For the sake of clearness we distinguish between the covenant of redemption and the covenant of grace. The two are so closely related that they can be and sometimes are, considered as one. The former is the eternal foundation of the latter.

1. The Covenant of Redemption. This is also called "the counsel of peace," a name derived from Zech. 6:13. "even he shall build the temple of Jehovah; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. (Zechariah 6:13)"

It is a covenant between the Father, representing the Trinity, and the Son as the representative of the elect.

a. The scriptural basis for it. It is clear that the plan of redemption was included in God's eternal decree,

Eph. 1:4 ff.; 3:11; "according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: (Ephesians 3:11)"

II Tim. 1:9. "who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal, (2 Timothy 1:9)"

Christ speaks of promises made to Him before He came into the world, and repeatedly refers to a commission which He received from the Father,

John 5:30, 43; "30 I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me....43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. (John 5:30,43)"

6:38-40; "38 For I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:38-40)"

17:4-12. He is evidently a covenant head, Rom. 5:12-21; I Cor. 15:22. "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22)"

In

Ps. 2:7-9 "7 I will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto me, Thou art my son; This day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I will give [thee] the nations for thine inheritance, And the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (Psalms 2:7-9)"

the parties of the covenant are mentioned and a promise is indicated, and in

Ps. 40:7, 8 "7 Then said I, Lo, I am come; In the roll of the book it is written of me: 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God; Yea, thy law is within my heart. (Psalms 40:7-8)"

the Messiah expresses His readiness to do the Father's will in becoming a sacrifice for sin.

b. The Son in the covenant of redemption. Christ is not only the Head but also the Surety of the covenant of redemption,

Heb. 7:22. "by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant. (Hebrews 7:22)"

A surety is one who takes upon himself the legal obligations of another. Christ took the place of the sinner, to bear the penalty of sin and to meet the demands of the law for His people. By so doing He became the last Adam, a life-giving spirit,

I Cor. 15:45. "So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam [became] a life-giving spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:45)"

For Christ this covenant was a covenant of works, in which He met the requirements of the original covenant, but for us it is the eternal foundation of the covenant of grace. Its benefits are limited to the elect. They only obtain the redemption and inherit the glory which Christ merited for sinners.

c. Requirements and promises in the covenant of redemption.

(1) The Father required of the Son that He should assume human nature with its present infirmities, though without sin,

Gal. 4:4, 5; "4 but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:4-5)"

Heb. 2:10, 11, 14, 15; "10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, ... 14 Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:10-11, 14-15)"

4:15; "For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)"

that He should place Himself under the law to pay the penalty and to merit eternal life for the elect,

Ps. 40:8; "I delight to do thy will, O my God; Yea, thy law is within my heart. (Psalms 40:8)"

John 10:11; "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)"

Gal. 1:4; "who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father: (Galatians 1:4)"

4:4, 5; "4 but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:4-5)"

and that He should apply His merits to His people by the renewing operation of the Holy Spirit, thus securing the consecration of their lives to God,

John 10:28; "and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:28)"

17:19-22; "19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. 20 Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me. 22 And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we [are] one; (John 17:19-22)"

Heb. 5:7-9. "7 Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, 8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation; (Hebrews 5:7-9)"

(2) And the Father promised the Son that He would prepare for Him a body, Heb. 10:5, "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, But a body didst thou prepare for me; (Hebrews 10:5)"

would anoint Him with the Holy Spirit,

Isa. 42:1; "Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. (Isaiah 42:1)"

61:1; "The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound; (Isaiah 61:1)"

John 3:34, "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for he giveth not the Spirit by measure. (John 3:34)"

would support Him in His work,

Isa. 42:6, 7; "6 I, Jehovah, have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; 7 to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house. (Isaiah 42:6-7)"

Luke 22:43 "And there appeared unto him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. (Luke 22:43)"

would deliver Him from the power of death and place Him at His own right hand,

Ps. 16:8-11; "8 I have set Jehovah always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; My flesh also shall dwell in safety. 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalms 16:8-11)"

Phil. 2:9-11, "9 Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; 10 that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven and [things] on earth and [things] under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)"

would enable Him to send the Spirit for the formation of the Church,

John 14:26; "But the Comforter, [even] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you. (John 14:26)"

15:26; "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me: (John 15:26)"

16:13, 14, "13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, [these] shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare [it] unto you. (John 16:13-14)"

would draw and preserve the elect,

John 6:37, 39, 40, 44, 45, "37 All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. ...39 And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. ...44 No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me. (John 6:37,39-40,44-45)

and would grant Him a numerous seed,

Ps. 22:27; "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto Jehovah; And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. (Psalms 22:27)"

72:17 "His name shall endure for ever; His name shall be continued as long as the sun: And men shall be blessed in him; All nations shall call him happy. (Psalms 72:17)"

2. The Covenant of Grace.

On the basis of the covenant of redemption God established the covenant of grace. Several particulars call for consideration here.

a. The contracting parties. God is the first party in the covenant. He establishes the covenant and determines the relation in which the second party will stand to Him. It is not so easy to determine who the second party is. The prevailing opinion in Reformed circles is that it is the elect sinner in Christ. We should bear in mind, however, that the covenant may be viewed in two different ways:

(1) As an end in itself, a covenant of mutual friendship or communion of life, which is realized in the course of history through the operation of the Holy Spirit. It represents a condition in which privileges are improved for spiritual ends, the promises of God are embraced by a living faith, and the promised blessings are fully realized. So conceived, it may be defined as that gracious agreement between God and the elect sinner in Christ, in which God gives Himself with all the blessings of salvation to the elect sinner, and the latter embraces God and all His gracious gifts by faith.

Deut. 7:9; II Chron. 6:14; Ps. 25:10, 14; 103:17, 18. "17 But the lovingkindness of Jehovah is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, And his righteousness unto children's children; 18 To such as keep his covenant, And to those that remember his precepts to do them. (Psalms 103:17-18)"

(2) As a means to an end, a purely legal arrangement for the realization of a spiritual end. It is evident that the Bible sometimes speaks of the covenant as including some in whom the promises are never realized, such as Ishmael, Esau, the wicked sons of Eli, and the rebellious Israelites who died in their sins. The covenant may be regarded as a purely legal agreement, in which God guarantees the blessings of salvation to all who believe. If we think of the covenant in this broader sense, we can say that God established it with believers and their children,

Gen. 17:7; "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. (Genesis 17:7)"

Acts 2:39; "For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him. (Acts 2:39)"

Rom. 9:1-4. "1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren's sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service [of God], and the promises; (Romans 9:1-4)"

b. The promises and requirements of the covenant. Every covenant has two sides; it offers certain privileges and imposes certain obligations.

(1) The promises of the covenant. The main promise of the covenant, which includes all others, is contained in the oft repeated words,

"I will be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee," Jer. 31:33; "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith Jehovah: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: (Jeremiah 31:33)"

32:38-40; "38 and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: 39 and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 40 and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from following them, to do them good; and I will put my fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from me. (Jeremiah 32:38-40)"

Ezek. 34:23-25, 30, 31; "23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. 24 And I, Jehovah, will be their God, and my servant David prince among them; I, Jehovah, have spoken it. 25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell securely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. ...30 And they shall know that I, Jehovah, their God am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord Jehovah. 31 And ye my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord Jehovah. (Ezekiel 34:23-25,30-31)"

36:25-28; "25 And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep mine ordinances, and do them. 28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. (Ezekiel 36:25-28)"

Heb. 8:10; "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, And on their heart also will I write them: And I will be to them a God, And they shall be to me a people: (Hebrews 8:10)"

II Cor. 6:16-18. "16 And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you, 18 And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:16-18)"

This promise includes all others, such as the promise of temporal blessings, of justification, of the Spirit of God, and of final glorification in a life that never ends.

Job 19:25-27; "25 But as for me I know that my Redeemer liveth, And at last he will stand up upon the earth: 26 And after my skin, [even] this [body], is destroyed, Then without my flesh shall I see God; 27 Whom I, even I, shall see, on my side, And mine eyes shall behold, and not as a stranger. My heart is consumed within me. (Job 19:25-27)"

Ps. 16:11; "Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalms 16:11)"

73:24-26; "24 Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven [but thee]? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth; [But] God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. (Psalms 73:24-26)"

Isa. 43:25; "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake; and I will not remember thy sins. (Isaiah 43:25)"

Jer. 31:33, 34; "33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith Jehovah: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: 34 and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith Jehovah: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more. (Jeremiah 31:33-34)"

Ezek. 36:27; "And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep mine ordinances, and do them. (Ezekiel 36:27)"

Dan. 12:2, 3; "2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:2-3)"

Gal. 4:4, 5, 6; "4 but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:4-6)"

Tit, 3:7; "that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7)"

Heb. 11:7; "By faith Noah, being warned [of God] concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. (Hebrews 11:7)"

Jas. 2:5. "Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world [to be] rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? (James 2:5)"

(2) The requirements of the covenant. The covenant of grace is not a covenant of works; it requires no work with a view to merit. However, it does contain requirements and imposes obligations on man. By meeting the demands of the covenant man earns nothing, but merely puts himself in the way in which God will communicate to him the promised blessings. Moreover, it should be borne in mind that even the requirements are covered by the promises: God gives man all that He requires of him. The two things which He demands of those who stand in covenant relationship to Him are

(a) that they accept the covenant and the covenant promises by faith, and thus enter upon the life of the covenant; and

(b) that from the principle of the new life born within them, they consecrate themselves to God in new obedience.

c. The characteristics of the covenant. The covenant of grace is a GRACIOUS covenant, because it is a fruit and manifestation of the grace of God to sinners. It is grace from start to finish. It is also an eternal and inviolable covenant, to which God will always be true, though men may break it. Even in its widest extent it includes only a part of mankind, and is therefore PARTICULAR. If its New Testament dispensation is called universal, this is done only in view of the fact that it is not limited to the Jews, as the Old Testament dispensation was. This covenant is also characterized by UNITY. It is essentially the same in all dispensations, though the form of its administration changes. The essential promise is the same,

Gen. 17:7; "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. (Genesis 17:7)"

Heb. 8:10, "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, And on their heart also will I write them: And I will be to them a God, And they shall be to me a people: (Hebrews 8:10)"

the gospel is the same,

Gal. 3:8, "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, [saying,] In thee shall all the nations be blessed. (Galatians 3:8)"

the requirement of faith is the same, Gal. 3:6, 7, "6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. 7 Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham. (Galatians 3:6-7)"

and the Mediator is the same,

Heb. 13:8. "Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and to-day, [yea] and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)"

The covenant is both CONDITIONAL and UNCONDITIONAL. It is conditional because it is dependent on the merits of Christ and because the enjoyment of the life it offers depends on the exercise of faith. But it is unconditional in the sense that it does not depend on any merits of man. And, finally, it is testamentary as a free and sovereign disposition on the part of God. It is called a 'testament' in

Heb. 9:16, 17. "16 For where a testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him that made it. 17 For a testament is of force where there hath been death: for it doth never avail while he that made it liveth. (Hebrews 9:16-17)"

This name stresses the facts,

(1) that it is a free arrangement of God;

(2) that its New Testament dispensation was ushered in by the death of Christ; and

(3) that in it God gives what He demands. The covenant of grace differs from the covenant of works in that it has a mediator. Christ is represented as the Mediator of the new covenant,

I Tim. 2:5; "For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, [himself] man, Christ Jesus, (1 Timothy 2:5)"

Heb. 8:6; "But now hath he obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises. (Hebrews 8:6)"

9:15; "And for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9:15)"

12:24. "and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than [that of] Abel. (Hebrews 12:24)"

He is Mediator, not only merely in the sense that He intervenes between God and man to sue for peace and to persuade to it, but in the sense that He is armed with full power to do all that is necessary for the actual establishment of peace. As our Surety,

Heb. 7:22, "by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant. (Hebrews 7:22)"

He assumes our guilt, pays the penalty of sin, fulfills the law, and thus restores peace.

d. Membership in the covenant. Adults can enter the covenant as a purely legal arrangement only by faith. And when they so enter it, they at the same time gain entrance into the covenant as a communion of life. They therefore enter upon the full covenant life at once. Children of believers, however, enter the covenant as a legal arrangement by birth, but this does not necessarily mean that they also at once enter it as a communion of life, nor even that they will ever enter it in that sense. Yet the promise of God gives a reasonable assurance that the covenant life will be realized in them. As long as they do not manifest the contrary we may proceed on the assumption that they possess the new life. When they grow up, they must accept their covenant responsibilities voluntarily by a true confession of faith. Failure to do this makes them covenant breakers. From the preceding it follows that unregenerate persons may temporarily be in the covenant as a purely legal relationship,

Rom. 9:4. "who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service [of God], and the promises; (Romans 9:4)"

They are recognized as covenant children, are subject to its requirements and share its ministrations. They receive the seal of baptism, enjoy the common blessings of the covenant, and may even partake of some special operations of the Holy Spirit. If they do not accept the corresponding responsibilities, they will be judged as breakers of the covenant. The different dispensations of the covenant.

(1) The first revelation of the covenant is found in

Gen. 3:15, "and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)"

which is usually called the protevangel or the maternal promise. This does not yet refer to the formal establishment of the covenant.

(2) The covenant with Noah is of a very general nature as a covenant with all flesh. It conveys only natural blessings, and is therefore often called the covenant of nature or of common grace. It is closeconnected, however, with the covenant of grace. It is also a fruit of the grace of God and guarantees those natural and temporal blessings which are absolutely necessary for the realization of the covenant of grace.

(3) The covenant with Abraham marks its formal establishment. It is the beginning of the Old Testament particularistic administration of the covenant, which is now limited to Abraham and his descendants, Faith stands out prominently as its necessary requirement, and circumcision becomes its seal.

(4) The covenant at Sinai is essentially the same as that established with Abraham, but now takes in the whole nation of Israel, and thus became a national covenant. Though it strongly stresses the keeping of the law, it should not be regarded as a renewed covenant of works. The law increased the consciousness of sin,

Rom. 3:20, "because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law [cometh] the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)"

and became a tutor unto Christ, Gal. 3:24. "So that the law is become our tutor [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:24)"

Passover was added as a second sacrament.

(5) The new covenant, as revealed in the New Testament,

Jer. 31:31; "Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: (Jeremiah 31:31)"

Heb. 8:8, 13, "8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; ...13 In that he saith, A new [covenant] he hath made the first old. But that which is becoming old and waxeth aged is nigh unto vanishing away. (Hebrews 8:8,13)"

is essentially the same as that of the Old Testament, Rom. 4; Gal. 3. It now breaks through the barriers of particularism and becomes universal in the sense that its blessings are extended to people of all nations. Its blessings become fuller and more spiritual, and baptism and the Lord's Supper are substituted for the Old Testament sacraments.

To memorize. Passages bearing on:

a. The parties of the covenant:

Gen. 3:15. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

Gen 17:7. "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee."

Ex. 19:5, 6a. "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then shall ye be mine own possession from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation."

Jer. 31:31-33, "Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, saith Jehovah. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith Jehovah: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

Acts 2:39. "For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto Him."

b. Its promises and requirements:

Cf. Gen. 17:7; "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. (Genesis 17:7)"

Ex. 19:5; 6a; "5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be mine own possession from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine: 6 and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation... (Exodus 19:5-6a)"

Jer. 31:33 under a. above, for the essential promise.

Gen. 15:6. "And he (Abraham) believed in Jehovah, and He reckoned it to him for righteousness."

Ex. 19:5. "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be mine own possession from among all peoples."

Ps. 25:14. "The friendship of Jehovah is with them that fear Him; and He will show them His covenant."

Ps. 103:17, 18. "But the lovingkindness of Jehovah is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children's children; to such as keep His covenant, and to those that remember His precepts to do them."

Gal. 3:7, 9. "Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.... So then they that are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham."

c. Characteristics of the covenant:

Eternal.

Gen. 17:19b. "And I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him."

Isa. 54:10. "For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but my lovingkindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall my covenant of peace be removed, saith Jehovah that hath mercy on thee."

Isa. 24:5. "The earth also is polluted under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant."

Unity.

Gal. 3:7, 9 under b. above.

Rom. 4:11. "And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision; that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them"

Testamentary.

Heb. 9:17, 18. "For a testament is of force where there hath been death; for it doth never avail while he that made it liveth. Wherefore even the first covenant hath not been dedicated without blood."

d. The Mediator of the covenant:

I Tim. 2:5. "For there is one God, one Mediator also between God and men, Himself man, Christ Jesus."

Heb. 7:22. "By so much also hath Jesus become the Surety of a better covenant."

Heb. 8:6. "But now He hath obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as He is also the Mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises."

For Further Study:

a. Can you name some special covenants mentioned in the Bible?

Gen. 31:44; "And now come, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. (Genesis 31:44)"

Deut. 29:1; "These are the words of the covenant which Jehovah commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. (Deuteronomy 29:1)"

I Sam. 18:3; "Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. (1 Samuel 18:3)"

II Sam. 23:5. "Verily my house is not so with God; Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, Ordered in all things, and sure: For it is all my salvation, and all [my] desire, Although he maketh it not to grow. (2 Samuel 23:5)"

b. Can you name instances of covenant breaking?

Gen. 25:32-34, "32 And Esau said, Behold, I am about to die. And what profit shall the birthright do to me? 33 And Jacob said, Swear to me first. And he sware unto him. And he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils. And he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:32-34)"

cf. Heb. 12:16, 17; "16 lest [there be] any fornication, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright. 17 For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind [in his father,] though he sought is diligently with tears. (Hebrews 12:16-17)"

Ex. 32:1-14; Num. 14; Num. 16; Judg. 2:11 ff.; I Sam. 2:12 ff.; Isa. 24:5; "The earth also is polluted under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. (Isaiah 24:5)"

Ezek. 16:59; "For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will also deal with thee as thou hast done, who hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant. (Ezekiel 16:59)"

Hos. 6:7; "But they like Adam have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me. (Hosea 6:7)"

8:1; "[Set] the trumpet to thy mouth. As an eagle [he cometh] against the house of Jehovah, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law. (Hosea 8:1)"

10:4. "They speak [vain] words, swearing falsely in making covenants: therefore judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field. (Hosea 10:4)"

c. Did the giving of the law change the covenant essentially?

Rom. 4:13-17; "13 For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect: 15 for the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. 16 For this cause [it is] of faith, that [it may be] according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, [even] God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were. (Romans 4:13-17)"

Gal. 3:17-24. "17 Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect. 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise. 19 What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; [and it was] ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not [a mediator] of one; but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law. 22 But the scriptures shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 So that the law is become our tutor [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:17-24)"

Questions for Review

1. What is the covenant of redemption? By what other name is it known, and how is it related to the covenant of grace?

2. What scriptural evidence is there for it?

3. What is the official position of Christ in this covenants?

4. Was it for Christ a covenant of grace or a covenant of works?

5. Whom does Christ represent in this covenant?

6. What did the Father require of Christ, and what did He promise Him?

7. What distinction do we apply to the covenant of grace?

8. How does this affect the question, who is the second party in the covenant?

9. What is the all-embracing promise of the covenant?

10. What does God require of those who are in the covenant?

11. What are the characteristics of the covenant?

12. In what sense is the covenant unbreakable, and in what sense breakable?

13. How can you prove the unity of the covenants?

14. In what sense is it conditional, and in what sense unconditional?

15. Why can it be called a testament?

16. Where do we find the first revelation of the covenant?

17. What was the nature of the covenant with Noah?

18. How did the covenant with, Abraham and the Sinaitic covenant differ?

19. What characterized the New Testament dispensation of the covenants?

20. What is the position of Christ in the covenant of grace?

21. How can adults become covenant members?

22. How do children of believers enter the covenant?

23. What is expected of them?

24. Can unregenerate persons be members of the covenant?

1.The Names of Christ. The most important names of Christ are the following:

a. Jesus. This is the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua, Jos. 1:1; Zech. 3:1, or Jeshua, Ezra 2:2.

Derived from the Hebrew word 'to save,' it designates Christ as the Saviour,

Matt. 1:21. "And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)"

Two types of Christ bore the same name in the Old Testament, namely, Joshua the son of Nun and Joshua the son of Jehozadak.

b. Christ. This is the New Testament form for the Old Testament 'Messiah,' which means 'the anointed one.' According to the Old Testament, prophets, I Kings 19:16, priests, Ex. 29:7, and kings, I Sam. 10:1, were anointed with oil, which symbolized the Holy By this anointing they were set aside for their respective offices, and were qualified for them. Christ was anointed with the Holy Spirit for the threefold office of prophet, priest, and king. Historically, this anointing took place when He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and when He was baptized.

c. Son of Man. This name, as applied to Christ, was derived from Dan. 7:13. It is the name which Jesus generally applies to Himself, while others seldom use it. While it does contain an indication of the humanity of Jesus, in the light of its historical origin in points far more to His superhuman character and to His future coming with the clouds of heaven in majesty and glory,

Dan. 7:13; "I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. (Daniel 7:13)"

Matt. 16:27, 28; "27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he render unto every man according to his deeds. 28 Verily I say unto you, there are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. (Matthew 16:27-28)"

26:64; "Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. (Matthew 26:64)"

Luke 21:27. "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. (Luke 21:27)"

d. Son of God. Christ is called 'the Son of God' in more than one sense. He is so called, because He is the second Person of the Trinity, and therefore Himself God,

Matt. 11:27, "All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal [him.] (Matthew 11:27)"

but also because He is the appointed Messiah,

Matt. 24:36, "But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only. (Matthew 24:36)"

and because His birth to the supernatural activity of the Holy Spirit,

Luke 1:35. "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)"

e. Lord. Jesus' contemporaries sometimes applied this name to Jesus as a form of polite address, just as we use the word 'sir.' It is especially after the resurrection of Christ that the name acquires a deeper meaning. In some passages it designates Christ as the Owner and Ruler of the Church,

Rom. 1:7; "To all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called [to be] saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)"

Eph. 1:17, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; (Ephesians 1:17)"

and in others it really stands for the name of God,

I Cor. 7:34; "... [So] also the woman that is unmarried and the virgin is careful for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married is careful for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. (1 Corinthians 7:34)"

Phil. 4:4, 5. "4 Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. (Philippians 4:4-5)"

2. The Natures of Christ. The Bible represents Christ as a Person having two natures, the one divine and the other human. This is the great mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh,

I Tim. 3:16. "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)"

a. The two natures. Since many in our day deny the DEITY of Christ, it is necessary to stress the Scripture proof for it. Some old Testament passages clearly point to it, Such as

Isa. 9:6; "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)"

Jer. 23:6; "In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness. (Jeremiah 23:6)"

Micah 5:2; "But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. (Micah 5:2)"

Mal. 3:1. "Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire, behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts. (Malachi 3:1)"

The New Testament proofs are even more abundant,

Matt. 11:27; "All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal [him.] (Matthew 11:27)"

16:16; "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16)"

26:63, 64; "63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. (Matthew 26:63-64)"

John 1:1, 18; "1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ... 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him]. (John 1:1,18)"

Rom. 9:5; "whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (Romans 9:5)"

I Cor. 2:8; "which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: (1 Corinthians 2:8)"

II Cor. 5:10; "For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things [done] in the body, according to what he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)"

Phil. 2:6; "who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, (Philippians 2:6)"

Col. 2:9; "for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, (Colossians 2:9)"

Heb. 1:1-3; "1 God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, 2 hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in [his] Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds; 3 who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:1-3)"

Rev. 19:16. "And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KINGS OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16)"

The HUMANITY of Jesus is not called in question. In fact, the only divinity many still ascribe to Him is that of His PERFECT humanity. There is abundant proof for the humanity of Jesus. He speaks of Himself as man,

John 8:40, "But now ye seek to kill me, a man [Gk: ANTHRWPON] that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham. (John 8:40)"

and is so called by others,

Acts 2:22; "Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know; (Acts 2:22)"

Rom. 5:15; "But not as the trespass, so also [is] the free gift. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound unto the many. (Romans 5:15)"

I Cor. 15:21. "For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead. (1 Corinthians 15:21)"

He had the essential elements of human nature, namely, a body and a soul,

Matt. 26:26, 38; "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it; and he gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. (Matthew 26:26)"

Luke 24:39; "See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye behold me having. (Luke 24:39)"

Heb. 2:14. "Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (Hebrews 2:14)"

Moreover, He was subject to the ordinary laws of human development,

Luke 2:40, 52, "40 And the child grew, and waxed strong, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. ...52 And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:40,52)"

and to human wants and sufferings,

Matt. 4:2; "And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered. (Matthew 4:2)"

8:24; "And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. (Matthew 8:24)"

Luke 22:44; "And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground. (Luke 22:44)"

John 4:6; "and Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. (John 4:6)"

11:35; "Jesus wept. (John 11:35)"

12:27; "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour. (John 12:27)"

Heb. 2:10, 18; "10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. ...18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. (Hebrews 2:10,18)"

Heb. 5:7, 8. "7 Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, 8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; (Hebrews 5:7-8)"

Yet though He was a real man, HE WAS WITHOUT SIN; He did no sin and could not sin,

John 8:46; "Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why do ye not believe me? (John 8:46)"

II Cor. 5:21; "Him who knew no sin he made [to be] sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)"

Heb. 4:15; "For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)"

9:14; "how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)"

I Pet. 2:22; "who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (1 Peter 2:22)"

I John 3:5. "And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin. (1 John 3:5)"

It was necessary that Christ should be both God and man. It was only AS MAN that He could be our substitute, and could suffer and die; and only as SINLESS MAN that He could atone for the sins of others. And it was only AS GOD that He could give His sacrifice infinite value, and bear the wrath of God so as to deliver others from it,

Ps. 40:7-10; "7 Then said I, Lo, I am come; In the roll of the book it is written of me: 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God; Yea, thy law is within my heart. 9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great assembly; Lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Jehovah, thou knowest. 10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation; I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great assembly. (Psalms 40:7-10)"

130:3. "If thou, Jehovah, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? (Psalms 130:3)"

b. The two natures united in one Person. Christ has a human nature, but He is not a human person. The Person of the Mediator is the unchangeable Son of God. In the incarnation He did not change into a human person; neither did He adopt a human person. He simply assumed, in addition to His divine nature, a human nature, which did not develop into an independent personality, but became personal in the Person of the Son of God. After this assumption of human nature the Person of the Mediator is not only divine but DIVINE-HUMAN; He is the God-man, possessing all the essential qualities of both the human and the divine nature. He has both a divine and a human consciousness, as well as a human and a divine will. This is a mystery which we cannot fathom. Scripture clearly points to the unity of the Person of Christ. It is always the same Person who speaks, whether the mind that finds utterance be human or divine,

John 10:30; "I and the Father are one. (John 10:30)"

17:5 "And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. (John 17:5)"

as compared with

Matt. 27:46; "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46)"

John 19:28. "After this Jesus, knowing that all things are now finished, that the scripture might be accomplished, saith, I thirst. (John 19:28)"

Human attributes and actions are sometimes ascribed to the Person designated by a divine title,

Acts 20:28; "Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)

I Cor. 2:8; "which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: (1 Corinthians 2:8)"

Col. 1:13, 14; "13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; 14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: (Colossians 1:13-14)"

and divine attributes and actions are sometimes ascribed to the Person designated by a human title,

John 3:13; "And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, [even] the Son of man, who is in heaven. (John 3:13)"

6:62; "[What] then if ye should behold the Son of man ascending where he was before? (John 6:62)"

Rom. 9:5. "whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (Romans 9:5)"

c. Some of the most important errors concerning this doctrine. The Alogi and the Ebionites denied the DEITY of Christ in the early Church. This denial was shared by the Socinians of the days of the Reformation, and by the Unitarians and Modernists of our day. In the early Church Arius failed to do justice to the FULL DEITY of Christ and regarded Him as a demi-God, while Apollinaris did not recognize His FULL HUMANITY, but held that the divine Logos took the place of the human spirit in Christ. The Nestorians denied the unity of the two natures in one Person, and the Eutychians failed to distinguish properly between the two natures.

To memorize. Passages to prove:

a. The deity of Christ.

Isa. 9:6. "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Jer. 23:6. "In His days shall Judah be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is His name whereby He shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness."

John 1:1. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Rom. 9:5. "Whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever."

Col. 2:9. "For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the God"

b. The humanity of Christ.

John 8:40. "But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God."

Matt. 26:38. "Then said He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: abide here and watch with me."

Luke 24:39. "See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself'. handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye behold me having."

Heb. 2:14. "Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, He also Himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death He might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil."

e. The unity of the Person.

John 17:5. "And now, Father, glorify Thou me with 70a thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was."

John 3:13. "And no one hath ascended into heaven, but He that descended out of heaven, even the Son of Man, who is in heaven."

I Cor.2:8. "Which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."

For Further Study:

a. In what respect was Joshua the son of Nun a type of Christ; and in what respect Joshua the son of Jehozadak?

Zech. 3:8, 9; "8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men that are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch. 9 For, behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; upon one stone are seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. (Zechariah 3:8-9)"

Heb. 4:8. "For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. (Hebrews 4:8)"

b. What do the following passages teach us respecting the anointing of Christ?

Ps. 2:2; "The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against Jehovah, and against his anointed, [saying], (Psalms 2:2)"

45:7; "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness: Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Psalms 45:7)"

Prov. 8:23 (cf. Auth. Ver.), "I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was. (Proverbs 8:23)"

Isa. 61:1. "The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound; (Isaiah 61:1)"

c. What divine attributes are ascribed to Christ?

Isa. 9:6; "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)"

Prov. 8:22-31; Micah 5:2; "But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. (Micah 5:2)"

John 5:26; "For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself: (John 5:26)"

21:17. "He saith unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (John 21:17)"

What divine works?

Mark 2:5-7; "5 And Jesus seeing their faith saith unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins are forgiven. 6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 7 Why doth this man thus speak? he blasphemeth: who can forgive sins but one, [even] God? (Mark 2:5-7)"

John 1:1-3; "1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. (John 1:1-3)

Col. 1:16, 17; "16 for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; 17 and he is before all things, and in him all things consist. (Colossians 1:16-17)"

Heb. 1:1-3. "1 God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, 2 hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in [his] Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds; 3 who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:1-3)"

What divine honor?

Matt. 28:19; "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: (Matthew 28:19)"

John 5:19-29; 14:1; II Cor. 13:14. "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14)"

Questions for Review

1. Which are the most important names of Christ? What is the meaning of each?

2. What elements are included in Christ's anointing? When did it take place?

3. Whence is the name 'Son of Man' derived' What does the name express?

4. In what sense is the name 'Son of God' applied to Christ?

5. What different meanings has the name 'Lord' as applied to Christ?

6. What Bible proof is there for the deity and humanity of Christ?

7. What is the nature of the Person of Christ, divine, human, or divine-human?

8. How can the unity of the Person of Christ be proved from Scripture.?

9. What are the main errors respecting the Person of Christ?

We often use the words 'state' and 'condition' interchangeably. When we speak of the states of Christ, however, we use the word 'state' in a more specific sense, to denote the relation in which He stood and stands to the law. In the days of His humiliation He was a servant under the law; in His exaltation He is Lord, and as such above the law. Naturally these two states carried with them corresponding conditions of life, and these are discussed as the various stages of these states.

1. The State of Humiliation.

The state of humiliation consists in this that Christ laid aside the divine majesty which was His as the sovereign Ruler of the universe, and assumed human nature in the form of a servant; that He, the supreme Lawgiver, became subject to the demands and curse of the law.

Matt. 3:15; "But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffereth him. (Matthew 3:15)"

Gal. 3:13; "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (Galatians 3:13)"

4:4; "but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, (Galatians 4:4)"

Phil. 2:6-8. "6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient [even] unto death, yea, the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:6-8)"

This state is reflected in the corresponding condition, in which we usually distinguish several stages.

a. The incarnation and birth of Christ. In the incarnation the Son of God became flesh by assuming human nature,

John 1:14; "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)"

I John 4:2. "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: (1 John 4:2)"

He really became one of the human race by being born of Mary. This would not have been true, if He had brought His humanity from heaven, as the Anabaptists claim. The Bible teaches the virgin birth in

Isa. 7:14; "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)"

Matt. 1:20; "But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:20)"

Luke 1:34, 35. "34 And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:34-35)"

This wonderful birth was due to the supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit, who also kept the human nature of Christ free from the pollution of sin from its very inception, Luke 1:35.

b. The sufferings of Christ. We sometimes speak as if the sufferings of Christ were limited to His final agonies, but this is not correct. His whole life was a life of suffering. It was the servant life of the Lord of Hosts, the life of the sinless One in a sin-cursed world. Satan assaulted Him, His people rejected Him, and His enemies persecuted Him. The sufferings of the soul were even more intense than those of the body. He was tempted by the devil, was oppressed by the world of iniquity round about Him, and staggered by the burden of sin resting upon Him,--

"a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." Isa. 53:3.

c. The death, of Christ. When we speak of the death of Christ, we naturally have in mind His physical death. He did not die as the result of an accident, nor by the hand of an assassin, but under a judicial sentence, and was thus counted with the transgressors,

Isa. 53:12. "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:12)"

By suffering the Roman punishment of crucifixion He died an accursed death, bearing the curse for us,

Deut. 21:23; "his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt surely bury him the same day; for he that is hanged is accursed of God; that thou defile not thy land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. (Deuteronomy 21:23)"

Gal. 3:13. "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (Galatians 3:13)"

d. The burial of Christ. It might seem as if the death of Christ was the last stage of His sufferings. Did He not cry out on the cross, "It is finished"? But these words probably refer to His active suffering. His burial certainly was a part of His humiliation, of which He as Son of God was also conscious. Man's returning to the dust is a punishment for sin,

Gen. 3:19. "in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. (Genesis 3:19)"

That the Saviour's abode in the grave was a humiliation, is evident from

Ps. 16:10; "For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. (Psalms 16:10)"

Acts 2:27, 31; "27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul unto Hades, Neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption. ...31 he foreseeing [this] spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. (Acts 2:27,31)"

13:34, 35. "34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he hath spoken on this wise, I will give you the holy and sure [blessings] of David. 35 Because he saith also in another [psalm], Thou wilt not give Thy Holy One to see corruption. (Acts 13:34-35)"

It removed for us the terrors of the grave.

e. The descent into hades. The words of the Apostolic Confession, "He descended into hades," are variously interpreted. Roman Catholics say that He went down into the Limbus Patrum, where the Old Testament saints were confined, to release them; and the Lutherans that, between His death and resurrection, He went down to hell to preach and to celebrate his victory over the powers of darkness. In all probability it is a figurative expression to denote (1) that He suffered the pangs of hell in the garden and on the cross, and (2) that He entered the deepest humiliation of the state of death,

Ps. 16:8-10; "8 I have set Jehovah always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; My flesh also shall dwell in safety. 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. (Psalms 16:8-10)"

Eph. 4:9. "Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? (Ephesians 4:9)"

2. The State of Exaltation.

In the state of exaltation Christ passed from under the law as a covenant obligation, having paid the penalty of sin and merited righteousness and eternal life for the sinner. Moreover, He was crowned with a corresponding honor and glory. Four stages must be distinguished here.

a. The resurrection. The resurrection of Christ did not consist in the mere re-union of body and soul, but especially in this that in Him human nature, both body and soul, was restored to its original beauty and strength, and even raised to a higher level. In distinction from all those who had been raised up before Him He arose with a spiritual body,

I Cor. 15:44, 45. "44 it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual [body]. 45 So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam [became] a life-giving spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:44-45)"

For that reason He can be called

"the first fruits of them that slept,"I Cor. 15:20, and "the firstborn of the dead," Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5.

The resurrection of Christ has a threefold significance:

(1) It was a declaration of the Father that Christ met all the requirements of the law,

Phil. 2:9. "Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; (Philippians 2:9)"

(2) It symbolized the justification, regeneration, and final resurrection of believers,

Rom. 6:4, 5, 9; "4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with [him] in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of his resurrection; ...9 knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him. (Romans 6:4-5,9)"

I Cor. 6:14; "and God both raised the Lord, and will raise up as through his power. (1 Corinthians 6:14)"

15:20-22. "20 But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep. 21 For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)"

(3) It was the cause of our justification, regeneration, and resurrection,

Rom. 4:25; "who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification. (Romans 4:25)"

5:10; "For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life; (Romans 5:10)"

Eph. 1:20; "which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly [places], (Ephesians 1:20)"

Phil. 3:10; "that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death; (Philippians 3:10)"

I Pet. 1:3. "Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (1 Peter 1:3)"

b. The ascension. The ascension was in a sense the necessary completion of the resurrection, but it also had independent significance. We have a double account of it, namely, in Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:6-11. Paul refers to it in

Eph. 1:20; "which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly [places], (Ephesians 1:20)"

4:8-10; "8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) (Ephesians 4:8-10)"

I Tim. 3:16, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)"

and the Epistle to the Hebrews stresses its significance, 1:3; 4:14; 6:20; 9:24.

" who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3)

Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. (Hebrews 4:14) whither as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:20) For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us: (Hebrews 9:24)

It was a visible ascent of the Mediator, according to His human nature, from earth to heaven, a going from one place to another. It included a further glorification of the human nature of Christ. The Lutherans have a different view of it. They conceive of it as a change of condition, whereby the human nature of Jesus passed into the full enjoyment of certain divine attributes, and became permanently omnipresent. In the ascension Christ as our great high priest enters the inner sanctuary to present His sacrifice to the Father and begin His work as intercessor at the throne,

Rom. 8:34; "who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:34)"

Heb. 4:14; 6:20; 9:24. He ascended to prepare a place for us, John 14:1-3. With Him we are already set in heavenly places, and in His ascension we have the assurance of a place in heaven,

Eph. 2:6; "and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly [places], in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:6)"

John 17:24. "Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24)"

c. The session at God's right hand. After His ascension Christ is seated at the right hand of God,

Eph. 1:20; "which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly [places], (Ephesians 1:20)"

Heb. 10:12; "but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (Hebrews 10:12)"

I Pet. 3:22. "who is one the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. (1 Peter 3:22)"

Naturally, the expression 'right hand of God' cannot be taken literally, but should be understood as a figurative indication of the place of power and glory. During His session at God's right hand Christ rules and protects His Church, governs the universe in its behalf, and intercedes for His people on the basis of His completed sacrifice.

d. The physical return. The exaltation of Christ reaches its climax, when He returns to judge the living and the dead. Evidently His return will be bodily and visible,

Acts 1:11; "who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven. (Acts 1:11)"

Rev. 1:7. "Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)"

That He will come as Judge is evident from such passages as

John 5:22, 27; "22 For neither doth the Father judge any man, but he hath given all judgment unto the Son;... 27 and he gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man. (John 5:22,27)"

Acts 10:42; "And he charged us to preach unto the people, and to testify that this is he who is ordained of God [to be] the Judge of the living and the dead. (Acts 10:42)"

Rom. 2:16; "in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ. (Romans 2:16)"

II Cor. 5:10; "For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things [done] in the body, according to what he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)"

II Tim. 4:1. "I charge [thee] in the sight of God, and of Christ Jesus, who shall judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: (2 Timothy 4:1)"

The time of His second coming is not known to us. He will come for the purpose of judging the world and perfecting the salvation of His people. This will mark the complete victory of His redemptive work.

I Cor. 4:5; "Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have his praise from God. (1 Corinthians 4:5)"

Phil. 3:20; "For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (Philippians 3:20)"

Col. 3:4; "When Christ, [who is] our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. (Colossians 3:4)"

I Thess. 4:13-17; II Thess. 1:7-10; II Thess. 2:1-12; Tit. 2:13; "looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (Titus 2:13)"

Rev. 1:7.

To memorize. Passages bearing on:

a. The state of humiliation:

Gal. 3:13. "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree."

Gal. 4:4, 5. "But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, that He might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

Phil. 2:6-8. "Who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross."

b. The incarnation:

John 1:14. "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth."

Rom. 8:3. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh."

c. The virgin birth:

Isa. 7:14. "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel."

Luke 1:35. "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God."

d. The descent into hades:

Ps. 16:10. "For Thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol (hades, Acts 2:27); neither wilt Thou suffer Thy holy one to see corruption."

Eph. 4:9. "Now this, He ascended, what is it but that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth?"

e. The resurrection:

Rom. 4:25. "Who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification."

I Cor. 15:20. "But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of them that are asleep."

f. The ascension:

Luke 24:51. "And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and was carried up into heaven."

Acts 1:11. "Who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? This same Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have beheld Him going into heaven."

g. The session:

Eph. 1:20. "Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and made Him to sit at His right hand in the heavenly places."

Heb. 10:12. "But He, when He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God."

h. The return:

Acts 1:11. Cf. above under f.

Rev. 1:7. "Behold, He cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they that pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over Him."

For Further Study:

a. What does the Old Testament tell us about the humiliation of Christ in the following passages:

Ps. 22:6-20; 69:7-9; "7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; Shame hath covered my face. 8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, And an alien unto my mother's children. 9 For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up; And the reproaches of them that reproach thee are fallen upon me. (Psalms 69:7-9)"

20:21; [sic] Isa. 52:14, 15; "14 Like as many were astonished at thee (his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men), 15 so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they understand. (Isaiah 52:14-15)"

53:1-10; Zech. 11:12, 13. "12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my hire; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my hire thirty [pieces] of silver. 13 And Jehovah said unto me, Cast it unto the potter, the goodly price that I was prized at by them. And I took the thirty [pieces] of silver, and cast them unto the potter, in the house of Jehovah. (Zechariah 11:12-13)"

b. What was the special value of Christ's temptations for us?

Heb. 2:18; "For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)"

4:15; "For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)"

5:7-9. "7 Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, 8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation; (Hebrews 5:7-9)"

c. How do the following passages prove that heaven is a place rather than a condition?

Deut. 30:12; "It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it? (Deuteronomy 30:12)"

Josh. 2:11; "And as soon as we had heard it, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Jehovah your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath. (Joshua 2:11)"

Ps. 139:8; "If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there. (Psalms 139:8)"

Eccl. 5:2; "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. (Ecclesiastes 5:2)"

Isa. 66:1; "Thus saith Jehovah, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what manner of house will ye build unto me? and what place shall be my rest? (Isaiah 66:1)"

Rom. 10:6, 7. "6 But the righteousness which is of faith saith thus, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:) 7 or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (That is, to bring Christ up from the dead.) (Romans 10:6-7)"

Questions for Review

1. What is meant by the states of the Mediator?

2. How would you define the states of humiliation and exaltation?

3. What took place at the incarnation?

4. How did Christ receive His human nature?

5. What proof have we for the virgin birth?

6. How was the Holy Spirit connected with the birth, of Christ?

7. Were the sufferings of Christ limited to the end of His life?

8. Did it make any difference how Christ died?

9. What different views are there respecting the descent into hades?

10. What was the nature of Christ's resurrection? What change did He undergo?

11. What was the significance of the resurrection?

12. How would you prove that the ascension was a going from place to place?

13. What is its significance, and how do Lutherans conceive of it?

14. What is meant by the session at God's right hand? What does Christ do there?

15. How will Christ return, and what is the purpose of His coming?