Jesus Christ, And the Mystery Of His Name
TEACHER: It is important here that we clear up some of the darkness surrounding Jesus. The various sects today are purporting the idea that Jesus is the one and only Son of God. The Bible, on the other hand, shows Jesus as our wiser brother who came to show us an example and to teach us. A lot of the problem is caused through mistranslation. Let us read John 10:36: “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said I am the Son of God?” Notice Jesus is quoted as saying he is “the” Son of God but in the Greek that it is translated from there is no ‘the’ and it is correctly translated as “a Son of God” or “Son of God am I.” Why do you suppose the translators mistranslate it even though they know better?
STUDENT: Because it goes along with what they believe.
TEACHER: It is surprising that they did not repeat the error with the word Saviour because most sects call him “the Saviour.” Let us read Luke 2:11: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” When someone is called “the” something it generally means he is the only one, but when he is called “a” something it means he is one of many. Since Jesus was called a Son of God and a Saviour would this mean that there are other Sons of God and other Saviours besides him?
STUDENT: I suppose so.
TEACHER: We will prove it. Read Obediah verse 21: “And Saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.” How do we know there will be more than one saviour here?
STUDENT: Because Saviours is plural.
TEACHER: There are numerous instances in the scriptures where we are called brethren to Jesus. [See: Matt 25:40; Heb 2:11 & Rom 8:29] If Jesus is our brother would we also not be sons of God?
STUDENT: I would think so.
TEACHER: There are many scriptures that teach this. We’ll just read one [Read Romans 8:14-17]: “For as many as are lead by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” How many of us are sons of God according to verse 14?
STUDENT: As many as are lead by the Spirit.
TEACHER: It says we will be joint-heirs with Christ. What does this mean?
STUDENT: It would mean that we will inherit the same benefits that he will.
TEACHER: Another false teaching is that the man Jesus created the heaven and earth. This is because Jesus is identified with the word of God in John [Read John 1:1-3]: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” If Jesus was the Word it certainly sounds like he created everything, doesn’t it?
STUDENT: Yes.
TEACHER: There is an important word here that is mistranslated. In verse three which reads “All things were made by him” instead of “him” it should read “it.” Now read it over and tell me how that changes the meaning.
STUDENT: “It” would not refer to a person.
TEACHER: “It” here is the creative Spirit of God that not only flows through Jesus, but through all of us. Just as Jesus is not the only Word he is also not the only Christ. To understand what Christ is it would be helpful to read all of First Corinthians Chapter Twelve. We will just take time for verse 12 however: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” Here Christ is not referred to as a person but what?
STUDENT: A body.
TEACHER: Does it say that the body has one member, or many members?
STUDENT: Many members.
TEACHER: Now read verse 27. It tells who the members of the body were: “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” Who are the members that made up Christ?
STUDENT: The people Paul was writing to and probably us today also.
TEACHER: The man Jesus is not all of Christ there is but is merely the head [Colossians 1:18] of the body of Christ. Now another startling fact is that the Master from Galilee is only one of many that bears the name of Jesus Christ. The name actually signifies a calling and means “anointed to deliver, or save.” Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world, but there are many who cooperate in that calling. The man Jesus is our head or leader, but the name is shared with infinite beings throughout the universe. Others who were called Christ or Messiah [which has the same meaning] are Saul [I Sam 24:10], David [Psalms 89:38], King Cyrus [Isaiah 45:1, Israel Psalms 105:14-15] and the High Priest [Leviticus 4:5]. The root of the word is used in connection with the early saints: [Read II Corinthians 1:21] “Now he which stablishesth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God.” The word “anointed” here comes from the same root as Christ does and could be translated as “Christed”. Now read it again translated this way.
STUDENT: Now he which stablishesth us with you in Christ, and hath Christed us, is God.
TEACHER: Were other people besides Jesus Christed then?
STUDENT: It appears so.
TEACHER: This name that we can share is a great mystery and a stumbling block to the religions throughout history. Let us read here where Paul is talking about Jesus Christ. [Read Ephesians 1:21]: {He is} “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world to come.” The name of Jesus Christ is higher than any name not only in this world, but where else?
STUDENT: Also the world to come.
TEACHER: Now read Philippians 2:9: “Wherefore God hath highly exalted him [Jesus], and given him a name which is above every name.” The name of Jesus Christ is higher than how many names?
STUDENT: “Every name.”
TEACHER: Jesus often talked about his Father’s name. Let us read an interesting scripture about it. Read the first two lines of verses 6 & 26 in John Chapter 17. “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me… And I have declared unto them [the disciples] thy name, and will declare it…” Here we are told that Jesus revealed to men the name of the Father. Do you remember any scripture where Jesus identified the name of the Father?
STUDENT: No.
TEACHER: The name of the Father was revealed many times. We have just missed it. We can read a hint in the last sentence of John 14:28: “My Father is greater than I.” Who was the greatest? Jesus or his Father?
STUDENT: The Father.
TEACHER: Therefore who should have the greatest name?
STUDENT: The Father
TEACHER: But who does the scriptures say has the highest name in this world or the world to come? [Refer back to Eph. 1:21 and Phil 2:9 [Scriptures 20&21] if necessary]
STUDENT: Jesus Christ
TEACHER: How could Jesus Christ have the highest name when the Father is greater?
STUDENT: I’m not sure.
TEACHER: We’ll read one more scripture to clarify this. Let us turn to John 10:25: Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed me not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. Whose name did Jesus do his works in?
STUDENT: The Father’s.
TEACHER: And what name was that?
STUDENT: The name of Jesus Christ.
TEACHER: This makes everything logical. If the name of Jesus Christ is the highest then and the Father is greater than the man Jesus, then the name of the Father would also have to be the highest name, wouldn’t it?
STUDENT: Yes.
TEACHER: Obviously, the Father would not have a lower name than the Son. On the other hand, do not sons carry the same name as their fathers?
STUDENT: Yes they do?
TEACHER: This is verified in Ephesians 3:14-15: “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” Earlier we read that God’s sons are those who have his Spirit. Would you agree that the Father’s family are the Sons and Daughters of God, or those who are in tune with His Spirit?
STUDENT: Yes.
TEACHER: This scripture says that God’s family in heaven and on earth is named after who?
STUDENT: The Father.
TEACHER: And what name does he have?
STUDENT: Jesus Christ.
TEACHER: Do you remember what this name means?
STUDENT: Anointed to deliver or save.
TEACHER: The reason it is the highest name is because there is no greater calling in the universe than to be anointed to deliver or save others from a lower estate or plane of consciousness and bring them up higher. Can you think of a greater work than helping someone else in their progression?
STUDENT: No.
TEACHER: As final evidence of this let us read the final words of Jesus to his disciples: [Read Matthew 28:19] “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Look at the word “name” here and tell me if it is singular or plural.
STUDENT: It is singular.
TEACHER: Now if the Father, Son and Holy Ghost had three names it would read “the names of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost,” but because it is singular, how many names would he be referring to?
STUDENT: One name.
TEACHER: Peter clearly tells us what name that was [Read Acts 2:38]: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” So what was the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost that they were commanded by Jesus to be baptized in?
STUDENT: The name of Jesus Christ.
TEACHER: The next thing we need to learn is how to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. An ordinance was instituted to help us accomplish this. Do you know what it was?
STUDENT: Was it baptism?
TEACHER: Let us read the effect of baptism: [Read Galatians 3:27]: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” What is supposed to happen through baptism?
STUDENT: We put on Christ.
TEACHER: Do you suppose that means that we take his name upon us as well as his nature?
STUDENT: It could.
TEACHER: Not only do we take his name upon us but we also are to bear his image. [Read Romans 8:29]: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son [Christ], that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Whose image are we supposed to bear?
STUDENT: The Christ or the Son of God.
TEACHER: How do we know from this scripture that Jesus will not be the only Christ, or the last one born?
STUDENT: Because it calls him the firstborn among many brethren. Therefore, there are going to be many more like him.
TEACHER: In addition we are supposed to have another part of Christ in us. Read here in Philippians: [Phil 2:5-6] “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” What is supposed to be in us?
STUDENT: The same mind that was in Jesus.
TEACHER: Now let us read about what we are supposed to be like when the Master appears: [Read I John 3:2] “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” What are we to be like when he appears?
STUDENT: Like him.
TEACHER: And why is that?
STUDENT: Because we shall see him as he is.
TEACHER: And what is he?
STUDENT: Our brother. He was the firstborn of many brethren?
If you make people think they’re thinking, they’ll love you. If you really make them think, they’ll hate you. – Don Marquis
Nov 13, 2011
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