Category Archives: Jesus

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May 24, 2024

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Jesus, The Bible

What was the purpose of the transfiguration?

The first three books of the New Testament tell of Jesus being transfigured in the presence of three of His disciples, Peter, James and John. (Matthew 17:1-10; Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36) The transfiguration was a moment in which Jesus’ appearance was changed (transfigured). His glory as God was briefly and partially revealed. While Jesus prayed Moses and Elijah descended from Heaven to speak with Him about His coming crucifixion. The transfiguration was the only time in Jesus’ life when His appearance was anything other than that of a normal man. The gospels tell of this event in Jesus’ life to show that He is the promised King of Israel, the Son of God and the Savior of the World.

The disciples were dumbfounded when the glory of Jesus. They had no idea what to say or do. God responded to their confusion and spoke to them from Heaven. “This is my beloved Son, hear Him.” God’s words to the disciples suggest one reason for the transfiguration was to confirm to them that Jesus is truly God. God allowed the disciples a brief glimpse of the power and glory of the King of kings to assure them He is all He said He is. However, Jesus’ glory could not be revealed to the entire world at that time. Jesus came to die on the cross for the sin of men, not to establish an earthly kingdom. (John 18:36) Consequently, He forbade the disciples from talking about His transfiguration until after His resurrection from the dead.

The transfiguration was so significant that Peter mentioned it in his second letter to the Jewish believers in Asia Minor. After Peter tells of being an “eyewitness of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16) he says, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy.” The transfiguration was a breathtaking event which gave additional assurance that Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be, but people today have something even more significant. The transfiguration was a dramatic evidence of the truth of Jesus’ claims, but Peter’s words in 2 Peter 1:19 show that Scripture is more important than the disciples’ brief glimpse of Jesus’ glory. Because the Bible is truly the Word of God, each person must pay close attention to its truth and follow its direction in their lives.

The transfiguration is a remarkable event which allowed the disciples to see for a short time the radiance of Jesus’ glory. However, the event Peter witnessed was not as important as Scripture. The transfiguration is one of many testimonies to the Divine majesty of Jesus, but it is not the light to guide our lives. The Bible is.

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January 2, 2024

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Bible Overview, Christianity, Heaven, Jesus

What is the Judgment Seat of Christ?

The Bible speaks of three future, Divine judgments of humans. Two of these judgment take place after death. Hebrews 9 says no one will escape God’s judgment. “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) One judgment is of those who die without having received Jesus as their Savior and is called the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11). The other is called the Judgment Seat of Christ, or The Bema Seat.

The Judgment Seat of Christ is a judgment of Christians, which raises a lot of questions. Will the Christian be judged for his sins? Will the Christian be judged for unconfessed sins? If the Judgment Seat of Christ is not a judgment of sin, what will be judged? Will anyone at that judgment not make it into Heaven?

Second Corinthians 5 gives this judgment its name, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:10) The verses immediately before this statement are clearly addressed to Christians. This means every Christian will stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ to be judged by Him. Because this is a judgment of Christians it cannot be an examination of sin. God promises that at salvation a person’s every sin is forgiven. “Their sins and lawless deed I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 10:17) If God promises that at salvation He will take away a person’s sin and never again bring it to mind, then a later judgment of sin is impossible. The Judgment Seat of Christ cannot be a judgment of sin.

First Corinthians 3 appears to be discuss the same Judgment Seat of Christ when it says, “Each one’s work will become clear; for the day will declare it because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work of what sort it is.” (1 Corinthians 3:13) The judgment seat of Christ is a judgment of work done for Jesus. The quality of the Christian’s work for Jesus will be evaluated. Christian work that is ultimately worthless, whether it be selfish, mean-spirited, proud or self-reliant, will be burned up. That which is truly worthwhile will remain.

At that judgment rewards will be given and taken away. (2 John 1:8) However, even Christians who have no rewards enter Heaven. “He himself will be saved, yet so as by fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:15) The reception of rewards at the Judgment Seat will have not cause anyone to boast in their rewards. All will recognize the rewards they received is only because of the grace of God. Revelation 4:10 shows believers laying their crowns at God’s feet in recognition that He alone is worthy of praise.

The Bible does not say exactly when the judgment seat of Christ takes place. Certain indications suggest this judgment happens sometime after the individual’s death and before the full inauguration of Christ’s millennial kingdom. Though a person’s eternal state will not hang in the balance, the Judgment Seat will be a time of great seriousness. Those who have done little for Jesus will be ashamed. Therefore, all Christians must live to please God now so they will be ready for the day when they stand before their Savior and give account for how they have served Him. (2 Corinthians 5:9)

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December 19, 2023

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Christianity, Christmas, Jesus

How do we know Jesus is the promised Messiah?

The Gospel of Matthew describes thirteen separate instances when Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled. Matthew presents these fulfilled prophecies as proof Jesus is the promised Messiah. At the birth of Jesus several specific and important prophecies about the Messiah were fulfilled.

The first promise of the Messiah in the Bible is found in Genesis 3:15. God told the Devil that the woman’s seed would defeat sin and Satan. The choice to refer to the Deliverer as the seed of the woman is an odd one, unless the phrase “her seed” has a particular significance. The prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 reveals the significance of that unique description. “The Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” The seed of the woman is a child born without an earthly father. The birth of Jesus of virginal Mary fulfills these two promises. (Matthew 1:22)

A later promise of the Messiah is found in Genesis 49:10, “ The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh comes, and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” This is a promise that the Messiah would be a great ruler who would bring unending peace to Israel. The Messiah had to be a descendant of Judah. The genealogies of Jesus recorded in Matthew and Luke show Him to be descended from Judah by birth (Mary’s side of the family) and by adoption (Joseph’s side of the family).

Another, related prophecy, is that the Messiah would be a descendant of David’s with a legitimate claim to the throne of Israel. (2 Samuel 7:12-13) As the adopted son of Joseph Jesus is the legal descendant of Kings David and Solomon. Jesus is of the tribe of Judah and the family of David exactly as Scripture foretold.

The Old Testament foretold the birth place of the Messiah. “Bethlehem Ephrathah . . out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel.” (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6) Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem is a fulfillment of that prophecy. Jesus’ flight to Egypt fulfilled the words of Hosea, “out of Egypt I have called my Son.” (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:15) The murder of all children in Bethlehem under two years old fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah. “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.” (Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:18) The timing of Jesus’ birth fulfills the promise given to Daniel that the Messiah would be cut off 483 years after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. (Daniel 9:25-26)

The fulfillment of these prophecies at the birth of Jesus are strong evidence He is the promised Messiah and the Son of God. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23) They support the Christian’s claim that Jesus is the eternal God and the Savior of the world. As a result, He deserves all worship and obedience. He should be believed, received and entirely relied upon to forgive sinners and save them from condemnation.

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December 12, 2023

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Christmas, Jesus

Was Jesus born of a virgin?

In the early 1950’s controversy erupted around a newly released translation of the Bible. The Revised Standard Version of the Bible was published in 1952 as a revision to the American Standard Version. The RSV translated Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Imman′u-el.” Older Bible translations read, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive.” The choice of “young woman” in place of “virgin” caused many to accuse the RSV of attempting to undermine key Biblical doctrines.

The virgin birth of Jesus is a key point in the Biblical doctrine about Jesus. Jesus had to be born without a human father for Him to be able to be a sinless sacrifice for sin. Romans 5:12 suggests the sin nature is passed down to every person from their father. The Old Testament is clear that a sacrifice for sin had to be physically perfect to be accepted by God. For Jesus to be humanity’s sacrifice for sin He had to be perfect. He could not be perfect if He inherited a sin nature from a human father, therefore, Jesus had to be born without an earthly father. Jesus had to be born of a virgin.

This doctrine is more than a theological construct devised by Biblical scholars many centuries after Jesus lived. The gospels of Matthew and Luke teach the virgin birth. When the angel Gabriel told Mary she was going to have a son, Mary’s question was natural and to the point. She asked how she could have a child since she had never had sexual intercourse with any man. (Luke 1:34) Gabriel responded that the child would be produced in her by the creative power of God working in her womb. (Luke 1:35) The child of Mary would not be fathered naturally, but would be supernaturally conceived in her.

The gospel of Matthew is particularly careful to teach the virgin birth of Jesus. When Joseph learned of Mary’s pregnancy he assumed she has been unfaithful. While he was still trying to decide what to do an angel appeared to him. The angel told Joseph, “That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:20) Three times the gospel of Matthew says Joseph could not possibly have fathered Jesus. Mary became pregnant “before they came together” (Matthew 1:18). Joseph “did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn son” (Matthew 1:25).

Matthew’s most important declaration of Mary’s virginity is in verse 23. “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, God with us.” Matthew quoted Isaiah 7:14 to show the virgin birth of Jesus was the fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus had to be born of a virgin to be the promised Messiah. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God (Psalm 2:7). If Jesus is who Scriptures says He is- the promised Messiah of Israel, the Savior of men and the Son of God- then He had to be born of a virgin. The gospel accounts of Jesus birth are clear. Jesus was conceived in Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit apart from any human intervention. Jesus was born of a virgin.

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October 6, 2023

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Christianity, Jesus

Does the Shroud of Turin show the face of Jesus?

In April of 2023 an artist created a realistic, life sized representation of the body of Jesus based on the Shroud of Turin. In September a computer generated a depiction of Jesus’ face, also based upon the Shroud of Turin. Such images are intriguing, but can they be trusted as accurate representations of what Jesus looked like?

The accuracy of recent artwork is dependent not only on the skill of the artist, but also on the genuineness of the Shroud of Turin. No accurate image of Jesus can be developed from the imprints on the shroud if the Shroud of Turin is not what it is claimed to be. The Shroud of Turin is claimed to be the burial cloth which was wrapped around Jesus before His burial. The shroud appears to have in it the image of a man. Many believe the image to be of Jesus. As a result, the Shroud of Turin is held sacred by millions.

Much controversy surrounds the shroud’s authenticity. The earliest historical references to the Shroud of Turin come from the mid-1300’s. No one knows where the shroud was before that time or how its discoverer came to find it. The lack of any reliable record of the shroud’s existence before the 1300’s is troubling and should limit dogmatic claims that it is truly the burial cloth of Jesus.

The Biblical and historical records from the first two centuries of Christianity show no evidence Christians ever revered any objects associated with Jesus’ life. The first mention of the preserving of Christian relics is from a document which claims to have been written in 120 AD and relates to Christians keeping the bones of Ignatius of Antioch. If Christians kept as relics the bones of Ignatius that is not proof anyone 90 years earlier kept objects related to Jesus, preserved those items or passed them down as sacred relics. If such relics had been kept one would expect some mention of them in the earliest writings of Christians.

Christian’s keeping and revering objects related to Christ’s death or burial seems unlikely given the clearly stated understanding of the apostles regarding the presence of Christ with them. They had no need to keep a splinter from the cross, the holy grail, the crown of thorns or the head of the spear which pierced Jesus’ side. They knew the real presence of Christ was dwelling in them by the Holy Spirit. They understood Christ’s promise, “You will know that I am in the Father, and you in Me, and I in you” (John 14:20) is fulfilled by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. Christ lives in those who have His Spirit. (Romans 8:9-10) The early Christians had no need for relics of Jesus because they knew He was residing in them.

Today, artifacts and relics are ultimately unnecessary to the Christian. No artifact, even if it be proven to be from the time of Christ, will convince those who do not believe the Bible. Those who do believe the gospel may find their faith corroborated by historical items which show the accuracy of Scripture, but their faith is not based upon archaeological discoveries or sacred relics. The faith of the Christian rests on the Word of God alone.

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August 8, 2023

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Crucifixion, God, Jesus, Salvation

How is Jesus’ death on the cross loving and just?

The death of Jesus on the cross was unfair. Many view the Christian teaching that Jesus died for our sins as a barbaric relic of an ancient world awash in oppression, cruelty and blood. How could a loving God demand His Son suffer a death as terrible as crucifixion?

Death by crucifixion was a horrific torment designed to be as cruel and slow as possible. Before being nailed to the cross Jesus suffered a vicious scourging. His final hours were filled with intense pain and anguish beyond description. Few Americans can truly comprehend the brutality of Jesus’ death. The savagery of crucifixion is shocking.

The Bible says, “The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14), “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16) and “But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) How could such a brutal death be an act of love?

The problem is not the violence of the cross, the problem is the failure to understand the true severity of sin. We cannot truly comprehend the wickedness of man’s treason against his Creator and Sovereign. The savagery of the cross reveals the heinousness of sin. One sin, seemingly no more severe than a child swiping a cookie from the cookie jar, plunged the entire world into the misery it now experiences. All the war, abuse, rape, assault, murder, suffering, poverty, starvation, disease and every other horror that fills this world is the direct result of Adam and Eve’s single act of disobedience in the Garden of Eden. When God cursed them He cursed all the world. Now all things groan in agony under the curse of sin.

The consequences of sin are severe because God is holy. God’s holiness involves absolute separation from all sin. God is also the only source of all good. When man’s sin separated him from God all creation drew back from the source of good. When even a little of God’s good favor is removed from His creation terrible things come upon the world. Sin removed creation from God’s blessing thereby bringing on all the terrors of being allowed to attempt life without Him.

Holiness also involves the proper response to all sin. The book of Habakkuk declares that God is too pure to overlook any evil. Isaiah 59:18 says, “According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay.” Job 34:11 says, “He repays man according to his work.” In Jeremiah 17:10 God says, “I the Lord search the heart. I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.” Because God is the Holy Judge of all the earth (Genesis 18:25) He will always punish all sin with a judgment equal to its severity.

On the cross Jesus suffered God’s punishment for the sin of humanity. The cross must be horrible and the punishment of sin must be terrible because sin is an appalling rebellion against God. Romans 3:26 says that the cross shows how God can remain just and still justify sinners. God’s justice permits an innocent party to take the place of the guilty. The sinless Jesus willingly took the place of sinful men and was punished for all our sin. He bore the wrath of God as if He were guilty of all our iniquities. The cross shows God’s love because God the Son willingly suffered our punishment (2 Corinthians 5:21), God the Spirit willingly enabled Jesus to endure the cross (Hebrews 9:14) and God the Father willingly accepted the sacrifice of Jesus for the sin of mankind.

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April 4, 2023

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Hell, Jesus

Where was Jesus’ spirit after His death?

Jesus is God the Son who became human while remaining fully God. As the only God-man Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty of humanity’s sin. His dead body was taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea. On the morning of the third day after His death Jesus was restored to life. Where was Jesus’ while His body lay in the grave?

The simplest answer to this question comes from the words of Jesus Himself. In the final moments before His death Jesus said, “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46) Since Jesus entrusted His spirit into the care of God, the only reasonable conclusion is God the Father received His spirit into Heaven. God the Father was pleased with the life and service of His Son. God audibly declared His pleasure at Jesus’ baptism and transfiguration. Jesus said He came to do the will of the Father (John 6:38), He glorified God in all things and finished the work God gave Him to do. (John 17:4) Jesus lived a life of perfect obedience. (Hebrews 4:15; 10:7) God the Father was pleased with the life and death of His Son. He would not refuse to take the spirit of His beloved Son. When Jesus died His spirit was received into Heaven by His loving Father whom He had perfectly obeyed in His life and death.

The Bible does not teach that Jesus went to hell after His death. First Peter 3:19 causes some to conclude Jesus did go to hell because it says that Jesus “went and preached unto the spirits in prison.” Some have concluded that after His death Jesus went down into Hell and spoke to those held there. However, First Peter 3 clearly says Jesus spoke to imprisoned spirits by “the Spirit.” “The Spirit” is not referring to Jesus’ human spirit but to God the Spirit. In other words, Jesus preached to the disobedient people of Noah’s day through the Holy Spirit. The human agent of this preaching was Noah, “the preacher of righteousness.” (2 Peter 2:5) First Peter 3 does not teach that after His death Jesus descended to Hell to preach to imprisoned souls.

Jesus had no need to go to Hell after His death. He paid the entire penalty of sin on the cross. When He said “it is finished” (John 19:30) He declared nothing else was required for sin to be forgiven. Jesus did not have to suffer more in hell for men to be saved. All the work of salvation was accomplished on the cross. When Jesus died it was done.

Jesus’ dead body was placed in the grave to wait for the resurrection. Jesus’ spirit went directly to Heaven to wait for the resurrection and the reunion of His spirit with His body. This is exactly what happens to the Christian at death. The body of the believer goes into the ground to wait for the day of resurrection. The spirit of the Christian goes directly to Heaven (2 Corinthians 5:8) to wait for the day of resurrection. Because Jesus rose from the dead the Christian is assured of a future resurrection when he will be given a glorified body, and his spirit and body will be reunited together to never again suffer the severing of death.

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December 19, 2022

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Holidays, Jesus

Was Jesus born on December 25?

December 25th. A day remembered throughout America by nearly everyone. Even those who deny the historicity of Jesus, question the worth of His life, reject Christianity or call the Christmas season the “winter holidays” recognize that December 25 is the traditional date of Jesus’ birth. Is that true? Does the Bible tell us when Jesus was born?

The Bible gives little specific information about the time of the birth of Jesus. Contrary to the popular Christmas carols, we don’t even know for certain if Jesus was born at night or in the middle of the day (though night does seem more likely since the angels appeared to the shepherds at night). We don’t know the year in which Jesus was born, much less the month or day of His birth. The Bible does give a couple clues as to the time of His birth. Some have surmised that because the shepherds were in the fields fields at night when the angels appeared, Jesus probably wasn’t born in the cold winter months. We know from Luke 1 that Mary conceived sometime around the sixth month of her cousin Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Because John the Baptist’s father was a Levite and the Levites served in the temple according to a fixed rotation, a rotation that history has preserved for us, we can make other surmises about the date of Christ’s birth. Luke tells us that John the Baptist was conceived after his father’s time of service in the temple, which would probably have been sometime around the beginning of the Jewish New Year. Adding everything together, Jesus’ birth would have been about 15 months after John the Baptist conception. After some juggling of the calendars to correct for differences between our 365 day year and the calendar of the Jews, some have concluded Jesus was most likely born in May or June. Despite diligent research and careful calculation, every consideration still assumes a lot of details that the Bible just doesn’t provide. In the end, any fixing of a day, month or season of the year for Jesus’ birth is speculative. We just don’t know when Jesus was born.

The precise date of His birth is not at all significant. What is significant is that Jesus is the promised Savior who was born just as God had promised and did all that God determined for Him to do. Jesus’ birth is the entrance of Deity into humanity, the robing of God in the flesh of man so that God the Son would become mankind’s substitute and suffer the infinite penalty of sin instead of men. Jesus’ birth is not the climax of history. His birth is just the beginning of a long dark road that led inexorably to Calvary and redemption for men.

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December 13, 2022

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Holidays, Jesus, Prophecy

In what way is Jesus begotten of God?

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” At Christmas we remember the birth of Jesus. Jesus’ birth is of universal importance because Jesus is God who set aside His Divine prerogatives, clothed Himself in humanity and suffered the punishment of man’s sin so men can be saved. John 3:16 famously describes Jesus as the “only begotten Son” of God. Jesus as the begotten of God seems to be at odds with the Biblical doctrine that Jesus is the eternal God. If Jesus is the eternally existent God, in what way is He begotten of God?

Psalm 2:7 presents a powerful promise of the coming Messiah. God comforts His servant David with the promise He will establish as King of Jerusalem His own Son who will reign forever over all the earth. God’s promise to send a King is certified by the Divine decree, “Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten Thee.” The New Testament declares that Jesus is the Son decreed by God in Psalm 2 (Hebrews 1:1-6). The begottenness of Jesus is the decree of God to establish God the Son as the Messiah of Israel and King in Jerusalem who would rule over the entire earth.

John 1:14 connects the incarnation- God the Son’s taking to Himself humanity- with His being begotten. Jesus is begotten of God in His birth into the world. Jesus was not conceived by natural means but by the power of God uniquely working to generate a child. Jesus’ begottenness is the working of God to miraculously create a body for the Son within Mary’s womb. His begottenness is in the working of God to send the Son of God, the seed of woman, into humanity to become the Savior of man. God the Son eternally existed, but He was given a body in the womb of Mary and begotten of God in the person of Jesus

God the Son is the eternally existent God who created all things. He is fully God and equal with the Father in existence, eternality, infinity, majesty, power and glory. The begottenness of Jesus does not imply the least inferiority. The begottenness of Jesus does not imply a point in eternity in which the Father existed alone without the Son or the Spirit. Jesus is described as begotten because of the Divine decree that the Son would take upon Himself humanity. Through His humanity Jesus became the Savior of those who trust Him and He will be the conquering King who will rule eternally over all the earth. Jesus is begotten in His human personage and in His Messianic work.

God the Son did not spring into existence on Christmas day (or nine months before His birth). God the Son has no source nor origination. The Son of God is fully God, the second person of the Trinity, who shares entirely in the identical, eternal essence and existence of the Triune Godhead.