Chapter 5:
Jesus Christ
"the one through whom all things are"
Of all men who have ever lived, surely Jesus of Nazareth brought the greatest change to the course of history. Yet he was born poor, he never became wealthy, and he never had political power; in fact, the powerful men of his time had him executed. Even so he has influenced the lives of billions. Many loving deeds have been done in his name; much cruel warfare has been waged in his name. Just who was this man?
So devoutly has Jesus been followed that he has been deified; many do not think of him as a man, but as "God incarnate" (God in the flesh). This reminds us of the devotion some give to Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. "Avatars", gods in the form of men, are also prominent in Hinduism. Is that what Jesus was?
What does the Bible say? It describes Jesus as "sent by God" to the earth to accomplish a mission (see John 8.42.) God has also sent angels; these would often appear in material-like bodies to be visible to men, then when their mission was done, they would simply vanish (for example, see Acts 12.4-11). Jesus came in a completely different way: he was placed as a "seed" in the womb of a virgin girl named Mary. She gave birth to him after the usual nine months, and he was a helpless infant, requiring parental care. In other words, Jesus was truly a human being. He had a childhood. —see the account at Luke 1.26-38, 2.1-7, 39-52.
Some say that we are all sent by God, that every baby is an angel sent down from heaven to be born. The Bible does not teach this. Jesus’ conception is definitely presented as highly unusual, not at all like ours. And Jesus himself plainly said: "You are from the realms below; I am from the realms above. You are from this world; I am not from this world." (John 8.23) So although Jesus was truly human, he, unlike us, had a life in heaven before he came here. —see also John 17.5, 8.58, 3.13.
His foster father, Joseph, was a carpenter. Later, Jesus was referred to as a carpenter; no doubt Joseph taught him his trade, as was customary at the time. His mother went on to have other children naturally by her husband Joseph, so Jesus was part of a large family. —Mark 6.2, 3.
In his ministry, Jesus often called himself "the Son of man." (Matt 16.13-16) This emphasized the fact that he was truly human. He was also called "Son of David," because both Joseph and Mary were descendants of the first faithful king of Israel, David. (see Matt 1.6-16, Luke 3.23-31) This is important, because God had promised David that a descendant of his would inherit his "throne", or kingdom, and then that kingdom would endure forever. (Ps 89.3, 4, 33-37) So Jesus by birth had the natural right to inherit it. —Luke 1.31-33.
Jesus was truly a human being while he was here. But what position had he held among the angels in heaven during his life there? The Bible reveals that he was the mightiest angel in heaven, that he sat directly beside God. As we pointed out in the previous chapter, he was not equal to God. The correct view is clear from Jesus’ own words in prayer to his Father at John 17:1-5: “Jesus spoke these things, and, raising his eyes to heaven, he said: ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your son, that your son may glorify you, according as you have given him authority over all flesh... This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ. I have glorified you on the earth, having finished the work you have given me to do. So now you, Father, glorify me alongside yourself with the glory that I had alongside you before the world was.’”
Notice that here Jesus calls his Father “the only true God” and mentions himself separately as the "one whom you sent" and as the one to whom God had “given authority over all flesh.” (It is not possible to give God authority; he already has it all.) Then Jesus asks God to “glorify me alongside yourself with the glory I had alongside you before the world was.” This tells us that Jesus held a very special position in heaven, and it had been his for a very long time— since before there were people on Earth.
The apostle John makes clear just how special this position was with his inspired description of Jesus’ prehuman glory at John 1.1-18. In reading that, note particularly verse 3: “All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not one thing came into existence.” Does that mean what it appears to mean? Yes: This one whom God sent down to be a humble man for a time and to die, had been alongside his Father since before all other creation, including every angel, every galaxy, yes, the whole universe! And he had served in the creating of all these other things.
Does that mean that Jesus himself was not created, that he has always existed, the same as God? (Ps 90.2) No, John didn’t say that. In the Revelation (also written by John), Jesus calls himself "the beginning of the creation by God." (Rev 3.14) That is, he himself was the first created being. So, at Colossians 1.15-19 Paul calls him "the firstborn of all creation." —see also Prov 8.22-31.
At John 1.1-18 there are three more important things to note. First, Jesus is called "the Word." Why? This was a title familiar to people of Bible times. In many places a king would not allow visitors to present their matters directly before him. Rather, the king would send out his most trusted servant to listen to their affair and come in and relate it to him. Then the king would use the same man to convey his response out to them. This position was called "the Word" (that is, spokesman) of the king. Certainly with regard to man at least, God has used Jesus this way. (John 12.49, 50) That is one reason why Jesus said we should pray to the Father "in his name," that is, in Jesus’ name. (John 16.23-28) And it helps us understand why he said, "No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14.6) We will explain another reason why this is particularly true later in this chapter. —see Matt 11.27, also compare Exodus 4.16, 7.1, 2.
The second thing to note at John 1.1 is the fact that most Bibles read "...and the Word was God." Careful research into Greek grammar has proven that it is more accurate to translate that as "the Word was divine" or "like God" or "a god", and a few Bibles read accordingly. Those who insist that Jesus is part of a Trinity (despite the many other scriptures that prove otherwise) prefer the defective translation. We prefer accuracy over false tradition. How about you?
The third thing to note is in verse 18. There John says that the Son is "in the bosom" of the Father. What does that mean? Once again, this was a familiar term in John’s day. It survives today in the expression "bosom companion" or "bosom buddy", a dearest friend. This tells us something about the emotional ties that bind Jehovah with his first Son. The Bible holds out to us the hope of having a similar closeness to God (Isa 40.10,11). How does that make you feel?
Similar to John 1.1-18 is Hebrews 1.1-13. In reading that, note that Paul does not say Jesus is God, but that he ‘sat down at God’s right hand’. There is no greater position of honor with God than that.
Note also Jesus is said to be "the brightness of his glory and the express image of his [God’s] person." (Heb 1.3, AV) Jesus is called the "image of God" twice more in the Bible (2 Cor 4.4, Col 1.15). 1st Corinthians 11.7 helps us to understand what this means. There, an expression very similar to Hebrews 1.3 is applied to....man? Yes, lowly man is said to bear God’s image. As was discussed in Chapter 4, we were created to resemble God in spiritual qualities or virtues (although we do not do so very well at present). But Jehovah’s firstborn Son does so to the perfect degree. Just as man is obviously not God, neither is Jesus; but if we get to know Jesus, we can at the same time learn much about his Father. That is why Jesus could say "He that has seen me has seen the Father also." —John 14.8-10.
Because of the greatness of Jesus’ power and glory alongside God, surely he must be the Archangel. That is a Greek term which means "chief angel", the angel that is above all the others. By definition there can be only one. The archangel is mentioned only a few times in the Bible, but he is described as doing things that other verses say Jesus would do (for example, rescuing God’s people and defeating Satan). (Rev 12.7-9, Daniel 10.13, 12.1.) The archangel is named Michael. That does not prove he is not Jesus, since it is not unusual for a person to have more than one name. "Jesus" is particularly the name of God’s Son while he was on earth, and means "Jehovah is salvation." Salvation for mankind was one of the main reasons Jesus was sent here. "Michael" translates as a challenging question, "Who is like God?", which fits the role in which he is seen, a mighty warrior for God’s honor.
The mission which Jesus was sent to accomplish was of utmost importance. Two things were at stake: the honor of God’s name and the rescue of mankind from death. In the garden of Eden, Satan had reached out to seize equality with God. Jesus would do exactly the opposite: he would submit to his Father’s will at great sacrifice to himself. By this one act he would accomplish both parts of his mission. How? —Phil 2.6, 7.
As was discussed in Chapter 2, Satan had slandered God, calling him a liar. He said, in effect, that men could do better without God. After both Adam and Eve followed him, he could then add the claim that humans are incapable of obeying God. Satan says that men of dust cannot be expected to live by God’s standards, because God is unreasonably strict. No one, he says, can resist a little temptation or pressure; no one will choose to be loyal to God. God could not point to Adam and Eve as proof that Satan was wrong. Nor can he point to us, even though we try to do right; we inevitably make mistakes and fall short of complete obedience. And Satan smugly smirks.—Gen 3.1-7, Job 1.8-11.
Jehovah knew that he had created Adam perfect. Yes, Adam had been designed to be able to obey without fail. But he had also been made a free moral agent, which means he was free to choose to disobey. Adam chose to break away from God. Actions have consequences; in breaking free of his Creator, Adam did harm to himself. He became damaged, imperfect. So Adam could not pass on to us, his children, a perfection he no longer had. That is why none of us are able to obey God perfectly, even when we earnestly try. Jehovah recognizes and accepts our efforts to please him, but only another perfect man could prove by actually doing it that mankind, as designed by God, can really obey Him without fail. —see Deut 32.4, 5, Job 14.4.
Our imperfection shows itself in a tendency to make mistakes, to not think straight. It also shows up in our bodies in the form of physical defects and lack of resistance to disease. It causes aging, which ends in death. The Bible states all this very succinctly at Romans 5.12: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” Notice it uses the word "sin". There are two basic kinds of sin: the imperfection we are born with is called sin, and any wrong act that we commit is sin (compare Ps 51.4, 5). The word itself means "to miss the mark", in other words, to be imperfect.
Notice that if Adam had not sinned, he would not have died. Death came upon mankind only due to disobedience; God had created them to keep on living forever— if they would respect their Creator. (Unlike man, animals apparently are designed to have a limited lifespan; their natural death is not due to sin.)
Now Adam could not simply apologize and get back all that he had lost. He had created a "debt", so’s to speak, that had to be repaid. How had he done that? Remember, Adam did not belong to himself; he belonged to God. So when he "stole" himself away, he "owed" himself back. But there was a problem: he was no longer the man he used to be; he was damaged. The only way he could give himself completely back, and be personally "even" with God, was by dying.
This helps us to understand why God was pleased with Abel’s sacrifice of lambs from his flock (Gen 4.4) and why He later required animal sacrifices in the Law Covenant with the nation of Israel (Lev 5.5-10, 16.3, 5, 14-16, 34). God explains: “For the soul of the flesh is in the blood, and I myself have put it upon the altar for you to make atonement for your souls, because it is the blood that makes atonement by the soul in it.” (Lev 17:11) According to this, the animal’s blood was the symbol of, or equal to, the entire life-value or "soul" of the animal. The Hebrew word here translated "atonement" literally means "exchange" or "cover". So God was saying he would accept the blood of animals in place of or as a substitute for the souls of the ones offering the sacrifices. Their sinfulness would be "covered" or forgiven, and they would not have to die.
But, of course, the life-value of an animal is not really as great as the life-value of a man. Paul plainly says: "it is not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take sins away." (Heb 10:4) Why, then, did God require it? Paul explains: "by these sacrifices there is a reminding of sins from year to year." The Law requirements were meant to act as a tutor, teaching the Jews that everyone owes a precious debt to God: his own life. —Heb 10:1-3.
That we all pay our personal debt to God when we die Paul states at Romans 6.7: (AV) "He that is dead is freed from sin." So once we are dead, we no longer owe God anything, and he owes us nothing either. But that is not a happy solution, because in being dead, we are no longer alive.
That seems rather obvious, but how many people think that dead people are still alive? Most religions say that. But God had told Adam: “Because you took to eating from the tree concerning which I gave you this command, ‘You must not eat from it,’ you will return to the ground. Dust you are, and to dust you will return.” No hope of an afterlife was held out to him. (For more information, see Chapter 10.) —Gen 3.17-19.
Of course, we’d rather not be dead. As Paul himself said: “Miserable man that I am! Who will rescue me from the body undergoing this death?” —Romans 7.24.
No amount of money can pay this debt. Even by our death, we do not pay off Adam’s debt, merely our own little part of it. Our death does not redeem our brother. This point is made at Psalm 49.6-9: “Those who are trusting in . . . their riches, not one of them can redeem even a brother, nor give to God a ransom for him; (the redemption price of their soul is so precious, it has ceased to time indefinite) that he should live forever and not see the pit.”
Yes, as the scripture says, there is a "redemption price" or "ransom", but it is a precious one. What was owed to God was what Adam took away: one perfect human life, perfectly faithful, perfectly loyal, perfectly obedient. This perfect man would have to be tested, tempted, pressured. Yes, he would have to prove faithful to death. That would release the whole debt, it would set us all free from the death Adam gave us. It would also honor God by proving that Satan is wrong in saying that it cannot be done.
God is just in requiring the debt to be paid; anything less would excuse the rebellion that caused the problem. But we could never produce a perfect human to pay this debt for us. We were in an impossible bind! How would you feel if you found people starving from poverty, begging for relief, unable to help themselves? Would your heart go out to them, even if it was the foolish irresponsibility of their forebears that caused their poverty? Would you try to help, even if some of these people were still foolish and resisted your effort to help? Our Father is more merciful than we are. Jehovah could not leave all humankind to slowly perish. But what could he do, and still uphold responsibility, as he should?
The Bible answers: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life. For God sent forth his Son into the world, not for him to judge the world, but for the world to be saved through him.” Yes, “the Son of man came to minister and to give his soul a ransom in exchange for many.” —John 3.16,17, Matt 20.28; read also Heb 2.9, 14, 15, 1 John 4.9, 10, Romans 5.18, 19, 1 Cor 15.22, John 6.38-40.
It is important to note that Jehovah did not pay the redemption price to himself. He sent his Son, but it was up to Jesus to give himself up as a perfect sacrifice. Jesus was not compelled to do this for mankind. He willingly accepted the assignment. He was glad to do it for his Father’s honor, and for our salvation. Notice what he says: “This is why the Father loves me, because I surrender my soul...No man has taken it away from me, but I surrender it of my own initiative.” (John 10.17) Yes, “although he was existing in God’s form, he emptied himself and took a slave’s form and came to be in the likeness of men. More than that, when he found himself in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a execution post.” —Phil 2.7, 8.
So, “who will rescue me from the body undergoing this death?” Paul answered: “Thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” —Rom 7.24, 25.
This gives us the other reason why Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” Without that debt being paid, we had no right to approach God. When we pray, we must acknowledge Jesus’ faithful death in our behalf; Jehovah requires it. —Acts 4.12, Eph 2.1-5, 13, 18.
Truly, Jesus is the one "through whom all things are." Jehovah is the Father, the loving Source of all life, the one true God over all. But it was through His Son that He made all things, and it is through His Son that He is giving us life again. —1 Cor 8.6, Eph 1.9, 10.
But are we not still getting old, sick and dying? When and how do we benefit from our redemption? Must we do anything to benefit from it? Yes, we do. John 3.16 above said that those exercising faith have everlasting life. If we choose to act like Adam, self-willed and disobedient, we thereby choose to receive his penalty. If we show ourselves appreciative of the sacrifice Christ made for us, we are declared righteous, free of Adam’s sin. What an incredible liberation! If we really understand what this means for us, we will never turn back again! —Rom 5.6-9.
How do we show ourselves appreciative? Jesus could not have put it more simply: “You are my friends if you do what I am commanding you.” And what does he command? “This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” (John 15.12-14) This means we must learn to be selfless, to be compassionate, to be giving, to be humble. Never would we cheat anyone or lie or steal. Never would we use another person for our own pleasure or profit and then discard them when we had gotten what we wanted. Never would we scream at, abuse or humiliate another. —Eph 4.31, 32.
Such goodness is not always easy. If we fail at times— WHEN we fail at times— Jesus pleads for us, his friends, before his Father, to remember the sacrifice that covers our imperfection. (1 John 2.1-6, Rom 8.34, Hebrews 4.15, 16) To obtain this help, we have to feel true regret for our sin, and make serious efforts to avoid repeating it. —Acts 2.37, 38, 3.19; see also Matt 6.14, 15, 22.37-39, Gal 5.19-24.
Of course, there is much more to being a Christian. By paying that debt for us and rescuing us from certain death, Jesus has become our Owner, or Lord. “You do not belong to yourselves,” Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “for you were bought with a price.” (1 Cor 6.19, 20) By purchase, Jesus now owns all mankind, and he can do with us as he pleases. He is pleased to give us everlasting life, if we accept our position as his property. —see John 5.22-24, 3.35, 36, 1 Cor 7.22, 23, 2 Thess 1.7-9, Heb 5.9.
Like his Father, Jesus has tender love for us. We can hear it in his words as he taught the people, we can see it in his compassion as he cured their afflictions. As we read his story in the gospels, our appreciation for that love should become so deep that we abandon our selfish aims in life and give ourselves over to living in the way that he leads us. 2 Cor 5:14,15 says: “For the love the Christ has compels us, because this is what we have judged, that one man died for all... and he died for all that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised up.”
This involves more than being a nice person. It involves work! As you learn about God and his purposes, you will acquire very important knowledge that your friends and neighbors also need to know. If we love them like Jesus does, we will do as he did: go to them and share with them what we have learned. They will receive you the same as the people received him: some believed him, and others wanted to kill him. It takes both love and courage to speak out as a Christian. —see Mark 8.34-38, Matt 10.16-40. More on this in Chapter 14, Choose the Way of Life.
We must not misunderstand, as some do, Jesus’ command to love one another. Remember, in showing us how to love, Jesus did not kill for us; he died for us. He did not try to kill his enemies, not even those who attacked him. Jehovah protected him until the time came to finish his assignment. Then, Jesus submitted meekly to death at the hands of wicked men. It is possible for the same to happen to us; we need to be prepared to follow him and do as he did. —Matt 26.49-54, John 19.10, 11, 1 Pet 2.21-23.
Does that mean he would stand idly by if other people were being attacked? There is no record of this happening in his presence, but certainly the people were being exploited and downtrodden. Did he take up arms against the oppressors? No. Rather, he taught a way of life that rendered the oppression of little effect: contentment with bare necessities, faith in God’s sustaining care, hope for a future day of reckoning. By forbidding violent armed resistance, he removed any excuse the wicked might have for mistreating the people. And he made sure that the oppressors’ wickedness was widely exposed. Those who were trying to hide under a cloak of piety found it stripped away, their perfidy laid open for all to see. —Matt 9.36; 5.39-44, 6.19-34, 23.1-4, 23, 27, 28, 33-36; see also Romans 12.18-21, James 1.20.
This brings us to the other part of his assignment, his mission on earth: to proclaim the truth, to proclaim "liberty to those taken captive and the wide opening [of the eyes] to the prisoners." He said: “I must declare the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this I was sent forth.” What is this "kingdom" that he was proclaiming? —Isa 61.1, 2, Luke 4.17-19, 43.
The Jews had been expecting and awaiting the arrival of the Kingdom of God for many centuries. The prophet Daniel had foretold that “the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. It will crush and put an end to all other kingdoms, and it will stand to times indefinite.” (Dan 2.44) This conquering kingdom was to be ruled by the Messiah, which is Hebrew for the "Chosen One," that is, the one whom God chose. (see Dan 7.13, 14.) In Greek the word is "Khristos", or Christ. This Christ would sweep aside all evil and establish benevolent rule over all the earth. —Isa 11.1-9.
Literally, "good news." This word refers to the four books recounting Jesus’ life, namely, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Would this really ever happen? Yes! Jesus said: “You must pray, ‘Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.’” Jesus demonstrated the power this Kingdom will have by working miracles, using holy spirit given to him by his Father. The gospels* are filled with accounts of the miracles he performed. As a sampling, please read Lu 5.12-17, 6.17-19, 7.11-17, 8.43-48, Mark 6.56. In these please note the compassion and kindness Jesus expressed to the people he helped.
These miracles, as wonderful as they were, did not have permanent effect. Those cured did continue aging, and finally died. But Jesus’ miracles proved that he was sent by God, that he really was the Messiah. And his miracles proved that God’s power can solve all human afflictions. So the Kingdom, when it finally would come, really would accomplish all that was foretold; yes, it was real.
Jesus’ disciples were intensely interested in knowing when this kingdom would arrive. They were convinced Jesus was the Christ (see Matt 16.15, 16) and they were expecting him to rise up and bring it at any moment. In this they were sadly mistaken. Imagine their horror when Jesus was taken and murdered! Jesus had carefully explained to them that that had to occur first, but their eagerness to see the Kingdom come had blinded them to what he was saying. —Luke 19.11, 18.31-34.
Jesus Christ died, giving his life as a "ransom" or redemption price to buy back for mankind what Adam had lost. His mission on earth was finished. What then?
The disciples were confused and fearful. When Jesus was arrested, they fled and hid. They then came and watched helplessly as he died on the execution post. But notice what Jesus said as he died: “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit!” (Luke 23.46, John 19.30) What would his loving Father do with that spirit, or life-force, that went out of his Son that terrible day?
After Jesus died, he was quickly put in a nearby tomb. The hour was late and the Sabbath was about to begin, a day on which no work could be done. But early the day after the Sabbath, women came to prepare his body for a proper burial. They found the tomb had been opened! The body was gone! Had his murderers committed the final indignity? For the answer, read John’s touching account of that morning at John 19.38-20.18.
Jesus was alive! But how? The Bible is very clear: God raised him up out of death "on the third day". (Matt 16.21, 1 Cor 15.3, 4) No, he had not ascended directly from his body when he died; he was raised up from the tomb where he had been laid. He had been truly dead for a little while. —compare Rev 1.17, 18, 2.8.
After his resurrection, for forty days he frequently reappeared to his disciples, strengthening their faith that he was indeed alive. But he was no longer natural flesh and blood; God had given him a spirit body, as he had had before coming to earth. (John 20.19, 1 Pet 3.18, 1 Cor 15.43-48) Finally the time came for him to return to his Father. So that his followers would clearly know he was leaving, he ascended up into the clouds while visible to them, then vanished. —see Acts 1.3-11.
Ten days later, as the disciples were gathered together, the holy spirit that Jesus had promised to send came upon them. This gave them ability to speak foreign languages, so that the good news about the Christ could be quickly spread abroad. (see Acts 1.8, 2.1-13.) Then Peter addressed the crowd and revealed where Jesus now was: “This Jesus God resurrected, of which fact we are all witnesses. Therefore because he was exalted to the right hand of God and received the promised holy spirit from the Father, he has poured out this which you see and hear. Actually David did not ascend to the heavens, but he himself says, ‘Jehovah said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”’ Therefore let all the house of Israel know for a certainty that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you impaled.” —Acts 2:32-36.
Yes, Jesus had regained the mighty position that he had had before being sent to the earth. The time had come for his Father to answer his request at John 17.4, 5. But he had been given more than that. The Bible says: “For this very reason also God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every [other] name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground, and every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil 2:9-11) “He raised him up from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above every government and authority and power and lordship and every name named, not only in this system of things, but also in that to come. He also subjected all things under his feet, and made him head over all things to the congregation.” (Eph 1:20-22) “He is at God’s right hand, for he went his way to heaven; and angels and authorities and powers were made subject to him.” (1 Pet 3:22) After being raised up, Jesus himself said: “All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth.” —Matt 28:18.
Finally, Paul writes: “For it is not to angels that he has subjected the inhabited earth to come, about which we are speaking. But a certain witness has given proof somewhere, saying: ‘What is man that you keep him in mind, or the son of man that you take care of him? You made him a little lower than angels; with glory and honor you crowned him, and appointed him over the works of your hands. All things you subjected under his feet.’ For in that he subjected all things to him God left nothing that is not subject to him. Now, though, we do not yet see all things in subjection to him; but we behold Jesus, who has been made a little lower than angels, crowned with glory and honor for having suffered death, that he by God’s undeserved kindness might taste death for every man.” —Heb 2:5-9.
From all of this it is clear that Jesus had been elevated to a position of active power. He had been given the title-deed, as it were, to be King of the Kingdom. He had been given authority to act as ruler in the affairs of men. But his Father, Jehovah, remained head over all (1 Cor 11.3). And Jehovah has a schedule mapped out as to when certain actions should take place; as an obedient Son, Jesus follows that schedule. And so we see Paul saying above, “Now, though, we do not yet see all things in subjection to him.” And later he says, “But this man offered one sacrifice for sins perpetually and sat down at the right hand of God, from then on awaiting until his enemies should be placed as a stool for his feet.” (Heb 10:12,13)
Even today we look around and see many enemies not yet subdued. So the question has to be asked, when will Christ come in Kingdom power and destroy his enemies, as foretold so long ago? Is there any way to know when it is due? How does this Kingdom arrive? And how will it rule? These matters are taken up in our next two chapters, "Let Your Kingdom Come" and "The Kingdom of God is Near!"
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John 8:42
Jesus said to them: "If God were your Father, you would love me, for from God I came forth and am here. Neither have I come of my own initiative at all, but that One sent me forth."
Acts 12.4-11
About that time Herod the king applied his hands to mistreating some of those of the congregation. He did away with James the brother of John by the sword. As he saw it was pleasing to the Jews, he went on to arrest Peter also. (As it was, those were days of the unleavened bread.) And laying hold of him, he put him in prison, turning him over to four shifts of four soldiers each to guard him, as he intended to produce him for the people after the passover. So Peter was being kept in the prison, and the congregation was intensely praying to God for him. Now when Herod was about to produce him, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers, with guards before the door keeping the prison. But, look! an angel from Jehovah appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell! He roused Peter by striking him on the side, saying: "Rise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands. The angel then said to him: "Gird yourself and bind your sandals on." He did so. Finally he said to him: "Put your outer garment on and keep following me." And he went out and kept following him, but he did not know that what was happening through the angel was real. In fact, he supposed he was seeing a vision. Going through the first sentinel guard and the second they got to the iron gate leading into the city, and this opened to them of its own accord. And after they went out they advanced down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. Then Peter, coming to himself, said: "Now I actually know that Jehovah sent his angel forth and delivered me out of Herod's hand and from all that the Jews were expecting."
Luke 1:26-38
In [Elizabeth's] sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent forth from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin promised in marriage to a man named Joseph of David's house; and the name of the virgin was Mary. And when he went in before her he said: "Good day, highly favored one, Jehovah is with you." But she was deeply disturbed at the saying and began to reason out what sort of greeting this might be. So the angel said to her: "Have no fear, Mary, for you have found favor with God; and, look! you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you are to call his name Jesus. This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High; and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule as king over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of his kingdom." But Mary said to the angel: "How is this to be, since I am having no intercourse with a man?" In answer the angel said to her: "Holy spirit will come upon you, and power of the Most High will overshadow you. For that reason also what is born will be called holy, God's Son. And, look! Elizabeth your relative has also herself conceived a son, in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her, the so-called barren woman; because with God no declaration will be an impossibility." Then Mary said: "Look! Jehovah's slave girl! May it take place with me according to your declaration." At that the angel departed from her.
Luke 2:1-7
Now in those days a decree went forth from Caesar Augustus for all the inhabited earth to be registered; (this first registration took place when Quirinius was governor of Syria;) and all people went traveling to be registered, each one to his own city. Of course, Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David's city, which is called Bethlehem, because of his being a member of the house and family of David, to get registered with Mary, who had been given him in marriage as promised, at present heavy with child. While they were there, the days came to the full for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her son, the firstborn, and she bound him with cloth bands and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the lodging room.
Luke 2:39-52
So when they had carried out all the things according to the law of Jehovah, they went back into Galilee to their own city Nazareth. And the young child continued growing and getting strong, being filled with wisdom, and God's favor continued upon him. Now his parents were accustomed to go from year to year to Jerusalem for the festival of the passover. And when he became twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival and completed the days. But when they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and his parents did not notice it. Assuming that he was in the company traveling together, they covered a day's distance and then began to hunt him up among the relatives and acquaintances. But, not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem, making a diligent search for him. Well, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers and listening to them and questioning them. But all those listening to him were in constant amazement at his understanding and his answers. Now when they saw him they were astounded, and his mother said to him: "Child, why did you treat us this way? Here your father and I in mental distress have been looking for you." But he said to them: "Why did you have to go looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in the [house] of my Father?" However, they did not grasp the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and he continued subject to them. Also, his mother carefully kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus went on progressing in wisdom and in physical growth and in favor with God and men.
John 17:5
So now you, Father, glorify me alongside yourself with the glory that I had alongside you before the world was.
John 8:58
Jesus said to them: "Most truly I say to you, Before Abraham came into existence, I have been."
John 3:13
Moreover, no man has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man.
Mark 6:2,3
Those listening were astounded and said: "Where did this man get these things? And why should this wisdom have been given this man, and such powerful works be performed through his hands? This is the carpenter the son of Mary and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon, is it not? And his sisters are here with us, are they not?"
Matt 16.13-16
13 Now when he had come into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus went asking his disciples: "Who are men saying the Son of man is?" They said: "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them: "You, though, who do you say I am?" In answer Simon Peter said: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Matt 1.6-16
Jesse became father to David the king. David became father to Solomon by the wife of Uriah
Solomon became father to Rehoboam
[who fathered] Abijah
[who fathered] Asa
[who fathered] Jehoshaphat
[who fathered] Jehoram
[who fathered] Uzziah
[who fathered] Jotham
[who fathered] Ahaz
[who fathered] Hezekiah
[who fathered] Manasseh
[who fathered] Amon
[who fathered] Josiah
[who fathered] Jeconiah and to his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon. After the deportation to Babylon Jeconiah became father to Shealtiel
[who fathered] Zerubbabel
[who fathered] Abiud
[who fathered] Eliakim
[who fathered] Azor
[who fathered] Zadok
[who fathered] Achim
[who fathered] Eliud
[who fathered] Eleazar
[who fathered] Matthan
[who fathered] Jacob
[who fathered] Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
Luke 3.23-31
Furthermore, Jesus was about thirty years old when he commenced his work; he was viewed as the son of Joseph, [who was son] of Heli, [son] of Matthat, [son] of Levi, . . . [son] of Mattatha, [son] of Nathan, [son] of [king] David . . .
Note: actually Joseph was son-in-law of Heli, who was Mary's father. Luke is here giving her lineage through the non-kingly line from David. For brevity we edited out 35 names. Luke continues the line back from David, through Abraham all the way to Adam, "son of God".
Ps 89.3, 4
I have concluded a covenant toward my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant, 'Even to time indefinite I shall firmly establish your seed, and I will build your throne to generation after generation.'
Psalm 89:33-37
My loving-kindness I shall not break off from him, nor shall I prove false with regard to my faithfulness. I shall not profane my covenant, and the expression out of my lips I shall not change. Once I have sworn in my holiness, to David I will not tell lies. His seed itself will prove to be even to time indefinite, and his throne as the sun in front of me. As the moon it will be firmly established for time indefinite, and [as] a faithful witness in the skies."
Luke 1.31-33
You will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you are to call his name Jesus. This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High; and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule as king over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of his kingdom.
John 1.1-18
In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. This one was in [the] beginning with God. All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence. What has come into existence by means of him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light is shining in the darkness, but the darkness has not overpowered it. There arose a man that was sent forth as a representative of God: his name was John. This [man] came for a witness, in order to bear witness about the light, that people of all sorts might believe through him. He was not that light, but he was meant to bear witness about that light. The true light that gives light to every sort of man was about to come into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into existence through him, but the world did not know him. He came to his own home, but his own people did not take him in. However, as many as did receive him, to them he gave authority to become God's children, because they were exercising faith in his name; and they were born, not from blood or from a fleshly will or from man's will, but from God. So the Word became flesh and resided among us, and we had a view of his glory, a glory such as belongs to an only-begotten son from a father; and he was full of undeserved kindness and truth. (John bore witness about him, yes, he actually cried out— this was the one who said [it]— saying: "The one coming behind me has advanced in front of me, because he existed before me.") For we all received from out of his fullness, even undeserved kindness upon undeserved kindness. Because the Law was given through Moses, the undeserved kindness and the truth came to be through Jesus Christ. No man has seen God at any time; the only-begotten god who is in the bosom [position] with the Father is the one that has explained him.
Ps 90.2
Before the mountains themselves were born, or you proceeded to bring forth as with labor pains the earth and the productive land, even from time indefinite to time indefinite you are God.
Rev 3.12-14
The one that conquers— I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will by no means go out from it anymore, and I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which descends out of heaven from my God, and that new name of mine. Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations. And to the angel of the congregation in Laodicea write: These are the things that the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God. . .
Note as a bonus we added verses 12 and 13, where Jesus plainly refers to his Father as "my God," clearly placing himself under Him. And this is 60 years after his return to heaven, to answer those who try to dodge around the obvious by saying that "Jesus pretended to be subject to God while he was here as a man just to be an example for us, when he was in fact God in the flesh and resumed equality upon his return to heaven."
Colossians 1.15-19
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All [other] things have been created through him and for him. Also, he is before all [other] things and by means of him all [other] things were made to exist, and he is the head of the body, the congregation. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that he might become the one who is first in all things; because [God] saw good for all fullness to dwell in him.
Prov 8.22-31
Jehovah himself produced me as the beginning of his way, the earliest of his achievements of long ago. From time indefinite I was installed, from the start, from times earlier than the earth. When there were no watery deeps I was brought forth as with labor pains, when there were no springs heavily charged with water. Before the mountains themselves had been settled down, ahead of the hills, I was brought forth as with labor pains, when as yet he had not made the earth and the open spaces and the first part of the dust masses of the productive land. When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he decreed a circle upon the face of the watery deep, when he made firm the cloud masses above, when he caused the fountains of the watery deep to be strong, when he set for the sea his decree that the waters themselves should not pass beyond his order, when he decreed the foundations of the earth, then I came to be beside him as a master worker, and I came to be the one he was specially fond of day by day, I being glad before him all the time, being glad at the productive land of his earth, and the things I was fond of were with the sons of men.
John 12.49, 50
I have not spoken out of my own impulse, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as to what to tell and what to speak. Also, I know that his commandment means everlasting life. Therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.
John 16.23-28
And in that day you will ask me no question at all. Most truly I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything he will give it to you in my name. Until this present time you have not asked a single thing in my name. Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be made full. I have spoken these things to you in comparisons. The hour is coming when I will speak to you no more in comparisons, but I will report to you with plainness concerning the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I shall make request of the Father concerning you. For the Father himself has affection for you, because you have had affection for me and have believed that I came out as the Father's representative. I came out from the Father and have come into the world. Further, I am leaving the world and am going my way to the Father.
Matt 11.27
All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one fully knows the Son but the Father, neither does anyone fully know the Father but the Son and anyone to whom the Son is willing to reveal him.
Exodus 4.16
He [Aaron] must speak for you [Moses] to the people; and it must occur that he will serve as a mouth to you, and you will serve as God to him.
Exodus 7:1, 2 Consequently Jehovah said to Moses: "See, I have made you God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your own brother will become your prophet. You will speak all that I shall command you; and Aaron your brother will do the speaking to Pharaoh, and he must send the sons of Israel away from his land.
Isa 40.10,11
Look! The Sovereign Lord Jehovah himself will come even as a strong one, and his arm will be ruling for him. Look! His reward is with him, and the wage he pays is before him. Like a shepherd he will shepherd his own drove. With his arm he will collect together the lambs; and in his bosom he will carry them. Those giving suck he will conduct [with care].
Hebrews 1.1-13
God, who long ago spoke on many occasions and in many ways to our forefathers by means of the prophets, has at the end of these days spoken to us by means of a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the systems of things. He is the reflection of [God's] glory and the exact representation of his very being, and he sustains all things by the word of his power; and after he had made a purification for our sins he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty in lofty places. So he has become better than the angels, to the extent that he has inherited a name more excellent than theirs. For example, to which one of the angels did he ever say: "You are my son; I, today, I have become your father"? And again: "I myself shall become his father, and he himself will become my son"? But when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says: "And let all God's angels do obeisance to him." Also, with reference to the angels he says: "And he makes his angels spirits, and his public servants a flame of fire." But with reference to the Son: "God is your throne forever and ever, and the scepter of your kingdom is the scepter of uprightness. You loved righteousness, and you hated lawlessness. That is why God, your God, anointed you with oil of exultation more than your partners." And: "You at the beginning, O Lord, laid the foundations of the earth itself, and the heavens are works of your hands. They themselves will perish, but you yourself are to remain continually; and just like an outer garment they will all grow old, and you will wrap them up just as [one does] an overcoat, as an outer garment; and they will be changed, but you are the same, and your years will never run out." But with reference to which one of the angels has he ever said: "Sit at my right hand, until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet"?
2 Cor 4.4
If, now, the good news we declare is in fact veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, those whom the god of this system of things [Satan] has blinded[. He has blinded] the minds of the unbelievers, that the light of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through.
Col 1:15
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [the remainder was quoted earlier]
1 Corinthians 11.7
For a man ought not to have his head covered [while praying], as he is God's image and glory; but the woman is man's glory.
John 14.8-10
Philip said to him: "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him: "Have I been with you men so long a time, and yet, Philip, you have not come to know me? He that has seen me has seen the Father [also]. How is it you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me? The things I say to you men I do not speak of my own originality; but the Father who remains in union with me is doing his works.
Rev 12.7-9
And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled, but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan. . .
Daniel 10.13
[An angel tells Daniel:] But the [demon] prince of the royal realm of Persia was standing in opposition to me for twenty-one days, and, look! Michael, one of the foremost princes, came to help me; and I, for my part, remained there beside the kings of Persia.
Daniel 12.1
And during that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of your people. And there will certainly occur a time of distress such as has not been made to occur since there came to be a nation until that time. And during that time your people will escape, every one who is found written down in the book.
Phil 2.6-8
Although he was existing in God's form, [he] gave no consideration to a seizure [a grab for power, like Satan tried], namely, that he should be equal to God. No, but he emptied himself and took a slave's form and came to be in the likeness of men. More than that, when he found himself in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on an execution post.
The King James reads, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal to God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man. . ."
This error in translation makes it sound like Jesus did not consider it wrong to be equal to God, therefore he became a servant, obedient to death. That doesn't make sense. A better reading would be, "[he] thought not of robbery, to be equal to God."
Gen 3.1-7
Now the serpent proved to be the most cautious of all the beasts of the field that Jehovah God had made. So it began to say to the woman: "Is it really true that God said you must not eat from every tree of the garden?" At this the woman said to the serpent: "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But as for the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it that you do not die.'" At this the serpent said to the woman: "You will not die at all. For God knows that in the very day of your eating from it your eyes will be opened and you will then be like God, knowing good and bad." Consequently the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was something to be longed for to the eyes, yes, the tree was desirable to look upon. So she began taking its fruit and eating it. Later she gave some also to her husband when with her and he began eating it. Then the eyes of both of them became opened and they began to realize that they were naked. Hence they sewed fig leaves together and made loin coverings for themselves.
Job 1.8-11
Then Jehovah said to Satan: "Have you set your heart upon my servant Job? There is no one like him in the earth, a man blameless and upright, fearing God and turning aside from bad." At that Satan answered Jehovah: "Is it for nothing that Job has feared God? Have not you yourself put up a hedge about him and his house and about everything that he has all around? The work of his hands you have blessed, and his livestock itself has spread abroad in the earth. But, if you would for a change reach out and touch everything he has [you would see] whether he will not curse you to your very face."
Deut 32.4,5
The Rock, perfect is his activity,
For all his ways are justice.
A God of faithfulness,
with whom there is no injustice;
Righteous and upright is he.
They have acted ruinously on their own part;
They are not his children, the defect is their own.
A generation crooked and twisted!
Job 14.4
Who can produce someone clean out of someone unclean? There is not one.
Ps 51.4, 5
Against you, you alone, I have sinned,
And what is bad in your eyes I have done,
In order that you may prove to be righteous when you speak,
That you may be in the clear when you judge.
Look! With error I was brought forth with birth pains,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
Gen 4.4
As for Abel, he too brought some firstlings of his flock, even their fatty pieces. Now while Jehovah was looking with favor upon Abel and his offering . . .
Lev 5.5-10
In case he becomes guilty as respects one of these things, then he must confess in what way he has sinned. And he must bring his guilt offering to Jehovah for his sin that he has committed, namely, a female from the flock, a female lamb or a female kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest must make an atonement for him for his sin. If, though, he cannot afford enough for a sheep, then he must bring as his guilt offering for the sin that he has committed two turtledoves or two young pigeons to Jehovah, one for a sin offering and one for a burnt offering. And he must bring them to the priest, who must present first the one for the sin offering and nip off its head at the front of its neck, but he should not sever it. And he must spatter some of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar, but the remainder of the blood will be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering. And the other one he will handle as a burnt offering according to the regular procedure; and the priest must make an atonement for him for his sin that he has committed, and so it must be forgiven him.
(Leviticus 16:3, 5) "With the following Aaron should come into the holy place: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. . . And from the assembly of the sons of Israel he should take two male kids of the goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering.
(Leviticus 16:14-16) "And he must take some of the bull's blood and spatter it with his finger in front of the cover on the east side, and he will spatter some of the blood with his finger seven times before the cover. And he must slaughter the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, and he must bring its blood inside the curtain and do with its blood the same as he did with the bull's blood; and he must spatter it toward the cover and before the cover. And he must make atonement for the holy place concerning the uncleannesses of the sons of Israel and concerning their revolts in all their sins; and that is the way he should do for the tent of meeting, which is residing with them in the midst of their uncleannesses.
(Leviticus 16:34) And this must serve as a statute to time indefinite for you, in order to make atonement for the sons of Israel concerning all their sins once in the year. Accordingly he did just as Jehovah had commanded Moses.
Heb 10:1-4
For since the Law has a shadow of the good things to come, but not the very substance of the things, [men] can never with the same sacrifices from year to year which they offer continually make those who approach perfect. Otherwise, would the [sacrifices] not have stopped being offered, because those rendering sacred service who had been cleansed once for all time would have no consciousness of sins anymore? To the contrary, by these sacrifices there is a reminding of sins from year to year, for it is not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take sins away.
Hebrews 2:9
We behold Jesus, who has been made a little lower than angels, crowned with glory and honor for having suffered death, that he by God's undeserved kindness might taste death for every man.
Hebrews 2:14-15
Therefore, since the "young children" are sharers of blood and flesh, he also similarly partook of the same things, that through his death he might bring to nothing the one having the means to cause death, that is, the Devil, and set free all those who for fear of death were subject to slavery all through their lives.
1 John 4.9,10
By this the love of God was made manifest in our case, because God sent forth his only-begotten Son into the world that we might gain life through him. The love is in this respect, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent forth his Son as a reconciling sacrifice for our sins.
Romans 5.18,19
Just as through one trespass [by Adam] the result to men of all sorts was condemnation, likewise also through one act of justification [by Jesus] the result to men of all sorts is a declaring of them righteous for life. For just as through the disobedience of the one man many were constituted sinners, likewise also through the obedience of the one man many will be constituted righteous.
1 Cor 15.22
For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.
John 6.38-40
I have come down from heaven to do, not my will, but the will of him that sent me. This is the will of him that sent me, that I should lose nothing out of all that he has given me but that I should resurrect it at the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone that beholds the Son and exercises faith in him should have everlasting life, and I will resurrect him at the last day.
Acts 4.12
There is no salvation in anyone else, for there is not another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved.
Ephesians 2.1-5, 13, 18
. . . God made you alive, though you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you once walked, according to the system of things of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit that now operates in the sons of disobedience. Yes, among them we all at one time conducted ourselves in harmony with the desires of our flesh, doing the things willed by the flesh and the thoughts, and we were naturally children of wrath even as the rest. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, made us alive together with the Christ, even when we were dead in trespasses; by undeserved kindness you have been saved. . . 13 But now in union with Christ Jesus you who were once far off have come to be near by the blood of the Christ. . . 18 because through him we, both peoples, have the approach to the Father by one spirit.
1 Corinthians 8.6
There is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him; and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are, and we through him.
Ephesians 1:9-10
He made known to us the sacred secret of his will. It is according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself, for an administration at the full limit of the appointed times, namely, to gather all things together again in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth.
Romans 5:6-9
For, indeed, Christ, while we were yet weak, died for ungodly men at the appointed time. For hardly will anyone die for a righteous man; indeed, for the good man, perhaps, someone even dares to die. But God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more, therefore, since we have been declared righteous now by his blood, shall we be saved through him from wrath.
Eph 4.31,32
Let all malicious bitterness and anger and wrath and screaming and abusive speech be taken away from you along with all badness. But become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another just as God also by Christ freely forgave you.
1 John 2.1-6
My little children, I am writing you these things that you may not commit a sin. And yet, if anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one. And he is a reconciling sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world's. And by this we have the knowledge that we have come to know him, namely, if we continue observing his commandments. He that says: "I have come to know him," and yet is not observing his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in this person. But whoever does observe his word, truthfully in this person the love of God has been made perfect. By this we have the knowledge that we are in union with him: he that says he remains in union with him is under obligation himself also to go on walking just as that one walked.
Romans 8:34
Who is he that will condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died, yes, rather the one who was raised up from the dead, who is on the right hand of God, who also pleads for us.
Hebrews 4:15-16
For we have as high priest, not one who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tested in all respects like ourselves, but without sin. Let us, therefore, approach with freeness of speech to the throne of undeserved kindness, that we may obtain mercy and find undeserved kindness for help at the right time.
Acts 2:37-38
Now when they heard this they were stabbed to the heart, and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: "Men, brothers, what shall we do?" Peter said to them: "Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the free gift of the holy spirit."
Acts 3:19
Repent, therefore, and turn around so as to get your sins blotted out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the person of Jehovah.
Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; whereas if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 22:37-39
He said to him: "'You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. The second, like it, is this, 'You must love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Galatians 5:19-24
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, and they are fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, idolatry, practice of spiritism, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, divisions, sects, envies, drunken bouts, revelries, and things like these. As to these things I am forewarning you, the same way as I did forewarn you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God's kingdom. On the other hand, the fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Moreover, those who belong to Christ Jesus impaled the flesh together with its passions and desires.
John 5:22-24
For the Father judges no one at all, but he has committed all the judging to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He that does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Most truly I say to you, he that hears my word and believes him that sent me has everlasting life, and he does not come into judgment but has passed over from death to life.
John 3:35-36
The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. He that exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life; he that disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.
1 Cor 7.22, 23
For anyone in the Lord that was called when a slave is the Lord's freedman; likewise he that was called when a freeman is a slave of Christ. You were bought with a price; stop becoming slaves of men.
2 Thess 1.7-9
To you who suffer tribulation, relief along with us at the revealing of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus. These very ones will be punished with everlasting destruction from before the Lord and from the glory of his strength.
Heb 5.9
After he had been made perfect he became responsible for everlasting salvation to all those obeying him.
Mark 8.34-38
He now called the crowd to him with his disciples and said to them: "If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his execution post and follow me continually. For whoever wants to save his soul will lose it; but whoever loses his soul for the sake of me and the good news will save it. Really, of what benefit is it for a man to gain the whole world and to forfeit his soul? What, really, would a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever becomes ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man will also be ashamed of him when he arrives in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
Matt 10.16-40
I am sending you forth as sheep amidst wolves; therefore prove yourselves cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves. Be on your guard against men; for they will deliver you up to local courts, and they will scourge you in their synagogues. Why, you will be haled before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them and the nations. However, when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you are to speak; for what you are to speak will be given you in that hour; for the ones speaking are not just you, but it is the spirit of your Father that speaks by you. Further, brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and will have them put to death. And you will be objects of hatred by all people on account of my name; but he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved. When they persecute you in one city, flee to another; for truly I say to you, you will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of Israel until the Son of man arrives. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his lord. It is enough for the disciple to become as his teacher, and the slave as his lord. If people have called the householder Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household so? Therefore do not fear them; for there is nothing covered over that will not become uncovered, and secret that will not become known. What I tell you in the darkness, say in the light; and what you hear whispered, preach from the housetops. And do not become fearful of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be in fear of him that can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Do not two sparrows sell for a coin of small value? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's knowing of it. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore have no fear: you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone, then, that confesses union with me before men, I will also confess union with him before my Father who is in the heavens; but whoever disowns me before men, I will also disown him before my Father who is in the heavens. Do not think I came to put peace upon the earth; I came to put, not peace, but a sword. For I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a young wife against her mother-in-law. Indeed, a man's enemies will be persons of his own household. He that has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and he that has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not accept his execution timber and follow after me is not worthy of me. He that finds his soul will lose it, and he that loses his soul for my sake will find it. He that receives you receives me also, and he that receives me receives him also that sent me forth.
Matt 26.49-54
Now his betrayer had given them a sign, saying: "Whoever it is I kiss, this is he; take him into custody." And going straight up to Jesus he said: "Good day, Rabbi!" and kissed him very tenderly. But Jesus said to him: "Fellow, for what purpose are you present?" Then they came forward and laid hands on Jesus and took him into custody. But, look! one of those with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest and took off his ear. Then Jesus said to him: "Return your sword to its place, for all those who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father to supply me at this moment more than twelve legions of angels? In that case, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must take place this way?"
John 19.10,11
Pilate said to him: "Are you not speaking to me? Do you not know I have authority to release you and I have authority to impale you?" Jesus answered him: "You would have no authority at all against me unless it had been granted to you from above. This is why the man that handed me over to you has greater sin."
1 Pet 2.21-23
To this [course] you were called, because even Christ suffered for you, leaving you a model for you to follow his steps closely. He committed no sin, nor was deception found in his mouth. When he was being reviled, he did not go reviling in return. When he was suffering, he did not go threatening, but kept on committing himself to the one who judges righteously.
Matt 9.36
On seeing the crowds he felt pity for them, because they were skinned and thrown about like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 5:39-44
However, I say to you: Do not resist him that is wicked; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other also to him. And if a person wants to go to court with you and get possession of your inner garment, let your outer garment also go to him; and if someone under authority impresses you into service for a mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one asking you, and do not turn away from one that wants to borrow from you [without interest]. "You heard that it was said, 'You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those persecuting you.
Matthew 6:19-34
Stop storing up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break in and steal. Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye. If, then, your eye is simple, your whole body will be bright; but if your eye is wicked, your whole body will be dark. If in reality the light that is in you is darkness, how great that darkness is! No one can slave for two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. You cannot slave for God and for Riches. On this account I say to you: Stop being anxious about your souls as to what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your bodies as to what you will wear. Does not the soul mean more than food and the body than clothing? Observe intently the birds of heaven, because they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses; still your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they are? Who of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his life span? Also, on the matter of clothing, why are you anxious? Take a lesson from the lilies of the field, how they are growing; they do not toil, nor do they spin; but I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. If, now, God thus clothes the vegetation of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much rather clothe you, you with little faith? So never be anxious and say, 'What are we to eat?' or, 'What are we to drink?' or, 'What are we to put on?' For all these are the things the nations are eagerly pursuing. For your heavenly Father knows you need all these things. Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these [other] things will be added to you. So never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Sufficient for each day is its own badness.
Matthew 23:1-4, 23, 27-28, 33-36
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the seat of Moses. Therefore all the things they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but do not perform. They bind up heavy loads and put them upon the shoulders of men, but they themselves are not willing to budge them with their finger." . . . 23: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you give the tenth of the mint and the dill and the cumin, but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the Law, namely, justice and mercy and faithfulness. These things it was binding to do, yet not to disregard the other things! . . . 27-28: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you resemble whitewashed graves, which outwardly indeed appear beautiful but inside are full of dead men's bones and of every sort of uncleanness. In that way you also, outwardly indeed, appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness! . . . 33-36: "Serpents, offspring of vipers, how are you to flee from the judgment of Gehenna? For this reason, here I am sending forth to you prophets and wise men and public instructors. Some of them you will kill and impale, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city; that there may come upon you all the righteous blood spilled on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly I say to you, All these things will come upon this generation."
Romans 12.18-21
If possible, as far as it depends upon you, be peaceable with all men. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says Jehovah." But, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals upon his head." Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good.
James 1.20
Man's wrath does not work out God's righteousness.
Isa 61.1, 2
The spirit of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah is upon me, [he] has anointed me to tell good news to the meek ones. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to those taken captive and the wide opening [of the eyes] even to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of goodwill on the part of Jehovah and the day of vengeance on the part of our God; to comfort all the mourning ones.
Luke 4.17-19, 43
So the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed him, and he opened the scroll and found the place where it was written: "Jehovah's spirit is upon me, because he anointed me to declare good news to the poor, he sent me forth to preach a release to the captives and a recovery of sight to the blind, to send the crushed ones away with a release, to preach Jehovah's acceptable year."
(verse 43) He said to them: "Also to other cities I must declare the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this I was sent forth."
Dan 7.13, 14
See there! with the clouds of the heavens someone like a son of man happened to be coming; and to the Ancient of Days he gained access, and they brought him up close even before that One. And to him there were given rulership and dignity and kingdom, that the peoples, national groups and languages should all serve even him. His rulership is an indefinitely lasting rulership that will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be brought to ruin.
Isa 11:1-9
There must go forth a twig out of the stump of Jesse; and out of his roots a sprout will be fruitful. Upon him the spirit of Jehovah must settle down, the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of mightiness, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah; and he will take joy in the fear of Jehovah. He will not judge by any mere appearance to his eyes, nor reprove simply according to the thing heard by his ears. With righteousness he must judge the lowly ones, and with uprightness he must give reproof in behalf of the meek ones of the earth. And he must strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the spirit of his lips he will put the wicked one to death. Righteousness must prove to be the belt of his hips, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. [Then] the wolf will actually live alongside the male lamb, and alongside the kid the leopard will lie down, even the calf and the young male lion and the fatling all together; and a mere little boy will [play as] leader over them. The cow and the bear themselves will feed [as one]; together their young ones will lie down. The lion will even eat straw just like a bull. The suckling child will play upon the hole of the cobra and upon the den entrance of a poisonous snake will a young child actually put his own hand. They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.
Luke 5:12-17
On a further occasion while he was in one of the cities, look! a man full of leprosy! When he caught sight of Jesus he fell upon his face and begged him, saying: "Lord, if you just want to, you can make me clean." And so, stretching out his hand, he touched him, saying: "I want to. Be made clean." And immediately the leprosy vanished from him. And he gave the man orders to tell nobody: "But go off and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering in connection with your cleansing, just as Moses directed, for a witness to them." But the word about him was spreading the more, and great crowds would come together to listen and to be cured of their sicknesses. However, he continued in retirement in the deserts and praying. In the course of one of the days he was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law who had come out of every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem were sitting there; and Jehovah's power was there for him to do healing.
Luke 6:17-19
And he came down with them and took his station on a level place, and there was a great crowd of his disciples, and a great multitude of people from all of Judea and Jerusalem and the maritime country of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and be healed of their sicknesses. Even those troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd were seeking to touch him, because power was going out of him and healing them all.
Luke 7:11-17
Closely following this he traveled to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd were traveling with him. As he got near the gate of the city, why, look! there was a dead man being carried out, the only-begotten son of his mother. Besides, she was a widow. A considerable crowd from the city was also with her. And when the Lord caught sight of her, he was moved with pity for her, and he said to her: "Stop weeping." With that he approached and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still, and he said: "Young man, I say to you, Get up!" And the dead man sat up and started to speak, and he gave him to his mother. Now fear seized them all, and they began to glorify God, saying: "A great prophet has been raised up among us," and, "God has turned his attention to his people." And this news concerning him spread out into all Judea and all the surrounding country.
Luke 8:43-48
A woman, subject to a flow of blood for twelve years, who had not been able to get a cure from anyone, approached from behind and touched the fringe of his outer garment, and instantly her flow of blood stopped. So Jesus said: "Who was it that touched me?" When they were all denying it, Peter said: "Instructor, the crowds are hemming you in and closely pressing you." Yet Jesus said: "Someone touched me, for I perceived that power went out of me." Seeing that she had not escaped notice, the woman came trembling and fell down before him and disclosed before all the people the cause for which she touched him and how she was healed instantly. But he said to her: "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go your way in peace."
Mark 6:56
Wherever he would enter into villages or cities or countryside they would place the sick ones in the marketplaces, and they would plead with him that they might touch just the fringe of his outer garment. And as many as did touch it were made well.
Matt 16.15, 16
He said to them: "you, though, who do you say I am?" In answer Simon Peter said: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Luke 19:11
While they were listening to these things he spoke in addition an illustration, because he was near Jerusalem and they were imagining that the kingdom of God was going to display itself instantly.
Luke 18.31-34 Then he took the twelve aside and said to them: "Look! We are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things written by means of the prophets as to the Son of man will be completed. For instance, he will be delivered up to [men of] the nations and will be made fun of and be treated insolently and spit upon; and after scourging him they will kill him, but on the third day he will rise." However, they did not get the meaning of any of these things; but this utterance was hidden from them, and they were not knowing the things said.
Luke 23.46
Then Jesus called with a loud voice and said: "Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit." When he had said this, he expired.
John 19:30
When, now, he had received the sour wine, Jesus said: "It has been accomplished!" and, bowing his head, he delivered up [his] spirit.
John 19.38-20.18
Now after these things Joseph from Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus but a secret one out of [his] fear of the Jews, requested Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. Therefore he came and took his body away. Nicodemus also, the man that came to him in the night the first time, came bringing a roll of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds [of it]. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it up with bandages with the spices, just the way the Jews have the custom of preparing for burial. Incidentally, at the place where he was impaled there was a garden, and in the garden a new memorial tomb, in which no one had ever yet been laid. There, then, on account of the [Passover] preparation of the Jews, they laid Jesus, because the memorial tomb was nearby.
On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the memorial tomb early, while there was still darkness, and she beheld the stone already taken away from the memorial tomb. Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, for whom Jesus had affection, and she said to them: "They have taken away the Lord out of the memorial tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Then Peter and the other disciple went out and started for the memorial tomb. Yes, the two together began to run; but the other disciple ran ahead of Peter with greater speed and reached the memorial tomb first. And, stooping forward, he beheld the bandages lying, yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter also came following him, and he entered into the memorial tomb. And he viewed the bandages lying, also the cloth that had been upon his head not lying with the bandages but separately rolled up in one place. At that time, therefore, the other disciple who had reached the memorial tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed [that he was missing]. For they did not yet discern the scripture that he must rise from the dead. And so the disciples went back to their homes. Mary, however, kept standing outside near the memorial tomb, weeping. Then, while she was weeping, she stooped forward to look into the memorial tomb and she viewed two angels in white sitting one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her: "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them: "They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have laid him." After saying these things, she turned back and viewed Jesus standing, but she did not discern it was Jesus. Jesus said to her: "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She, imagining it was the gardener, said to him: "Sir, if you have carried him off, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her: "Mary!" Upon turning around, she said to him, in Hebrew: "Rabboni!" (which means "Teacher!") Jesus said to her: "Stop clinging to me. For I have not yet ascended to the Father. But be on your way to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene came and brought the news to the disciples: "I have seen the Lord!" and that he said these things to her.
Matt 16.21
From that time forward Jesus Christ commenced showing his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the older men and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised up.
1 Cor 15.3, 4
For I handed on to you, among the first things, that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, yes, that he has been raised up the third day according to the Scriptures.
Rev 1.17, 18
When I saw him, I fell as dead at his feet. Then he laid his right hand upon me and said: "Do not be fearful. I am the First and the Last, and the living one; and I became dead, but, look! I am living forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
Rev 2:8
To the angel of the congregation in Smyrna write: These are the things that he says, 'the First and the Last,' who became dead and came to life [again].
John 20.19
Therefore, when it was late on that day, the first of the week, and, although the doors were locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them: "May you have peace."
1 Pet 3.18
Why, even Christ died once for all time concerning sins, a righteous one for unrighteous ones, that he might lead you to God, he being put to death in the flesh, but being made alive in the spirit.
1 Cor 15.43-48
It is sown in dishonor, it is raised up in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised up in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised up a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual one. It is even so written: "The first man Adam became a living soul." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. Nevertheless, the first is, not that which is spiritual, but that which is physical, afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is out of the earth and made of dust; the second man is out of heaven. As the one made of dust [is], so those made of dust [are] also; and as the heavenly one [is], so those who are heavenly [are] also.
Acts 1.3-11
To these also by many positive proofs he showed himself alive after he had suffered, being seen by them throughout forty days and telling the things about the kingdom of God. And while he was meeting with them he gave them the orders: "Do not withdraw from Jerusalem, but keep waiting for what the Father has promised, about which you heard from me; because John, indeed, baptized with water, but you will be baptized in holy spirit not many days after this." When, now, they had assembled, they went asking him: "Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?" He said to them: "It does not belong to you to get knowledge of the times or seasons which the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction; but you will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you, and you will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the most distant part of the earth." And after he had said these things, while they were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud caught him up from their vision. And as they were gazing into the sky while he was on his way, also, look! two men in white garments stood alongside them, and they said: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus who was received up from you into the sky will come thus in the same manner as you have beheld him going into the sky."
Acts 1.8
You will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you, and you will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the most distant part of the earth.
2.1-13
Now while the day of Pentecost was in progress they were all together at the same place, and suddenly there occurred from heaven a noise just like that of a rushing stiff breeze, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting. And tongues as if of fire became visible to them and were distributed about, and one sat upon each one of them, and they all became filled with holy spirit and started to speak with different tongues, just as the spirit was granting them to make utterance. As it was, [for Pentecost] there were visiting in Jerusalem Jews, reverent men, from every nation of those under heaven. So, when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Indeed, they were astonished and began to wonder and say: "See here, all these who are speaking are [mere] Galileans, are they not? And yet how is it we are hearing, each one of us, his own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, and Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia [Minor], and Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya, which is toward Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues about the magnificent things of God." Yes, they were all astonished and were in perplexity, saying one to another: "What does this thing purport to be?" However, different ones mocked at them and began to say: "They are full of sweet wine."
John 17.4, 5
I have glorified you on the earth, having finished the work you have given me to do. So now you, Father, glorify me alongside yourself with the glory that I had alongside you before the world was.
1 Cor 11.3
But I want you to know that the head of every man is the Christ; in turn the head of a woman is the man; in turn the head of the Christ is God.
Review for Chapter 5
Was Jesus a man?
Where did he come from?
Is Jesus God?
What position did he have in heaven?
What is his relationship to God now?
How did Jesus differ from Satan?
Why was he sent to Earth?
What did Jesus prove by his life here?
Why did God require sacrifices?
How do we pay for our sins?
How does Christ redeem mankind?
Who paid the ransom to whom?
What must we do to benefit from the ransom?
How does Jesus continue to help us?
What works does God require of us?
What does the word "Christ" mean, and why is Jesus "Christ"?
What is the Kingdom?
What has Jesus been doing since he was raised up?
Restore Scripture View