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The Ordo Salutis

By on in Theology

Introduction

John Frame is a well-known seminary professor and theologian in the Reformed tradition. John Frame is an author, lecturer, and teacher of far-reaching significance. Frame’s magnum opus is his Systematic Theology which covers a wide range of doctrines of conventional orthodox Christianity. This paper covers a limited review of selected parts eight and nine—namely, the doctrines of Christ and the Holy Spirit. A review of this subject matter traverses across biblically anchored truths that originate as divine revelation to conclude the necessary understanding of Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit as two persons of three within the triadic union.

The Doctrine of Christ

In part eight, through chapters 37 and 38, Frame extensively writes about Christ across two categorical areas of crucial interest. The Person and Work of Christ as separate and distinct areas of interest help the reader understand the deity, humanity, incarnation, attributes, and His two natures in hypostatic union. Moreover, Christ Jesus’ offices as King, Priest, and Prophet get significant attention as the intended interpretation is derived from the biblical text. As the work of Christ is more closely understood from Scripture, it becomes clear that Jesus was a prophet who foretold all the Old Testament and eschatological eventualities. He was and is a king who led and ruled His people. He was and is a high priest who interceded for His followers as He atoned for the sins of His people.

Frame describes Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and extols His status as Creator and Ruler over all existence. As Yahweh the Lord, Jesus is over the covenants with humanity throughout redemptive history. Within His kingship, as God incarnate, He does what God the Father does. Everything made was made through Him, and all things are held together by Him. He is the radiant glory of God the Father. While the royalty of Christ originates through the lineage of David, His power and authority are far more prominently recognized by His resurrection from the dead. By the work of Christ as King, He triumphed over sin and death to make atonement as the high priest over we who died with Him. Severed from sin, having died to it, we are united with Him in resurrection while He is Priest and King over all His people.

While Frame doesn’t extensively cite numerous primary or secondary footnoted sources during his systematic theology’s development, he provides various endnote resources for further study at the end of each chapter. These are helpful resources within the Reformed tradition for further study, including numerous materials from Puritans, influential faith leaders, institutional scholars, and seminary academics. While Frame uses journal articles to support his conclusions and propositional content, he far makes far more use of Scripture references throughout the body of his written work. While he sometimes references scholars who would dispute his Scripturally sound conclusions, assertions, and propositions, he always returns to Scripture with corresponding intertextual weight to reinforce his points and arrive at biblical certainty before moving on.

While Frame further develops the doctrine of Christ, he does so in concert with the larger Westminster Larger Catechism (WLC). The two states of Christ’s stations involve His exaltation and humiliation. And questions 46 through 56 are posed by the WLC and answered in due course within the same. Namely, the Scriptural specifics about Christ’s exaltation by his resurrection, ascension, and coronation together situate Him above all as revered throughout the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven. With Christ exalted at the right hand of God’s seat of power, Christ Jesus has power over all things in heaven and earth. As head of His church, Christ reigns over all humanity, all kingdoms past, present, and future, and all nations in an eschatological sense through redemptive history.

After Christ’s humiliation by crucifixion and death on the cross was followed by his “descent into hell,” according to the Apostolic Creed, He rendered to God redeemed people of the Old Testament and New Covenant believers fellowship as those who were adopted among the elect before eternity past. I agree with Frame that, contrary to some Baptist and King James Bible literalist perspectives, Christ’s descent wasn’t to hell because He was brought to a place of punishment. He “descended” to Hades, where those in Abraham’s Bosom were gathered and spiritually resurrected to dwell in heaven. Moreover, while in Hades, he appeared to the rebellious, disembodied, and fallen angelic creatures imprisoned in “chains of gloomy darkness” to proclaim victory over sin and death before His resurrection. After Jesus’ sacrificial death and descent into Hades, Christ’s physical and spiritual enemies were overcome by His triumphal resurrection, ascension, and coronation.

Christ’s presence before the Father as intercessor was now made possible for the elect in Christ. The latter were adopted as sons and daughters before the Priest-King, given to the Father in fellowship as intended before eternity past. According to Frame, as articulated within the WCF, the path to reconciliation was set for believers as the elect, adopted, and redeemed. As further believers are gathered before the Father through and “in Christ,” the eschatological already but not yet trajectory was set toward the final redemptive conclusion. Through passion, blood, story, drama, and apocalyptic intent, historically prophetic realization was assured from the proto-Evangelium to the Parousia.

Frame concludes His exposition on the doctrine of Christ by closely examining what it is to be in union with Him. Through an entire sequence of Christ’s work, there are blessings that must continually be heralded as God is to be worshiped and glorified. Frame threads Christ’s accomplishments with the following blessings toward believers. Our lives are blessed through election, calling, regeneration, faith, justification, adoption, sanctification, perseverance, and glorification. Through all this work, as believing recipients, this is what it is to be “in Christ.” This range of meaning substantiates union with Jesus Christ as people redeemed through the gospel. As born-again believers who inhabit His kingdom, we are sons and daughters in Christ who inherit a state of union while belonging to Him.

The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

In part nine, through chapters 39 and 45, Frame’s systematic theology thoroughly examines the identity, events, and work of the Holy Spirit. As a more general understanding of the redemptive functionality of the triune God, the Father plans, the Son accomplishes, and the Spirit applies (as Frame puts it). In addition to Frame’s comprehensive approach to the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, various triad illustrations correspond to the subject matter concerning His identity and work. Each triad corresponds to the doctrine’s normative, situational, and existential view, where together they comprise of coherent epistemological and theological perspectives about a given subject.

These triperspectival illustrations appear in key locations through the reading on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. This model presents a way of understanding matters of interest coherently without missing important details about corresponding points of relevant meaning.

 The doctrine of the Holy Spirit begins with understanding God as a personal Spirit, not an impersonal force. To further provide context about the Holy Spirit within the triadic union of God, Frame makes the following general distinctions: The Father plans, the Son accomplishes, and the Spirit applies. Understanding the person of the Holy Spirit must precede cognitive recognition of His work, as abundantly evident throughout Scripture. Like the Father, and the Son, as God, the Holy Spirit is interpersonally situated within the Trinity. He is recognized by His attributes and worthy of worship, just as the Father and Son are. The Spirit is equal to the Father and the Son. The Spirit has a personality and a mind. He communicates in the first person.

Throughout the pages of Frame’s systematic theology about the Holy Spirit, extensive biblical passages are called upon to substantiate what the Holy Spirit does. Chapters of section nine are dedicated to doctrinal areas about the work of the Spirit in the lives of believers. More specifically, the Ordo Salutis is used as a pedagogical instrument to walk a reader through the overlapping, sequential, and biblically supported components of the Holy Spirit’s work. While Frame makes it clear that the linear orientation of the Ordo Salutis is not biblically supported, he does use its meaning to structure an understanding of what happens in the life of a believer where the Holy Spirit dwells.

The breadth and depth of the Spirit’s work in the lives of believers are astonishing. In elaborate detail, Frame effectively captures the biblical references in support of Baptism, the filling of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, miracles, prophecy, tongues, and healings exhibited among Old and New Testament believers. With careful attention to the work of the Spirit among believers today, Frame asserts the potentiality of God concerning miracles and supernatural gifts of the Spirit while calling attention to the effects of the indwelt Spirit among believers. In further and growing detail, this work is more understood as developed among numerous biblical passages. Frame does not at length rely upon scholars to form his views or arguments. Still, he occasionally cites orthodox confessions and the Heidelberg catechism to draw conclusions and illuminate further paths of understanding. Where there are exceptions, controversies, or counterpoint arguments to particular views, Frame will identify the source and corresponding specifics by name.

The clarity with which Frame organizes his thoughts and topics complements his substantively biblical views about the work of the Holy Spirit. The order of topics is summarized as follows.

  • Calling
  • Regeneration and Conversion
  • Justification and Adoption
  • Sanctification
  • Perseverance and Assurance
  • Glorification

Taking each area of work as a free-standing point of interest is a thoroughly helpful way to understand each category within the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. Beginning from who the Spirit is as a divine person to what He does, there is specific intentionality about Him ordered among believers and, to a limited extent, unbelievers. While there is a specific and separate focus on the work of the Spirit, it is clear that this work is cooperative and participative among all persons of the Holy Trinity. The work of the Spirit in these areas of doctrine is not the isolated endeavors of this person as God.

Calling            

A distinction is made between two types of calling by the Holy Spirit. Frame separates them as a gospel call that can be resisted by individuals and an effectual call that cannot. The gospel call is the message of God’s redemptive invitation to everyone who can comprehend the meaning of Christ’s redemptive work, our guilt from sinful, and each person’s need for reconciliation with God in the form of salvation. Individuals can hear or perceive this message and respond either favorably or disfavorably, with lasting outcomes made sure by belief or disbelief. As many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14), the many will reject the gospel call and remain within their condemned state.

In contrast to the gospel call of individuals, the effectual calling is Scripturally sound, as it is declared in Paul’s letter to the Romans as it is sometimes referred to as the Ordo Salutis (Romans 8:29-30):

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

The calling in this reference is preceded by the predestination declaration, which includes the status believers will attain as brothers to Christ. People predestined and called are brought into regeneration and faith with justification, adoption, and sanctification to follow. While this arrangement doesn’t necessarily hold in sequential order, the effectual calling in this passage does adhere to the meaning of a predestined status of believers. Effectual calling predicated upon predestined selection renders the will of God preeminent over the active or passive will of people left to their autonomous capacity to choose God while “dead in their sins” (Eph 2:1).            

The Holy Spirit’s work in the effectual calling of each person is definitive and final as unbelievers who are chosen before the beginning of the world are brought into the Kingdom of God (Ephesians 1:4). Frame artfully collates the Scripture references that inform his readers about the Holy Spirit’s summoning of chosen people to the following outcomes.

The blessings of effectual calling: “the kingdom (1 Thess. 2:12), holiness (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Thess. 4:7; 5:23–24), peace (1 Cor. 7:15), freedom (Gal. 5:13), hope (Eph. 1:18; 4:4), light (1 Peter 2:9), patient endurance (1 Peter 2:20–21), God’s kingdom of glory (1 Thess. 2:12), eternal life (2 Thess. 2:14; 1 Tim. 6:12; Heb. 9:15; 1 Peter 5:10; Rev. 19:9). So this calling is “high” (Phil. 3:14 KJV), “holy” (2 Tim. 1:9), and “heavenly” (Heb. 3:1). Ultimately it calls us into fellowship with Christ (1 Cor. 1:9).”

The Ordo Salutis, as the “Order of Salvation” in Latin, also pedagogically describes the work of the Holy Spirit as having additional effectual purpose. Specifically, Frame collectively orders the following formative efforts of the Holy Spirit to involve the spiritual development of people.

Regeneration and Conversion

The application of redemption by the Holy Spirit, made possible from the plan of the Father and what Christ accomplished includes the regeneration of unbelievers to people who are made holy and righteous before Him. From the effectual calling of a person, unbelievers undergo regeneration toward further spiritual formation. As faith is necessary for salvation, spiritual life is formed by the Holy Spirit through regeneration as a sovereign act of God. Regeneration precedes saving faith as good works and belief are the products of it. As Ephesians 2:8-9 specifically informs readers that grace and saving faith are a gift of God, the Holy Spirit renders power upon and within people to make them believe.

While Frame makes it clear that effectual calling is from the Father, the regeneration of an unbeliever is an act of the Holy Spirit. In both acts, the new birth of regeneration involves the passive acceptance of people to new life. To become born again is to become regenerated; the new believer has nothing to do with that process. To believe and live by faith through grace requires preceding regeneration, as indicated in John 3. However, as 1 Peter 1:23 and James 1:18 indicates that regeneration follows faith, the order of salvation is not necessarily a linear path as both meanings are rendered ambiguous in their sovereign relationship to one another.            

As regeneration initiates a reorientation of the mind, will, and affections toward God, faith and repentance together constitute conversion. While it is explicit in Scripture that faith is a gift (Ephesians 2:8) and repentance is a gift (2 Tim 2:25), they are both something we practice as believers. Both belief and repentance are personal choices made by the cooperative intention of the Holy Spirit. Frame further develops the meaning of conversion as the work of the Holy Spirit. He draws attention to faith and repentance as components of conversion. Salvation is by grace through faith, but it also involves repentance. To Frame, faith and repentance are two sides of the same coin. Faith is the positive expression of belief, while repentance is the negative form of it. Both faith and repentance are necessary for salvation.

Justification and Adoption

Returning to the triperspectival view of epistemic knowledge concerning the work of God, Scripture informs us that justification is associated with regeneration and conversion. As believers are justified before God through Christ and His sacrificial atonement, we are adopted as sons and daughters of God. To attain justification is to be both declared righteous and made righteous.

To make adoption as children of God possible by the Holy Spirit, we must not only be brought to new life but made righteous, good, and holy. Justification as works of God through His forensic declaration upon believers and the imputed righteousness of Christ placed within them changes people’s legal and familial status. As Christ is Lord and brother in the sense we are adopted as sons and daughters, that requires more than a baseline status of declared justification. We must be made righteous and be righteous. We must be made holy and be holy.

Furthermore, the sins of justified believers are placed onto Christ as they are no longer attributed to those renewed for adoption. The constitutive declaration of believers as justified involves all persons of the Trinity necessary to attain union with Christ. God declares the regenerated converted as justified through Christ. Christ’s righteousness is imputed to believers, while the sins of believers are imputed to Him. A double imputation to establish the effective ground of justification is necessary for the spiritual growth and sanctification of the Spirit and adoption of believers. While there is punishment for unbelievers due to the wrath of God for sin, there is no punishment for believers adopted as sons and daughters. There is chastisement and correction through the Holy Spirit as He is involved in sanctification to render believers righteous and holy. Believers are the workmanship of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Sanctification

The work of God to sanctify believers is to make them holy. It is an intentional work of God through grace to bring us into conformance with Christ. According to Frame’s biblical analysis, two types of sanctification are relevant to our interests. First, definitive sanctification is an instantaneous act of God upon a believer at a point in time concurrent with regeneration. More specifically, according to Frame, “Definitive sanctification is a once-for-all event, simultaneous with effectual calling and regeneration, that transfers us from the sphere of sin to the sphere of God’s holiness, from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God” (Heb. 9:13–14; 10:10; 13:12). Through this type of sanctification, there is a separation of believers as holy from unbelievers in the world. It is an event by which there is a severing from sin (Rom. 6:11; Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:3) as believers are joined with Christ as it is said that it overlaps regeneration.

Progressive sanctification is a process of continued spiritual development. Made more holy, believers gradually increase through good works and maturity to bear the fruits of the Spirit. While the work of the Spirit present with believers increases their sanctification, He does so through their human effort. Progressive sanctification is a continuous intentional effort among believers to actively yield to God’s instructions for moral living, good works, and obedience.

Perseverance and Assurance

In the most simple terms, Frame calls attention to the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF 17.1) to highlight what perseverance is: “They, whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called, and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.” More concisely, the regenerate in a saving union with Christ cannot lose their salvation. In a more startling passage, John 10:27-29 informs believers that if anyone believes in Jesus now, they cannot lose their salvation. This salvation is in reference to eternal life once any person passes away at death. This is to escape God’s wrath and come into eternal fellowship with Christ. There is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). So when believers place their trust in Jesus, their past, present, and future sins are immediately and permanently forgiven. Believers are guarded until the end.    

Glorification

The final area of Frame’s doctrine of the Holy Spirit concerns the glorification of believers. Along the path of the Ordo Solutis, of glorification of God includes his presence in the lives of believers. Where people who bear the image of God reflect back to Him the work of the Spirit, there is an effect of God’s glory made apparent on us. The work of the Spirit through regeneration, conversion, justification, sanctification, and adoption returns as a shekinah glory within yet reflected back to God for His cumulative and ongoing glory. The glory of God involves and includes His presence as it is unique and utterly foreign to a person’s natural sense. We can see and experience His glory with and through His presence and throughout creation, but our state from the Holy Spirit’s indwelling is a derivative glorification that abides.

The Deity of Christ

By on in Theology

The book Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ begins with Part one, entitled “The Devotion Revolution: Jesus Shares the Honors Due to God.” There are five parts of the book which correspond to a helpful acronym concerning the deity of Christ. HANDS, which stands for Honors, Attributes, Names, Deeds, and Seat, is a fitting and memorable way to retrieve biblical and decisive facts about Jesus’ deity. Part two is entitled “Like Father, Like Son: Jesus Shares the Attributes of God.” The following section is entitled “Name Above All Names: Jesus Shares the Names of God,” part three of the book. Next, Part Four is entitled “Infinitely Qualified: Jesus Shares in the Deeds that God Does.” Finally, Part five is the last section of the book entitled “The Best Seat in the House: Jesus Shares the Seat of God’s Throne.” While all five areas consist of numerous chapters, the authors make a comprehensive Old and New Testament case about the deity of Christ before presenting their conclusions.

The Honors of Christ

While the book’s title intends to evoke provocative interest, it is a somewhat culturally cynical way of situating a reader’s view about the rightful place and status of Jesus as God. Some chapters similarly communicate ideas to introduce the subject matter, but the book is not without exceptional subject matter and substance at both academic and theological levels. The book is a treasure of meaningful value concerning the deity of Jesus and is not to be taken lightly. The text is replete with intertextual references to Jesus as God well beyond His earthly offices as Prophet, Priest, King, and Messiah.

As the beginning of the book traverses Scripture to detail the numerous ways Jesus is glorified and worshiped as God, various participants are highlighted in explicit detail. Background facts concerning the historical practice of worship involved numerous New Testament references back to the Old Testament that connects to Christ Himself before He was born. Moreover, the methods of worship given in songs or by doxology and praise reference back to the same styles of reverence. Biblical writers persistently call attention to the due recognition and attention to Jesus the Messiah as Christ of the New Testament. Glory, Honor, and Praise was directed exclusively to Jesus, as made evident during the new covenant looking back through the prophets, poetry, and law narratives.

Exhaustive references are given about who the participants of worship include. Readers are given accounts of angels and disciples of Christ worshiping Jesus as God from specific historical instances in clear detail. It is demonstrated that there is no ambiguity about Jesus’ identity as God as His followers and creatures give Him due honor and glory. From the Old Testament to the New, worshipers of Christ widened in scale to eventually include everyone (Phil 2:10-11). How Jesus is worshiped within the gospels and the apocalyptic account of Revelation correspond to Scriptural details about total worship, including specifics concerning where, how, and why.

As Jesus was and is thoroughly recognized as God, He was the object of worship to assure confidence that He is deity. Specifically, as a deity is an object of prayer by definition, He remained the recipient of prayers shortly after His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. For example, recall the martyr Stephen’s prayer right before being stoned to death, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59-60). Stephen’s act of prayer was an explicit acknowledgment and testimony of Jesus as God. His final act of life before death was an act of worship to God in the person of Jesus Christ.

From the first century, apostles, disciples, and believers, prayers were uttered before Jesus as forms of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. Apostle Paul himself prayed for deliverance from an infirmity (2 Cor 12:8-9), and there were ongoing intercessions among members of the early church as Jesus invited His followers to prayer (John 14:14). Prayers offered were heard and answered as further evidence of Jesus’ deity, as made clear by recorded outcomes within the post-ascension New Testament.

Just as a deity is an object of prayer, God is an object of praise and worship by song and hymns. Songs of affection offered to Lord Jesus are further tacit acknowledgment, if not direct, of Christ as God. Songs and hymns of passion from the heart represent affections and devotions to God in the person of Jesus to further proclaim Him as divinity because of who He is, what He has done, and what His promises are. Worship and praise toward Jesus are an expression of authentic adoration given by the book of Psalms and materials unique to the first-century devotion from the heart. Whether individually or in a gathering of people, worship was a steady and specific way of encountering God as the deity of Jesus.

It can not be concluded that to worship Jesus as God is to exclude God the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself said that honor toward the Son is honor of the Father (John 5:23). Further references in honor of God call attention to belief in Christ in unison (John 14:1). Various examples demonstrate that God is the primary object of faith (Mark 11:22, Heb 6:1, Heb 11:6). Fear and reverence are the dispositions of the heart and mind among believers during worship. For example, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah instructs Israel to regard the LORD as holy and let Him be their fear and their dread (Isa. 8:12-13). The fear in this instance is not to revere as apparent among other passages having a sider semantic range. The fear in this context and semantic use is actual fear as an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. Moreover, in this passage (ESV), “dread”‘ is to terrify or undergo a terrifying experience.1 By comparison, the reverence of Christ as God, as charged by Paul (Eph 5:21), is rendered as “the fear of Christ.” In this case, the underlying linguistic use of the term “fear” is a reverence or deep respect by definition and not out of alarm, terror, or fright.2

 Further worship of Christ involves rites or sacraments of observance as He requires of His followers. Such practices directed toward another person, perhaps even venerated, would not historically or presently apply to a mortal being. The practice of rites instructed by Jesus, such as communion and baptism, involved the efforts of believers and followers to acknowledge and revere Him as God since it is demonstrated He was not merely a mortal being. Devotion to Christ involves obedience and service to Him out of an obligation of love, just as it was within the Old Testament. As made clear, the love for God pronouncement through the Shema (Deut 6:4-9) is also supported by further passages (Ex 20:6, Deut 5:10, Deut 11:1) that reflect what Jesus spoke of concerning obedience (John 14:15, John 14:21, John 15:10). As a direct correlation between the love of God as Father to include the Son and Holy Spirit, Christ has a rightful claim as God to what is due by worship from a heart of devotion, affection, and obedience.

The Attributes of Christ

While part one of the book about Christ’s deity concerns honors due to Him, part two is dedicated to His attributes. When considering His attributes, it is helpful to think through them relative to God the Father, as evident throughout the Old Testament. It is also useful to understand His attributes by way of definition as they’re properties or quality characteristics of Christ as God. To attain an essential understanding of His attributes, there are qualities about Him distinct from characteristics essential to His being. For example, God is well-known as holy, omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, but some would associate goodness and love with His essential being. Conversely, many others would scripturally demonstrate that goodness, love, and perfection are set within God’s attributes.

One might infer that God’s incarnate and bodily dwelling as Jesus is limited, but that assertion contradicts what Paul wrote as “the fullness of God” within Christ (Col 1:19). As God is deity, it must follow that deity resides within Christ entirely. The bodily incarnation of God as Christ resides within Him as it is authoritatively written, “for in Him the whole fulness of deity dwells bodily” (Col 2:9). This is to say that the attributes of God and the essence of His being carries over to Christ. By the nature of Christ observed as God, the Father is in Him (John 14:10) to reveal Him as deity and the attributes that follow accordingly. It can not be concluded to the contrary that Jesus is separate from the Father or as a free-standing God or deity who possesses the exact attributes. Jesus is the perfect expression of the invisible God who always was in existence before His time with humanity on Earth (John 8:58).

As Christ has always existed eternally with God the Father and Holy Spirit as God, He was also present during generations past throughout Old Covenant history. Before Christ in the flesh lived, He was active among the patriarchs and prophets to give biblical evidence of this deity further. He attests to His involvement with ancient Israel to further support His claim to deity. He even says as much by declaring His dismay at Israel’s persistent obstinance (Matt 23:37, Luke 13:34). The context of Jesus’ heartfelt dismay at Israel corresponds to their rejection and killing of prophets who claimed to have been sent as God to protect them from sure judgment if they were to persist in rebellion.

Apostle Paul further shows that Christ, before God incarnate, was in the wilderness with Israel as the rock that was struck to produce water to quench their thirst for survival (1 Cor 10:4). He wrote explicitly that Christ was the rock that existed long before His presence on Earth as Jesus early in the first century. Some would argue that the rock was a type of Christ, but that is not what Paul wrote explicitly. The scriptural assertion that Jesus was the rock present among ancient Israelites further reinforces His divine nature, an attribute of eternality. Before Moses, Jesus claimed before Jewish leaders that He existed before Abraham (John 8:58). The strenuous objection of the Jewish leaders who took offense knew what Jesus claims as they knew that His claim of divinity would require His existence before His birth to therefore conclude He is God.

As if it wasn’t enough to claim his eternal status and existence before His followers and Jewish leaders, He performed many miracles of astonishing significance. The miracles in themselves were assuredly alarming and spectacular to witness, but the implications concerning He who performed those miracles were of far greater gravity. Questions concerning who and what must such a man be to carry out such actions (on numerous occasions) required anyone and everyone to contemplate who He claimed to be. Those who opposed Him and rejected Him knew exactly who He was, just as they did the prophets. The weight of their opposition added further credibility and strength to Christ’s claims about His divinity.

The depth of theological discourse continues around Christ’s divinity regarding His aseity, immutability, and transcendence. Jesus’ existence before He took bodily form is made apparent among numerous biblical passages of historical validity. Scriptural support for His existence offers detail about what that entailed (John 1:3, 10; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16). It can not be overstated what His continuing roles were during the course of Creation events, as it is purported to have created all things (Col 1:16). Moreover, aside from Apostle Paul, the least of the Apostles (1 Cor 15:9), John the beloved, with direct one-to-one interaction with Christ, wrote, “All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being” (John 1:3). As sure as a declarative statement can get concerning Jesus’ divinity, a first-hand witness account of Christ’s life and teachings reveal Him as Creator God.

In answer to anyone who claims Christ was created, there is a contradiction in the translation of Proverbs 8:22. The NRSV rendering, “The LORD created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago,” corresponds to NET, ISV, LEB, and LXX translations with the term “created” as compared to “possessed” among various other English translations. In his systematic theology, Grudem wrote that Proverbs 8:22 should not be understood as a reference to the Son of God but rather wisdom personified.3  However, it was also his view that the LORD “possessed” wisdom and did not create it.4  Moreover, the term “created” as rendered from the root language (and the Septuagint) to English is probably a homonym for “possessed” with the same spelling that has different meanings and origins.

Jehovah’s Witness (JW) claims that Christ is a created being as interpreted from Prov 8:22, Col 1:15, and Rev 3:14 stand in contradiction to John 1:3, 10; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2, 10–12. However, JW’s use of the “beginning” is generalized within the context of Christ as firstborn creation chronologically situated in time. More specifically, time itself had already been created for Jesus to become the beginning (to create all things). So the intended use of terms to explain conditions contrary to the nature of God and Christ’s being (and attributes) is made definitive and clear elsewhere as a matter of support for Jesus’ claims of divinity and aseity.

To further consider Christ’s divine nature, His immutability comes from numerous Scriptural passages and Old Testament inferences. However, no biblical reference is likely so explicit as Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Furthermore, during His time with humanity, numerous life events involved His character and actions to demonstrate His impeccable behaviors as a man consistent with His divine nature. Christ’s permanence and endless ways are enduring to help explain the conditions in which all things are created through Him.

The final areas of interest about Christ’s attributes are His omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience, and incomprehensibility. To more directly put it, Christ’s divine nature is especially made evident by what he accomplished and claimed while present among people during the first century. His accomplishments were not merely achievements of human merit but thoroughly supernatural to make abundantly clear His capabilities as an attestation of what He claimed and required. God’s presence among people as Christ was His way of calling attention to their condition with proof of who He is. While there was a repugnant ongoing effort to deny Him as the Son of God, Messiah, and incarnate God, Jesus’ actions and His attributes could not be denied or dismissed through opposition or indifference. His actions demanded attention from everyone because they revealed who He is and what He claimed as true. No matter resistance, opposition, or inattention, His supernatural work preceding His death, resurrection, and ascension set the course of history for all time.

According to numerous biblical accounts of Jesus’ human nature, there is no question He endured physical limitations. He slept, ate, drank, and became tired and thirsty, yet He also made evident His omnipotence during His ministry. Through humility, He at times set aside His divine nature and emptied Himself to live as fully man among people. Yet, He fed thousands of people with scant food materials (Matt 14:15-21), removed demonic spirits from people (Matt 8:28-34), healed sick people (Luke 4:40), raised the dead (John 11:38-44), walked on water (Matt 14:22-33), and restored people’s health without His presence from afar (Matt 15:21-28, Matt 8:5-13, John 4:46-54). Among various recorded and unrecorded supernatural acts He performed with eyewitness accounts, it was only certain that no one could possess omnipotent and omnipresent capabilities without having the attributes of a deity. The gospel accounts of His omniscience further reinforced recognition of Jesus’ divine nature and not by what He said but by what He did. He knew in advance that Judas would betray Him. He knew of the husband’s married to the woman at the well. In advance, He knew Peter would deny Him. He knew about the forthcoming destruction of the temple. The evidence of Jesus’ divine attributes was overwhelming to people of His time as they are today, even after His resurrection and work to form the Church down through the centuries.

The Names of Christ

To further make a case for the deity of Christ, there are names He possesses that have spiritual power and authority. They are descriptive and indicate a title for a specific purpose and function, yet throughout Scripture, there are numerous names attributed to God that apply to Christ. Names given and applied to persons in proper form to associate with identity are a common means of recognition and distinction, but the differences are blurred with God. Sometimes, names associated with God are not merely for identification purposes, but they are also descriptive of His attributes and being. The names associated with Christ connote meaning related to the context in which they are used. Designations of Jesus are about honors, attributes, actions, and positions He receives.

The name “Jesus” means “Jehovah (YHWH) saves,” as the angel of the Lord (Gabriel) delivered this name to His parents as YHWH God has given this designation to Him (Matt 1:21, Luke 1:31). To convey eternal meaning from when He appeared in the world via virgin birth, He was designated the lamb of God to save His people from their sins. Jesus would do that through His life ministry, redemptive work, and everlasting Kingdom on Earth by the Holy Spirit’s presence and help. Yahweh God the Father bestowed upon Jesus the name Yahweh Jehovah as it is the name above all other names. It is the supreme and highest name in existence by which people must be redeemed, as there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). His name, the name of Christ, as Jehovah and Lord, is excellent in all the earth in this age and the age to come (Ps 8:1, Eph 1:21).

In numerous passages within the New Testament, there are various accounts of miracles performed in Jesus’ name, including healings and exorcisms that demonstrate power in the name (Mark 9:38–39; Luke 10:17; Acts 3:6, 16; 4:7, 10, 30; 16:18). The loyalty sacrament of baptism is performed in Jesus’ name (Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5; cf. 22:16) for repentance and the washing away of sins. Repentance and the forgiveness of sins are proclaimed in His name for salvation (Luke 24:47). Through His name, people are saved (Acts 10:43), and it is for His namesake that the sins of people are forgiven (1 John 2:12). The name of the Lord is exceedingly significant and productive as it has the power to save anyone who calls upon it (Acts 2:21, Joel 2:32).

The meaning of the name of Christ Jesus as God is particularly explicit with the prophet Isaiah and the apostle John. Throughout generations, from the time of old covenants to the new, the significance and power of Christ’s name speak of His divinity as He is sought and cherished as Messiah. Through Christ, God transforms the hearts of people as He promised, which is a miracle of enormous and lasting power concerning regeneration, renewal, and salvific purpose. Back at the time of Isaiah’s prophecy, He foretold of the name of Jesus as Immanuel translated, “God is with us” (Isa. 1:23, 7:14). By this name, He will rule over His people and redeem and restore them (Isa. 40:9–11; 43:10–13; 59:15–20).

Of further significance is the name “Word” given to Jesus in John 1:1. To communicate His eternal place upon Creation as God and with God and demonstrate His deity, lordship, and authority over all (Rom 9:5) creation. He was and is declared and recognized as God and Savior (Titus 2:13, 2 Pet 1:1) within the New Testament who rules at His seat of power. The spiritually significant meaning of His name and title as “God of gods and Lord of lords and King of kings”  (Dan 4:37 LXX) further establishes eschatological relevance as His will is ultimately accomplished upon His return as prophesied for thousands of years. The Lord Jesus, as God, is the great I AM, Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end as He is Lord and Savior.

The Deeds of Christ

The book’s next section that defends Christ’s deity is about His activity. When the entirety of everything He has done is taken as a whole, it is impossible to recognize His identity as anything other than God. From the beginning of the universe to its end, He is unchanging as He does what God the Father and Holy Spirit do. The universe, its fine-tuning, and sustained existence are held together by Him and through Him. As He created all that is in the universe, it is subjected to Him. The earth and all that is in it are made by Him, through Him, and for Him to render to God what is His. Created order that involves life is subjected to Him as He gives life to created sentient beings who breathe and understand their existence as alienated from God through rebellion (sin). Jesus, as Christ, saves people He chooses from their sins and sanctifies them with spiritual blessings and restoration. To set a path of redemption back to God, Jesus became the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6) for believers in Him.

Jesus Christ, while on the earth, healed the sick, removed demonic spirits from people, gave sight to the blind, healed the sick and diseased, resurrected dead people, walked on water, calmed a raging storm, fed thousands by bringing food into existence, and did numerous further deeds of awe and wonder. If it wasn’t evident to first-century witnesses who He was, then His post-crucifixion resurrection from the dead and appearances among people certainly did.

The truths Jesus spoke and the foretelling of future events also revealed with clarity who He was and who He is today. He spoke about historical events concerning His identity and what would occur among nations, Jerusalem, and individuals as further evidence that verified His deity. Moreover, His teachings, blessings, and warnings that He spoke with authority about offered assurance, hope, and dire consequences as He spoke from God as God. The elaborate details of His deity and the prophetic fulfillment of His place within society and creation as incarnate God fully informed generations since the earliest Old Testament accounts of His activity and involvement among covenant and estranged people. His stated purpose among people from birth to death, resurrection, and ascension back to the Father was to bring eternal life to believers Jesus would choose to redeem. His deeds were in perfect alignment with what God the Father was doing, as Jesus was sent by the Father to accomplish His will.

God’s work of salvation through Christ was about bringing people He made eligible through grace and faith to Him. People drawn toward Christ by regeneration and God’s sovereign will, and as a matter of free will choice, become chosen by Him as made clear through scriptural promises to those who believe. Christ’s work by the Spirit to indwell people who believe is evidence of yet further work as He spoke of Himself as always working (John 5:17) just as the Father is working. The work of Christ throughout the course of human events was about the origination and development of His kingdom to bring chosen of humanity to Him as He would reign in the hearts and minds of people.

Throughout the course of time, past, present, and future, the eschatological prophecies and promises of God about Christ’s return bring expectations of further work to accomplish. Once Christ returns, His presence will become known by everyone who will know who He is as deity (God) and what He has done to retrieve His people, both dead and alive. At the time of the final apocalypse, it will again become abundantly clear, this time to billions, that He, in fact, is Messiah, but also God who will rule and perpetuate His kingdom by His deeds. Any and all suppressed truth against what He accomplished, including His redemptive work, will become immediately rendered nonsense as awareness of inevitable accountability strikes at the heart of everyone.

The Seat of Christ

Religious and government leaders were ultimately set on trial with Jesus’ proof and claims about His deity. Even after what they witnessed. How could anyone be so obstinately deluded, self-interested, and in denial about who Jesus is and what He was due as God incarnate? His authority and seat of power on earth, as it is in heaven, was objectively undeniable by the eyewitness testimonies of people concerning His supernatural work and their own observations concerning the miracles He performed. What He did to demonstrate His powers was concurrent to God the Father.

Just as very many religious leaders and adherents rejected Jesus as the living word during His ministry then, His word is rejected today for the same reasons by the same classes of people. Not as a generalization, but by a widespread self-justified insistence on getting their way about religious practices, traditions, and preferences to suit lifestyles and social or personal interests. Opposition to Him as the Word and Wisdom of God is common resistance lived out as objections to His word today by splintering and fragmentation from every denomination without exception (i.e., often “denominational distinctives”).

While Jesus faced the Sanhedrin, Pharisees, religious rulers, and Roman authorities during the final days of His ministry, He made it entirely certain that He was completely on par with God in terms of authority, status, and power (John 5:17-18). Even as He was confronted at various times within the gospel narratives and finally apprehended before religious leaders, He was routinely falsely accused of wrongdoing. The Sanhedrin sought a way to kill Him, and religious leaders plotted to turn Rome against Him despite evidence of His power and capabilities as God. Some asserted His exorcistic work was satanic (Luke 11:15). The lengths religious leaders went to destroy and dismiss Jesus’ authority as God served as a reinforcement to His claims compared to prophetic utterances generations before. To assure Jesus’ success at laying down His life for His sheep (John 10:15-21), he affirmatively answered charges about His identity as the Messiah. As a work of sovereign intent, Jesus would be led to his death through the rejection of religious leaders who wanted Jesus deceased. He would become the acceptable and pleasing sacrifice to save His people from their sins.

Jesus’ claim of equality is supported by His attributes, work, and honors bestowed upon Him as God substantiates His position of authority. His name was permanently set above every other name as dominion was given to Him to rule at the right hand of God (Dan 7:13-14) as the Son of Man. This proclamation and assertion from Christ, as foretold by the prophetic words of Daniel, revealed to everyone precisely who Jesus was and is. Jesus was the Messiah and King the Jews were looking to receive for liberation from Rome, but what they encountered instead was the divine LORD who was the rightful and most pleasing prophet and Messianic King they could ever hope to love and serve as they were set free from sin until all the nations were made in subjection to Him. The forthcoming death of Jesus before them was an act of God they were entirely oblivious about and yet that was another proof of Jesus’ divinity given His earlier prophetic words, those of the prophets, and the Psalms (e.g., Ps. 22).

To further explicitly detail how Jesus is portrayed in the New Testament as occupying God’s seat of power, there are several points of interest the author makes. Together, both Jesus and the Father rule the universe together (all of creation), as made clear through His word.

  1. Jesus exercises universal rule
    (Matt. 11:25–27; 28:18; Luke 10:21–22; John 3:35; 13:3; 16:15; Acts 10:36; 1 Cor. 15:27–28; Eph. 1:22; Phil. 2:10; 3:21; Heb. 1:2; 2:8; Rev. 5:13)
  2. Jesus is exalted in the same location and space as God the Father
    (Eph. 1:20-21, Eph. 4:10, Phil 2:9, Heb 1:3)
  3. Jesus is exalted over God’s heavenly court
    (1 Pet. 3:22, Eph. 1:21, Phil 2:10, Heb 1:3b-6, 13, Rev. 5:11-13)
  4. Jesus sits on God’s throne (occupies His space of dominion and authority at His right hand while on the throne with God)
    (Ps 9:4, 7, Matt 19:28, Matt 25:31, Luke 22:30, 2 Cor. 5:10, cf. Rev. 20:11, Heb 8:1-2, Heb. 12:2)
  5. Jesus functions as God while at His right hand as ascendant to His throne
    (Acts 2:33, 34-36, Ps. 68:18, Eph 4:8)
  6. Jesus is worshiped from His position on the throne of the Father
    (Rev. 4:9-11, then Rev. 5:8-12, then together Rev. 5:13-14)

When all proofs are taken together as a whole, recognition of Jesus as God isn’t just persuasive and compelling. There is overwhelming scriptural evidence to assert that He is God and that the doctrine of His divinity is assured. Even with any or all objections refuted to cast doubt on Jesus on an equal level of God the Father, it is the word of God itself that attests to the status of Christ as worthy of worship and recognition that He is God. Accordingly, Jesus as God being the Son to the Father is a relationship that renders in the minds of worshipers His rightful place as Lord and King over all people. All creation that witnesses Christ for who and what He is corroborates with God’s heavenly court for His most worthy stature. As worship is made due, He is bestowed above all and set in authority over everyone and everything. The nations, great and small, are put into subjection to Him, including those in the distant past aware of His prophesied forthcoming reign or those responsible for His betrayal, suffering, and death.

Evidence

The volume of scriptural evidence between the Old and New Testaments concerning the deity of Christ is overwhelming. The range and depth of all claims of honor, attributes, names, deeds, and seat of power rightfully placed with God are also associated and shared with Christ by the authority of God through His word. The book in review offers these passage references related to each principal area of interest.5

Divine Honors Shared

LORD GodLord Jesus
HonorExod. 20:2–3; 34:14; Deut. 5:6–7John 5:23; Heb. 3:3–4
GloryExod. 15:2; Ps. 29:1–3; cf. Matt. 5:16; Rom. 15:6–9
Doxologies: 1 Chron. 29:10–11; Ps. 72:18–19; cf. Rom. 11:36; Gal. 1:4–5; Phil. 4:20; Rev. 4:11		2 Tim. 4:18; Heb. 13:20–21; 1 Peter 4:11; 2 Peter 3:18; cf. Rom. 16:27; Jude 25; Rev. 5:12–13
Worship
(proskuneō)		Deut. 6:13; cf. Matt. 4:9–10; Ps. 97:7; Isa. 45:23; Rev. 19:10; 22:8–9Matt. 2:2, 11; 8:2; 9:18; 14:33; 15:25; 20:20; 28:9, 17; Phil. 2:10–11; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 1:17; 5:14
PrayerGen. 4:26; 1 Chron. 16:8; Ps. 65:2; Isa. 44:17; 45:20–22; Joel 2:32John 14:14; Acts 1:24–25; 7:59–60; 9:14; 22:16; Rom. 10:12–13; 1 Cor. 1:2; 16:22; 2 Cor. 12:8–9; Rev. 22:20–21
SongExod. 15:21; Judg. 5:3; 1 Chron. 16:23; Pss. 7:17; 9:11; 92:1; 95:1; 96:2; 104:33; Isa. 42:10Eph. 5:19; Rev. 5:9–10; cf. Phil. 2:6–11
FaithGen. 15:6; Isa. 28:16; 43:10; Mark 11:22; Heb. 6:1; 11:6; cf. Exod. 14:31 with Num. 20:8–13; 27:12–14Matt. 9:28; John 1:12; 3:15–18, 36; 6:35, 40; 7:37–39; 8:24; 11:25–26; 14:1; 20:31; Acts 3:16; 10:43; 16:31; 20:21; 22:19; 24:24; 26:18; Rom. 9:33; 10:11; Gal. 3:26; 1 Peter 2:6; 1 John 3:23; 5:1, 10, 13
FearDeut. 6:13; 10:20; Prov. 1:7; 2:5; 9:10; etc.; Isa. 8:12–132 Cor. 5:10–11; Eph. 5:21; 6:7–8; Col. 3:22–25; 1 Peter 3:14–16
Serve
(religious devotion; latreuō)		Deut. 6:13; cf. Matt. 4:10Matt. 26:2, 18, 26–29; Mark 14:12–16, 22–25; Luke 22:8–20; Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5; 1 Cor. 10:16–22; 11:20, 27; and see Dan. 7:14; cf. 3:12, 14, 17, 18, 28; 4:2–3, 35; 6:16, 20, 26; see also Rev. 22:3
LoveExod. 20:6; Deut. 5:10; 6:4–5; 11:1, 13, 22; 13:6–11; 19:9; 30:6–8, 16, 20; 33:9; Josh. 22:5; Neh. 1:5; Dan. 9:4; Matt. 22:37Matt. 10:37; Luke 14:26; John 14:15, 21; 15:10; Eph. 6:24

Divine Attributes Shared

LORD GodLord Jesus
AllExod. 8:10; 9:14; 15:11; 2 Sam. 7:22; 1 Kings 8:23; 1 Chron. 17:20; Ps. 86:8; Isa. 40:18, 25; 44:7; 46:5, 9; Jer. 10:6–7; Mic. 7:18 Jer. 10:6–7; Mic. 7:18John 12:45; 14:7–10; Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:13, 15, 19 (cf. Ps. 68:16); 2:9; Heb. 1:3
PreexistentpassimMatt. 9:13; 20:28; 23:34, 37; Mark 2:17; 10:45; Luke 4:43; 5:32; 12:49, 51; 13:34; 19:10; John 8:42; 10:36; 12:39–41; 13:3; 16:28; Rom. 8:3; 1 Cor. 10:4, 9; Gal. 4:4–6; Phil. 2:6–7; Jude 5
EternalPss. 90:2; 102:25–27John 1:1–3; 8:56–59; 17:5; Col. 1:16–17; Heb. 1:2, 10–12; 7:3
UncreatedGen. 1:1; Isa. 43:10John 1:3, 10; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:15–16; Heb. 1:2, 10–12; cf. Prov. 8:22; Rev. 3:14
ImmutableNum. 23:19; Ps. 102:26–27; Mal. 3:6; James 1:17Heb. 1:10–12; 13:8; cf. 2 Cor. 1:20
LovingDeut. 7:8; 10:15, 18; Ps. 146:8; Prov. 3:12; Isa. 63:9; Jer. 31:3; Hos. 3:1John 13:34; 15:9, 12–13; Rom. 8:35–39; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 3:19; 5:2; Rev. 1:5; cf. Rom. 5:8
OmnipotentJob 42:2; Luke 1:37Matt. 28:18; John 2:19–22; 10:17–18; 1 Cor. 1:23–24; 2 Cor. 12:9; Eph. 1:19–21; Col. 2:10; 1 Peter 3:22
OmnipresentGen. 28:15; 1 Kings 8:27; Ps. 139:7–10; John 4:20–24Matt. 8:5–13; 18:20; 28:20; Mark 7:24–30; Luke 7:1–10; John 1:47–49; 4:46–54; Eph. 4:10–11
Omniscient1 Kings 8:39; Ps. 139:1–4; Isa. 46:9–10; Matt. 10:30; 1 John 3:20Matt. 9:4; 11:21–23; 12:25; Mark 2:6–8; 8:31–32 [etc.]; Luke 6:8; 10:13–15; 21:20–24; John 4:16–18; 11:11–15; 13:10–11, 21–29, 36–38 par.; John 16:30–31; 21:17; Acts 1:24; 1 Cor. 4:5; Rev. 2:23; cf. Mark 13:30–32
IncomprehensibleIsa. 40:18Matt. 11:27; cf. Luke 10:22

Divine Names Shared

LORD GodLord Jesus
Name above every nameExod. 3:15; 20:7; Deut. 5:11; 28:58; Pss. 8:1, 9; 20:7; Isa. 45:21–23; Joel 2:32; Luke 1:49; Rom. 2:24; 1 Tim. 6:1; Rev. 11:18; 13:6; 15:4; 16:9Matt. 7:22; 10:22; 19:29; 24:9; Mark 9:38–39; 13:13; Luke 10:17; 21:12, 17; John 1:12; 15:21; 20:31; Acts 2:21, 36, 38; 3:6, 16; 4:7, 10, 12, 17–18, 30; 5:28, 40–41; 8:16; 9:14, 21, 27–28; 10:43, 48; 15:26; 16:18; 19:5, 17; 21:13; 22:16; Rom. 10:12–13; 1 Cor. 1:13–15; 6:11; Eph. 1:21; Phil. 2:9–11; Col. 3:17; 1 Peter 4:14; 1 John 2:12; 3:23; 5:13; 3 John 7; Rev. 2:3, 13; 3:8
GodDeut. 4:35, 39; 32:39; 2 Sam. 22:32; 2 Chron. 15:3; Isa. 37:20; 43:10; 44:6–8; 45:5, 14, 21–22; 46:9; Jer. 10:10; John 5:44; 17:3; Rom. 3:30; 16:27; 1 Cor. 8:4–6; Gal. 3:20; Eph. 4:6; 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 Tim. 1:17; 2:5; James 2:19; 1 John 5:20–21; Jude 25Isa. 7:14; 9:6; John 1:1, 18; 20:28; Acts 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8; 2 Peter 1:1 (cf. 2 Pet. 1:11; 2:20; 3:18)
Lord
(YHWH/Kurios)		Gen. 2:4; Exod. 3:15–18; Deut. 3:24 LXX [etc.]; Deut. 6:4; Pss. 34:8; 118:25; Isa. 8:12–13; 40:3, 13; 45:23; Joel 2:32Matt. 3:3; 7:21–22; 8:25; 14:30; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; 6:46; Acts 1:24; 2:21, 36; 7:59–60; 8:25 [etc.]; Rom. 10:9–13; 1 Cor. 1:2, 8, 31; 2:16; 4:4–5; 5:4; 6:11; 7:17, 32–35; 8:6; 10:21–22; 16:22–23; Phil. 2:9–11; 1 Peter 2:3; 3:13–15
Bridegroom / HusbandIsa. 54:5; 62:5; Jer. 31:32Matt. 22:2; 25:1–13; Mark 2:19; John 3:29; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25–27; Rev. 19:7–9; 21:2, 9
King of Kings and
Lord of Lords		Dan. 4:37; 1 Tim. 6:15; cf. Deut. 10:17; Ps. 136:2–3Rev. 17:14; 19:16
SaviorDeut. 32:15; Pss. 25:5; 27:9; 62:2, 6; 65:5; 79:9; 95:1; Isa. 12:2; 17:10; 45:15, 21; Mic. 7:7; Hab. 3:18Luke 2:11; John 4:42; Phil. 3:20; 2 Tim. 1:10; Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 1:11; 2:20; 3:2, 18; 1 John 4:14
I AmDeut. 32:29; Isa. 41:4; 43:2, 5, 10–11, 25; 46:4; 52:6; cf. Exod. 3:14John 4:26; 6:20; 8:24, 28, 58; 13:18–19; 18:5–8
First and Last /
Alpha and Omega /
Beginning and End		Isa. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Rev. 21:6Isa. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Rev. 21:6

Divine Deeds Shared

LORD GodLord Jesus
Creating and sustaining
all things		Gen. 1:1; 2:7; Neh. 9:6; Pss. 95:5–7; 102:25; 104:24–30; Isa. 44:24; Jer. 10:16; 51:19; Acts 4:24; 14:15; 17:25, 28; Rom. 11:36; Heb. 2:10; Rev. 4:11John 1:3, 10; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16–17; Heb. 1:2–3, 10
Sovereignly ruling over
the forces of nature		Gen. 8:1; Exod. 14:21; Job 38:8–11; Pss. 33:7; 65:7; 74:13–14; 77:16–20; 89:9; 104:4–9; 107:23–30; Prov. 8:22–31; Isa. 17:12–13; 35:4–6; Jer. 5:22; 31:35Matt. 8:23–27 (cf. Mark 4:35–41; Luke 8:22–25); Matt. 14:13–21 (cf. Mark 6:32–44; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–15); Matt. 14:22–33 (cf. Mark 6:45–52; John 6:16–21); Matt. 15:32–39 (cf. Mark 8:1–10); Matt. 17:24–27; Mark 5:19–20 (cf. Luke 8:39); Luke 5:1–11; 7:11–16; John 2:1–11; 21:1–14
Illumination and revelationGen. 40:8; 41:15–16; Ps. 119:18; Dan. 2:20–23; Amos 3:72:20–23; Amos 3:7
Matt. 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 1:4–5, 9, 18; 2 Thess. 2:8; 1 Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 1:10; 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13
Speaking with divine
authority		Cf. “Thus says the Lord” (over 400×); Isa. 40:8; 52:6; 55:11–12Matt. 5:20–22, 7:24–29; 24:35; Mark 1:22; 13:31; Luke 4:32; John 4:26; 7:46; cf. “Amen I say to you” (74×)
Word of the Lord1 Kings 13:1, 2, 5, 32; 20:35; 2 Chron. 30:12; cf. 2 Sam. 16:23; 1 Chron. 15:15Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48–49; 15:35–36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess. 4:15
SalvationExod. 15:2; Deut. 32:15; Pss. 3:8; 24:5; 25:5, 62:1–2, 6–7; 118:14, 21; 130:8; Isa. 45:15, 21; Titus 1:3; 2:10; 3:4Matt. 1:21; Luke 19:9–10; John 3:17; 10:9; 14:6; Acts 4:12; 16:31; 1 Cor. 15:1–4; 1 Tim. 1:1, 15; Titus 1:4; 2:13–14; 3:6; Heb. 5:9; Rev. 7:10
Showing mercyPss. 6:2; 9:13; 31:9; 41:4, 10; 56:1; 86:3; 123:3; Isa. 33:2Matt. 15:22; 20:30, 31
Forgiveness of sinsExod. 34:6–7; Pss. 51:4; 130:4; Isa. 43:25; 44:22; 55:7; Jer. 31:34; Dan. 9:9Matt. 9:1–8 (cf. Mark 2:1–12; Luke 5:17–26); Luke 7:47–49; Acts 5:31; Col. 3:13
Sending the Spirit
and His Gifts		Joel 2:28–29; John 14:26; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:6Matt. 3:11; Luke 24:49; John 1:33; 4:10, 15; 7:37–39; 15:26; 16:7–14; 20:22; Acts 2:33; 16:6–7; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:5; Eph. 4:8–11; Phil. 1:19
Giving and being lifeGen. 2:7; Deut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6; Ps. 36:9; Jer. 2:13John 1:4; 3:15–16; 5:21–26; 10:10; 14:6; 17:3; 20:30–31; Acts 3:15; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor. 4:10–11; Phil. 1:21; Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:3–4
Raising the deadDeut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6; Gal. 1:1John 2:19–22; 5:28–29; 6:40, 54; 10:17–18, 27–28; 11:25–26; Acts 2:24
Source of all
spiritual blessings		(See references to the right)Eph. 1:2–3; 2 Thess. 2:16–17; 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2; 2 John 3; Rev. 1:4; etc.
Judging all peopleGen. 18:25; Deut. 1:17; Pss. 7:9–11; 50:4, 6; 62:12; 75:7; 96:12–13; Prov. 24:12; Isa. 40:9–11; Jer. 25:31; Joel 3:12; Rom. 2:3; 14:10Matt. 16:27; 25:31–46; John 5:22–23; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Rom. 2:16; 1 Cor. 4:4–5; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Thess. 1:7–8; 2 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 2:23

Divine Seat Shared

LORD GodLord Jesus
God’s highest
possible throne		Dan. 4:34–35; Rom. 14:10; Rev. 4:2; 5:1; 20:11; cf. 7:15Ps. 110:1; Matt. 22:44; 25:31; 26:64; Mark 12:36; 14:62; 16:19; Luke 20:42–43; 22:69; Acts 2:33–35; 5:31; 7:55–56; Rom. 8:34; 1 Cor. 15:25; 2 Cor. 5:10; Eph. 1:20; 2:6; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12–13; 12:2; 1 Peter 3:22; Rev. 3:21; 7:17; 22:1, 3
Claiming to be
equal to God		Exod. 20:3, 7; Deut. 5:7, 11; cf. Ps. 110:1; Dan. 7:13–14; cf. Ezek. 1:26–28; see also Exod. 14:20; 34:5; Num. 10:34; Ps. 104:3; Isa. 19:1Matt. 9:3 (cf. Mark 2:7); Mark 14:61–64; John 5:17–18; 8:58–59; 10:27–33; 19:7
Ruling over all
things		Isa. 44:24; Jer. 10:16; 51:19Matt. 11:25–27; 28:18; Luke 10:21–22; John 3:35; 13:3; 16:15; Acts 10:36; 1 Cor. 15:27–28; Eph. 1:22; Phil. 2:10; 3:21; Heb. 1:2; 2:8; Rev. 5:13
Ruling foreverPss. 9:7; 45:6; 93:2; Lam. 5:19; Dan. 4:34–35; Rev. 5:13Luke 1:33; Eph. 1:19b–21; Heb. 1:8; Rev 11:15; cf. Eph. 5:5; Rev. 22:1, 3

Conclusion

The book’s acronym offered to recall the proof-elements of Jesus’ divinity is a helpful way to see Him as God readily. Again, HANDS, which stands for Honors, Attributes, Names, Deeds, and Seat, puts into people’s minds a decisive way to recognize who, what, where, when, and why details concerning Jesus’ deity. The many scriptural references to support each element reach far in breadth and depth between the Old and New Testaments for solid retention and confidence about who Jesus is. Pre-incarnate Jesus is God, incarnate Jesus is God, and post-incarnate Jesus is God.

While the New Testament identifies Jesus as God, He is revered and honored as the Father is. Prayers, benedictions, and doxologies are offered before Him. He is remembered and honored in the rites of communion and baptism. Songs and hymns are written and sang before Him. Service and work of the Kingdom are done continuously on the earth in His name as an offering of love and devotion.

Jesus is utterly perfect in every way (Rom. 8:35–39; Rev. 1:5). The totality of His being is incomprehensible (Matt. 11:27) as He is all-powerful (Col. 1:16–17; Heb. 1:2–3), all-knowing (John 16:30–31; Acts 1:24; Rev. 2:23), and present everywhere at once as God (Matt. 18:20; 28:20; Eph. 4:10–11). He is transcendent and immutable (John 1:1–3; Col. 1:15–17; Heb. 1:2, 10–12; 13:8), just as He is the exact imprint of God the Father (John 14:9; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3).

While Jesus’ name is theophoric, as with numerous other biblical figures, He also has functional and identity names to communicate who He is and what He can do uniquely as God. As a way for people to see Him uniquely divine as God the Son, He has the name above every other name. His name is YHWH (i.e., Jehovah Saves), and He is the King of kings, Lord of lords, Savior, Son of Man, and Great I AM.

It is impossible to fully account for the depth and stature of Jesus from His work alone. What He historically and miraculously performed and accomplished corresponds to His wisdom and teaching to reach millions for thousands of years across numerous time zones, languages, cultures, and nations. What He has done past, present, and future brings attention to His being as God makes it obvious that He is the deity everyone desperately needs in a punctuated way. Jesus is God the Son. In perfect union with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, He is our treasured possession.

Citations

_______________________
1 Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 888.
2 William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1062.
3 Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 286–287.
4 Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), Ex 15:16.
5 Scripture reference tables: Robert M. Bowman Jr. and J. Ed Komoszewski, Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2007), 281.

The Accession of Christ

By on in Theology

The Old Testament informs us about how events unfold by what occurs in the New Testament. More specifically, around the canonical gospels, we see echoes of Jewish life and religious tradition that reach back to ancient norms, customs, mannerisms, practices, and developments. Within this research project, the field of view narrows to how Jewish royal accession serves as a backdrop to the legitimacy of Christ’s kingship. With specific examples, we will walk through what occurred along the timeline of monarchies to validate rulership and governance. Each King’s encounters to station them on their respective thrones were unique yet as part of a consistent pattern that developed an expectation for following kings. More relevantly, concerning Christ as the King of the Jews and ultimately as Christ the King of the Kingdom of God.

Introduction

With scriptural support, the astute bible student can detect overlapping conditions by which the Kings of ancient Israel attained their status through lineage, achievement, and appointment. To perform functions as king to which the ancient nation of Israel navigated through conflict is of paramount interest as it concerns the messianic prophecies and covenant promises that were made by YHWH to a people, unlike any other nation. Down through the centuries to the time of Jesus as the Messiah, we see fulfilled expectations in His intentional activity to demonstrate who He is while supported by a genealogical reality that attests to His legitimacy.

The organization of this paper is segmented into several sections that together demonstrate who Jesus was by what He did and by what occurred in His life. The significance of Jesus’ life as ascendant human divinity who, in His humanity, attains elevated stature is by necessity a required outcome as prescribed throughout Old Testament prophecy. The interrelated functions of kingship and messiah operate together. In one sense, for purposes of rule and administration of justice, while on the other for compassion, deliverance, and mercy as the “Mashiach,” or the anointed one.1

The three-part requirement of the kingship of Christ involved stages of accession that were both spiritual and physical realities. With Old Testament examples of these stages, expectations formed over time across kings that ascended to the thrones of Israel. However, the kings of the Old Testament were not messianic in nature as they were of Christ in the New Testament. While the nation of Israel and its people insisted upon having a king like other nations (1 Sam 8:20), those who rose to power were not of the divine caliber and origin who would also usher the Kingdom of God to Earth. Jesus was King of the Jews and the King of Kings in supreme reign over the Kingdom of God.

Necessity & Significance

It was necessary for Jesus to die to accomplish His mission and fulfill His ministry. Moreover, He had to die to ascend as both the King of the Jews and the King of the Kingdom of God. There were additional reasons why Jesus chose to give His life. Still, the prevailing significance of His accession was preceded by intervals of kingly rule among Old Testament royalty who commonly share attributes. The New Testament gospel writers intentionally reached back to patterns of accession repeated in the Old Testament to demonstrate in narrative form Christ’s life and ministry to satisfy requirements much the same. Numerous kings throughout Israel’s history foreshadowed Jesus’ eventual rise that meticulously previews a coming King who would be Messiah and God.

All the way back during the prophet Samuel’s time, the Lord spoke about Israel’s rejection as King over them (1 Sam 8:7). It was then that the Jews were to undergo a long series of failed or limited excursions into human governance whereby Christ the King and Messiah would in the distant future arise as the rightful and effective King of the people. It was of significance then because YHWH was once again relegated to the inferior preferences of the people. Even along the way of failed covenantal history, they rejected Him as God and then King whereas eventually, their Messiah would emerge to fulfill prophetic utterances. Jesus’ ascension through the Davidic genealogy was to set up the path in which His office as King would be validated.2 Even more, substantiated by the pattern of accession that the biblical writers, in both the Old and New Testaments, articulate as true to Christ.

The announcements of Jesus as King began at the time of John the Baptist as they were both aware of His descendants from King David. While John the Baptist would exclaim, “the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matt 3:2) to usher in Jesus the Messiah, he made sure that His presence was upon the people.3 Moreover, Jesus Himself would proclaim the same message, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:17). Together they were reminiscent of a royal procession as earlier intimated by Rome’s coming to Judea when Caesar traveled through Palestine.4 Where before him, the way was cleared of logs and debris, and his path was made straight for his visit to Judea. The coming emperor’s recognition was made clear by what was prepared before him and would, after that, translate in John the Baptist’s proclamations about Jesus as the coming King and God-man. It all comes together about 500 years before the arrival of Jesus, Zechariah, the prophet foretold of Him as the king who would be endowed with salvation while riding into Jerusalem.  

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” – Zechariah 9:9

There it was in the New Testament, where he arrived in humble yet royal procession into the Kingdom of His own as publicly pronounced dramatically by John the Baptist.

Tripartite Requirement of Kingship

Ever since the time of the prophet Samuel, we see throughout Scripture the progression of three conditions by which individuals became King of Israel. Every time an ancient Israeli individual became king, there wasn’t a precisely familiar ritual to accession, but a general pattern by which a king was anointed who then overcame a foe as a test and after that underwent a ceremony of some type. To follow are various examples in the Old Testament outlined in detail where they together demonstrate a pattern that beckons toward what Jesus lived through as necessary to rise as the legitimate king over the people of Israel and all nations.

The stages of accession were not formal or structured as some ongoing methodology down through the centuries. However, they were part of a pattern to set expectations among Israel’s people to recognize the legitimacy and qualities of an existing or forthcoming monarchy.5 The leaders who took the office of king in ancient Israel arrived at that status by which one condition preceded another by necessity. The first stage of accession (anointing) always followed the second stage (defeat of a foe), which in turn was followed by a third stage (coronation). All stages were accompanied by various circumstances that correspond to the work of YHWH within Israel with respect to its surrounding nations.

Stages of Accession

Consistent with the gospel narratives, the kingly accession pattern follows an Old Testament course of historical events. This pattern of stages is consistent with research and terms concerning their definitions and meaning within an ancient Jewish context.6

  • Divine Selection and Anointing (Designation)
    More generally, of a prophet beginning with Samuel and to King Saul, then to David, Solomon, Jeroboam and others, YHWH selects and appoints individuals as rulers over the nation of Israel for a sovereign purpose.
  • Defeat of a Foe (Demonstration)
    Before coronation can occur, a designated king-elect must undergo a trial to overcome a foe and set of difficult circumstances. YHWH forms and uses circumstances to validate selected royal accession to achieve redemptive outcomes toward His purposes.  
  • Exaltation (Coronation)
    Once YHWH’s designation is given to an appointee, and there follows a demonstration of worthy accession, an exaltation occurs to indicate permanence (i.e., “Long Live the King!”) to forever seal the newly arrived power to reign, administer justice, and rule.

All three stages are coherent with one another across time as each is mutually inclusive.

Old Testament Stages of Accession

King Saul

We find in 1 Samuel 10:19 a prayer of the Israelites in which they petition YHWH for a King.7 As YHWH hears their prayer and answers them, He gathers all tribes together to direct the people to their anointed King. The Lord has chosen Saul to reign as King over them (1 Sam 10:24), where his designation was settled and recognized by the population. He was anointed to be the prince of the people of Israel (1 Sam 10:1) by Samuel with oil as a mark of certitude prior to the people’s recognition of their given King.

After his designation, Saul bears the challenge of defeating an enemy. YHWH instructed him through Samuel to attack and destroy the Philistines (10:7), but instead, he attacks and destroys the Ammonites in a feat of victory and triumph. A satisfactory outcome in the view of the people of Israel, but not before YHWH. Nevertheless, Samuel accepts the victory and the second stage of Saul’s accession advances. The people gather in Gilgal and make peace offerings before the Lord, where they also rejoice greatly for their new king. Yet another rejection of their God over them.

King David

The story of the prophet Samuel’s anointing of David is clear evidence of designation by YHWH (1 Sam 16:13). Thereafter, David would face the giant Goliath (1 Sam 17:50) and kill him to defend God’s honor as a set up to deliver a feat of victory in view of Israel to again point to a valid stage of accession after the prophet Samuel anointed young David as King-elect. The following coronation in Scripture is self-evident (1 Chronicles 12:38) to make clear the final stage of David’s permanent reign.

King Solomon

Solomon’s anointing was done by both a priest and a prophet this time. Both Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint Solomon (1 Kings 1:34) to double-down on the accession’s legitimacy by tradition and divine appointment. King David knew the stages required, and YHWH set the circumstances by which Solomon would become challenged, victorious, and given a coronation to elevate him to reign as king. Adonijah challenges the King-elect by requesting through Bathsheba the concubine Abishag a Shunammite as his wife. This woman, who was previously a type of concubine of David before his death, was a pawn to capture the kingdom even while Adonijah recognized Solomon’s place as king as appointed by YHWH (1 Kings 2:15). Adonijah already had Abiathar, the priest, and Joab, the military commander, as allies and to take David’s concubine was to take a piece of his harem. Adonijah was not done and did not relinquish the kingdom to YHWH and Solomon as king. Adonijah, the older brother of Solomon, had challenged him as a foe with formidable support from the people and the authorities surrounding him. Solomon recognized the challenge as defiance where the next stage of his accession would commence.

Solomon had both Adonijah, and Joab killed, with Abiathar exiled by decree. Solomon’s first and final stages of accession by coronation are recorded in Scripture (1 Chronicles 29:20-25).

King Jeroboam

King Jeroboam’s designation does not come by anointing but by another means that indicate a succession of Solomon from YHWH (1 Kings 11:29-37). Ahijah, the prophet, finds Jeroboam on the road, takes his garment, and rips it into 12-pieces. There were ten pieces of which represent ten tribes of Israel, handed over to Jeroboam. This activity is a prophetic act of designation that sets Jeroboam to the king of these tribes. As Jeroboam was not of a Davidic lineage and the transfer of power originated as a judgment from YHWH against Solomon, the requirement to validate Jeroboam’s kingship was implicitly waived. To therefore recognize him as a king who was simply illegitimate in terms of accession and by comparison.

New Testament Stages of Accession

Old Testament patterns of accession are valuable indicators for recognizing and understanding what prophetic events led to the kingship of Christ. We realize through the biblical text what markers to look for from among legitimate kingly accessions. Namely, from the Davidic line of royalty to validate the office of King toward Jesus, we are to look for the stages of His ascent and ask what is more substantive to gain maximum confidence around the accuracy of prophetic fulfillment. More importantly, what these stages mean with respect to the reign of Christ over the Kingdom of God.

In careful consideration of New Testament events, we observe the anointing of Jesus through His baptism, His demonstration and defeat of a foe, and His coronation at the crucifixion.8 These were the stages He underwent with spiritual meaning at a much greater depth and significance than merely as the King of the Jews (which He was). Old Testament stages anchored the legitimacy of His elevated status that various kings cleared. Still, the translation to events in the life of Jesus was of a spiritual realm compared to a kingdom of a chosen people fraught with politics and religious self-interest.

The difference between the anointing of Jesus and the legitimate Davidic kings that preceded Him was that John the Baptist baptized Him, and God the Father audibly appeared to express His approval. His anointing was unique in this sense because He was designated rightful king both as human and God to become God-king. The prophet’s anointing was a double portion, so to speak, as both John the Baptist and Elijah were there to designate Jesus as King (Matt 11:14). King of both the Kingdom of God and the Jews. Immediately after the anointing of Christ, He was led to the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to face His foe, Satan. The second stage of accession was ushered upon Jesus to prove He is worthy and to set the tone for His ministry and forthcoming work through His apostles. While He was tempted to commit sins against the Father and betray His mission, the hardship He underwent was of enormous spiritual significance. Far greater than conflicts that were upon Him from religious adversaries, or Rome, and the social pressures throughout the Galilee area. Jesus was especially victorious in the face of temptations common to humanity where He would become elevated as the King over the Kingdom of God. Exalted and worthy of all honor and glory befitting Him as King of the greatest stature, His coronation thereafter became inevitable. He proved Himself worthy while holy and blameless as a man to serve as a model for humanity to admire, love, and pursue in righteousness.

Before the final stage of Jesus’ accession, it was necessary to establish expectations toward His forthcoming status. Both Old and New Testament biblical writers knew these patterns of accession, whether they were a matter of tradition or historically customary norms. Jesus likely knew of the tripartite stages of accession as He was entirely adept at Old Testament Scripture since they spoke of Him (John 5:39). His successful completion of one stage after the other had to be public to satisfy the expectations concerning legitimacy compared to the Davidic lineage before Him. Witnesses to His anointing, or designation, and demonstration of kingly stature and position were necessary as a validated correlation to assure maximum confidence in Jewish literature that He was and is, in fact, a King. Both the King of the Jews and the King of the Kingdom of God due to how Jesus advanced along the stages of accession.

It was not until the end of Christ’s life that the Roman Procurator Pilate began to recognize Jesus’ assertion that He is a king. At the time of Jesus’ trial, from among numerous Jewish leaders, Herod, Roman officials, and others, He was referred to as a King several times. While recorded in Scripture as a mockery, His status was recognized if not dismissed as a joke for the privileged class and onlookers to witness. To cast shame upon Him, He suffered as a King not for Himself, but for others to accomplish what the King of a spiritual kingdom would do.  

Jesus was placed on trial because He claimed to sit at the right hand of power. Before the Jewish religious authorities, this put Him in a heap of big trouble. Jesus used this intentional phrase to cast certainty upon what the Sanhedrin would do to assure Jesus would die. For Jesus to advance to the final stage of accession, He had to die. As King, for there to be a resurrection and ascension, He first had to die. And die as a messianic king to accomplish His eternal status and reign over the Kingdom of God inhabited by people who would follow Him through salvation by grace through faith made possible. He would return His people to the Father, and they were to become citizens of a Kingdom that He brought in fulfillment of covenant promises centuries before.  

The question Pilate posed to Jesus, “are you the King of the Jews?” (Lk 23:3, Jn 18:33), revealed that he did not recognize the Jewish rules of accession. After all, in his words, “Am I a Jew?” (Jn 18:35) reinforces the value of Jesus’ clarity when He acknowledges His reign of another Kingdom. A kingdom above all kingdoms to include both Israel and Rome. Pilate pressed Jesus about His claim of royalty; the words of Jesus resonate in the hearts of millions. He, in fact, was and is a King who bears witness to the truth, and His followers know Him and abide in Him. By His testimony before Pilate, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose, I have come into the world,” Jesus seals His claim and what was to follow by necessity was His coronation. There was nothing Pilate could do to release Him as His redemptive purpose must be fulfilled.

Jews, the political class, the social elite, and religious leaders were oblivious to what Jesus was to accomplish. Even His apostles were not fully aware of what was to occur and why. Only as revealed through Christ’s post-resurrection appearances and the Holy Spirit were they later able to piece together the implications of what was to come. Through the gospel and discipleship, the Kingdom of God was to develop and grow just as YHWH intended from the beginning. Challenges to the Kingdom from the Jews or Pilate were ineffective and absented any coherent understanding of what was forming before them and those for generations to follow.

The crucifixion was the final stage of accession. The crucifixion was the official coronation ceremony of Jesus’ ascent to the throne. His seat of power was given to Him by His death on the cross and by it, He was awarded eternal glory and honor due to such magnificence. As He was held at trial before Pilate and then to Herod and back to Pilate again, the vestments of royal position and notoriety were placed upon Him.9 He was given a crown of thorns (Jn 19:2) to serve as a visual cue that He was a king yet not by derision only. Even while Jewish people as a nation rejected Jesus, they still crowned Him King, and in a spiritual sense, the way they did it was of far greater significance and eternal meaning.

With the three stages of accession now complete, Jesus was irreversibly endowed as King. In accordance with the Scriptures, His intended purpose (Jn 18:37), and by the Jewish tradition of ascent to monarchy, there is no denying that He was marked as King both then and now. Then He was made King of the Jews and now as the ruler over the Kingdom of God both in heaven and on Earth. Objections to Jesus’ status from a historical perspective were made implausible because of what He had accomplished.

The Royal Heritage of Jesus

To further reinforce the historical accession of Christ as He passed through the three stages, His genealogy must be considered. If He did not begin from the correct bloodline, then at the outset, His contemporaries and everyone today must recognize His ascent as invalid. The root of His claim to the throne comes through the Davidic line of kingly advancement. Crucial to the Jews is the genealogy of a family line to trace back generations of heritage. The distinction between the genealogical account in the gospel of Matthew as compared to Luke was centered around His Jewish ancestry.10 The fascination about the lineages from Adam to Jesus rests with the divergence of genealogies after King David. Both Solomon and Nathan were the ancestors of Jesus’ parents, both Joseph and Mary, respectively. While Jesus needed to pass through the kingly accession, foundational to that effort and those outcomes was the royal descent between male and female to originate him through His birth. To this end, the backdrop of Jesus’ lineage was of paramount importance to Jewish populations during first-century Judaism.

The Royal Retinue of Jesus

The emergence of Jesus as King is found throughout Scripture to indicate His royal place among His people. The markers are placed throughout the biblical text to illustrate the means of His kingly office between His role as prophet, priest, and judge. The functional depth and breadth of Jesus’ place among His people and throughout history are unmistakable through various gospel accounts that speak of Him as a teacher, healer, counselor, and further positions of high regard. However, Augustine termed the three chief offices of Christ as the munus triplex: prophet, priest, and king designate Him as the son of David who alone is worthy of the seat of power at the right hand of God. All functions subordinate to the overarching place as the mediator between God and humanity (1 Tim 2:5).

Back toward early Christian thought, the primary facet of Jesus’ kingship was His messianic identity.11 With the royal retinue of the crucified with Him at the cross, there were yet further indications of His station in a literal way. Not in figurative imagery to infer His place, but by actual instances and accounts of royal conduct of the messianic king. When biblical figures referenced Jesus as master, rabbi, Lord, they generally recognized His preeminent status. However, over time, His messianic status became more widely recognized as His ministry grew. As savior, the Christ, His performative function as a rescuer and deliverer was entirely congruent with how He as a God-king serves those of His Kingdom. The Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well recognized His messianic status (Jn 4:29). Peter recognized His messianic status (Matt 16:12-20). In time, all the Apostles, including the early church, recognized His divine nature as Messiah and a King of Kings due to return.

Further evidence of Jesus’ accession is found at the beginning and ending periods of His life. From the time of the Magi in Matthew 2, King Herod becomes distressed about the arrival of the “King of the Jews” (v.3). In fulfillment of Micah 5:2, Herod and all of Jerusalem were alarmed at the birth of Christ as the forthcoming king. As it was written,

“‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

The phrase, “a ruler over the people of Israel,” has a clear enough meaning to bring out panic within Herod as he would seek to kill the coming king (v.13). There is no mystery here that Jesus was who Micah prophesied about to give an early indication and prediction that he would accede to ruler status and have governance over the people of Israel. There was enough prophetic credibility around the magi’s testimony to end the lives of the firstborn throughout Bethlehem and its vicinity. The valid and plausible threat of a king to impose rulership over Herod’s house of successors was enough for him to recognize its merits and act upon them.  

At the end of Jesus’ life, just before the crucifixion, He was referred to as king several times in the space of a day. Between Herod, Pilate, and the Jews, front and center was this notion that Jesus was a king who would become pitted against Caesar as the Jews decried “we have no king but Caesar” (Jn 19:15).

With all the intense upheaval in Jerusalem, in Galilee to the North, and even among Judean territories, so much attention and consternation added enormous weight to the accession of Christ. Not just by the accusations against Him and the claim to power that Jesus said and demonstrated, but by His matter-of-fact status. The gravity of protests against Him added weight to the truth of His kingship.

The Royal Return of Jesus

The return of Jesus as King is not only eschatological. Upon His resurrection, He returned to live among His followers victorious over sin and death. Just as a conquering king does, He defeats yet another foe. Only now to set Him as ultimate Potentate, or Lord of lords and King of kings because of the circumstances around His death and recovery. Having visited the “spirits in prison” to proclaim to them the truth of what He overcame and was now seated at the right hand of God (1 Pet 3:19-22) where angels and authorities were now subjected to Him. The reign of Christ just kept going well after the stages of His accession. His return by resurrection after death by crucifixion was further evidence of His kingship.

Throughout apocalyptic and eschatological work, we read of vivid imagery and symbolic meaning around the return of Christ. Particularly concerning His second coming and of His reign during the millennium era. The “Day of the Lord” suggests a call to authority. The kind of authority that is due to the King who reigns over the Kingdom of God. More explicitly, the Kingdom of God upon the Earth at His arrival is referred to by the Apostle John in his letter to the Churches in Asia Minor. In the biblical text, Revelation 19:16, he writes about the authority and power of the King.

“And on His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, “King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.”

So as an expression of absolute sovereignty, Jesus appears as having authority over all rulers.12 Yet, while the title “King of kings” is frequently found in early Jewish literature, we find references to the same title in a similar fashion.13 The associations to this ultimate title are referenced by the gospel writers from the Old Testament (Deut. 10:17, Dan. 2:47) and sources available during the intertestamental period (2nd & 3rd Maccabees, 1 Enoch 9:4, among others). For example, to extoll the glories of Christ, “You are Lord of lords and the God of gods and King of the ages. The throne of your glory lasts unto all the generations of the ages, and your name is holy and great and blessed unto all the ages.”14 Throughout scripture and first-century literature is a foundation of references to the significance and meaning around the truth of Jesus’ return and reign in power and glory. As a King would reign over His kingdom, Jesus has a forthcoming mission to settle the Kingdom of God on Earth where renewal of creation and the restoration of His people is made certain.

Conclusion

With exquisite detail, all the way from the birth of Jesus through to the time of His return, there is a mountain of evidence about His kingship. Yet a royalty of a different kind. An ultimate royalty as the messianic God-king who was and is deeply involved in the welfare of His people. In Scripture, He gives the people of His kingdom historic clarity about the stages of accession as His predecessors assume the throne before Him. Sort of precursors to the reign that would follow, we witness human authorities and governments’ failures, whereas, in Christ, we become informed and understand His place as Lord of lords and King of Kings. Throughout His life and ministry, we see the overwhelming certainty of who He is by what He does from His authority.

There is a clear thread of Jesus as King throughout all of Scripture. All of it and then some throughout first-century literature. His prominence and exalted stature throughout creation to include humanity are of utmost astonishing value and meaning. All of creation is in witness of who He is and what He has done. That God the Father is pleased with Him adds to our desire to worship and honor Him as our sovereign King over all the Earth. His life’s events and circumstances in the Old and New Testaments are a comprehensive representation of who He is as King in authority over all rulers. It is without question that Jesus was the King of the Jews. Everyone will bow before Him from then, now, and the future. As Paul wrote to the Romans long ago, “Every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess Jesus as Lord” (Is 45:23, Rom 14:11, Phil 2:10), we shall honor Him and worship Him because of who He is and what He has done.

Citations

A portion of the research and material here is inspired and supported by the framework of accession as covered by Heiser’s podcast that outlines Shelton’s paper as cited. His review of other academic papers is referenced here as well. For further details and depth, reference Heiser’s podcast 333 “The Israelite King and Jesus as King” posted July 19, 2020, https://nakedbiblepodcast.com/podcast/naked-bible-333-the-israelite-king-and-jesus-as-king/.

  1. Mark L. Strauss, “Messiah,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).
  2. M. G. Easton, “Kingly Office of Christ,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893).
  3. David S. Dockery, “King, Christ As,” ed. Chad Brand et al., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 984.
  4. John F Hall, “The Roman Province of Judea: A Historical Overview.” Brigham Young University Studies, vol. 36, no. 3, 1996, pp. 319–336. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/43044136. Accessed 5 Mar. 2021.
  5. Marc Zvi Brettler – God Is King: Understanding an Israelite Metaphor, vol. 76, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1989), 51.
  6. W. Brian Shelton, “An Ancient Israelite Pattern of Kingly Accession in the Life of Christ,” Trinity Journal 25, no. 1 (2004): 72.
  7. James Parks, All the Prayers in the Bible, Faithlife Biblical and Theological Lists (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2020), 1 Sa 10:19.
  8. Joel Marcus, “Crucifixion as Parodic Exaltation” Journal of Biblical Literature, vol. 125, no. 1, 2006, pp. 73–87.
  9. John MacArthur, “One Perfect Life: The Complete Story of the Lord Jesus” (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2012), 455.
  10. Robert Duncan Culver, “The Earthly Career of Jesus, the Christ” (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1991), 17.
  11. David Schrock, “Jesus’ Kingly Office,” in Lexham Survey of Theology, ed. Mark Ward et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018).
  12. John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Re 17:14.
  13. Craig A. Evans and Craig A. Bubeck, eds., John’s Gospel, Hebrews–Revelation, First Edition., The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary (Colorado Springs, CO; Paris, ON; Eastbourne: David C Cook, 2005), 387.
  14. Rick Brannan et al., eds., The Lexham English Septuagint (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Enoch 9:4.

Bibliography

al., Rick Brannan et. The Lexham English Septuagint. Bellingham: Lexham Press, 2012.
Brettler, Marc Zvi. “God Is King: Understanding an Israelite Metaphor.” Journal for the Study of Old Testament Supplement Series, vol. 76, 1989: 51.
Craig A. Evans, Craig A. Bubeck. The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary – John’s Gospel, Hebrews-Revelation. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2005.
Culver, Robert Duncan. The Earthly Career of Jesus, the Christ. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1991.
Dockery, David S. Christ As King. Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003.
Easton, M.G. Kingly Office of Christ, Easton’s Bible Dictionary. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893.
Hall, John F. “The Roman Province of Judea: A Historical Overview.” Brigham Young University Studies, vol 36, no. 3, 1996: 319-336.
Heiser, Michael “The Israelite King and Jesus as King”: Podcast 333 posted July 19, 2020. https://nakedbiblepodcast.com/podcast/naked-bible-333-the-israelite-king-and-jesus-as-king/. Accessed March 08, 2021.
MacArthur, John. One Perfect Life: The Complete Story of the Lord Jesus. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2012.
—. The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006.
Marcus, Joel. “Crucifixion as Parodic Exaltation.” Journal of Biblical Literature, 2006: 73-87.
Parks, Jimmy. All the Prayers of the Bible. Bellingham: Faithlife, 2020.
Schrock, David. Jesus’ Kingly Office. Bellingham: Lexham Press, 2018.
Shelton, W. Brian. “An Ancient Israelite Pattern of Kingly Accession in the Life of Christ.” Trinity Journal, vol. 25, 2004: 72. Strauss, Mark L. “Messiah”, The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham: Lexham, 2016.

For Zion’s Sake

By on in Theology

A careful survey across both Old and New Testament books present to us the anticipation of Christ’s arrival, the beginning of the Gospel, and His ministry. Specifically, interspersed throughout Scripture is a cross-section of written work among apostles and prophets who describe the forthcoming servant-King, who functionally operates as a Messiah for the nations. In fulfillment of Genesis 3:15, the Adamic covenant sets in place the promised coming savior who would recover humanity from its fall. To restore fellowship with God and render the right order between people and God, Jesus, the promised seed, would become the prophet, King, and suffering servant who would arrive to live out and spread His Gospel. His forthcoming ministry’s trajectory would bring people to God effectively and permanently through His introduction and early ministry work.

The bodily incarnation of God was made evident through the birth of Christ. The entire lineage of Christ extending back to Adam declares God’s sovereignty and providence to situate the arrival of Jesus in history at the right place and right time. The wisdom of men who acknowledge Jesus’ royalty and lordship echoes in the pages of Scripture to give an early preview of His life to follow. Where His teachings, admonishments, miracles, and influence would produce a pronounced impact throughout humanity across all generations. The kind of lasting impact that could only demonstrate that He was the Messiah and that His claims were valid as foretold in Scripture about Him.

To set forward Jesus’ ministry, His trial in the wilderness before Satan was a crucial encounter to overcome. It was a time when Satan’s temptations were put before Jesus in an attempt to corrupt Him as an appearance to the desires of the flesh. The devil tempted his human nature by appealing to any appetite for power, safety, and comfort. All efforts were directly contradictory to what His work was about. So as a King who overcame a foe, the adversary had to be defeated as necessary to begin and continue His ministry. Moreover, Jesus’ status as King would not have been readily recognized were it not for His defeat of the enemy.

As Jesus carried out His ministry, it becomes apparent that He very well knew Scripture that described His forthcoming activity and even the fulfillment of prophetic writings that spoke of His arrival and the good news of His Kingdom. An upbringing of a pious family contributed to the kind of development that Jesus inherited to build a foundation of life’s work through the Holy Spirit (Mt. 3:16), who came to rest upon Him at His baptism by John the Baptist.

To further build the presence of the Kingdom of God, Jesus began to gain notoriety and He developed followership among disciples of John and those who wanted to know more about Him. With increasing intensity, His reputation grew by the miracles and works He began to produce before people of all types. To satisfy the work of the Kingdom, there was no way to dismiss His presence and His place as a King of a Kingdom that was now upon the world of the Jews, the Greeks, and all of the Roman empire.

Christ Above All

By on in Theology

I have often thought that to know Christ is to love Him. When I suppose it is possible to know about Him or of Him. To understand what He has done or to His status and preeminence. Yet I have come to learn that to love Jesus is more than doing what He says, but also it is about having a deep affection for who He is. We do what He says because we love Him.

Christ Above All

Continuing in John Piper’s book, “What Jesus Demands from the World,” a new nature is required to produce the kind of love that is recognized by Him as authentic, meaningful, and deeper than anything for anyone or anything else. As He said in John 8:42, “If God were your Father, you would love me.” To say, in Piper’s words, “The reason you do not love me is that you are not in the family of God. You don’t have the family nature – the family spirit, the family heart, preferences, tendencies, inclinations. God is not your Father.”

Because of who He is and what He means to those who are His, the measure of love is infinite. His Spirit reveals to us that His glory, His presence, and His power make the all-surpassing desire to love Him overwhelmingly beyond anything or anyone.