Who is Jesus..?

Instead of using my own words to describe the person of Christ I would prefer to present  two references from the Bible. The first one is an indirect prophetic reference from the Old Testament and the second one comes from the Gospels of the New Testament, where we find direct and detailed information about Jesus.

1.         “We despised him and rejected him - a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised and we didn't care. Yet it was our grief he bore, our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, for his own sins! But he was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace; he was lashed - and we were healed! We -every one of us- have strayed away like sheep! We, who left God's paths to follow our own. Yet God laid on him the guilt and sins of every one of us! // From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people of that day realized it was their sins that he was dying for -that he was suffering their punishment? He was buried like a criminal, but in a rich man's grave; but he had done no wrong, and had never spoken an evil word. But it was the Lord's good plan to bruise him and fill him with grief. However when his soul has been made an offering for sin, then he will enjoy long life and see his children’s children, and in his hand the God's purpose will prosper”.

(Isaiah 53: 3-6, 8-10)

           

2.         St. John the Evangelist, the so-called “beloved disciple”, has specifically stated that: “Before anything else existed, there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God. And Christ became a human being and lived here on earth among us and was full of loving forgiveness and truth”.

(John 1: 1, 14)

            Another text, which comes from our Holy Tradition and states quite strictly our belief on the person of Jesus Christ  is the so-called “Creed”, or the “Symbol of our Faith”. The largest part of it is dedicated to our Lord. It says:

                                                  

            “I believe in one God…”.

“…And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, Light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one essence with the Father, through him all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. And was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And rose on the third day according to the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end…”.