The Life of Christ

• In this context of Jn. 1:12, the son is identified as a son because he displays the character of his parents.

Consider the use of “sonship” with Christian maturity in the following verses:

• Matthew 5:44-45 tells us to "bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your Father …."

• Romans 8:14 reads, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God."

• Phil. 2:15 adds to the requirements of being a true son by saying, "That you may be blameless and harmless, children of God, without fault...."

Jn. 1:14-15 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of Him, and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me 1 has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’”

The only begotten of the Father. ”

• “To beget” doesn't necessarily mean to bear a child. In this particular usage it means “the only child.”

• As far as eternity is concerned, Jesus was never born, He always was.

As far as His existence before John (vs. 15), this primarily refers to His existence in eternity . However, let us remember that Jesus made several pre-incarnate visits to the earth:

Captain of the Lord's host (Josh. 5:15)

•

• His appearance in the fiery furnace (Dan. 3:25) • Jesus might also have possibly been the "Angel of the Lord,” who appeared often throughout the Old Testament (Judges 13:17-18; Isa. 9:6). As the angel of the Lord, Jesus might have been with Daniel in the lion’s den. • Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18-24; Heb. 7:1-10)

Section 3: Mt. 1:1-17; Lk. 3:23-38

Mt. 1:1-17 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. To Abraham was born Isaac; and to Isaac, Jacob; and to Jacob, Judah and his brothers; and to Judah were born Perez and Zerah by Tamar; and to Perez was born Hezron; and to Hezron, Ram; and to Ram was born Amminadab; and to Amminadab, Nahshon; and to Nahshon, Salmon; and to Salmon was born Boaz by Rahab; and to Boaz was born Obed by Ruth; and to Obed, Jesse; and to Jesse was born David the king. 7 and to Solomon was born Rehoboam; and to Rehoboam, Abijah; and to Abijah, Asa; and to Asa was born Jehoshaphat; and to Jehoshaphat, 1 Joram; and to Joram, Uzziah; 9 and to Uzziah was born Jotham; and to Jotham, Ahaz; and to Ahaz, Hezekiah; 10 and to Hezekiah was born Manasseh; and to Manasseh, Amon; and to Amon, Josiah; 11 and to Josiah were born Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon, to Jeconiah was born Shealtiel; and to Shealtiel, Zerubbabel; 13 and to Zerubbabel was born Abihud; and to Abihud, Eliakim; and to Eliakim, Azor; 14 and to Azor was born Zadok; and to Zadok, Achim; and to Achim, Eliud; 15 and to Eliud was born Eleazar; and to Eleazar, Matthan; and to Matthan, Jacob; 16 and to Jacob was born Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. And to David was born Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah;

10