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Jesus is unique as a person. There has never been anyone like Him nor will there ever be.

Jesus is all God and all man. He is as much God as the Father and the Holy Spirit. He is a man

as much as you and I are human beings. However, He is perfect and without sin but He is a

man. The Bible is very clear on this. John 1:1,14. He has the names given to God. He has the

attributes of God. He has the works of God. He receives the honor due only God. Hebrews 1:8;

Titus 2:13; Romans 9:5; Revelation 1:17,8; Acts 3:14; 9:17; 10:36; Hebrews 1:6; Philippians

2:10-11; Acts 7:59; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:3; Mark 2:5-11; John 5:17-30;

2Timothy 4:1; 2Corinthians 13:14; etc.

Jesus was conceived within a mother, born of a mother, taken care of by a mother. He

developed physically and mentally as a man. He ate, slept, grew weary, etc., just like every

human being. He was tempted as a man but without sin. He was called by the names of a man.

He was not half man and half God but all man and all God. Galatians 4:4; Matthew 1:18; Luke

2:40,46,52; John 4:6; Matthew 8:24; 21:18; John 19:28; Luke 22:44; Hebrews 4:15.

The union of these two natures in Christ is not explained. The Bible states and claims

that He is God and man in the several ways already mentioned. Any attempted explanation is

only a theory which may or may not be true. The facts are clear that He is God and man

regardless as to how He was united into one person. Attempts to explain this union usually result

in making Him less God or less man and are dangerous for this reason and unnecessary. It is a

fact that He is God and man and united in one person. This is a mystery that God has not

explained which we accept by faith and it is best to leave it there. Receive it and rejoice in it.

There are many mysteries and paradoxes in the natural and spiritual realms which we know are

true but we don't understand how.

The God-Man, Jesus Christ, was born nearly 2,000 years ago. His humanity began then

but as God He had always existed. In the Old Testament we have many premanifestations of

Him in a visible way to the people of God. God, the Son, the second person of the trinity,

revealed Himself in a visible way. He appeared in human form. These appearances are called

theophanies. The evidences that these are Jesus as God are found in the context. He is

worshipped. He is addressed with language that is only befitting God. He is called many times

the angel of the Lord. Genesis 22:11-12; Exodus 3:2; Zechariah 3:1,3,5,6.

The Old Testament promises many times that Jesus Christ will come. From Genesis to

Malachi there are over three hundred predictions of His coming. All the basic facts about Him

are predicted from His birth to His second coming. A few examples:

1. From David's Family, 2Samuel 7:12-16; Matthew 22:42.

2. Virgin born, Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23.

3. Born in Bethlehem of Judea, Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6.

4. Sojourn in Egypt, Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:15.

5. Raised in Nazareth, Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 2:23.

6. Live in Galilee, Isaiah 9:1-2; Matthew 4:15.

7. John the Baptist to Prepare the Way Before Him, Isaiah 40:3-5; Matthew 3:3.

8. To Save Gentiles, Isaiah 42:1-4; Matthew 12:18-21.

9. He would heal, Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:17.

10. Entry into Jerusalem, Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:5.

11. Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, Zechariah 11:12-13; Matthew 27:9-10.

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12. Die with Criminals, Isaiah 53:9,12; Luke 22:37.

13. Buried with Rich, Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60.

14. No Bone Broken, Psalm 34:20; John 19:36.

15. Pierced in Death, Psalm 22:16; John 19:37.

16. To arise the third day, Psalm 16:10-11; Matthew 12:40; Luke 24:46.

The Tabernacle and its ceremonies pictured Him and His salvation. Hebrews 10:1-7;

Colossians 2:16-17; John 1:29; Isaiah 53; Zechariah 3:8. The Old Testament revealed the facts

about the Lord Jesus Christ by many predictions. These predictions and ceremonies are

evidences of the truth that God had a plan to send a Saviour to save us from our sins. Even

before creation God had a plan to send Christ to save His people, I Peter 1:19-20.

The subject of this book is The Work of Jesus Christ. It is the work of the one who is

God and man and is revealed in the Old Testament. The names of "Jesus" and "Christ" point to

His work. "Christ" is a transliteration of the Greek word which means anointed one. It is

equivalent to the word Messiah which is a transliteration of the Hebrew word which means

anointed one. If the Greek and Hebrew words would have been translated instead of

transliterated in the Bible, they would have been translated anointed or anointed one. In some

cases they were translated anointed. Psalm 2:2; Habakkuk 3:13.

But what does this word refer to? It refers to the offices of Jesus. He has been anointed

by God to the offices of Prophet, Priest and King. He is to do the work of a Prophet, Priest and

King. It was a common practice in the Old Testament to anoint to an office.

As a prophet He reveals the truth of God. As a priest He offers Himself as a sacrifice for

our sins. As a king He rules over us and will forever. These three offices teach us about the work

of salvation.

As a prophet Jesus reveals our salvation to us and we receive it by faith. Without the

knowledge of that salvation from Jesus our prophet we could not be saved.

As a priest Jesus offers Himself to die on the cross to take away our sins. Without the

priestly work of Jesus we could not be saved from our sins.

As a king Jesus rules us. He is our Lord. Satan was our king and he ruled us. But, Jesus

has saved the believers and He rules us, saving our life.

Each Gospel has a special emphasis concerning Christ. Matthew and Mark emphasize

His offices. Matthew presents Jesus in His office as king. Mark presents Jesus as a perfect

servant which reveals His two offices of serving, the office of prophet and the office of priest.

Luke and John emphasize His two-fold person of man and God. Luke presents Jesus as a perfect

man. John presents Jesus as God. Each Gospel brings out all of His offices and His person as

God and man but each Gospel has its special emphasis also.

The word "Jesus" means saviour and points to the general work of Jesus. He is our

Saviour and He saves from sin and Hell by doing the works of His offices of prophet, priest and

king.

He is called "the last Adam," 1Corinthians 15:45. He is the father of a new race. Those

who are born again have the same Christ-like human nature. He is our "everlasting Father,"

Isaiah 9:6. The born again are His children, Hebrews 2:13.

Adam represented all who came from him. When he sinned in the Garden of Eden, he

was the representative or federal head of all who were in him. Since all in him received his

nature he was also their natural head. The action or work of Adam affected all of the human

family.

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Jesus is like Adam in these general ways and therefore He is called the last Adam. Jesus

is a representative or federal head and a natural head for all who are born again. When Jesus

lived a perfect life and died for our sins and rose again He was representing all in Him. He was

their federal head. His perfect human nature is placed in the born-again by the work of the Holy

Spirit through the preaching of the Word. Having this same Christ-like life in us makes Jesus

our natural head also. The action or work of Jesus, the last Adam, affected all those in Him.

In general principles Adam and Christ are alike in their relationship to those they affect.

But, there are some great differences or contrasts between the two also. If one assumes that

since they are the heads of two peoples, and that there is a likeness in all that Adam did to what

Jesus did, then he will badly misunderstand what the Bible means when it calls Jesus the last

Adam.

Romans 5:12-21 shows us the relationship between the two Adams. It points out what

the first Adam did, 12-14, and then the contrasts, 15-17, and the likenesses, 18-21, between

the two Adams. Adam sinned and all in him sinned also in a sense. Since all human life was in

Adam then all sinned in him, 12. But no one but Adam sinned having knowledge and will in his

sin recorded in Genesis 3. They sinned in a different sense than Adam and would not be guilty

and punished in Hell for that sin, 13-14. Nevertheless, because Adam was their representative

and natural head they received two particular effects of Adam's sin. First, all in Adam received a

sinful nature like Adam and second all in Adam die physically because of Adam's sin. Because

of God's law in creation that like begets like, Adam's sin affected all that he begat by giving them

a sinful nature and consequently physical death. Because of God's law of justice, God does not

impute the guilt and consequently the punishment in Hell for a sin unless there is personal

knowledge and will involved, 13; Ezekiel 18. This is a very important and basic difference

between our relationship to the two Adams and should be noted. In Adam we are dealt with

according to God's law and justice. In the last Adam we are dealt with according to God's grace

and mercy. Because of this basic difference other contrasts also appear.

The differences or contrasts between the two Adams are brought out in verses 15-17.

After mentioning in 14b that Adam was a figure or type of Christ, the Lord is quick to explain in

the next three verses that the first Adam is not a type of Christ in some respects and explains

what those respects are. The first contrast is brought out in verse 15. Adam's one sin alone

brought our sinful nature and physical death. Adam's other sins could not make any more of an

effect on those in him than the first sin made. But, all of Christ's life, death and resurrection was

given to those in Him by grace. Christ's work

was abounding towards those in Him. Christ does more for us than Adam did against us.

The second contrast is seen in verse 16. Adam's one sin brought the judgment of being a

sinner on those in him. Whereas Christ's work took away all of our many sins and justified us in

the sight of God.

The last contrast is noted in verse 17. Adam's sin brought physical death but Christ's

work for His people brought life.

Three likenesses between Adam and Christ are mentioned in verses 18-21. The first is in

verse 18. Adam, one person, affected all in him just like Christ, one person, affected all in Him.

The second is seen in verse 19. Adam affected many just like Christ affected many. The last

similarity is pointed out in verses 20-21. Adam's sin reigns just like Christ's grace in saving us

reigns. Both have the power of kings but the power of Christ's grace is greater than Adam's sin,

verse 20. Jesus is the last Adam or second man who does a work of salvation for all in Him,

1Corinthians 15:45,47.

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The work of salvation was accomplished by Jesus Christ in His doing the work of His

three offices. He did this in history; it is a historical fact. For this reason this work is outlined

from the beginning of the life of the God-Man to His second coming. His work will be divided

into three basic parts. One, as a prophet He works primarily in the three and a half years of His

ministry. Two, as a Priest He works primarily in the last hours of His ministry in dying, being

buried and arising from the grave. Three, as a King He works primarily after His resurrection

and forever.

A prophet speaks and or writes God's inspired word. Jesus did this throughout His

ministry of 3 1/2 years. Notice how He did this.

Jesus fulfilled the prediction given through Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15, "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." See also Deuteronomy 18:16-19. Moses was unique among all the

prophets of Old Testament times in several ways. In these ways Moses was a type of Christ.

Moses had a direct contact with God that other prophets didn't have. Moses' miracles were

greater than the other prophets. Moses acted as a mediator between God and Israel. Jesus was a

prophet like Moses in these ways and others. The messages of the other prophets were fully

God's word but they did not enjoy the unique ways mentioned that made Moses a type of

Christ.

See Deuteronomy 5:5; 34:10-12; Numbers 12:6-8; Exodus 20:18-21; Galatians 3:19; 1Timothy

2:5; John 6:9-14.

The revelation of God given through Moses was the basis of all the Old Testament books

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given through the other prophets. Jesus' teachings are the basis of all the New Testament books,

John 14:25-26; 16:12-15.

Jesus taught the truth of God and proved it was God's Word by His miracles and or

predictions just like all true prophets had done. He was full of the Spirit and had the names

which indicated He was a prophet. He was called, the Prophet, the Word, the Truth and Master

(Teacher), etc., John 1:1,14; 14:6; etc.

He was constantly teaching and preaching on all subjects: sin, judgment, righteousness,

service, salvation, God, man, final events, etc. His work as a prophet was to reveal the truth of

God which He did. He completed the revelation of God in His ministry and through the

prophets He prepared the New Testament was written. The whole of the New Testament is

about Jesus in His first and second comings. His revelation in life and teaching is the basis of the

New Testament. The whole of the Old Testament is about Jesus. As God, the Word, He

revealed it to the Old Testament prophets. Often He appeared as the Angel of the Lord to reveal

His truth before New Testament times. Without Him there would be no Old or New Testament.

To carry on His ministry of teaching and preaching Jesus began His church, Matthew

16:18; 28:18-20. This first church was located in Jerusalem at the end of His ministry and

became the pattern in organization, in teaching and in practice for the true churches which came

after it. The word church in the New Testament means assembly because the Greek word behind

it is ekklesia or ecclesia which means assembly or congregation. Jesus' church was an assembly

of immersed believers organized as a self-governing democratic body to carry out the great

commission and guided by the Bible as its final authority.

Each of the churches of Jesus Christ is likened to the physical body of Jesus Christ,

1Corinthians 12:12-28; Ephesians 1:22-23. Just as Jesus worked in His physical body during His

ministry on earth so each of His churches is a body of Christ that Jesus works through now and

until He comes again. These churches are to teach and preach the truth of God's Word. These

churches carry on the ministry of Jesus as a prophet. However, they are not to give new

revelations but to proclaim the completed revelation of Jesus in all the Old and New Testaments.

Each New Testament church is likened to a temple, Ephesians 2:20-22; 1Corinthians 3:9-

17. Just as the temple of the Old Testament revealed the truth about Jesus Christ in its services

so each New Testament church does the same thing.

Each New Testament church is likened to a pillar and ground (foundation) to hold up the

truth that all around might see it, 1Timothy 3:15. Each of these figures, body, temple, pillar and

ground reveal that this institution, the New Testament Church, is to carry on the completed

prophetic ministry of Jesus Christ.

A priest offers a sacrifice to picture the taking away of sin before God. Jesus literally did

this and it was predicted that He would. Notice how He did this by offering Himself as the

sacrifice. He was priest and sacrifice.

Jesus was born into this world like other human beings except for two great exceptions.

First, He was born of a virgin who conceived Him without a human father. Second, He did not

have a sinful nature and therefore did not have to die physically. The virgin birth was predicted

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in Isaiah 7:14; Jeremiah 31:22. Jesus' birth fulfilled these. Joseph did not know Mary as his

wife until after the birth of Jesus. She was a virgin until that time. Joseph was Jesus' legal father

but not His actual father. Joseph is called Jesus' father at times because he legally was His father

and in some cases the people were not saved and did not know or believe the truth about the

virgin birth. Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; 2Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15.

Jesus grew as any infant and was dependent upon Mary and Joseph. He was carried, fed

and dressed as other infants. He grew physically and mentally. As God He knew all things but

as man He increased in knowledge. As God He had all power but as man He increased in

power. Jesus honored Mary and Joseph as His parents still He was the Lord of all. Luke 2:51-

52.

At about thirty years of age He began His ministry which lasted three and one half years.

His ministry began with John the Baptist introducing Him. John prepared the way before him

by preaching that Christ was coming and that they should repent and believe on Him as their

Saviour. Matthew 3:1-12; Luke 3:21-23; Acts 19:4-5; John 1:29.

Jesus was baptized (immersed) by John. This was to picture what Jesus would do. This

showed what the purpose of His coming was. He was to die, to be buried and to arise again. By

doing this for those who believe in Him, He would fulfill all righteousness. To die for our sins

that they might be taken away

is righteousness. It is always righteous to pay ones debts. The believers' sins became Jesus' sins

legally when He voluntarily took the responsibility for them. Matthew 3:13-17; Romans 1:16-17;

I Corinthians 15:1-4.

Jesus was tempted like other human beings but He did not sin. An example of His

temptation is given to show the greatness of the temptations and how He did overcome them.

Matthew 4:1-11; Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14-15.

Jesus kept all of God's law in word, thought and deed. His life is a testimony to His

being perfectly righteous. Others recognized this. Mark 1:23-24; John 18:38; Matthew 27:19;

Luke 23:41,47; I John 3:5.

He taught the truth by His life and His words. He taught that He came to die for our sins

and to arise again. He taught how to be saved. He taught how to live for Him. He taught how to

serve God. Matthew 16:21-26; John 3:14-18; etc.

He proved He was God and the promised Saviour of the Old Testament. He also proved

that all of His words were true and God's word. His miracles were His proof. He did every kind

of miracle. He showed He could heal every part of the body in a moment. He raised the dead to

life. He controlled Satan and demons. He controlled all of nature. Matthew 11:4-5; see the four

Gospels. His ministry ended with His death on the cross and His resurrection.

Jesus lived for us. He was our substitute, our representative. Jesus was born for us.

He took human life and lived a perfect life for us. His work of salvation for us required that

He become a man. He could not take our place unless He was like us except for sin. He

had to be without spot or blemish in His life to die for us. He had to become a man that He

might die for us. God cannot die but man can. The believer in Christ has His righteous life

imputed or charged to his account. The believer figuratively is said to be clothed in the

righteousness of Christ, that is, His righteous life. Romans 3:22-26; 4:3-6,11,22-25; Zechariah

3:3-5; Revelation 19:8; 2Corinthians 5:17-21.

Jesus had to die to complete His work of salvation. For all other men, to die is normal.

For Christ to die was not normal. The one who was God and man had to die. The one who had

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all power had to die. The one who was perfectly righteous had to die. The one who was life had

to die. The one who had no sin had to die. Everything about Him said He should not die. But,

to do His work to save His people, He must die. What is not unusual for all others because of sin

was most unusual for Christ because of His nature and life. This is an amazing fact, the prince of

life died and He had to die. John 3:14-15; Matthew 16:21; Luke 24:25-27.

Jesus had to die according to the Scripture. He had to be taken and judged. He had to be

betrayed for thirty pieces of silver by one close to Him. He had to have His hands and feet and

side pierced. He had to die on a tree. He had to have his garments taken and divided among His

captors. He had to have one piece, the right piece of clothing, to be gambled for. He had to

die among thieves. He had to shed His blood. He had to say the right things while hanging on

the cross. Those around Him had to say the right things. He could not have any bones broken.

He had to die in Jerusalem outside the camp. His death must fulfill all the Scriptures and it did.

Luke 24:25-27, 44-47. Jesus did die as the Old Testament said He would. 1Corinthians

15:1-4.

Many Scriptures point out that Jesus died for His people. He died as a substitute. He

died according to plan. He deliberately died that every believer might be saved. He had the

power to die and to live. No one could take His life from Him yet He laid down His life for us.

Our sins were laid on Him. He took the responsibility willingly for our sins. Isaiah 53; Romans

4:23-25; 2Corinthians 5:21; 1Peter 2:24; 3:18; etc.

God the Father forsook Him and treated Him as He would any sinner in Hell. God

punished Him for our sins. Jesus completely paid for all of His people's sins. The work of

suffering and paying for our sins was done on the cross. It was not necessary to go to Hell to pay

for our sins' penalty but to wherever God appointed. God appointed Calvary to be the place of

suffering. His suffering in the process of dying paid the price for the sins of every believer. He

suffered in body and soul for us just as the unbelieving sinner suffers in body and soul in Hell

forever. He suffered the burning and He thirsted. He suffered in darkness. He suffered among

sinners. He suffered being separated from the Father.

He suffered enough for our sins. He could suffer for the many sins of many people

and pay for them all because of being the God-Man. He had a greater capacity to suffer. His

sufferings took on greater value because of who He was.

Because Christ died, the benefits of His death come to everyone who receives Him by

faith. One must distinguish between Christ's payment and the application of the payment to the

believer. Christ died for His people, the ones God chose before the foundation of the world. His

death was designed for them. This is the payment. All of these people in time would hear the

gospel message of how Christ died for their sins and trust Him or receive Him as their personal

Saviour. This is the application of the payment. The benefits come then to the one who

receives Christ by faith. These benefits do not come before trusting Christ.

The passover illustrates this. The passover lamb was slain picturing the death of Christ to

pay for our sins. That was the payment. The blood of the lamb was taken and put on the side

posts and over the door and then the person got in that house. That was the application. The

benefits were received in that house under the applied blood. The death angel did not kill the

first born in that house. They fed on the lamb in the house and rejoiced in that house and had

peace there. All who killed the lamb also applied the blood. All that Christ died for will have

the blood applied in time. God warned that the firstborn would die unless he was in the house

where the blood was applied. The blood of Christ must be sprinkled in the heart of the sinner for

him to be saved. Figuratively this is done when one sees his

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need of Christ and trusts Christ and His blood to take away His sin.

Another illustration is seen in the prepared feast and the eaten feast. One can fix the

greatest feast in all the world and pay for it but it doesn't do any good to the ones it was prepared

for until they eat it. The Lord has prepared a spiritual feast for His people. This is forgiveness of

all our sins; peace with God; new life; etc. These benefits or the feast has been given from the

days of Adam. The Lord Jesus Christ paid for it at the cross of Calvary. There is an invitation

telling of the feast and inviting all who will to come and receive it; this is the gospel message

that is carried into all the world. There is a response to this invitation by those who believe it

and they receive the feast and enjoy it; this is the time in a person's life when he repents of his

sins and believes in Jesus as His Saviour. Note carefully that the feast was prepared for the

Lord's people and Jesus had paid for it in full but no one enjoys it until he receives it by faith.

Until that time he is starving spiritually even though the feast had been prepared for him. He

never gets the benefits until received by faith. There is no value in faith itself. The value is in

Christ that faith receives. Faith is the opposite of works. Faith is stopping work and receiving as

a free gift the work of Christ. Faith is chosen by God as the means of receiving Christ and His

work of salvation because there is no merit or intrinsic value in it. It is by faith that it might be

by grace; and salvation is by grace, all of grace, Romans 4:16. The work of Christ guarantees

that all is paid for His people. The work of the Holy Spirit in regenerating the lost sinner by the

written or spoken word of God guarantees that all the work of Christ is applied to His people.

The benefits that come because of Christ's death include a new heaven and earth that has

the curse of sin removed from it. It also includes the removing of the curse of sin from those

who die before they reach an age of accountability. This includes infants who die in infancy and

people who die never having reached any moral competency such as imbeciles, etc. The effects

of sin is removed from these by the work of Christ. The earth does not believe to receive this

benefit of Christ's work nor do those who die before reaching accountability believe to receive

this benefit of Christ's work, 2Samuel 12:15-23; Psalm 23:1, 6; Romans 8:19-23.

Jesus died physically and His body was buried. Our sin brought physical death as well as

spiritual death and the second death of body and soul in the lake of fire. Since Jesus truly was a

man, He was capable of physical death. His physical death is evidence that Jesus was really a

man. As God He could not die and be buried. If He was only a spiritual being appearing as a

man He could not die physically. The Bible says that His soul went to be with God and His body

was put in the tomb for three days. His disciples brought the materials needed to prepare His

body in physical death. His soul went to Hell; it says this in Acts 2:27,31 and Psalm 16:10. The

word in Acts in the Greek is hades and the word in Psalms in the Hebrew is sheol. These

words, hades and sheol, mean the same thing. They mean the unseen world or condition. When

the soul is out of the body it can not be seen. In the body it can be seen through the body. In the

body the soul is in the seen condition out of the body the soul is in the unseen condition . The

soul of the lost goes to a place of torment in the unseen world or condition but the soul of the

saved goes to a place of blessing, Heaven, in the unseen world or condition. When Jesus died on

the cross His soul went immediately to Heaven or paradise to be with the Father. The saved

thief's soul went there also. The body was taken down and buried. Until the resurrection the

soul of Jesus remained in Heaven in the unseen condition since His soul was away from His

body. Luke 23:42-43,46; 2Corinthians 12:2-4.

Romans 10:6-7 speaks of the soul and body of Christ when He died. Speaking of His

soul it says, "Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above)," 6b.

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When Jesus died His soul was in Heaven as this verse makes very clear. Speaking of His body it

says, "Or, who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)" 7.

Jesus' body was in "the deep" during the time of His death. "The deep" refers to the area beneath

the surface of the earth. Jesus' body was in the upper crust of the earth which is called "the

deep." For a further study of this passage see my book, Death and Resurrection.

Ephesians 4:8-10 refers to the burial of Jesus' body when it says, "but that he also

descended first into the lower parts of the earth?" 9b. When a person is alive and upon the

surface of earth, he is on the upper parts of the earth. When a person is dead and buried under

the surface of the earth, he is in the lower parts of the earth regardless of the depth that he might

be buried. When Jesus' body was resurrected from the lower parts of the earth, He ascended to

the highest Heaven, God's headquarters, after forty days on the earth.

When Jesus died His body was buried and His soul went to Heaven to await the

resurrection as all Scriptures clearly teach. Some have misinterpreted 1Peter 3:18-20 to teach

that Jesus' soul went to the place of suffering where lost souls go at death to preach. This

passage is referring to the fact that Jesus preached through the Holy Spirit leading Noah to

preach in the days of Noah to the people who rejected the message and were sent to God's prison,

Hell. They were in God's prison at the time of the writing of 1Peter but they were on earth at the

time Noah preached to them. See 2Peter 2:5; 1Peter 1:10-11.

Jesus' burial was for us. He was our substitute in this also. Our sins brought physical

death so Jesus died physically and was buried that we who believe on Him might be saved.

Jesus' soul was separated from His body for us also. The soul's separation from the body is a

consequence of sin, our sin. If man had not sinned there would be no physical death. Bodies

would never have to be buried and souls would never have to be separated from their bodies and

go into hades, the unseen condition. Because Jesus took the responsibility for our sins and was

our substitute, He took the consequences for those sins part of which was physical death.

Physical death meant His body

would be buried for us and His soul was separated from His body and was in the unseen

condition for us. Jesus did all of this for us that the believer might have a complete salvation.

Jesus arose from the grave after three days. The Bible states many times that He arose.

Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23; Luke 24:19-24; John 20:19-21; Acts 2:22-24; 1Corinthians 15:3-4;

etc. His resurrection was a real physical resurrection. He could be touched. He ate. The nail

prints and print of the spear could still be seen. John 20:16-18; 24-29; 21:12-14; Luke 24:36-44;

etc. He arose before corruption took place in His body as the Scripture prophesied. He was

resurrected in three days. If His stay in death were longer His body would have begun to

corrupt, Psalms 16:9-11; Acts 2:25-32.

His body was raised to a glorious condition, immortal and incorruptible forever. Jesus'

glorified body had special new qualities. He could go through the air as easily as walking on the

ground. He could go through solids like walls yet His body was a real physical body that could

be touched and could eat food, Acts 1:9-11; John 20:19-20; Luke 24:36-44.

The resurrection meant that His soul came out of hades, the unseen state, to dwell in the

body, the seen state. Physical death and hades were finished for Jesus. He had risen to live

forever in His glorified body. His resurrection to live forever is evidence that all of the sins He

died for were paid for in full. If He had not paid in full for them then He could not be raised to

live forever in His glorious body. The wages of sin is death; until all of the sins He took on

Himself to pay for were paid in full, He could not be raised to die no more. See Romans 6:23a;

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5:12. Jesus sufferings to pay for our sins were over when He said it was finished on the cross.

Since it was finished He had fellowship with the Father and could go to Heaven. He did not get

His glorified body until three days after His burial. He had the benefit of Heaven and the benefit

of a glorified body at two different times. This is true for the people for whom He died. The

believer has the benefit of Heaven when he dies but the benefit of a glorified body at the 2nd

coming.

Jesus arose for us. He was our substitute in this. His salvation saves the believer from

physical death and hades. Because He arose to a glorious body so will the believer. Our body is

to be like His body. It will be incorruptible and immortal. It will be able to go through solids

and up through the air. It will never get sick, be injured, or age. It will last forever in this

glorious state. The soul will never go to hades again and be separated from the body in the

unseen state. The soul will dwell in this glorious body like Christ's body forever. Every believer

will get his new body at the second coming of Christ. The believers who have died will be raised

from the dead to a glorious body. The believers who are still living at the coming of Christ will

be changed to a new glorified body. 1Corinthians 15:35-58; 2Corinthians 5:1-5; 1John 3:1-3;

Philippians 3:20-21; 1Thessalonians 4:13-18; John 20:19-20; Acts 1:9-11; John 11:23-27.

Forty days after Christ arose from the dead, He ascended back to Heaven in His glorified

body. Jesus will remain there until the second coming. He is exalted; He is King of kings; He is

at the right hand of the Father. Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:9-11; 1:3; 7:54-56; 1Timothy 3:16;

Hebrews 7:25; 1John 2:1-2; Revelation 5:6-10; 19:11-16.

Jesus is still our substitute. The believer is in Heavenly places in Christ. Even though

still on earth, the Lord's people are said to be in Heaven. They are there in the person of Christ,

Ephesians 1:3; 2:4-9. Jesus works for us still. He intercedes for us. The High Priest of the Old

Testament represented Israel and interceded or spoke for them before God. The precious stones

on the shoulders and the breastplate of the High Priest had the names of the tribes of Israel

engraved in them to show the people that the High Priest represented and worked for them. The

High Priest represented Israel in the matter of law before God's court of justice. The High Priest

was a lawyer. He not only offered a sacrifice to take away his people's sins but also after that

continued to speak for them or intercede for them. He would say that all their sins had been paid

for according to God's holy law. Justice had been met. Jesus is the believer's High Priest and

continues to intercede for us forever. He reminds the court of Heaven that all of His people's

sins have been paid for. He is our lawyer who continually represents us. As long as He lives and

represents us we live and are saved and are right before God's law. And, He lives forever and

continues to work for us. The believer's salvation is secure in Him. The work of the cross is

continually pointed to. Jesus continues to work for us by pointing to the finished work of paying

for our sins by the shedding of His blood, Hebrews 7; 1John 2:1-2.

Jesus was like Aaron, the High Priest, in His dress and work but He was like

Melchizedek, the High Priest, in His order, which had neither beginning nor end but was an

everlasting order. Hebrews 6:20-7:28; Zechariah 3:8; Exodus 28-29; Leviticus; etc.

A King rules and Jesus does this and will forever as explained in the following

paragraphs.

Jesus arose from the dead in power and glory to take the office of King of kings. Jesus

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was born in Bethlehem with the right to be the King of kings but He did not assume this office

until His resurrection, Psalm 2:6-7; Ephesians 1:20-23; Acts 2:29-36; Luke 1:30-33; Matthew

2:1-6; etc.

He also ascended to rule for us. He is the King now ruling in Heaven. He rules His

people and guides them through the Holy Spirit and the Bible to carry on His work on earth of

carrying out the great commission. He rules all that God's plan might be carried out. Nothing is

allowed to hurt the carrying out of the will of God. It is God's will that all of His elect hear the

gospel and believe and be kept until the second coming and receive their glorified bodies.

Revelation 5; 19:11-16; Ephesians 1:20; 1:9-12; Romans 8:28; Matthew 28:18-20. He rules

invisibly now from Heaven.

Christ will come again at the appointed time. He will come in power and great glory. He

will come as King of kings and Lord of lords. He will give new bodies to His people; He will

destroy the nations of this world; He will make a new heavens and earth; He will judge His

people and reward them; He will judge the lost and the fallen angels and send them to Hell

forever; He will rule with His people over this new earth forever. He will rule visibly on earth at

the second coming over all the earth. Revelation 19:11-16; 11:15-18; 20:6; 22:1-5; Matthew

25:31-46.

Christ will come again to finish the application of His work on the cross for His people.

He is their substitute in this, their representative. He continues to work for us in all that He does

forever. To apply the work of the cross we need a new glorified body. Jesus died for this. To

apply the work of the cross we need a new perfect earth without the curse of sin on it. By

destroying the nations and judging the lost and the fallen angels forever in Hell, the believers can

receive and enjoy a perfect earth and rule over it forever with Christ. Being with Christ forever

and having dominion over a perfect earth is the ultimate purpose of our salvation. The

fellowship with God and having dominion over the earth as man was suppose to have it was lost

when man sinned. It is restored by the work of Christ and kept by His work for us.

The Old Testament predicts that Jesus will come to reign as King forever over all the

earth. He will be of the family of David. Isaiah 9:6-7; II Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 2; Daniel 2:44;

7:13-14; etc.

Jesus came into the world to do a work for us. He who was the eternal God, the second

person of the trinity, became a man that He might be our prophet and teach us and that He might

be our priest and be able to be our representative and to live the perfect righteous life we should

have lived and to die and pay for our sins which we could not do and to arise from the dead that

we might have a sure hope of a resurrection to a glorified body like His. He came also that He

might be our King. He arose to be our king and He is to come again to reign over the earth

forever and to give us a perfect body and a perfect earth. He was manifested in the Old

Testament many times and promised many times. God promised and predicted what He would

do many times.

His names reveal the work He was to do. He is Jesus, the Christ, the last Adam. He

fulfills this work in history for us by His birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension and

coming again. This summarizes the work of Jesus Christ.

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The benefits of Christ's work is received when one receives Him as his personal Saviour

by faith. All need His work because of their sinful and lost condition but only those who trust

Him to take away their sin and make them righteous are saved. "To Him give all the prophets

witness, that through his

name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins," Acts 10:43. "He that

believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but

the wrath of God abideth on him," John 3:36.