Who Is Jesus?
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
The prophet Isaiah spoke what must have been a mysterious statement to his listeners in the seventh century B.C. In speaking of the coming Messiah, he asserted his authority to rule in the sphere of government. The government would “be upon his shoulders.” This would not have been a surprise to anyone. It was assumed that the Messiah would lead the administrative affairs of the nation. Just as David had administered the kingdom effectively, so would the Messiah.
The other terms Isaiah used to describe the Messiah, however, were unexpected. He would be “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” These sounded like divine titles. What person could be worthy of such praise? While the Messiah might be great, would he be God? Was God himself coming to earth in some way that no one could imagine? Isaiah’s words must have both confused and excited the people. When the Messiah came, he would be a kind and compassionate counselor to the people. As the Prince of Peace, his reign would bring peace. His power would be that of the Mighty God. His closeness to God himself would cause him to be called Everlasting Father. No one, of course, actually expected God to come to earth. That, however, was one of the great surprises of Jesus’ life and ministry. We call the coming of God into the world in the person of Jesus Christ the Incarnation.
There are questions that might be asked. Did the Son of God come into existence when Jesus was born? The theological answer is, “No.” The Son of God existed since before eternity. When he came in the person of Jesus, he left heaven to do so. Did the Incarnation diminish either his divinity or his humanity? The answer again is “No.” Jesus was both fully God and also fully human. Exactly how this could be true is part of the mystery that surrounds the Incarnation.
How is Jesus divine? As to his divinity, he is the Son, the second person of the Trinity. He is one substance with the Father and has existed from eternity. As to his humanity, he is like us in every way but sin. He is of one substance with us and like us in having both a human soul and a human body. This is a great mystery before which we stand in awe, and it is a mystery at the heart of Christianity. All Christians everywhere affirm this mystery.
The Incarnation is a uniquely Christian belief. Islam, for example, denies the Incarnation. To it, Jesus is a prophet but not the Son of God. In the same way, Hinduism is not uncomfortable with the idea of Jesus as a prophet. They resist the idea, however, that he was anything more. Judaism, of course, rejects Jesus as both the Messiah and the Son of God. Why is Jesus’ nature as the Son of God important? I John puts the issue clearly. It says that those who reject Jesus as the Son of God stand outside Christian belief. “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also” (I John 2:22, 23). Knowing and believing the truth about Jesus makes all the difference. He was more than a great teacher, leader, or prophet. He was truly God come among us: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.