This session, "The Doctrine of the Son Part 1," is the thirteenth in the "Studies in Theology" series, emphasizing the necessity of Christian doctrine as a "warm and living and vital and absolutely necessary" part of the Christian walk. Following Paul's admonition to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:16—"Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee"—the series has previously covered the existence of God, the Trinity, the Doctrine of Scripture, and the Attributes of God. A key principle reiterated is that the attributes of God apply equally to each member of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—in full measure.
This session specifically addresses the person of Christ in the Old Testament, focusing on his deity and humanity. It underscores the profound importance of the Old Testament as the primary scripture for Jesus, the apostles, and early New Testament believers, serving as the foundation for their faith and understanding of Christ. Jesus explicitly stated that the Old Testament scriptures "testify of me" (John 5:39) and that "in the volume of the book it is written of me" (Hebrews 10:7, quoting Psalm 40:7). The Old Testament is presented not as a "dusty historical document" but as a "first gospel"—a gospel of grace and redemption in Jesus Christ, containing everything necessary for life and faith.
The session explores the deity of the Son of God in the Old Testament through several clues:
• Pre-Incarnate Son of God: Christ existed as a person before becoming a man, a concept hinted at by Jesus' "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58) and the identification of the "Word" with God (John 1:1).
• Plurality of God: God often refers to himself in the plural, as seen in "Let us make man in our image" (Genesis 1:26), "the man is become as one of us" (Genesis 3:22), and "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" (Isaiah 6:8).
• Specific References to Multiple Persons as God: Passages like Isaiah 48:16 ("the Lord God and his spirit hath sent me"), Psalm 45:6-7 ("Thy throne, O God...Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee"), Malachi 3:1 (the Lord sending "the Lord whom you seek"), and Psalm 110:1 ("The Lord said unto my Lord") indicate distinct divine persons.
• The Angel of the Lord: This mysterious, recurring figure in the Old Testament is presented as a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. The Angel of the Lord:
◦ Speaks with inherent authority, often using "I" instead of delivering a message from God.
◦ Is recognized as God by those he interacts with (e.g., Hagar in Genesis 16:13, Abraham in Genesis 18).
◦ Accepts worship, unlike other angels in scripture.
◦ Manifests attributes of both goodness and severity, foreshadowing aspects of Christ's return.
• Prophecies Foretelling Deity:
◦ The "protoevangelium" in Genesis 3:14-15 refers to the "seed of the woman" who will bruise the serpent's head, hinting at a unique, non-human lineage and divine power to overcome Satan.
◦ Isaiah 9:6 prophesies a child born who will be called "Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace".
◦ Psalm 2 calls him the "anointed one," a king with dominion, possessing attributes of deity.
The session also details the humanity of the Son of God in the Old Testament:
• Descendant of Man: The "seed of the woman" (Genesis 3:14-15) also implies a human birth, and Isaiah 7:14 prophesies a "virgin shall conceive and bear a son" named Emmanuel, indicating his necessary humanity.
• Human Lineage: The prophecies narrow down the promised "seed" through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and David, establishing Jesus' specific human bloodline and right to his historical position as Messiah (e.g., Genesis 12:3, 18:18, 22:17-18, 26:4, 49:8-12; Isaiah 9:6-7).
• Human Roles/Offices: Christ is foretold as occupying roles traditionally held by men:
◦ Prophet: God's spokesman to the people, like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18).
◦ Priest: A representative of the people to God (1 Samuel 2:35).
◦ King: The promised ruler of Israel (2 Samuel 7:4-16, Isaiah 9:6-7).
◦ Shepherd: Overseeing God's flock (Ezekiel 34:23-31).
◦ Servant: One who will bear iniquities and justify many (Isaiah 42:1-7, 53:1-11).
• Human Characteristics: Isaiah 53:1-11 describes him as a "man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief," ordinary in appearance and background, possessing a human mind, soul, emotions, and facing mortality.
• Perfect Man: The title "Son of Man" (Daniel 7:13, 1 Corinthians 15:45-47) embodies the ideal, sinless man who would fulfill what Adam failed to achieve, subduing the earth and triumphing over the serpent.
In summary, the Old Testament reveals the person of Jesus Christ as a definite, personal being, demonstrating both his deity (manifesting all God's attributes, appearing as the Angel of the Lord, and foretold by prophecies) and his humanity (through his lineage, human roles, and characteristics). This shows that the Old Testament reveals our savior, providing a solid foundation for faith in Christ, proving it was absolutely necessary for the captain of our salvation to be both fully God and fully man.