Who is Jesus? - A Biblical Reflection on Jesus in Scripture

WHO IS JESUS? - A BIBLICAL REFLECTION OF JESUS IN SCRIPTURE

By Ezekiel Kimosop

How is Jesus Portrayed in Scripture?

Colossians 1:15-23; 2:9

Reflection: How is Jesus the image of the invisible God in v.15? The use of the Greek word icon for image demystifies this theological phenomenon. It implies that Jesus is the perfect projection of God’s divine essence in human flesh. There could not have been a better representation of God in human flesh than Christ. His divinity is asserted in v.16. The writer proclaims that For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth. This underscores His divinity as God the Creator who was with the Father from the beginning (Genesis 1:1-2; John 1:1). Notice the emphasis that all things were created by Him and for Him (v.16).  The preeminence of Christ is affirmed in vv. 17-18. He is before all things, was the first to rise from the dead, and is head of the church.

Colossians 2:9

 ⁹ For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; ¹⁰ and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power (NKJV).

Reflection: Jesus personified the fulness of the Godhead in His incarnation. He never lost an iota of His divine essence in His incarnation. Believers are therefore complete in Him by reason of His perfection in the atonement.

Reconciled in Christ

¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, ²⁰ and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

²¹ And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled ²² in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— ²³ if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. (NKJV).

Reflection: v.12 conveys a theological emphasis that amplifies the statement in v.9. In this context, the fact that it pleased the Father that in Him [Christ] the fullness should dwell is evidence that Jesus’ divine status in the incarnation had received the collective approval of the Godhead. It also points to the fact that the will of the Holy Trinity is divinely synchronized.  The divinity of Jesus is therefore affirmed in this context.   

The celebration of God’s redemption work in Christ is affirmed in vv. 21-22. Christ’s atonement reconciled sinners who had been alienated from a holy and righteous God in Adam (cf. Ephesians 2:11-22). Christ is here portrayed as the Redeemer, the exclusive source of atonement for lost humanity. The statement in vv. 22-23 is imperative. The writer indicates that Jesus desires “to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight, if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard. Notice the conditional phrase in the statement. The believers must therefore continue to grow in sanctification and stay in the narrow path in order complete their journey of faith (see Hebrews 10:26-39).

1 Peter 2:21-22

²¹ For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

²² “Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”

Reflection: The suffering of Christ is ironical and in sharp contrast to His state of divine perfection. He was without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus did not deserve to suffer and die at the cross. However, no other creature in heaven and on earth could qualify to take His place at the cross, He alone was worthy to atone for our sin. It was therefore imperative that He voluntarily forfeited His divine glory in heaven and gave Himself as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the word (John 1:29; Philippians 2:1-10; Revelation 5). Jesus is our sinless Redeemer.

 1 Peter 3:18

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring ^[a]us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

Reflection: Jesus us our redeemer who suffered and died for our sins. His resurrection from the dead signifies His divine victory over sin and death. It is an assurance to those who are in Christ that they too will defeat death and rise at the coming of Christ.

John 14:6

⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Reflection: Jesus is the exclusive means to the Father. His atonement is the only cure for sin and the only means by which sinners are reconciled with God.

1 John 4:10

¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Reflection: Jesus’ incarnate coming and His atoning death on the cross was exclusively initiated by God by reason of His unmerited love for sinful men. Jesus is again projected as the Redeemer through whom the demonstration of God’s love for sinners was most profoundly asserted.

Hebrews 4:15

¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Reflection: The Priesthood of Jesus is amplified in this text. He is projected as a unique High Priest since, unlike His predecessors, He was without sin.  This was in sharp contrast to the high priests under the Levitical priesthood who had to atone for their sins before atoning the sins of the people. Jesus did not enter the sanctuary with the blood of another but with His own sinless blood (Hebrews 9:23-28).

In the Old Testament days (from 1100-400 BC) the Jews were waiting for the coming of the . List some characteristics of “the Messiah”. 

Characteristics of the Messiah

Isaiah 53:2 – He grew up in humble background

Isaiah 53:3 – despised and rejected by men. He suffered sorrow and grief.

Isaiah 53:5 – He suffered for our sins.

Isaiah 53:6-7 – He suffered in silence.

Isaiah 53:9 – He suffered unjustly because he was an innocent person.

Isaiah 7:14 – He came as God incarnate.

Micah 5:2 – He is eternal, without beginning or end.

Zachariah 9:9 – He is just and humble. He is the author of our salvation.

How does Jesus match the description of the Messiah in the following verses?

Matthew 1:18 – He was conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:22 – His coming was in accordance with prophecy.

Luke 2:4 – Jesus is the son of David by the ancestral lineage of his adopted father Joseph.

Luke 2:8-14 – Jesus was born as the divine savior. He is Christ the Lord. 

Luke 19:28-36 – Jesus is the Messiah King.

John 19:1-30 – Jesus suffered, was condemned to die on the cross to redeem us from our sins.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 – Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

2 Corinthians 5:21 – Jesus knew no sin; He was without sin. 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2024