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The person of Christ

2005 Autumn Lectures

‘The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.’
Hebrews 1:3 (NIV)

Christian theology has referred to the three great offices of Christ: prophet, priest and king. As God’s only son he is the final prophet. He is the Great High Priest who offered himself as a full and final sacrifice on the cross in our place. He is ascended far above all rule and authority and is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Scripture also points to Christ as the Great Redeemer, prefigured by Old Testament teaching on the kinsman redeemer and the redemption of the children of Israel out of Egypt. Christ is also the suffering servant who humbled himself even to death on a cross. Perhaps the most familiar title of all to us is Christ the Saviour.

We consider these titles of Christ and their biblical foundations.

1. The Messianic King

By Revd Prof John L Mackay

  • 1hr 7mins

The coming of the Messianic King is clearly promised in the Old Testament. Not least in the book of Isaiah – a Messiah bearing the title “the mighty God”, ruling on the throne of David. Does our view of Christ line up with his kingship?

2. The Suffering Servant

By Revd Prof John L Mackay

  • 1hr 31mins

“Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer” (Isaiah 53). The Son of God came to reclaim ruined sinners by taking on the nature of a servant and becoming obedient to death. Are we ready to take up our cross daily and follow him?

3. The Great High Priest

By Revd Norman Barr

  • 1hr 12mins

The book of Hebrews describes Christ as the Great High Priest and develops the doctrine of penal substitution. Christ is the only priest who offered himself as a full and perfect sacrifice. We can come boldly to God through the merits of Christ (Hebrews 4:14-16).

4. The Great Redeemer

By Revd William Macleod

  • 1hr 14mins

In the Old Testament the role of the Kinsman Redeemer was to redeem the property or the freedom of a relative who had fallen into debt or slavery. This is a picture of Christ, the Great Redeemer, who redeems his people from the moral poverty and slavery of sin.

5. The Saviour of the World

By David Harding

  • 1hr 22mins

Because of the testimony of the woman at the well, a group of Samaritans came to see that Jesus “really is the Saviour of the world” (John 4:42). Christ is able to provide a full salvation and he is able to keep us. What are the implications for evangelism and for Christian assurance?