Lesson 6 God with Us, pt. 2

"In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a Son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” (Dan 7:13-14, NIV)

1.  “Son of Man” is the way Jesus most often described Himself—occurring 82 times in the Gospels, 30 times in Matthew alone. Because of this, some think that Jesus never claimed Divinity. They will point out that God addressed the prophet Ezekiel as “son of man” 93 times. However, when Jesus used that term to describe Himself, He was referring to the title as used in Dan. 7:13 and Ps. 80:17. Write down observations about the “Son of Man.”

* Mt. 9:6 Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins 

* Mt. 12:40; Lk. 9:22 Sign of Jonah—SoM will be 3 days & 3 nites in heart of earth—killed & raised on 3rd day

* Mt. 16:27-28; Lk. 9:26-27 SoM’s kingdom will come in His Father’s glory w/ angels; will reward saints or be ashamed of those ashamed of Him now 

* Mt. 19:28 When SoM sits on his throne, disciples will also sit on 12 thrones judging Israel’s 12 tribes

* Mt. 20:28; Lk. 19:10 SoM did not come to be served, but to serve & give his life as a ransom for many; to seek & save what was lost

* Mt. 24:30-31; Rev. 14:14-16 SoM appear in clouds & angels harvest earth /gather elect from whole earth

* Mt. 25:31-33 When SoM comes will sit on throne & judge nations—separate sheep & goats 

* Mt. 26:2, 24; Lk. 18:31-33 SoM to be crucified at Passover—Everything prophets wrote about Him: handed over to Gentiles, mock, insult, spit on, flog & kill Him, on 3rd day will rise again 

* Mk. 9:9 Disciples to tell what saw on Mt. of transfiguration after SoM rose      from the dead 

* Lk. 12:8-10 whoever acknowledges SoM before men will be acknowledged by SoM before angels, but whoever disowns him will be disowned by Him; everyone who spoke against SoM will be forgiven 

* Lk. 22:67-70 SoM is the Christ, will be seated at the right hand of God, I AM the Son of God 

* Jn. 1:51 you shall see heaven open & angels of God ascending & descending on the SoM 

* Jn. 3:13-15 SoM came from heaven—will be lifted up, everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life

* Jn. 5:27 God the Father has given Him authority to judge because He is SoM 

* Jn. 6:27 SoM will give you food that endures to eternal life—on Him God has placed his seal of approval

* Jn. 8:28; 12:32-34 when SoM lifted up you will know I AM; death by lifting up will draw all men to Him

* Rev. 1:13-16; Dan. 7:9-10 description of SoM in Rev. matches the Ancient of Days in Daniel  

2. “Son of God” is the appellation by which others most often addressed Jesus. From the verses below, name who is speaking to or about Him.

* Lk. 3:22 God/Holy Spirit—You are My Son 

* Mt. 17:5 God speaking from cloud on Mt. 

* Lk. 1:32, 35 Angel Gabriel to Mary  

* Lk. 4:9 Devil during temptation of Jesus 

* Lk. 4:34, 41 Demons 

* Mk. 5:7-9 Legion of demons  

* Jn. 1:34 John the Baptist   

* Jn. 1:49 Nathanael  

* Jn. 11:27 Martha prior to Lazarus’ Rez 

* Mt. 14:33 Disciples after walking on water

* Mt. 16:16 Simon Peter 

* Mk. 1:1 John Mark   

* Jn. 20:31 John 

* Jn. 5:25 the dead will hear His voice & live 

* Jn. 10:36 Jesus claims “I am God’s Son” 

* Rev. 2:18 John recording Jesus’ words 

* Mt. 26:63; Lk. 22:70 High Priest 

* Jn. 19:7 Jews accusing Him before Pilate

* Mt. 27:43 Chief priests, elders & lawyers 

* Mt. 27:54 Centurion at the cross 

* Ac. 9:20 Saul/Paul 

* Rom. 1:4 Holy Spirit declared Him Son of God

* 1Co. 1:9 God calls Him His Son 

* Gal. 2:20 Paul lives by faith in Son of God 

* Eph. 4:13 Paul & Christians unified in faith 

* 1Jn. 5:1, 5 John & everyone born of God 

3. The dual nature of the Messiah is seen in the use of the titles “Son of Man” and “Son of God.” At times, the titles seemed interchangeable. Give some nuances of meaning from the following passages.

* Mt. 16:13-16 Son of Man is the Christ, the Son of the Living God 

* Mt. 26:63-64 Jesus’ response to whether He is the Christ, the Son of God—YES, & you will see SoM sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One & coming on the clouds of heaven 

* Jn. 1:47-51 You are the Son of God—you believe—SoM is the way to God—angels come & go via Him

* Jn. 3:14-18 SoM lifted up=God’s One & Only Son sent to save whoever believes in Him & give eternal life

* Jn. 5:25-27 dead will hear Son of God’s voice & live; He also has authority to judge because He is the SoM

* Rom. 1:2-4 Prophets told us God’s Son would be a human descendant of David—resurrection is the proof He is the Son of God   

* Gal. 4:4 God sent His Son born of a woman—both divine & human 

4. Isaiah 9:6 says that the Son who would be born is also the “Everlasting Father.” Jesus fulfilled this prophecy when He claimed, “I and the Father are One” (Jn. 10:30). What else did Jesus say about this Father/Son relationship? (One concept per line.)

* Mt.  11:27; Jn. 14:7-9 No one knows the Father except the Son—if seen Son you’ve seen Father  

* Mt. 24:36 Only the Father knows the day & hour of judgment—Son does not know 

* Mt. 26:53 Son can call upon Father & have 12 Legions of angels at His command 

* Mk. 14:36; Jn. 6:38 Son came from heaven to do His Father’s will not His own 

* Lk. 24:49 Son will send the Holy Spirit that the Father had promised 

* Jn. 1:14; 8:42; 17:8 Son came from/was sent by the Father 

* Jn. 3:35; 13:3; 17:2 Father placed everything in Son’s hands—has power & authority over all

* Jn. 5:18; 10:38; 17:11, 21-22 equal with God—Father in Me & I in Him—Unified—One  

* Jn. 5:19; 10:37 Son only does what sees Father doing—whatever Father does the Son also does

* Jn. 5:20; 10:17; 15:9-10 Father loves the Son—Son loves disciples same as Father loves Him

* Jn. 5:21, 26; 6:35 Father raises the dead & gives life, so does Son—both have life in themselves

* Jn. 5:22 Father does not judge, has entrusted all judgment to the Son 

* Jn. 5:23 honor the Son just as you honor the Father—if don’t honor Son, also don’t honor Father 

* Jn. 5:37; 8:17-18; 15:26 Son’s testimony backed up by Father’s witness & the Counselor’s 

* Jn. 6:27 God the Father has placed His seal of approval on the Son  

* Jn. 6:37, 44-45, 65; 17:6 Father gives people to the Son—Father draws them to the Son 

* Jn. 6:46 No one has seen the Father except the Son—only He has seen the Father 

* Jn. 8:38; 12:49-50; 14:24 Son tells only what the Father told Him to say—what He saw & heard

* Jn. 8:54; 14:13; 17:1, 5, 24 the Father glorifies the Son & the Son brings glory to the Father 

* Jn. 11:41-42 Father always hears & answers the Son’s prayers 

* Jn. 13:1, 3; 14:28; 16:10, 17, 27-28 Son came from & returned to the Father 

* Jn. 14:6 Jesus is the Way—no one comes to the Father except through the Son 

* Jn. 14:13; 15:16 Father will give you whatever you ask in Son’s name 

* Jn. 14:31; 17:4 Son loves the Father & does exactly what He wants—Son completed the work 

* Jn. 16:15; 17:7, 10 All that belongs to the Father is the Son’s—All He has, came from the Father 

5. What do you think; did Jesus claim to be God in the flesh?

Whenever Jesus was asked if He was the Son of God, He invariably referenced the Daniel 7 description of the Son of man who comes with the clouds of heaven & sits down at the right hand of God Almighty. He claimed to be the Son of God the Father and it was understood by His Jewish listeners that He was claiming equality with God. Jesus claimed to be able to forgive sins, to raise the dead & give eternal life & to have the power & authority to judge, things only the True God can do. He said & did the same as the Father showing their complete unity. He also said not to believe Him if He did not do as God does. He said that if you saw Him you saw God the Father. Whenever someone proclaimed Him the Son of God He was pleased that they finally understood His true identity, rather than being appalled that they should think such a thing & trying to correct them. We have the testimony not only of human witnesses, both those for and against Him, but also angels & demons, the devil & even God Himself in the voice from heaven at both His baptism and transfiguration that Jesus is the Son of God. At His trial before the Sanhedrin they asked Him point blank if He is the Son of God and He replied, “You are right in saying I AM.” (Lk. 22:70) Even before this they had attempted to stone Him for saying “I am God’s Son” (Jn. 10:36), on the grounds of blasphemy (which would be the case only if He was not the Son of God). Therefore, I most definitely believe He did claim to be God in the flesh & was not just misunderstood by some of His hearers. 

6. So what? What difference does Jesus’ Deity make to you personally? How does/will it affect your life? 

If Jesus is not the Son of God, then I can take Him or leave Him—it makes no difference in the long run. I am free to pick & choose what I want from what He said, and whether or not I want to follow any of His teaching. BUT, if Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God and Lord of all, I ignore or reject Him at my peril. He holds my fate and the fate of the world in His hands. He is the source of life, knowledge and wisdom. He speaks the truth and desires only the best for me & everyone else. Rejecting Him is deliberately deciding to lie to myself and choose foolishness instead of truth and wisdom. Rejecting Him is to choose darkness instead of light, evil instead of good or righteousness, lies instead of truth, hate instead of love, death instead of eternal life, judgment & condemnation instead of forgiveness & pardon, etc. If Jesus is God, then I should listen to Him and do what He says. I should offer my allegiance to Him. I can trust Him with my life—no fear. I have hope in the future because of what He promised and what He has shown He can do, for God keeps His promises and raises the dead. He has the power to transform lives and this world back to the original perfection mankind experienced in the Garden of Eden. What He has promised He can and will do. I have peace, hope, joy & love because of Him.