Pastor Terrie Beede delivered session 16 of the "Studies in Theology" series at Calvary Chapel Milwaukee, focusing on "The Doctrine of the Son, Part 4: The Work of Jesus Christ (His Offices)". The series is guided by 1 Timothy 4:16, where Paul instructs Timothy to "take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee". This charge highlights the minister's responsibility to adhere to and faithfully teach sound doctrine, ensuring both their own faithful service and the proper nourishment of the congregation in truth.
This session built upon previous studies, including an introduction to theology, the existence of God, a multi-part discussion on the Trinity, the doctrine of Scripture, the attributes of God, and the doctrine of God the Father. Prior sessions on the Doctrine of the Son had explored Christ's person in the Old Testament (foretelling His humanity and deity, and the role of the Angel of the Lord), His humanity in the New Testament, and His deity in the New Testament. The current session served as a conclusion to the study of Christ's person by emphasizing the necessity of His two-fold nature and then transitioning into the work of Christ, specifically His offices.
The study of God the Son aligns with Article Four of the Calvary Chapel Milwaukee statement of faith, which affirms belief "in the person of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten son, conceived by the Holy Spirit," including His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, teachings, substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension, perpetual intercession, and personal visible return to Earth.
The Necessity of Christ's Dual Nature: The session underscored the absolute necessity for Jesus to be both fully God and fully man in one person.
• Fully Human: Christ was uniquely qualified to represent humanity before God because He was completely human. Adam and Eve, through sin, became "something less than what God made them to be," and only a perfect human could represent mankind. Hebrews 2:16-18 states that Christ "took not on him the nature of angels... but he took on him the seed of Abraham," becoming "like unto his brethren" to be a "merciful and faithful high priest". His human experiences, including gladness, desire, marvel, compassion, frustration, anger, trouble, anguish, and sorrow, enabled Him to fully empathize with and effectively intercede for tempted humanity.
• Fully God: Christ was equally qualified to represent God to man, as God Himself spoke through His Son in the "last days" (Hebrews 1:1-2). The prophecies of His virgin birth as "Immanuel" (God with us) in Isaiah 7:14 and John 1:14, stating "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us," affirm His divine-human nature. His incarnation meant He "dwelt among us," not aloof, thereby fully revealing God in a way creation alone could not. The deity of Christ is a necessary doctrine, as without it, the core truths of the Christian faith lose their meaning, warning against a "Christless Christianity".
The Work of Jesus Christ: His Offices The session then transitioned to exploring the work of Christ, specifically through His three primary offices: Prophet, Priest, and King. It was noted that the Old Testament had foretold that the Messiah would occupy these human roles.
1. Prophet:
◦ A prophet is one who speaks for God, delivering God's message from God to man.
◦ Moses was the archetype of a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:18), and Christ fulfilled this role as the ultimate Prophet.
◦ Christ's words carry eternal authority directly from the Father. John 1:18 explains that "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him," signifying Jesus as the ultimate revealer of God.
2. Priest:
◦ A priest is one who speaks for man to God, mediating between God and humanity.
◦ Christ's priesthood is "after the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 6:20-7:4), a figure whose priesthood predated and was superior to the Aaronic priesthood, having "no record of his beginning" or "end". This signifies Christ's eternal and unique priestly role.
◦ As a priest, Christ offered a "perfect sacrifice" for sins "once for all" (Hebrews 10:10-14), in contrast to the repeated, temporary sacrifices of human priests. His completed work allowed Him to "sit down on the right hand of God".
3. King:
◦ Jesus is the eternal King, whose kingdom, though "not of this world," is ultimately sovereign.
◦ His divine kingship will be fully realized and evident at His return, as depicted in Revelation 19.
4. Servant:
◦ While not a traditional distinct office in systematic theology, the session highlighted the office of a servant as one that encompasses and is perhaps "greater than any other office," as Christ executed His roles as Prophet, Priest, and King through the posture of a servant.
◦ Biblical servitude, unlike modern conceptions of slavery, sometimes involved individuals of high status and influence, bearing the identity and authority of their masters. This concept further illuminates Christ's selfless work.
The session stressed that theology is not merely an academic subject but has practical and personal implications for daily life, shaping how believers live and worship. This deep understanding of Christ's person and work is foundational to the Christian faith.