October 2, 2024
As it was with the opening belief statement in the Creed, there is SO MUCH to unpack within this long sentence. Let’s start at its beginning: one Lord Jesus Christ.
The word “Lord” in scripture, sometimes seen as LORD, or even as lord, can take on different connotations. In the Old Testament — what Jesus, the Apostles and early church referred to as “the scriptures,” we see the term used over 7,000 times, with over 6000 of those uses in the Old Testament alone. Let’s go up from, from least to most importance.
In the simplest of cases, the word “lord” was used to give honor to a political magistrate or a person of nobility. But for the vast majority of uses, the word Lord refers to God, most specifically his proper name: Yahweh (ya-whey). The earliest example we see is in Genesis 2:7, “…then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” The Apostles and the early church father’s attributing the title Lord to Jesus, refers to both: Jesus as their master, as one to fully give honor to – bowing at his feet in reverence – and also as Yahweh in the flesh.
Consider these scriptures (just a few) — how Jesus used the term Lord, as well as the Apostles. Look at each of these and chat about for a few minutes.
Now, we can’t forget about the one word that would be so easy for us to miss – that which is the centrality of scripture – the CRUX of all things, the one who died on the cross, the CHRIST.
The word Christ in our English bibles is derived from Greek Christos, which translates in Hebrew as Messiah. Messiah means THE Anointed One – the one who would free all Israel from their bondage for all time. Consider what Paul wrote to the church in Rome:
Why do you think Paul was telling his readers that Jesus was both LORD (Yahweh) and Messiah, the Savior of the world? Why is that so important that these titles and attributes are all combined in one?
Oh, there is so much to unpack this week. This portion is crucial for our understanding of who Jesus is —his very essence and nature. This next few clauses are HUGE, and the reason they are so detailed and specific was to combat heresies that arose in the early church, especially the “Arian” (coming from the person Arius) controversy.
After almost 1,700 years, the controversies surrounding Jesus’ relation with God the Father have not been in question… for the most part. (We’ll touch on some more modern heresies in a bit). But because Arius believed Jesus’ divinity was in some way not co-equal with God, the controversy needed to be laid to rest.
First of all, to be “begotten” in its simplest form means to become the parent of (to beget). But Jesus was no ordinary child, with no ordinary father. We don’t have to go far in the Gospels to hear of Jesus being begotten of the Father. Let’s look at it:
The Psalmist prophesied about this. Consider this one verse from Psalm 2. “I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.”
But for Arius, his being of God the Father, and born of virgin wasn’t enough. He considered Jesus to be “under” the Father. A Son, yes, but not in of the same substance, of the same being with God the Father. The church fathers needed to reiterate that Jesus was equal to God the Father. Let’s see what the scripture says.
It’s time to look at this BIG section that sparked the need for the church fathers to gather in Nicaea in 325 — the issue of Jesus Christ and God the Father being of one substance.
Let’s look at the Gospel according to John, Chapter 1, because his gospel account delineates so much of this. Here’s a link: John 1
Consider also Jesus’ prayer to the Father as the Apostle John recorded it. Jesus prayed to His Father, “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (John 17:5).
When Jesus said in his prayer: “before the world existed” — do you think he meant the earth when he said “world” or something other? (to stir the conversation, the Greek word we see for “world” is κόσμος (cosmos). Why is that important?
Why do you think it’s important we understand Jesus’ FULL nature as being fully divine, of one substance (homoousios), fully equal, with God the Father?
Ask a Mormon, and they will tell you, without blinking an eye, that they are Christian, just the same as you and me. Here’s what’s interesting though, and how this tie in with today’s conversation: Mormons believe that Jesus is NOT (homoousios) with God the Father, but instead a created being — a brother to Satan. They believe Jesus is the “product” of sexual union between God the Father, and the Father’s heavenly (or celestial) wife… whatever that is.
What are your thoughts about that? What are the ramifactions?
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