Who is Jesus? The first Church Council held at Nicaea in 325 AD debated the question. Microsoft Copilot notes:
The debate over the nature of Christ lasted for at least 400 years (from the late 1st century through the 5th century), and in a real sense it never fully ended, because it continued in various forms for centuries afterward.
In this short blog, I will attempt to answer this question.
First, consider the term “Son” (huios). It refers to position, not gender (Gal 3:28-4:7). Compare the two titles “Son of God” and “Son of Man.” The first, “Son of God,” refers to the second person of the Godhead eternally existent. The second, “Son of Man,” refers to the role of Jesus as fully man, the perfect sinless sacrifice for sin and representative of humanity. This distinction is stated in the Hypostatic Union: absolute deity and perfect humanity united in one person forever.
The title Christ Jesus emphasizes the deity of Christ. Jesus is His name given at birth when He took on His humanity. The title Jesus Christ emphasizes His humanity. Even though translators sometimes confuse the two titles by changing their order, in the New Testament, the order is important because it shapes the context.
This arrangement is important in Paul’s prison epistles, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. In Colossians, this is especially true. This epistle was written to correct the false teaching that was already creeping into the churches. To the church at Philippi, Paul wrote:
“…although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Phil 2:6-8)
So, who was and is Jesus? He was and is God incarnate. As God, He has always existed and possessed all the attributes of deity. As Jesus, not giving up His divine attributes, He was physically born (Lk 2:6-7), circumcised the eighth day as were all Jewish male children, growing and increasing in wisdom as any normal child (Lk 2:40), interacting with Jewish leaders at the age of twelve (Lk 2:46). He began His teaching ministry at the age of thirty as the custom of recognized teachers of the Law. His ministry was marked by the filling of the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 1:32-34 w. Lk 4:1a, 14, 18). Being fully human, Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit, as every believer is today. The distinction is that, unlike Jesus, we sin and grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30), quenching His influence in us (1 Th 4:19).
Upon His resurrection, He became the First Fruit of the resurrection, the only human ever to be resurrected (cf. 1 Cor 15:20-23; Col 1:18; Rev 1:5). This is who Jesus is today. He “is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb 13:8).
May 27, 2026 @ 3:45 pm
At what point are believer ‘resurrected’? Death or after judgement?
May 27, 2026 @ 6:15 pm
Resurrection has three aspects; body, soul, spirit, each in its own time:
(1 Cor 15:20-26) (20) But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. (21) For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. (23) But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, (24) then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. (25) For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. (26) The last enemy that will be abolished is death. NASB (cf. also v. 35ff)
Spiritual resurrection occurs upon being born of God. The soul is being saved during this life as we grow in knowledge and obedience. Finally, we experience physical resurrection at His coming. Jesus did not need to be born spiritually since He was born without a sin nature. His resurrection involved His body being transformed from perishable to imperishable (v. 44-49) Therefore, believers are already resurrected spiritual and await our physical resurrection. Death for unbelievers and the rapture for believers occurs before judgment, the bema-seat judgment for believers (Rom 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10) and the Great White Throne judgment for the unbelievers (Rev 20:11-15). Note that the believers have already been invited to and attended the marriage feast (Rev. 19:5-9) Good question. Thanks.