“After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.” – 1 Corinthians 11:25
During the month of May, we celebrate Memorial Day. It is the day in which we remember those who died while serving in the armed forces. Memorial Day was first known as Decoration Day because after the Civil War, military graves began to be decorated with flags or flowers to honor the dead. Occasionally, it is referred to as a day of remembrance, but no matter what name is used, it is a time to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our national freedoms.
Jesus Christ, who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom from sin, is also known by different names. Some are well known, such as Prince of Peace, Lamb of God, and the Good Shepherd, but the writers of the four gospels, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, portrayed Jesus in very different ways.
In the first book of the New Testament, Jesus is described as the promised king. Matthew directed his writing to the Jewish people, and used many OT Scriptures to point out that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the King of Israel. Isaiah 7:14 states, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel,” to which Matthew relates in 1:23. Another verse, Matthew 2:6, states Bethlehem is the birthplace of Jesus, which Micah 5:2 prophesied as the place from which the Messiah would come. It is important to note that Matthew recognizes Jesus as the Saviour as well. “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)
In the book of Mark, Jesus is seen as a “suffering servant”. This gospel focuses on many of the miracles that Jesus performed and seems to be aimed at an audience who lived outside of the land of Israel and not been eyewitnesses to anything Jesus did or said. Mark’s writings clearly demonstrate the power of God in Jesus as a servant. Mark 10:45 records Jesus’ words: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Like Matthew, Mark also proclaims Jesus as the Son of God. In the first verse of his book, he writes, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;” (Mark 1:1) and “And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.” (Mark 8:29)
Jesus is presented as a man in the book of Luke. This is not to be mistaken for a denial of Jesus’ deity, for Luke also proclaims that Jesus is the Saviour of all mankind, for Jew and Gentile alike. Luke 2:11 states, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” It is important to note that Luke is writing his gospel primarily for Gentiles, non-Jewish people. His writings accurately describe the humanity of Jesus, which is rather fitting considering Luke’s occupation. As a Gentile physician, Luke had a unique perspective regarding the sufferings of individuals and their physical needs especially in describing how Jesus addressed those needs. Additionally, the Greek culture focused on the perfecting of the body, and Luke understood that. His writings appealed to the Greek/Gentile mindset as he pointed out how Jesus attended to many of the physical needs of women, the poor, the shunned (lepers and demoniacs), etc. “But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:13-14)
In the last of the gospels, the deity of Jesus is clearly the focal point. John wrote of the many signs and wonders surrounding Jesus, using the miraculous events to inspire belief in Christ as the Son of God. He begins his book by affirming that Jesus Himself is the incarnate Word of God in the first chapter. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” and “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” (v.1, 14). John also quotes Jesus as saying, “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30), declaring His own divinity. Additionally, many miracles are recorded in the book of John, including 7 that are not listed in the previous 3 gospels. These reinforce the deity of Christ, in that only God can raise the dead (John 11), heal the blind (John 9), and control nature (John 6). John’s assertion that Jesus is the Son of God is threaded throughout this gospel as he documents the declarations from eyewitnesses of Jesus’ life and miracles from Thomas ((John 20:28) to Martha (John 11:27) to Peter (John 6:69) to John the Baptist (John 1:34), and others as well.
For us, however, the greatest role that we can attribute to Jesus is that of “Saviour”. In this month of remembrance, it is easy to remember the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ because the Easter season has just finished, but we must be determined to never forget or take for granted what Jesus has done for us. 1 John 4:10 & 14 tell us that God the Father sent His Son Jesus to be the Saviour of the world. Without Jesus and the work He completed, we would have no hope of reconciliation with God, and we would be doomed to an eternity forever separated from the Lord. However, because God loves us so much, He provided a way for us to dwell with Him in heaven forever. That way was Jesus. John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
His name is wonderful! His name is wonderful!
His name is wonderful, Jesus my Lord!
He is the mighty King, Master of everything;
His name is wonderful, Jesus my Lord.
He’s the Great Shepherd…
The Rock of all ages…
Almighty God is He.
Bow down before Him, love and adore Him;
His name is wonderful, Jesus my Lord.
(from “His Name is Wonderful” by Audrey Mieir)
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6
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Who is Jesus to you?