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* ALL Questions about Jesus Christ *

What does it mean for Jesus to be your true north?​


ANSWER

When someone says, “Jesus is my true north,” he or she is honoring Jesus as the constant in an ever-changing world and the true guide amid shifting morals and fluctuating ideals.

The expression true north is based on a fact that navigators and surveyors must deal with every day: a magnetic compass is not a terribly reliable instrument. A magnetic compass points toward the magnetic north pole, which is not the same as true north, or the geographic (or geodetic) north pole. The difference between magnetic north and true north is currently a matter of several hundred miles—but it changes, due to the fact that the magnetic north pole drifts several miles a year.

The earth produces a magnetic field. The places where the lines of magnetic induction converge are called the magnetic poles. The location of the magnetic north pole changes over time. In contrast, true north is a fixed spot on the globe: the true north pole is found at the conjunction of the lines of longitude, the point at which the earth’s axis exits the globe. Magnetic north varies position from year to year; true north is unchanging.

Because the needle of a magnetic compass points toward the magnetic north pole, not the geographic north pole, it is not entirely accurate. It may give a general idea of where north is, especially in the middle latitudes, but it can be wildly unreliable in the regions closer to the poles, varying by 20 to 60 degrees. The difference between magnetic north and true north is called declination, and it varies according to where one is located on the globe. To compensate for declination and find true north, we must perform some mathematical calculations using an up-to-date chart or calibrate our compasses.

Adding to the confusion is magnetic deviation, caused when nearby metallic objects or electrical equipment influence the compass needle. Deviation is especially a problem inside ships and airplanes and in areas containing a lot of metal ore. Like declination, deviation must be overcome, usually by means of auxiliary magnets, in order to find true north.

When we say that Jesus is our true north, we mean that He is the constant, unchanging source of truth and life. He is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). The philosophies, theories, concepts, and schemes of mankind are constantly shifting. “But the word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 1:15; cf. Isaiah 40:8).

When we say that Jesus is our true north, we acknowledge that we live in danger of being “tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14). In such a tempestuous world, we need to plot our course by the coordinates provided by the Lord Himself. We can avoid making shipwreck of our lives by “fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2).

When we say that Jesus is our true north, we glorify the Lord who defines justice and righteousness. Moral standards that align with His nature will keep us on the correct course, just as a compass that aligns with true north keeps us moving in the right direction. “As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30).

When we follow Jesus as our true north, we must disregard the many distractions and influences in the world that would alter our course. Just as the readings of a compass may be corrupted due to nearby objects, so we are prone to be swayed by various attractions in the world. We must constantly calibrate ourselves to the example of our Risen Savior. Our spiritual needles must point to objective truth and not turn after subjective opinions, vacillating values, or erratic rules. We must be like the man who built his house on the rock, not the sand (Matthew 7:24–27).

True north is a precise direction, and, no matter where you start on the globe, true north will lead you to the same location. There is nothing erratic or misleading about true north. It transcends geography, locality, and lesser pulls. For those who are lost, true north is a welcome blessing. And Jesus Christ is an even greater blessing to those who are spiritually lost.

“True North,” a song by Twila Paris, sums up our need for Jesus as our guide:

“We lost our bearings,
Following our own mind
We left conviction behind . . .
How did we ever wander so far
And where do we go from here?
How will we know where it is?

“True North
There’s a strong steady light
That is guiding us home . . .

“We need an absolute
Compass now more
Than ever before.”
(1999, Ariose Music/Mountain Spring Music, admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

True Identity: Finding Significance & Freedom Through Who You Are in Christ by John Majors

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Did Jesus come to bring peace on earth?​


ANSWER

Speaking about the birth of Jesus hundreds of years before it happened, Isaiah says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). So Jesus is the “Prince of Peace.” On the night of Jesus’ birth, the angels proclaim the good news to the shepherds, again emphasizing the peace that Christ would bring: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14, KJV).

But in Matthew 10 Jesus seems to downplay His role as Prince of Peace, as He warns His disciples of the hardships they will face in their ministry: “Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn ‘A man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household’” (verses 34–36).

Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace, yet the kind of peace He brings is not necessarily what most people are thinking of when they hear of “peace on earth” at Christmas time or see slogans advocating “world peace.” There are a number of different fronts where conflicts rage today, and there are a number of different kinds of peace needed in our world:

Inner conflict. People the world over are struggling with doubts, fears and uncertainties. They are in need of inner peace. Mental health professionals tell us that the Christmas holidays, the time of “peace on earth,” is often one of the most depressing as expectations go unmet and stress multiplies.

Interpersonal conflict. People struggle against other people. There are family conflicts and conflicts with co-workers and sometimes even conflicts with total strangers. Crime, racism, abuse, and violence are everyday occurrences. Divorce rates show the conflict between husbands and wives. During the season of “peace and goodwill,” individuals often disappoint each other and fail to meet expectations. Family conflicts are often heightened as people who may not normally spend a lot of time together are suddenly at close quarters. Even total strangers may get into conflict with each other as they compete for limited numbers of the most popular toys, the best “Black Friday” deals, or the most convenient parking spots at the stores. Christmas fights, even near riots, have been known to occur over these things. And, unfortunately, the shopping season tends to elevate criminal activity, from shoplifting to burglary. Interpersonal conflicts demonstrate the great need for interpersonal peace.

International conflict. What the term peace on earth probably means to most people is international peace. Currently, conflicts rage around the globe, and war is nothing new. In addition to the possibility of overt war, there is the constant threat of international terrorism. The Middle East, the very place of Christ’s birth, is one of the least peaceful of all places on earth, and in recent years the city of Bethlehem has been torn by riots between various factions.

While the need for inner peace, interpersonal peace, and international peace might be recognized by most people, there is one other kind of peace that rarely gets a second (or even a first) thought. Yet this peace is our most pressing need. We all need peace with God. The universal human response to the reign of God is open rebellion against Him. Because we have all sinned and rebelled against God, we do not have peace with Him. Romans 5:10 describes people in sin as “enemies of God.” This is a statement of fact, whether or not we harbor any hostile feelings toward God.

Jesus came to bring peace on earth. First and foremost, He came to make peace between God and rebellious, sinful human beings. While we were God’s enemies, “we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son” (Romans 5:10). Jesus paid the penalty for our sins so that God’s wrath could be turned away from us and we could have peace with God. This peace and forgiveness are available to anyone who trusts Jesus for salvation: “Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

Jesus also brings peace on earth by sending the Holy Spirit to live within believers. The Spirit changes them so that they can gain a measure of inner peace. When believers feel turmoil inside, they have resources to deal with it. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).

Likewise, as believers are changed into more loving, more Christlike people, they have the resources to better live at peace with those around them. They develop the capacity to forgive wrongs done to them and be more aware of wrongs they might do to others. As the Christian increases in spiritual maturity, he or she will be able to help others in a way that would not have been possible before. As he or she defers to others in humility, many interpersonal conflicts are avoided. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18). In this way, the Christian experiences more interpersonal peace.

However, there are times when interpersonal conflict may actually get worse when a person becomes a believer in Christ. This is what Jesus was speaking of when He said He did not come to bring peace to the earth in Matthew 10:34–36. Jesus warned of the persecution that will come to His followers when they confront a world that rejects Him. Although Christians in the Western world have, for the past few centuries, experienced a remarkable level of protection from persecution, the majority of the world for the past twenty centuries has been very hostile to Christians. Yet, in spite of the interpersonal turmoil that the Christian may experience when those who reject Christ also reject him—even members of his own family—the Christian can still have inner peace. Jesus promised, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). Our Lord also said, “This is my command: Love each other. If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” (John 15:17–20). And, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). In this case, Jesus did not come to bring peace to the unbelieving world, but He did bring peace to those who trust Him.

But what about the “peace on earth” that the angels proclaimed at Jesus’ birth? Jesus’ first coming did not bring international peace; however, He promised that He would come again. The only way there will ever be international peace is when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10) and the Lord assumes His rightful place as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. When Christ reigns supreme and the nations are living in obedience to Him, then there will be world peace (see Micah 4:2–4; Isaiah 2:4).

In summary, Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came to provide the way for sinful people to have peace with God. He gives believers the resources to experience inner peace and helps them to become the kind of people who can live in peace with others. However, as Jesus suffered persecution, so will His followers. Yet, even in persecution, they can experience the peace of God. And finally, when Jesus returns and sets up His kingdom, the world will be united in peace.

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ by Stephen Wellum

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

Does Jesus pray for us?​


ANSWER

Prayer is the act of communicating with God. We know that prayer was a big part of Jesus’ life while He was on earth (Luke 6:12; Mark 14:32; Matthew 26:36). He spent considerable time alone with His Father. Most of the time, what He prayed about we can only speculate on; however, a few places in the New Testament tell us exactly what He prayed for. In Matthew 19:13, He prayed for little children. In Luke 22:32, He tells us that He prayed for Peter’s faith to remain strong. And in John 17, Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer, He prayed for His followers and “for those who will believe in me through their message” (verse 20). That’s us! Now that Jesus has ascended back into heaven, He still prays for us. His ministry on our behalf continues (Hebrews 7:25).

Jesus is our “Advocate with the Father” (1 John 2:1). An advocate is one who pleads a case for another. Advocates stand in the place of those who cannot speak for themselves. Jesus, as our Advocate, stands in our place before the Father and pleads on our behalf. Jesus’ advocacy is sure to be effectual, because He is the one of whom the Father said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Jesus’ prayers for us are constant, and they are perfect.

We have an Advocate in Christ, but we also have an accuser: Satan, who accuses us night and day (Revelation 12:10; Zechariah 3:1). Our mortal enemy broadcasts our sins before God, mocking and insulting the ones Jesus bought for His own. But Romans 8:33–34 says we need not worry about Satan’s malice because Jesus, our Advocate, is more powerful: “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

In John 17, Jesus prays for His followers, and from that prayer we can learn the kinds of things Jesus might be praying for us now. Jesus prays for us that we would do and be these things:

• Know God and His Son, Jesus Christ (verse 3)
• Be protected from apostasy (verse 11)
• Be one in spirit as the Father and Son are one (verse 11)
• Be filled with His joy (verse 13)
• Be kept from the evil one (verse 15)
• Be sanctified through God’s Word (verse 17)
• Remain unified in Christ throughout the generations (verses 20–21)
• Let our love convey Christ’s message to the world (verse 23)
• Join Him in heaven for all eternity (verse 24)
• Experience the same kind of love for each other that the Father and Son share (verse 26)

Hebrews 4:14–16 describes Jesus as our great High Priest. Because of His intercession for us, we have access to the Father ourselves: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Despite what we may face in this life, we can live with the confident assurance that, if we belong to Jesus, He is always praying for us.

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ by Stephen Wellum

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

Are God and Jesus the same person?​


ANSWER

The answer to the question “are God and Jesus the same person?” really depends on what is meant by the same person.

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If this question means to ask “Is Jesus really God?” or “Is Jesus God in the flesh?” then the answer would be “Yes—Jesus is fully divine. He has all the attributes of God” (see Colossians 2:9).

However, the question could be interpreted another way, which would require a different answer. Theologically speaking, Jesus and the Father are different Persons of the Trinity. They are one in nature and essence, but they are different in personhood.

There is an ancient heresy called modalism (and a more modern variation called Oneness theology), which teaches that God does not exist in three co-equal, co-eternal Persons, but only one. According to modalism, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not three individual Persons but simply three modes of revelation: sometimes God reveals Himself as the Father, other times as the Son, and still other times as the Holy Spirit. If the question is asked, “are Jesus and God the Father the same person?” the modalist would answer “yes,” but biblical Trinitarians would answer “no.”

The doctrine of the Trinity is the best explanation for all of the biblical evidence. There is only one God, but He exists as three co-equal, co-eternal Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This is different from the teaching of three individual gods because of the interdependency and unity of the three Persons of the Trinity. There is one God who exists as three individual Persons sharing the same essence or nature. Thus, the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; however, the Father is not the same person as the Son, nor is the Son the same person as the Holy Spirit. This is sometimes complicated by the fact that God the Father is often simply called “God” in the New Testament.

The first three verses of the Gospel of John give us an idea of how this works out:

John 1:1. In the beginning was the Word . . . (We know from verse 14 that the Word is Jesus. In the beginning, He was already there.)

. . . and the Word was with God . . . (At least two Persons are in view here: one called “God” and one called “the Word.”)

. . . and the Word was God (The Word is distinct from God, yet He is also called “God.” The Word is divine in His essential nature.)

John 1:2. He was with God in the beginning (After the essential identification of the Word as God, once again the distinction is emphasized—He was with God when it all began.)

John 1:3. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made (Here, we see that the Word is actually the Creator. He made everything. In the Old Testament, we are told that God created everything—Genesis 1:1.)

It is this kind of biblical information that led to the formulation of the doctrine of the Trinity. When “God” is spoken of in the Old Testament, most people probably think of God the Father, but it would be more accurate to think of “God the Trinity.” In the New Testament, we see how each Person of the Trinity assumed different roles in the redemption of lost humanity, but the different Persons are always in complete agreement, acting as one.

Jesus is God, but Jesus (who is God the Son) is not the same Person as God the Father or God the Holy Spirit.

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ by Stephen Wellum

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

What can we learn from what the Bible says about Jesus and women?​


ANSWER

In a day when women were considered second-class, Jesus shattered prejudices and elevated the status of women to unprecedented heights. That value equalization continued with His apostles. Peter warned husbands that, unless they treated their wives with respect, recognizing that women are co-heirs with them in all God promised, their prayers would be hindered (1 Peter 3:7). Paul wrote, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). The apostles did not learn the value of women from their culture. They learned it from their Master, Jesus. And Jesus treated women with the same love and respect with which He treated men.

Jesus’ elevation of women began before He was even born. In God’s divine plan, He had chosen a woman to begin His process of redeeming mankind. God sent His angel Gabriel to a young woman in the town of Nazareth with the good news that she would be the mother of God’s Son (Luke 1:26–38). Gabriel’s first words to Mary were, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” God first entrusted a woman with the most important message the world has ever received: the long-awaited Messiah was on His way.

When Jesus was only eight days old, the Holy Spirit revealed His identity to a woman, Anna (Luke 2:36–38). So before Jesus was even old enough to declare anyone’s value, God the Father was already at work revealing His heart to His faithful daughters. When Jesus began His earthly ministry, women flocked to hear Him teach, and some even supported Him financially (Matthew 27:55; Mark 15:41; Luke 8:2–3).

What was it about this Teacher that drew both men and women? Jesus was completely without prejudice. He loved every human being regardless of race, ethnicity, occupation, background, or gender. He treated them equally and included several women among His closest friends (Luke 10:38–39; 24:10; John 11:5). The fact that women are called by name in the Bible is significant. In a culture where women could not own property or testify in court, a woman’s opinion or her presence at an event was not even worth mentioning. The New Testament shatters those social norms by including the names of many women and the specific roles they played in furthering God’s kingdom.

Jesus broke down more cultural barriers when He took a detour through Samaria. There, He had an encounter with an immoral woman (John 4:4–26). The fact that she was a Samaritan was enough to bar her from any conversation with a self-respecting Jew, but, to make matters worse in the disciples’ eyes, she was a woman (verse 27). As they watched, their Master transformed that woman and through her impacted an entire city with His message of hope and redemption (verses 39–41).

Another time, an immoral woman was paraded before Jesus by Jewish leaders hoping to entrap Him (John 8:2–11). They demanded that Jesus give His opinion on the punishment she should receive for her adultery. They considered this an easy win since the law required the death penalty (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22). If Jesus took the woman’s side, He was negating the law. If He took her accusers’ side, He was negating all He had ever taught about forgiveness (see Mark 2:15–17). Either way, they figured, they had Jesus cornered. Jesus turned the tables on them and dealt with their self-righteousness, forcing them to inspect their own lives first: “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone,” He said (John 8:7). Again in this case, Jesus used the example of a woman to teach an important lesson about equality in God’s eyes. We are all sinners, men and women. None of us have the right to pass final judgment on another while hiding our own similar actions (see Romans 2:1–3).

Women were last to leave the place of Jesus’ crucifixion and first at the empty tomb (Matthew 27:61; 28:1), indicating that the transforming power of Jesus had given the women courage and boldness to follow Him openly. In a marvelous display of the women’s faith and God’s approval, those women became the world’s first witnesses of the resurrection (Matthew 28:8).

In all His interactions with women, Jesus treated them with dignity, compassion, and respect. In so doing, He countered the prevailing notions of the day concerning women and their place in society. When Jesus calls a man or a woman to follow Him, He transforms them into new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17). Old prejudices and stereotypes no longer define us. Christians are united by one Spirit (Ephesians 4:5), and we are to view each other as brothers and sisters in the family of God. God never pretends that men and women are the same, but Jesus’ life indicated that He valued both equally. Both sexes make unique contributions to the family and to the church, and both should work together for the advancement of all.

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

Jesus and Women by Kristi McLelland

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​

 

Was Jesus a refugee?​


ANSWER

Merriam-Webster defines refugee as “a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution.” Refugees are typically forced to leave their country because of some impending violence directed toward them.

Under that broad definition, it may seem that Jesus and His parents might have qualified for a time as refugees. However, there is a difference between the dictionary definition of refugee and its use as a political term today.

In the New Testament, Matthew records the following: “An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son’” (Matthew 2:13–15).

Jesus was not a “refugee” in any sense meaningful to today’s world. For one thing, Jesus’ family never left the Roman Empire; they simply fled from one region of Roman territory to another Roman territory. That would be like someone moving legally from one state to another within the USA to leave the jurisdiction of the governor of the first state. Also, Luke makes it clear that Joseph and Mary went out of their way to follow Roman law in adhering to the census (Luke 2:1–5). Everything they did was legal.

Jesus and His family moved to Egypt in order to escape King Herod’s murderous intentions, but they had a plan, and they had supplies and support. Their trip was entirely self-funded, due to the gifts of the magi. And their sojourn in Egypt was short. The family remained there until the death of Herod, at which time they returned home (Matthew 2:19–21). Given these details, there’s no real parallel to the modern, indigent refugee who asks permission to enter a new country to avoid some calamity.

There is some truth to the idea that Jesus was a persecuted and poor man, and so we need to consider how we treat those who are displaced and impoverished. However, in the interest of accuracy, Jesus was not what one would consider a “refugee,” either then or now.

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis by Bauman, Sorens, & Smeir

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!

​

 

Where did Jesus live?​


ANSWER

Jesus lived in a variety of places. Before coming to earth, the Son of God was with the Father heaven. In John 17:5, just before His crucifixion, Jesus prays, “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” Also see John 1:1–2, 14.

Upon coming to earth, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The story is narrated in Luke 2. Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth but traveled to Bethlehem for a census. Apparently, they had no immediate family there because they had no place to stay. How long Jesus and Mary and Joseph stayed in Bethlehem is not known. We know that the wise men came to visit him in Bethlehem as well, but by this time, the family was in a house, not at the stable where He had been born. When King Herod heard of the purpose of the wise men’s visit, he attempted to kill Jesus as a potential rival. Based on the time frame that the wise men gave him regarding the star, Herod ordered that all boys in the vicinity of Bethlehem two years old and under should be killed (see Matthew 2).

Because of Herod’s plot, an angel warned Joseph in a dream to take the family to Egypt. They stayed in Egypt until the death of Herod. Again, we do not know how long that was (Matthew 2: 13–15). According to secular historical sources, Herod died in 4 BC, which tells us that it must not have been very long after Jesus’ birth that Herod died and the family was free to return to Israel.

Upon returning to Israel, Joseph moved the family back to Nazareth, where he and Mary had originally started out (Matthew 2:23; Luke 2:39). Bethlehem was in Judea, but Nazareth was about 90 miles north in Galilee. This was Jesus’ hometown—where He grew up. Thus, He was often referred to as “Jesus of Nazareth” (Matthew 26:71; Mark 1:24; 10:47; Luke 4:34; 18:37; 24:19; John 1:45; 18:5–7; 19:19; Acts 2:22; 3:6; 26:9).

After He began His public ministry, Jesus moved His base of operations to Capernaum, also in Galilee, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, about a day’s walk from Nazareth (Matthew 4:13). From Capernaum He made several trips to Jerusalem, and many of the events reported in the gospels took place in Jerusalem.

Giving us a hint of Jesus’ specific living quarters, Luke 9:57–58 records this exchange: “As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’” This seems to indicate that Jesus owned no home and had no property of His own. No doubt He stayed with friends from time to time as a guest, as He did with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany outside of Jerusalem (Luke 10:38). Also, He and the disciples may have simply camped wherever they were, as He carried on an itinerate ministry. Claims that Jesus was a rich man (and that He wants all of His followers to be rich as well) are simply not supported by the biblical evidence.

After Jesus’ resurrection, He ascended back to heaven where He is seated at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 8:1).

Jesus temporarily made His home on earth to secure for us a place in his Father’s house (John 14:1–4). One day, all who have put their faith in Him will enjoy living in His presence:

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:1–5).

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ by Stephen Wellum

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!

​

 

Did God create Jesus?​


ANSWER

“The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten” (The Athanasian Creed, verse 22). According to the Bible, and to the ancient creeds of Christianity, the Son of God is eternal. There was never a time when He did not exist. God did not create Jesus.

John 1:1–3 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” This passage echoes the phrasing of Genesis 1:1, but it reveals more about the God who created everything. The Word in this verse refers to the Son of God before He took on human flesh and came to earth. Colossians 2:9 says, “In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” So the Son, later to be called Jesus, already existed in the form of God, a member of the triune Godhead. He was not created because God was not created.

Philippians 2:6–8 describes what took place when Jesus came to earth:
“Being in very nature God,
[he] did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!”

When the Son came to earth, He took on human nature and a human body. His body was “prepared” for Him, in order for the perfect sacrifice to be offered for sin (Hebrews 10:5). The Holy Spirit overshadowed a virgin, and she conceived (Luke 1:26–38). Jesus was then born into the world. As a part of humbling Himself, Jesus set aside His rights and privileges as God and took on the limitations and weaknesses of a baby. The pre-existent Christ was not created at the Incarnation, and His divine nature remained intact; the change, at that particular point in human history, was that the eternal Son of God took on human flesh. He had already existed as God, but He humbled Himself in order to become a man. From that point on, the uncreated Son is both truly God and truly man.

Jesus had to be fully human in order to bear the penalty for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21). He lived the life we live, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). He lived in complete harmony with His heavenly Father (John 8:29) and in complete dependence upon the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:14; John 14:10). No created being could have borne the weight of the world’s sins. All sacrificial animals used before Christ were merely symbols of the coming Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Only God Himself could meet the requirements for an acceptable substitute, and Jesus is God. Those who have faith in Him are guaranteed eternal life (John 3:16–18; 6:37; 10:28).

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ by Stephen Wellum

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​

 

Was Jesus a Nazirite?​


ANSWER

Jesus was a Nazarene, but He was not a Nazirite. The two terms are often confused for one another. The term Nazarene refers to someone who lived in the town of Nazareth, while a Nazirite (or Nazarite) was someone (such as Samson or John the Baptist) who took a special vow before God and was subsequently consecrated to God for service. Numbers 6 details the requirements for being a Nazirite, which included abstaining from wine (verses 3–4), keeping one’s hair unshaved (verse 5), and staying away from dead bodies (verses 6–7). After the time of the vow was fulfilled, the Nazirite had to present sacrifices and cut his hair, offering this as a sacrifice as well. From this information, it is clear that Jesus was not a Nazirite.

Jesus could not have been a Nazirite since He did drink wine, as recorded in the gospels. In fact, His first miracle was to change water into wine at the marriage in Cana (John 2:1–11), and we assume that He drank some of that. Also, at the Last Supper Jesus drank wine: “After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, ‘Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes’” (Luke 22:17–18). If Jesus had taken a Nazirite vow, He could not have consumed any product of the vine.

A Nazirite had to let his hair grow in order to fulfill his vow. Many paintings depict Jesus with long hair, probably in the mistaken assumption that He was a Nazirite. But there is nothing in the Bible that indicates the length of His hair. It’s possible that He let it grow out, but, if He did, it was not because He had taken a Nazarite vow.

Because Nazarene and Nazirite have similar spellings, many people confuse the terms. But it is important to make the distinction, since Jesus was often called a Nazarene (e.g., Mark 10:47 and Acts 22:8) but not a Nazirite. Our Lord did not follow the rules laid out for a Nazirite in the Mosaic Law.

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ by Stephen Wellum

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Is Jesus Yahweh?​


ANSWER

The third chapter of Exodus describes the encounter between Moses and God about the Lord’s name: “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM’; and He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you”’” (Exodus 3:13–14, NASB).

The phrase I am who I am in the Hebrew is YHWH, often translated as “LORD,” “Yahweh,” or “Jehovah,” and is referred to in theology as the tetragrammaton (“a word having four letters”). The literal translation of the term is “I be that I be,” a statement that makes reference to God’s self-existence—He is not dependent upon anything else for His existence.

One of the foundational Christian doctrines is that Jesus is God. He is the Jehovah/YHWH/Yahweh described in Exodus 3. This teaching can be difficult to grasp because the Bible also says there is only one God: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).

The Bible’s claim that only a single God exists is called monotheism. The doctrine of Jesus being God does not mean that more than one God exists (polytheism) or that the Christian doctrine of the Trinity equates to there being three gods (tritheism) or that there is one God who represents Himself as one person in three different ways or modes (modalism).

Instead, Christianity teaches that there is one God who exists in triune fashion as three Persons within one God, i.e., one “what” but three “who’s”; a plurality of Persons who are one in essence. Referencing the depth of this doctrine, A. W. Tozer writes, “Our sincerest effort to grasp the incomprehensible mystery of the Trinity must remain forever futile, and only by deepest reverence can it be saved from actual presumption. We cover our deep ignorance with words, but we are ashamed to wonder, we are afraid to whisper ‘mystery’” (The Knowledge of the Holy, p. 18).

The Bible affirms the Son of God’s place in the Godhead in both the Old and New Testaments. One passage affirming the Son’s deity in the Old Testament is Psalm 2: “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!’ . . . Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (Psalm 2:1–3, 12, NASB).

In the New Testament, Jesus affirms His deity in many places. In His general teachings, He refers to Himself in the same way God is described in the Old Testament and does the same in twenty of His parables. Examples include the following:

God in the Old Testament
I AM (Exodus 3:14–15; Isaiah 48:12)
The Shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
The Light (Psalm 27:1)
The Rock (Psalm 18:2)
Ruler of all (Isaiah 9:6)
Judge of all nations (Joel 3:12)
The Bridegroom (Isaiah 62:5; Hosea 2:16)
God’s Word never passes away (Isaiah 40:8)
The Sower (Jeremiah 31:27; Ezra 34:9)
First and the Last (Isaiah 48:12)

Jesus’ Reference to Himself
I AM (John 8:58)
The Shepherd (John 10:11)
The Light (John 8:12)
The Rock (Matthew 7:24)
Ruler of all (Matthew 28:18)
Judge of all (John 5:22)
The Bridegroom (Matthew 25:1)
Jesus’ words never pass away (Mark 13:31)
The Sower (Matthew 13:3–9)
First and the Last (Revelation 1:17–18)

Jesus said many things that equated Himself with Yahweh: “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) and “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). He asked God, “Glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began” (John 17:5). He said, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17).

In addition, Jesus accepted worship nine times in the gospels, forgave sins, and commanded His disciples to pray in His name. Jesus never said—as other prophets did—“Thus says the Lord”; rather, Jesus said, “I say,” and commanded His disciples to baptize in His name.

The New Testament writers also refer to Jesus as God many times (e.g., Matthew 3:16–17; John 1:1–3,14; John 20:28; Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:5–8, 9–11; Colossians 1:16–19; 2:9–10; 1 Timothy 6:15; 2 Peter 1:1; Hebrews 1:8; 13:8; Revelation 1:8, 17; 2:8; 17:14; 19:16; 21:6; 22:13).

In conclusion, the teaching of Scripture is that Jesus is indeed Yahweh, the I AM, the God of the Old Testament.

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ by Stephen Wellum

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Why was Jesus crucified?​


ANSWER

There is both an earthly reason and a heavenly reason Jesus was crucified. Simply put, the earthly reason is that mankind is evil. The heavenly reason is that God is good.

The earthly reason Jesus was crucified: mankind is evil. Wicked men conspired against Him, falsely accused Him, and murdered Him. The leaders of Israel had several reasons they wanted Jesus to be executed. They were envious of His following (Matthew 27:18). They were afraid that Jesus would gather too large a following, which might bring the Roman authorities down on the nation, causing them to lose their positions (John 11:48). They hated the fact that Jesus called out their sin publicly (Matthew 23). And they thought He was blaspheming when He claimed to be the Son of God (Luke 22:66–71). But all these reasons were simply symptoms of their underlying unbelief (John 5:46).

Jesus was crucified, rather than stoned, hanged, drowned, etc., because His execution was carried out by the Romans. Crucifixion was the method of execution employed by the Roman Empire to make an example of someone and to deter others from committing the same offense. It was normal to post the charges against the condemned on the cross. Pilate posted the charge “King of the Jews” on Jesus’ cross (Matthew 27:37). The Jewish leaders had made this accusation to goad the Roman governor into executing Jesus. John 19:12 reports, “From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, ‘If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.’” Pilate could not afford to be seen as tolerating a rival to Caesar.

The heavenly reason Jesus was crucified: God is good. God had a plan to save sinners, and Jesus was the Lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Even though the act of crucifying Jesus was evil, the crucifixion was still the plan of God to make atonement for sin. “Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen” (Acts 4:27–28).

The crucifixion was not a case of evil getting out of control. Jesus told Pilate, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above” (John 19:11). The powers of darkness were given divine permission to act (Luke 22:53). God allowed the hatred, the conspiracy, the false accusations, the sham trials, and the murder of His Son. In the crucifixion of Christ, God used the evil desires of evil men to accomplish the greatest good: the provision of salvation for mankind. “It was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer” (Isaiah 53:10); the result was glorious: “He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (verse 12).

There is nothing in Old Testament prophecy that explicitly mandates that the Messiah be crucified. At the same time, there are hints of the manner of His death in the Law and the Prophets. In Galatians 3:13, Paul applies Deuteronomy 21:22–23 to the death of Christ. Crucifixion allowed for the “piercing” mentioned in Zechariah 12:10 (cf. John 19:37). Crucifixion results in the shedding of blood, necessary for a sacrifice (Hebrews 9:22; cf. Leviticus 17:11). In crucifixion, the breaking of bones can be avoided (Exodus 12:46; cf. John 19:36). And the crucifixion of Christ perfectly fits the description of the anguish David faced in Psalm 22.

We all have committed sins, and we are all worthy of death, but Christ took our place. He was publicly executed, and His blood was shed on our behalf, as Paul explains in Romans 3:25–26: “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

In the final analysis, the reason that Jesus was crucified is the answer that each of us must come to understand and embrace by faith: Jesus was crucified to pay for my sin so that I can be forgiven and be made right with God.

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

The Murder of Jesus by John MacArthur

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Did Jesus eat meat?​


ANSWER

Yes, Jesus ate meat. Several passages lead to this clear conclusion.

Genesis 9:3 is the first mention of eating meat. After the Flood, God told Noah, “Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.”

Throughout the Old Testament, meat eating was the norm, from the Passover lamb (Exodus 12) to the quail that God provided in the wilderness (Exodus 16) to the portions of the animal sacrifices that the priests and Levites ate (Deuteronomy 18). Daniel and his three friends refused to eat the king’s food in Babylon, choosing only vegetables (Daniel 1), but this was probably because there was no guarantee that the meat would have been considered clean according to the Mosaic law. Vegetarianism was not the issue.

Jesus says nothing that would change or challenge the dominant meat-eating practices of the Old Testament. In Luke 24:41–43, Jesus ate fish. Jesus also served fish to His followers (Matthew 14), and He caused the fishermen’s nets to be filled on two different occasions (Luke 5 and John 21). The purpose of catching the fish was to sell them so they could be eaten. Jesus also cooked fish for His disciples (John 21:9).

The best biblical evidence that Jesus ate meat is that He observed the annual Feast of Passover. The lamb sacrificed at Passover time was roasted and eaten as part of the requirements of the law (Exodus 12:8). Jesus took part in the feast every year as a child (Luke 2:41), and as an adult He continued the observance of the law. The Lord attended Passover in John 2:13, John 5:1, and Matthew 26:17–30. Jesus would have been in disobedience of the Law if He had not eaten the Passover meal—a meal that included meat.

Mark tells us that Jesus declared all foods to be clean (Mark 7:19). The distinction between clean and unclean foods was among animals, not plants. Declaring all foods to be clean meant that more animals were being allowed. We also have some direct teaching from Paul the apostle. Romans 14:2–3 says, “One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him.” Later, we have this statement: “As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself” (verse 14).

In the last couple of decades, some animal rights enthusiasts have claimed that Jesus was a vegetarian. Some groups have tried to apply Jesus’ teaching about kindness and compassion to animals. Some reason that modern methods of raising and slaughtering animals are inherently cruel, and, therefore, eating meat should be avoided. The humane treatment of animals, however, is a different issue. The answer to the question, “Did Jesus eat meat?” is a clear “yes.”

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

Eat This and Live by Don Colbert, M.D.

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​

 

How tall was Jesus?​


ANSWER

The Bible does not say anything about how tall Jesus was. Height is not something the Bible regularly mentions. The only people in the Bible who are mentioned in reference to their height are Saul (1 Samuel 9:2), Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4), and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:3). The only physical description the Bible gives of Jesus is found in Isaiah 53:2, and that verse provides little information: “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” This essentially means Jesus was ordinary. There was nothing spectacular about His appearance. It could be said that Jesus was average-looking.

With that in mind, the best speculation as to how tall Jesus was would be the average height of a first-century male Jew living in the land of Israel. Even arriving at that average leads to divergent opinions. Based on skeletal remains and other evidence, most anthropologists believe the average height of a Jewish male living in Israel in the first century AD was 5′1ʺ (155 cm). This is significantly shorter than the average height of men today, which is between 5′5ʺ (165 cm) and 5′11ʺ (181 cm), depending on the part of the world they live in.

Some use the Shroud of Turin to guess at how tall Jesus was. That artifact portrays a man around 6′1ʺ (185 cm) tall, and so some conclude that Jesus was approximately that height. There are two primary problems with using the Shroud of Turin in this manner. First, it is highly unlikely that the Shroud of Turin is truly Jesus’ burial cloth. Second, if Jesus was 6′1ʺ, He would have been approximately a foot taller than most of the other men in Israel during His time. That would have definitively made Him above average. His height—head and shoulders above everyone else—would have made Him attractive and desirable, in contradiction of the prophecy of Isaiah 53:2.

Others point to the fact that Jesus was sinless and, from that, extrapolate the idea that He had perfect genetics. According to this theory, the lack of genetic defects would have made Jesus tall. Besides the fact that Scripture never indicates that Jesus was a genetically perfect man, this theory ignores the other factors that help determine height, such as nutrition and environment. But again, the problem with this theory is Isaiah 53:2. If Jesus had perfect genetics, and if that made Him significantly taller than other people, then His appearance would not have been ordinary, again in negation of Isaiah 53:2.

So, how tall was Jesus? Very likely, He was of average height for His time and place, between 5′ (152 cm) and 5′5ʺ (165 cm). This conclusion bothers some people because, generally speaking, being tall is looked upon favorably and being short is looked upon unfavorably. We view Jesus as better than we are—and, of course, He is—and since, in our minds, being taller is better, we tend to picture Jesus as being taller than we. Centuries of artwork have furthered the idea that Jesus was rather tall, with a commanding presence. For these reasons, many of us have in our minds a portrait of Jesus as a tall man.

Our natural association of being tall with superiority is based on our inclination to infer moral qualities from physical traits. “People look at the outward appearance,” after all (1 Samuel 16:7). We want our heroes to be tall, strong, and strikingly handsome. Villains are supposed to be ugly or misshapen in some way. In contrast, unlike us, “the LORD looks at the heart,” and often it is the plain, the average, and the overlooked who are God’s choice. Jesus Christ was infinitely superior to us morally, spiritually, and intellectually, but, physically, He could have been simply average.

Ultimately, it does not matter how tall Jesus was. His height has absolutely nothing to do with any aspect of His ministry, death, or resurrection. Some of us may need a mindset change regarding height. While there are likely more advantages to being tall than there are to being short, being tall does not make anyone superior in the areas it really matters. A person who is 7′ (213 cm) is just as much created in the image of God as a person who is 4′ (122 cm). Jesus was probably not physically tall, but His height is meaningless in terms of bowing the knee to Him and acknowledging “that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11).

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ by Stephen Wellum

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

Why didn’t the disciples always recognize Jesus after His resurrection?​


ANSWER

The Bible does not specifically tell us why the followers of Christ did not always recognize Jesus after His resurrection. As a result, some of the following is speculation. Keeping this in mind, there are a few things that might have contributed to the disciples not recognizing Jesus immediately when He first appeared to them after His resurrection. First, even though Jesus had predicted that He would rise again on the third day, the disciples did not fully understand (Mark 9:32), because clearly they were not looking for Him to be resurrected. This can account for some of their surprise and shock at seeing Him.

One of the instances where Jesus was not recognized was Mary Magdalene’s coming to the tomb early in the morning (John 20:15). Instead of recognizing Jesus, she first mistook Him for the gardener. One thing that is important to remember is that we do not know how far Mary was from Jesus when she misidentified Him. It could be that she was simply too far to clearly recognize who He was until He spoke to her. Second, we must remember that since it was very early in the morning, the light would not have been very bright which could also have made it more difficult for her to see Him clearly. When we couple that with the fact that she was not expecting to see Him alive, it is easy to see why she did not recognize Him from a distance until He spoke to her.

A second instance in which Jesus was not immediately recognized was when the disciples did not recognize Him when they were out fishing (John 21:4). This could also be related to the distance Jesus might have been from them. A third instance is when the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35) did not recognize Jesus until He broke bread. How could these two disciples have walked, talked, and eaten with Jesus without recognizing Him? In this instance, it seems that they were supernaturally prevented from recognizing Jesus. Jesus perhaps had taken on a different appearance to keep Himself from being recognized. Why would Jesus have done this? The Bible does not say. Perhaps Jesus “veiled” His identity so the two disciples would truly think through the things Jesus was saying, rather than accepting the teaching blindly, as they likely would have if they had known it was Jesus.

What we can know for certain is that it was Jesus Himself who appeared to them because of all the testimony of those who saw the resurrected Christ. In addition, there was the witness of the remarkable change that took place in the lives of the disciples. Immediately before and after the crucifixion, the eleven apostles were in hiding in fear, yet after spending considerable time with the resurrected Christ, they became fearless evangelists proclaiming the gospel boldly no matter how strong the opposition. In addition, all eventually gave their lives for the sake of the gospel. Only witnessing the resurrected Jesus Christ can account for such a radical change.

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Gary Habermas

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Why did Jesus curse the fig tree?​


ANSWER

The account of Jesus cursing the barren fig tree is found in two different gospel accounts. First, it is seen in Matthew 21:18-22, and then also in Mark 11:12-14. While there are slight differences between the two accounts, they are easily reconciled by studying the passages. Like all Scripture, the key to understanding this passage comes from understanding the context in which it happened. In order to properly understand this passage, we must first look at the chronological and geographical setting. For example, when did this occur, what was the setting, and where did it happen? Also, in order to fully understand this passage, we need to have an understanding of the importance of the fig tree as it relates to the nation of Israel and understand how the fig tree is often used in the Scriptures to symbolically represent Israel. Finally, we must have a basic understanding of the fig tree itself, its growing seasons, etc.

First, in looking at the general chronological setting of the passage, we see that it happened during the week before His crucifixion. Jesus had entered Jerusalem a day earlier amid the praise and worship of the Jewish people who were looking to Him as the King/Messiah who was going to deliver them from Roman occupation (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11). Now, the next day, Jesus is again on His way to Jerusalem from where He was staying in Bethany. On His way, both Matthew and Mark record that He was hungry and saw a fig tree in the distance that had leaves on it (Mark 11:13). Upon coming to the tree expecting to find something to eat, Jesus instead discovered that the fig tree had no fruit on it and cursed the tree saying, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” (Matthew 21:19; Mark 11:14). Matthew records the cursing and the withering of the fig tree all in one account and includes it after the account of Jesus cleansing the Temple of the moneychangers. Mark explains that it actually took place over two days, with Jesus cursing the fig tree the first day on the way to cleanse the Temple, and the disciples seeing the tree withered on the second day when they were again going to Jerusalem from Bethany (Mark 11:12-14 and Mark 11:19-20). Of course, upon seeing the tree “withered from the roots up,” the disciples were amazed, as that would have normally taken several weeks.

Having reviewed the general chronological setting of the story, we can begin to answer some of many questions that are often asked of it. First of all is the question, Why did Jesus curse the fig tree if it was not the right season for figs? The answer to this question can be determined by studying the characteristics of fig trees. The fruit of the fig tree generally appears before the leaves, and, because the fruit is green it blends in with the leaves right up until it is almost ripe. Therefore, when Jesus and His disciples saw from a distance that the tree had leaves, they would have expected it to also have fruit on it even though it was earlier in the season than what would be normal for a fig tree to be bearing fruit. Also, each tree would often produce two to three crops of figs each season. There would be an early crop in the spring followed by one or two later crops. In some parts of Israel, depending on climate and conditions, it was also possible that a tree might produce fruit ten out of twelve months. This also explains why Jesus and His disciples would be looking for fruit on the fig tree even if it was not in the main growing season. The fact that the tree already had leaves on it even though it was at a higher elevation around Jerusalem, and therefore would have been outside the normal season for figs, would have seemed to be a good indication that there would also be fruit on it.

As to the significance of this passage and what it means, the answer to that is again found in the chronological setting and in understanding how a fig tree is often used symbolically to represent Israel in the Scriptures. First of all, chronologically, Jesus had just arrived at Jerusalem amid great fanfare and great expectations, but then proceeds to cleanse the Temple and curse the barren fig tree. Both had significance as to the spiritual condition of Israel. With His cleansing of the Temple and His criticism of the worship that was going on there (Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17), Jesus was effectively denouncing Israel’s worship of God. With the cursing of the fig tree, He was symbolically denouncing Israel as a nation and, in a sense, even denouncing unfruitful “Christians” (that is, people who profess to be Christian but have no evidence of a relationship with Christ).

The presence of a fruitful fig tree was considered to be a symbol of blessing and prosperity for the nation of Israel. Likewise, the absence or death of a fig tree would symbolize judgment and rejection. Symbolically, the fig tree represented the spiritual deadness of Israel, who while very religious outwardly with all the sacrifices and ceremonies, were spiritually barren because of their sins. By cleansing the Temple and cursing the fig tree, causing it to wither and die, Jesus was pronouncing His coming judgment of Israel and demonstrating His power to carry it out. It also teaches the principle that religious profession and observance are not enough to guarantee salvation, unless there is the fruit of genuine salvation evidenced in the life of the person. James would later echo this truth when he wrote that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). The lesson of the fig tree is that we should bear spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), not just give an appearance of religiosity. God judges fruitlessness, and expects that those who have a relationship with Him will “bear much fruit” (John 15:5-8).

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ by Stephen Wellum

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!

​

 

Why are both Jesus and Satan referred to as the morning star?​


ANSWER

The first reference to the morning star as an individual is in Isaiah 14:12: “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!” (NIV). The KJV and NKJV both translate “morning star” as “Lucifer, son of the morning.” It is clear from the rest of the passage that Isaiah is referring to Satan’s fall from heaven (Luke 10:18). So in this case, the morning star refers to Satan. In Revelation 22:16, Jesus unmistakably identifies Himself as the morning star. Why are both Jesus and Satan described as the “morning star”?

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It is interesting to note that the concept of the “morning star” is not the only concept that is applied to both Jesus and Satan. In Revelation 5:5, Jesus is referred to as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. In 1 Peter 5:8, Satan is compared to a lion, seeking someone to devour. The point is this, both Jesus and Satan, to a certain extent, have similarities to lions. Jesus is similar to a lion in that He is the King, He is royal and majestic. Satan is similar to a lion in that he seeks to devour other creatures. That is where the similarities between Jesus, Satan, and lions end, however. Jesus and Satan are like lions in very different ways.

The idea of a “bright morning star” is a star that outshines all the others, and Jesus is the One who is called “bright.” Satan was a morning star. Jesus, as God incarnate, the Lord of the universe, is the BRIGHT and morning star. Jesus is the most holy and powerful “light” in all the universe. So, while both Jesus and Satan can be described as “morning stars,” in no sense is this equating Jesus and Satan. Satan is a created being. His light only exists to the extent that God created it. Jesus is the light of the world (John 9:5). Only Jesus’ light is “bright” and self-existent. Satan may be a morning star, but he is only a poor imitation of the one true bright morning star, Jesus Christ, the light of the world.

FOR FURTHER STUDY​

God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ by Stephen Wellum

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

Why are both Jesus and Satan referred to as the Morning Star? | GotQuestions.org​


Got Questions Ministries






Who is the Bright and Morning Star in the Bible? After reading passages like, Revelation 5:5, 1 Peter 5:8, Isaiah 14:12, and Revelation 22:16, many come away asking, are Jesus and Satan both called the morning star? Are both Jesus and Lucifer the morning star, or is the Morning Star and the Bright and Morning in the Bible referring to two different individuals? In this video Pastor Nelson answers the question, why are both Jesus and Satan referred to as the morning star?


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