The Son of God and the Son of Man

Jesus of Nazareth is a unique person: since His incarnation He is both God and man, in one person, forever.

1. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Hebrews 1:8

2. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13.

3. Whose are the fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Romans 9:5.

1. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Matthew 1:23

2. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 1 John 5:20.

1. But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Micah 5:2.

2. Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today, and forever. (immutability) Hebrews 13:8.

1. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst sent me. John 17:8.

2. Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. John 6:68.

1. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. (Christ the agent and end of creation). Colossians 1:16.

2. And hath given him authority to execute judgement also, because he is the Son of man. (Judge of mankind) John 5:27.

1. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. John 20:28.

2. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. (Being invoked in prayer, which is a good part of our worship to God) Acts 7:59.

In His conversation with the rich young ruler Christ said: “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God...” (Mark 10:18).

Indirectly Christ, by affirming that none is good, except God alone, points us inexorably to His own deity. If the young ruler was willing to acknowledge Him as good, he must also see to it that he really knows Him whom he is addressing. The inquirer was using the adjective "good" in an undiscriminating manner; in his opinion, Christ was good just as he himself was good, better to be sure, but having the same quality of goodness. The inquirer assumed he was keeping the Decalogue, so he judged himself good; and by the same token, Christ also was judged by him to be good.

But Christ challenges this heedless use of words. Christ wanted him to own Him to be God, if he is really and absolutely good, for goodness is a title only due, and properly belonging to the Supreme Being. If the ruler took Him for a common man, as he himself was, with what conscience could he salute Him in a manner proper to God? since no man is "good," no, not one, but the heart of man is evil continually.

In His answer, therefore, Christ elevates the concept of goodness as belonging intrinsically and originally to God only; if He is called good, then He must be God? Is this was the ruler meant?

Christ did not deny that He Himself was good. Had he said, there is none good but the Father, He had excluded Himself; but in saying, there is none good, but God, He comprehends Himself.

Again, by His retort, Christ rather wanted to show the man that "No one is good but One, that is God," so that the man may realise that all his supposed good works do not make him good, and that it was impossible for him to earn eternal life by the covenant of works.

By implication, if the young man wanted to be saved, he had to have perfect righteousness, but this is to be found in Christ alone, who is called "Good Master," but is this the sense in which the inquirer used the term "good"?

Only the good God can give the inheritance of eternal life; does the inquirer recognise whom he is addressing?

1. But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law. Galatians 4:4.

2. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. - Hebrews 10:12. 3. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5.

1. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour; but for this cause came I unto this hour. John 12:27.

2. My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; tarry ye here, and watch with me. Matthew 26:38. 3. He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. Acts 2:31.

1. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. Luke 23:55.

2. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the word of life. 1 John 1:1.

3. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Colossians 1:9.

“Though the conception of Christ was supernatural, yet...His birth was in the way of nature" (Jonathan Edwards).

The beginning of Christ's human existence was not in the way of ordinary generation, as is the experience of all the human race descending from Adam and Eve, the original man and woman created specially by God on the sixth day of creation.

Every human being has a genealogy starting from his own father and mother. Christ too has a family-tree as Matthew takes pains to prove, taking his line back to David and even Abraham.

But very significantly he finishes his genealogy by mentioning Mary "of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ," the pronoun used being feminine singular, thus excluding Joseph or any other man from being instrumental in Christ's conception. Christ has therefore no earthly father, Joseph being only his "putative father," i.e., supposedly, as people thought him to be. In actuality he wasn't. Being the Son of God, eternal, he was conceived in the womb of the virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit, without the seed of man.

From then on Jesus grew on normally and even his birth was a birth like any other, biologically speaking. He was a real baby opening the womb, and Mary really felt the travail of delivering her first-born child.

1. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. - Psalms 2:12.

2. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. - Psalms 24:7.

3. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. - Psalms 23:1 cf. John 10. 4. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? - Psalms 27:1. 5. My heart is inditing a good matter; I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. - Psalms 45:1ff.

1. All hail the power of Jesus' name! Let angels prostrate fall; bring forth the royal diadem to crown Him Lord of all. - E.Perronet (1726-92)

2. Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne... - Matthew Bridges (1800-94).

3. It passeth knowledge, that dear love of Thine, My Saviour, Jesus, yet this soul of mine would of Thy love, in all its breadth and length, its height and depth, its everlasting strength, know more and more. - Mary Shekleton (1827-83).

4. Jesus, the very thought of Thee with sweetness fills my breast; but sweeter far Thy face to see, and in Thy presence rest. - Bernard of Clairvaux.

5. Praise Him, praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer; sing, O earth, His wonderful love proclaim! Hail Him, hail Him! highest archangels in glory, strength and honour give to His holy Name. - Frances Jane Van Alstyne (1820-1915).

John 3:13 - "The Son of man which is in heaven." Christ here alludes to his own omnipresence (as deity); it must be remembered that he spoke these words on earth to Nicodemus. He was standing right there in front of him, limited to one place (as a human being) and yet he speaks of himself as being in heaven.

Acts 20 - "The church of God which he has purchased with his own blood." God, being pure spirit, has no blood, yet this affirmation is true because it refers to Christ's humanity with all its properties (including blood). Thus his sacrifice and death are given infinite value.

1 John 3:16 - "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us." The person referred to is denominated "God"; yet God being immortal cannot die. Obviously this refers to Jesus in his human nature. This is legitimate because of the unity of the Person: that which is proper to his humanity is attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.

Christ’s God-head, becoming united to His Manhood, is an act of infinite love and humility. The Son of God, in tabernacling among us, expounded the Father to his own; he, as no other could, explained God to us and thus acted as the great prophet which Moses foretold should come. As man, Christ spoke as the Father commanded him, thus illuminating us and teaching us of heavenly things. But, important as this is, His love is shown particularly and especially in his death on Calvary. This he could accomplish by assuming a human body. He likewise took part of the same flesh and blood as we have that through death he might destroy the devil, who exercised the power of death. In His pre-incarnate state, the Son of God could not save us, for without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. Reconciliation for the sins of the people could be made only by becoming a faithful high priest. But a priest has to be taken from among the people, hence his necessity in becoming man. It might also be said that Christ in taking the form of a servant fulfilled the promises of God towards his elect (Romans 15:8-12; 2 Corinthians 1:20)