Studies in the Epistle of Paul to the Romans
Jesus Christ Our Lord
“1
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated
unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets
in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; . . .”
(Romans 1:1-3).
The
prophecies regarding the promise of the Messiah are very detailed. All
these prophecies concern various aspects of the ministry of the eternal
Son of God revealed in His Name used by Paul in verse three. Some of
these prophecies are already fulfilled while many others are yet to be
fulfilled. These prophecies are details of events concerning “Jesus
Christ our Lord.”
In
this short phrase, we have three distinctive revelations regarding the
Person of Jesus. Jesus is His Name. Christ and Lord are titles
defining Who Jesus is.
Jesus is His Personal Name revealing the purpose of His incarnation as the Savior of sinners.
“And
she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he
shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
The name Jesus is from the Greek word Iesous (ee-ay-sooce') and is the Greek form of the Hebrew Jehoshua. Jehoshua
means Jehovah is salvation. Jesus is God incarnate. The eternal Son
of God was incarnate to be the Savior of all humanity and restore lost
dominion over the first creation lost due to Adam’s sin.
All
three of the words “Jesus Christ our Lord” are intricately connected to
the word Saviour and Redeemer in the doctrines of salvation and
redemption. Therefore, these five words (Jesus, Christ, Lord, Saviour,
and Redeemer) are doctrinally inseparable. In other words,
anytime we see one of these five words used in Scripture, we can read
the doctrinal significance of the others into any text. Although these
five words are not synonymous with one another, the use of any one
presumes the doctrinal context of the others.
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
“But
grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen” (II Peter 3:18).
The
terms the Lord Jesus Christ have become so familiar in use that they
communicate little more than a Name. If you are on a first name basis
with the Lord Jesus, you have presumed an intimacy that does not reflect
the respect His Name deserves. Jesus is referred to as Lord
one hundred and eighty-five times in the New Testament. When we hear
the terms the Lord Jesus Christ used, they should immediately cause us
to think in terms of holy reverence. These terms should cause our minds
to bow in humble adoration and reflect upon these terms to generate
worship of the One with which the terms identify.
The
terms the Lord Jesus Christ are not common words identifying a common
person. These terms identify the holy, incarnate Creator of the heavens
and our Earth. We will all stand before Him one day and give
account of our lives of which He is fully aware, knowing the intimate
details of every thought, emotion, and action of our lives. We all
would do well to reflect upon the meaning and significance of each of
these terms so that the proper attitude and worship can be created when
we use these terms.
Christ is from the Greek word Christos (khris-tos') and is the Greek form of the Hebrew Messiah (mashiyach; maw-shee'-akh).
The title Christ reveals Jesus as the Anointed One. As the Anointed One,
Jesus is the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecies regarding His
coming to fulfill the Law for us and propitiate God. The title Christ
relates to the anointing of Jesus as the supreme Prophet, Priest, and
King. The synoptic Gospels (Matthew Mark, and Luke) present Jesus the
Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King.
Matthew
presents Jesus the Christ as the Covenant King fulfilling the Davidic
Covenant as “the righteous Branch” (Jeremiah 23:5 and 33:15). Mark presents Jesus the Christ as the Servant Priest (“Servant Branch,” Zechariah 3:8). Luke presents
Jesus the Christ as “the Son of man . . .come to seek and to save that
which was lost” (Luke 19:10). This mission describes the nature and
purpose of the many parables of Jesus taught in the Gospel of Luke. The Gospel of John presents Jesus the Christ as Deity and as the Son of God (John 20:31).
Prophet
“The
LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee,
of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken” (Deuteronomy
18:15).
“20
And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21
Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all
things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets
since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A
prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like
unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto
you” (Acts 3:20-22).
Priest
“18
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was
the priest of the most high God. 19 And he blessed him, and said,
Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20
And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies
into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all” (Genesis 14:18-20).
“1
For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who
met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2
To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by
interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem,
which is, King of peace; 3 Without father, without mother, without
descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made
like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually” (Hebrews 7:1-3).
King
“Of
the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon
the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish
it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The
zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:7).
“32
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the
Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he
shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there
shall be no end” (Luke 1:32-33).
“3
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the
Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty;
just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints {lit: nations}. 4 Who
shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art
holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy
judgments are made manifest” (Revelation 15:3-4).
The word “Lord” is from the Greek word kurios
(koo'-ree-os) and is the Greek form of the Hebrew word Jehovah. This
Greek word is usually used when quoting an Old Testament in any Greek
verse where Jehovah is used in the Hebrew. This name reveals the
supremacy of Jesus in His Sovereignty as Creator and Redeemer. The
words Christ and Lord are inseparable in the identity of Jesus.
Jehovah
is always referred to as the One coming in the Old Testament prophecies
relating to the coming of Messiah. The Christ (Messiah) is the
incarnation of the Lord (Jehovah).
“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD {Y@hovah; yeh-ho-vaw', the self-existing One}, make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (Isaiah 40:3).
“5
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a
righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute
judgment and justice in the earth. 6 In his days Judah shall be saved,
and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be
called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS {Y@hovah tsidqenuw; yeh-ho-vaw’ tsid-kay’-noo}” (Jeremiah 23:5-6).
However,
another prophetic detail in Romans 1:3 regarding the coming of Messiah
is that He would come through a specific genetic line. He would be born
of the lineage of David. “Was made” (Romans 1:3) is from the Greek
word ginomai (ghin’-om-ahee). It can mean to come into
existence or to begin. It also can mean to appear in history or come
upon the stage of events in time.
The
Son of God exists eternally, but Jesus has a beginning in history
(time). Jesus is the Name of the eternal Son of God once His deity was
united with humanity. “Was made” refers to that point in history when
the Son of God became man through the incarnation, conception, and
birth.
“The seed” in “the seed of David” (Romans 1:3) is from the Greek word sperma (sper’-mah). In plants, sperma
refers to the seed which contains the germ of the next generation (just
as seed is kept from the harvest for the next year’s sowing). In
humans, sperma refers to the semen virile and the product of
this semen is all future offspring and generations in a family. The
eternal Son of God stepped into history through the “seed of David” as
foretold through prophecy. Salvation would come through the nation of
Israel, the tribe of Judah, and the lineage of David. The prophecy
concerning Jesus as the Lion of Judah of the tribe of David will
ultimately be fulfilled in the Millennial Kingdom.
“And
one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the
tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and
to loose the seven seals thereof” (Revelation 5:5).
There
is great theological significance to Jesus being “the seed of David.”
This phrase connects every believer to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ as
“joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). In first century
Roman law, a seven-sealed scroll was used to transfer the title of
assets of a deceased person to his heir. This “seven sealed scroll” is
the title deed to the dominion over the entire earth. Revelation 5:2
asks the question, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the
seals thereof?” This would require a man, but not just any man. It
would require a perfect man. It would require a sinless man. According
to Revelation 5:3, not one single human being was found who met the
criteria necessary to lay claim to the title deed of dominion over the
earth.
In
the curse of the first creation, the first Adam (and humanity) lost
dominion over the earth to Satan. In the work of the cross, Christ (the
last Adam and the God\man; I Corinthians 15:45) won victory over the
curse and purchased the possession of that dominion back through His
redemption. When Christ finally takes this title deed of
dominion over the earth, He will do so to transpose His authority to the
church during the Kingdom Age. The title deed of dominion over the
earth is the Church’s inheritance in the Kingdom.
“13
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were
sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our
inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the
praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14).
“18
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what
is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his
inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his
power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty
power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead,
and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above
all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name
that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to
come” (Ephesians 1:18-21).
“Giving
thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:12).
“Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:24).
“To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (I Peter 1:4).
The dominion over the earth, restored in the Kingdom Age, is the inheritance “reserved in heaven” for us.
In Revelation 5:4, John wept much because “no man” was found worthy to
open and read the book. Immediately one of the twenty-four “elders”
steps forward and encourages John with the words “weep not.” There is a
man who is worthy. There is someone who has “prevailed.” It is the
“Lion of the tribe of Judah” and “the root of David.” Both of these
terms signify the lineage of the Man who would be able to claim the
title deed to the dominion over the earth. It is also a reminder of the
coming Kingdom over which Messiah would rule on the throne of David.
It is the Lord Jesus Christ, who will share His Kingdom rule with His
bride, the Church.
“Of
the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon
the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish
it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The
zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:7).
After
one of the “elders” asks John to “behold” the “lion of the tribe of
Judah” and the “root of David,” John turns to see. However, he does not
see what he expects to see. Instead he sees something else “in the
midst of the throne” at the middle of this heavenly scene. He sees “a
lamb as it had been slain.”
The word “lamb,” as used of the resurrected and glorified Jesus Christ, is used twenty-seven times in the book of Revelation.
The use of the word “lamb” identifies the Redeemer with His redeemed.
It is by the means of His sacrifice at Calvary that He has “prevailed”
to open the book and lay claim to the title deed of dominion over the
earth for all the redeemed of mankind.
It
is Jesus Who loosens the seven sealed scroll thereby releasing the
horrible catastrophes in the seven-year Tribulation and the judgment of
the nations (Revelation 6:1). The Lion was the ancient banner
under which the tribe of Judah marched and encamped. It was their
insignia because of Jacob’s prophecy of Genesis 49:9-10.
“9
Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he
stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse
him up? 10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from
between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of
the people be” (Genesis 49:9-10).
The
tribe of Judah bore this insignia with great pride, knowing that it was
a testimony that God had chosen their tribe to be that through which
Messiah (Shiloh) would come. This relates to the next description of
Christ as “the Root of David.” David was of the tribe of Judah. Christ
speaks of this as a reminder in His concluding statements to the local
churches in Revelation 22:16:
“I
Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the
churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and
morning star” (Revelation 22:16).
Jesus is both the Creator (“Root,” or source) of the Davidic line of Kings and an “offspring” of it in His incarnation. This speaks clearly to both His Deity and Sovereignty.
This is a reminder of the coming Kingdom. The Messiah would set upon
the Throne of David in the Kingdom on earth. This has yet to be
fulfilled and so is used as a consistent reminder of that which is still
to come. Christ has instructed Christians that a major part of their
prayer life ought to be preoccupied with praying for the coming of His
Kingdom on earth.
“And
he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven,
so in earth” (Luke 11:2).
“The
seed of David according to the flesh” (Romans 1:3) refers to the
fulfillment of all the prophecies as to the seed of David and all the
promises to David himself. Although the Bible is predominantly
Christological, John chapter one and Hebrews chapter two give us the
greatest Christological details.
“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 by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In
him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth
in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man
sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to
bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He
was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That
was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world
knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace
and truth” (John 1:1-14).
“1
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we
have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 2 For if the word
spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience
received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we
neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the
Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also
bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers
miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? 5 For
unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof
we speak. 6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man,
that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him
with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8
Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he
put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under
him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 9 But we see
Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of
death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should
taste death for every man. 10 For it became him, for whom are all
things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to
make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For
both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for
which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 Saying, I will
declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I
sing praise unto thee. 13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And
again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. 14 Forasmuch
then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him
that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who
through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him
the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be
made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful
high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the
sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being
tempted, he is able to succour {give relief to those suffering} them
that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:1-18).
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Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist.
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.
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