235).
Both Kaiser (1995) and France (1998) are suggested for those who wish to explore the topic of Jesus Christ and the Old Testament further.
Then, “when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He [Jesus Christ] might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters [of God]” (NASB, 1997, Gal 4:4-5).
Steward (1904) articulated Galatians 4:4-5 as follows:
“God’s appointed time had come, and man’s need of redemption had been proved to the full. Thus, the eternal purpose of God and the preparation of the world had their fulfilment in the Advent of the Incarnate Son. Born under the law, our Blessed Lord not only in His most holy life fulfilled all the commandments of the law, but in His death, He satisfied its conditions by bearing its penalty, and redeeming us from its curse; born of a woman, He became the Head and representative of the human race, that in Him we might become sons [and daughters] of God.”
There was an excitement in Judea preceding Jesus’s ministry. The story of how the angel Gabriel visited the aged priest Zechariah and blessed his aged wife with a new son, who became John the Baptist, was recounted among them (Luk 1:5-25, 57-66).
The angel Gabriel had also appeared to Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph from the lineage of King David, and told that the Holy Spirit of God Himself would overshadow her (see Gen 1:2), and that she would conceive God’s son who was Jesus Christ (e.g. the incarnation) (Luk 1-2).
Both the gospels of Matthew and Luke depict the conception, birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ and are essential reading for this introductory essay (also see Rose Publishing, 2005, pp. 38, 126-137, 213-216).
Some critically important events in the life of Jesus Christ include:
1. Jesus Christ’s birth: (Mat 1-2; Luk 2).
2. Jesus Christ’s baptism: (Mat 3:13-16; Mar 1:9-11; Luk 3:21-22).
3. Jesus Christ’s first miracle: (Joh 2:1-11).
4. Jesus Christ’s transfiguration: (Mat 17:1-13; Mar 9:2-12; Luk 9:28-36).
5. Jesus Christ triumphantly enters Jerusalem: (Mat 21:1-11; Mar 11:1-11; Luk 19:28-44; Joh 12:12-19).
6. The last supper of Jesus Christ: (Mat 26:17-30; Mar 14:12-26; Luk 22:7-38; Joh 13:1-38).
7. The arrest of Jesus Christ: (Mat 26:36-56; Mar 14:32-50; Luk 22:39-54; Joh 18:1-12).
8. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ: (Mat 27:1-66; Mar 15:1-47; Luk 23:1-56; Joh 19:1-42).
9. Jesus Christ is raised from the dead: (Mat 28:1-10; Mar 16:1-8; Luk 24:1-12; Joh 20:1-10).
10. Appearances of Jesus Christ after His resurrection: (Mat 28:9-20; Mar 16:9-20; Luk 24:13-53; Joh 20:11-30; Act 1:1-11; 1 Cor 15:6-8).
11. The Ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven: (Luk 24:50-53; Act 1:9-12).
Jesus Christ’s pre-creation existence, birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, along with all biblical revelation and the witness of the Holy Spirit tell us who He is. This includes His present and future activities as well (Mar 16:19; 1 Joh 2:1, 14:2–3; Act 7:55; Rom 8:34; Eph 1:20; Col 3:1; Heb 7:25, 12:2; 1 Pet 3:22; Rev 5; etc.).
To put it simply, Jesus Christ is "God incarnate: The Second Person of the Trinity [who] descended from heaven and became human." Jesus Christ is "the only begotten Son of God, begotten before all the ages and of one substance with the Father, made flesh through the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, making Him truly God and truly human, possessing two natures, which are not confused, changed, divided, or separated" (Woicik, 2016).
To know who Jesus is, begs the question of why He came. There are many reasons why Jesus Christ came to earth. However, the most important reason for the reader is that Jesus Christ came to atone for sin, restore people’s relation with God, and teach us how to live until we are rejoined in glory with God in heaven.
To actualize this salvation, and restored relationship with God, a person accepts who Jesus Christ is and what He accomplished for them in His life, death, and resurrection.
And find an assembly of genuine Christians to worship God with and grow in understanding. Stay in authentic biblical truth. Do not fall into the error of false religious systems, cults, and their heresies (Pothier, 2024, pp. 38-49).
May God richly bless you with understanding, wisdom, salvation, the fruits of His Holy Spirit, and assist you in times of trouble and need.
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