Bible Lesson 9
Who Is Jesus?
He is the Son of God, and He is God
With this question we come back to the nature of God as being Three-and-One. Is Jesus God? Yes. Is he separate from God? Sort of!
It is helpful if we are more specific, saying that the God the Father and Jesus the Son are separate persons, each one having a mind, characteristics and a role. Yet they are both God, united in a way we can’t understand.
It’s important to recognize that when these passages speak of Jesus being born, or being the firstborn, they are not saying that he began to exist. “Firstborn” means the one who has the highest position and prominence. And when Jesus was born of Mary, he was taking on a new aspect to his being, by becoming human. He was not beginning to exist at that time.
The Baptism of Christ, by El Greco. 1608.
Dios, y el Hijo de Dios
Colosenses 1
(15) Cristo es la imagen del Dios invisible, el primogénito de toda creación, (16) porque en él fueron creadas todas las cosas, las que hay en los cielos y las que hay en la tierra, visibles e invisibles; sean tronos, sean dominios, sean principados, sean potestades; todo fue creado por medio de él y para él. (17) Y él es antes que todas las cosas, y todas las cosas en él subsisten.
(18) Él es también la cabeza del cuerpo que es la iglesia, y es el principio, el primogénito de entre los muertos, para que en todo tenga la preeminencia, (19) porque al Padre agradó que en él habitara toda la plenitud.
Lucas 1
(30) Entonces el ángel le dijo: —María, no temas, porque has hallado gracia delante de Dios. (31) Concebirás en tu vientre y darás a luz un hijo, y llamarás su nombre Jesús. (32) Éste será grande, y será llamado Hijo del Altísimo. El Señor Dios le dará el trono de David, su padre; (33) reinará sobre la casa de Jacob para siempre y su Reino no tendrá fin.
(34) Entonces María preguntó al ángel: —¿Cómo será esto?, pues no conozco varón.
(35) Respondiendo el ángel, le dijo: —El Espíritu Santo vendrá sobre ti y el poder del Altísimo te cubrirá con su sombra; por lo cual también el Santo Ser que va a nacer será llamado Hijo de Dios.
Traducción: RVR 1995
God, and the Son of God
Colossians 1
Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, for in him were created all things, those that are in the heavens and those that are on the earth, visible and invisible; be they thrones, be they dominions, be they principalities, be they powers; all were created by means of him and for him. And he is before all things, and all things continue to exist.
He is also the head of the body that is the church, and he is the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he would have preeminence, because the Father was pleased that all his fullness dwell in him.
Luke 1
Then the angel said to her, “Mary, do not fear, for you have found grace with God. You will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you will call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father; he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his reign will have no end.
Then Mary asked the angel, “How will this be? Since I don’t know a man.
Responding, the angel told her, “The Holy Spirit will come over you and the power of the most high will cover you with his shadow; for that reason the Holy One who will be born will be called the Son of God.
1. Listen to the audio as you read along with the Spanish on the left.
2. Open the English translation, and read the two side-by-side, making sure you understand the Spanish.
3. Close the English, and listen to the audio again, reading along in Spanish.
4. Close the Spanish, and listen once more. Maybe shut your eyes, and just try to understand as much as you can.