Jesus Is

Jesus Is: The Many Teachings of Jesus

If you ask fifty people who Jesus is, you'll probably get almost fifty answers. Sadly, Jesus is a pretty unknown figure in American society except for maybe His name. However, the Church is clear about Jesus and what Jesus is to Christians.

sacred heart of jesus

Jesus is the Son of God. One of His most important titles in the whole Bible, the Son of God tells us a lot about the kind of person Jesus is. In the most basic sense of the word, Son of God means Jesus is the second person of the Trinity, the eternal Son of the Father. However, the title Son of God also means that Jesus is King of Israel, since the nation of Israel was called Son of God in the Old Testament.

Jesus is the Son of Man. This title refers to the fact that Jesus is a human being just like us. However, it also echoes the "one like a Son of Man" figure in the Old Testament book of Daniel, who would come to judge the world. Thus, Jesus is a judge when He calls himself the Son of Man. But Jesus is a fair judge who will look at the heart.

Jesus is the Lord. One of the earliest titles given to Jesus was Lord. This was used in three ways. First, it was a polite form of address, like sir. It also was used to call Jesus "Master," a term often used by His disciples. However, the term Lord also has a deeper meaning, revealing that Jesus is the Lord, the title used in the Old Testament for Yahweh – that is, God Himself.

Jesus is Messiah, which literally means "one covered in oil." This reflects the ancient practice of anointing kings with oil. Calling Jesus Messiah, or Christ, connects Him to Old Testament kingship. Specifically, the Jews expected a king to come and deliver them from Roman occupation. Jesus is that king, even if His kingdom is heavenly, not earthly.

Jesus is Savior. Even the name Jesus (Joshua) means "the Lord saves." In His role as savior, Jesus is the deliverer from sin and the devil. Through Jesus, we are able to be reconciled to the Father and enter heaven. Jesus is mediator through His role as savior as well.

Jesus is...this is where you fill in the blank. Jesus asked "Who do you say that I am?" We all must decide who Jesus is to each of us and then follow Him.