Church History 7 Christology, part 1. (496)

Keith returns with another installment of his journey through church history. Today we will begin a chapter on how the early church understood who Jesus Christ was. In a word, we call this Christology. This was at a time when Jesus had been long gone from the earth, and most of the apostles were also God. All this new generation had to go one was the written words of Paul and the gospel writers.

Since the topic of church history is relatively new to Keith, he has been using a book as his guide, thought to be in public domain.

A History of the Christian Church
Williston Walker
Richard A. Norris, David W. Lotz, Robert T. Handy
Copyright © 1918, 1959, 1970, 1985 Charles Scribner’s Sons; Copyright renewed 1946 Amelia Walker Gushing and Elizabeth Walker.

Chapter 7
The Interpretation of Jesus

topics discussed in this chapter include:

Understanding Jesus
making sense of the ministry and crucifixion of Jesus. What was this significance? He was a real person, and his disciples could provide testimony to the fact.

Acts 2:32-33;
32 “This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.
33 “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God,
and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit,
He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.
John 20:22.
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.

His ministry had internal depth to it.

Acts 13:48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord;
and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

1 Corinthians 15:23 But each in his own order:
Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,

Prophecy Fulfilled

in Paul’s writings to various churches, he made reference to Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah.

Romans 1:3, 4
3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David
according to the flesh,
4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead,
according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,

1 Thessalonians 1:10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus,
who rescues us from the wrath to come.

the fact that Christ was resurrected from the grave, is instrumental in the believed that in the last day he will return to resurrect as believers. Christians can enjoy their new identity in him as they look forward to being members in his body.

God’s United Purpose

on the one hand he is the applying, and called Lord. On another Paul refers to him as the second Adam, the point that illustrates that he was a man in the flesh. Both his ministry on earth is important, as well as his crucifixion and resurrection. All the events in the life of Christ were planned ahead of time by God.

Galatians 4: 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son,
born of a woman, born under the Law,

to close out the concepts discussed thus far, Keith reads the chapter, Romans three. It’s a good outline of the Christology that has been developed. It encompasses the need that sinners have for a Savior, the divine nature of Christ as well as his humanity. He is God’s answer to the problem of sin. This plan dates from before the time where man even committed his first sin. Although the Scripture is not reprinted here, in the show notes, take the time to read it and understand the concepts on your own time.

Stay tuned for more in our next journey into church history where will finish this chapter and around out what the early church believed about Christ.

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