Jesus the Christ

 Jesus, the Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Luke 1:1-4

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

The Gospel of Luke,  along with the book of Acts, was attributed in early church history to Luke the physician, who traveled with Paul the apostle. Luke’s Gospel was likely composed between ad 60 and 85, shortly before he finished Acts. 

The  Greek name Theophilus means “friend of God.” It might refer to a specific individual, or Luke could have been writing to the church at large—to all who consider themselves friends of God. Theophilus might have been Luke’s patron, a wealthy person responsible for funding the writing, copying, and distribution of Luke’s Gospel and the book of Acts. Luke likely is referring to teaching about Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection. Faithlife Bible.

Luke makes it clear that he was not the first to write a narrative of the ministry of Jesus. The theme of God’s plan is introduced with the note that the subject of such narratives was the things which have been fulfilled. The sources for these narratives were eyewitnesses who delivered their testimony to the church. Deliver refers to the transmission of an authoritative account. These verses suggest that Luke was not an eyewitness to the events of Jesus’ ministry, but that he had access to statements of those who were.

Luke did not express dissatisfaction with previous narratives of Jesus’ ministry, but he identified with those who went before him. Luke investigated his topic and he did it with care. He did not claim to know everything about Jesus, but what he described was studied and treated accurately. The third characteristic of Luke’s work was its thoroughness. The fourth characteristic of Luke was his interest in even the earliest events tied to Jesus’ life. Luke gave his narrative a basic structure. Not every part is in chronological sequence, but the broad sequence is Christ’s ministry in Galilee, His travel to Jerusalem, and His struggles in Jerusalem.The purpose was to give assurance to Theophilus, a young believer. It is likely that Theophilus was a Gentile, since so much of Luke and Acts is concerned with Jewish-Gentile relationships. He not only needed to know the truth and accuracy of what the church taught, but also needed to be reassured. He might well have been wondering what he as a Gentile was doing in a movement which was originally Jewish, especially when so many Israelites were rejecting the message. Luke assured Theophilus and his other readers that Jesus is the Messiah. He is worthy of everyone’s worship because He is the Son of the living God.

NKJ Bible,

John 1:1-18

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”

16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

The Gospel of John  is a complex theological work, weaving events from the life of Jesus into a dramatic presentation of Jesus as Messiah and Son of God. The authority and person of Jesus as theological themes are much more important to the writer than historical chronology or his own authority. The writer only identifies himself as an eyewitness and as the beloved disciple; it is early church tradition that ascribes the work to the apostle John. The Gospel of John was probably written ca. ad 85–95.

The Word shares the same character, quality, and essence of God. John’s phrasing preserves the distinction between God the Father and God the Son while emphasizing their unity in all other regards.The concept of creation through the divine Word reflects Yahweh’s act of speaking the universe into existence in Genesis. John’s Jewish audience would have been familiar with the idea that Yahweh created the world through His divine wisdom, however, that wisdom was still viewed as a created thing, the first thing Yahweh created. John pushes that familiar concept into new territory, implying that “the Word” was uncreated and preexistent. John’s use of logos in the context of creation draws on these associations with the divine Word/Wisdom/Law as the effective agent of creation, as well as the Stoic philosophical concept of the Logos as the impersonal force of “Reason” giving order to the universe. This makes Jesus not only the reason for the creation and the means of creation, but also the ruler over the creation in the way that God the Father has jurisdiction over it. The Word is the source of life, both physical through the creation of all things.

He introduces John the Baptist  as the messenger sent by God to announce the coming of His salvation into the world through Jesus. John was the prophesied forerunner of the Messiah.The preaching of John the Baptist was intended to inspire faith in God by pointing people to Jesus as His supreme act of providence. God doesn’t send a messenger; He sends His very Son, the means of creation itself. Not only did the entire world not recognize its Creator but God’s chosen people rejected their Messiah. Through His Son, God is taking up a post among His people just as He had done for ancient Israel. 

The glory of Jesus, the Word, is the same as the glory of God the Father. The Greek term monogenēs, meaning “one and only” carries the sense of uniqueness and special beloved status.  Alluding to two central attributes of the divine character used throughout the ot: steadfast love and faithfulness. Jesus embodies the ultimate expression of God’s covenant loyalty and unmerited favor toward the world that rejected Him. John contrasts Moses with Jesus, emphasizing the superiority of the gospel of Christ to the law of Moses. Throughout his Gospel, John presents Jesus as the fulfillment of ot expectations. The world will fully see God only as revealed through Jesus. Faithlife Bible.

Genesis starts with the moment of creation and moves forward to the creation of humanity. John starts with creation and contemplates eternity past. The fact that the Word was with God suggests a face-to-face relationship. In the ancient world, it was important that persons of equal station be on the same level, or face-to-face, when sitting across from one another. Thus the word with indicates a personal relationship, but also implies equal status. The Word, Jesus Christ Himself, is an active Person in communication with the Father. Moreover, the Word was God. The word order in Greek shows that the Word was “God,” not “a god.” This is a straightforward declaration of Christ’s deity, since John uses Word to refer to Jesus. The Word was of the very quality of God, while still retaining His personal distinction from the Father. Neither the Person of Christ, nor His Sonship, came into being at a point in time. Rather, the Father and the Son have always been in loving fellowship with one another. God the Father created the world through God the Son. All creation was made through Him. Thus He is the Creator God. Humans are dependent on God for life. Our existence, spiritually and physically, depends on God’s sustaining power. In contrast, the Son has life in Himself from all eternity. The life, Jesus Christ, is also the light of men. This image conveys the concept of revelation. As the light, Jesus Christ reveals both sin and God to humans. Later in this Gospel, Christ declares Himself to be both the life and the light. Death and darkness flee when the life and light enter. The dead are raised and the blind receive their sight, both physically and spiritually.

Christ entered this dark world to give it spiritual light. 

The word translated comprehend can mean (1) to take hold of; (2) to overpower; or (3) to understand. Therefore, this verse may mean that darkness did not positively take hold of or understand the light, or that darkness did not negatively overcome the light. Both statements are true. Humans did not appropriate or understand the light, nor did they overtake or overpower it. Although Satan and his forces resist the light, they cannot thwart its power. In short, Jesus is life and light; those who accept Him are “sons of light”. As the creation of light was the beginning of the original creation, so when believers receive the light, they become part of the new creation.

Jesus is God. John was a man sent from God. Jesus was the Light. John was the lamp that bore witness to the Light.

John uses the word translated witness 33 times as a verb and 14 times as a noun in his Gospel. The term is particularly important to his purpose, which is to record adequate witnesses to Jesus as the Messiah so that individuals might believe in Him. Believe means “to trust.” John uses this verb almost one hundred times in his Gospel to express what must take place for a person to receive the gift of eternal life.

In order to give due notice to the incarnation of Jesus, this verse may be rephrased: “That was the true Light coming into the world, which enlightens every man.” Jesus became man in order to reveal the truth to all people. Depending on the context, world can refer to (1) the universe; (2) the earth; (3) humanity; or (4) the human system opposed to God.

Receive here means “to receive with favor” and implies “welcome.” Instead of a welcome mat, Jesus had a door slammed in His face. The themes of rejection and reception introduced in the prologue appear again and again throughout the Gospel of John.

The phrase believe in His name occurs three times in the Gospel of John. Name does not refer to the term by which He is called, but to what His name stands for—the Lord is salvation In this context, the phrase means to believe that Jesus is the Word, the life, and the Light—that is, He is the Christ, the Son of God. To them He gave the right refers to the legitimate entitlement to the position of children of God. By believing, undeserving sinners can become full members of God’s family. This new spiritual birth is not of blood, that is, by physical generation or by parents. Nor is the new birth of the will of the flesh, that is, by personal effort. Neither is the birth of the will of man, that is, something done by another individual. Each person must individually trust Jesus Christ for eternal life. It is a gift to be received, not a reward achieved through any human effort.

The Son of God who was from eternity became human, with limitations in time and space. This is the doctrine of the incarnation: God became human. Nothing of the essential nature of deity was lost in this event; we might rephrase became as “took to Himself.” John uses the word flesh to refer to the physical nature of humans, not to our sinful disposition Dwelt comes from the Greek word for tent that was used in the Greek OT for the tabernacle, where the presence of God dwelt. In the OT, glory refers to the divine presence. As God manifested His glory in the tabernacle, so Jesus displayed His divine presence before the apostles. 

Only begotten means unique, one of a kind. The same term is used of Isaac, who was not the only physical son of Abraham, but was the unique son of promise. All who trust Christ are born of God. In the Gospel of John, these “born ones” are called children of God, but Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God. He is the only Son who is fully God. He is also full of grace and truth. When God revealed Himself to Moses, He proclaimed Himself to be “abounding in goodness and truth”. As applied to Jesus Christ, this phrase marks Him as the author of perfect redemption and perfect revelation.

Jesus was born after John the Baptist and began His ministry later than John the Baptist. Yet John the Baptist said Jesus was before him, meaning that Jesus’ existence is from eternity past. Grace for grace means grace piled upon grace. Moses and the people had received grace, but they were in tremendous need of more grace. Throughout the NT, grace is God’s favor expressed to sinful humankind apart from any human works or worth. Though there was abundant grace and truth expressed by God through the Law He gave Moses, it is in the person of Jesus Christ that grace and truth are realized to the fullest.

No one has seen God: God is Spirit and is invisible unless God chooses to reveal Himself. Humans cannot look at God and live. Abraham, the friend of God, did not see God. Even Moses, the lawgiver, could not look at God’s face. However, the Son is in intimate relationship with the Father, face-to-face with God. God became visible to human eyes in the man Jesus. It is through seeing the Son that we see God. We cannot see Him today, but we know Him through His word. The bosom, or chest, is used here to designate a close and intimate relationship The One who is the Father’s only begotten Son and who knows God intimately came to earth and declared Him. NKJ Bible.

Matthew 1:1-17

1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

2 Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. 4 Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. 5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, 6 and Jesse begot David the king.

David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. 7 Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. 8 Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. 9 Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. 10 Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. 11 Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.

12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. 14 Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. 15 Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. 16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.

Genealogy means “origin.” Genealogies were very important to first-century Jews. A genealogy (1) proved that a person was indeed an Israelite, (2) identified the tribe to which he or she belonged, and (3) qualified certain Jews for religious duties such as Levitical and priestly service. Christ’s genealogy is crucial to historic Christianity. Matthew traced the lineage of Christ Jesus back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to show that He was a Jew, but also back through David to inform the readers that Jesus is qualified to rule on the throne of David, an event still in the future.

The mention of women in a Jewish genealogy is unusual. But in addition to Mary, four women are listed in this catalog of names. The extraordinary emphasis is underscored by the kind of women Matthew mentions: Tamar, who was involved in a scandal with Judah, Rahab; the Canaanite harlot of Jericho; Ruth, who was not an Israelite, but a Moabite; and Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, a woman involved in a sin of horrendous proportions, and who may have been a Hittite. At the beginning of his Gospel, Matthew shows how God’s grace forgives the darkest of sins and reaches beyond the nation of Israel to the world. He also points out that God can lift the lowest and place them in royal lineage.

Joseph the husband of Mary was a direct descendant of David. Matthew, however, was careful not to identify Jesus as the physical son of Joseph. The Greek pronoun translated of whom is feminine and refers to Mary. Christ and the word messiah both mean “Anointed One”; the first term is from Greek; the second is from Hebrew. In the OT, anointing signified two things: God’s choice and His empowerment for a task. Israelites were traditionally anointed to three different offices: prophet, priest, or king. Although the Lord Jesus was God’s Anointed for all three, Matthew places the most stress on Jesus’ royalty.

The genealogy is broken down into three groups of names with fourteen generations in each list. The name David in Hebrew has a numerical value of 14. Because the heading of the list is “Son of David”, Matthew may have been drawing attention to the Davidic emphasis in these names. In the first group, the Davidic throne is established; in the second group, the throne is cast down and deported to Babylon; in the third group, the throne is confirmed in the coming of the Messiah. Further, a basic covenant is set forth in each of these three periods: the Abrahamic covenant in the first; the Davidic covenant in the second, and the New Covenant in the third. NKJ Bible.