Once You Know Who Jesus Is

Jesus is the Christ.   John 20:31, ESV

Jesus is the Christ—that means Jesus is the prophet who speaks the Word of God. He is the priest who offers the sacrifice acceptable to God. He is the king who routs the enemies of God.

John presents his case like a lawyer in a courtroom.

He demonstrates that Jesus is the prophet who knows the hidden truth about a Samaritan woman. And when the woman says to him, “I know the Messiah is coming. . . . When he comes, he will explain everything to us,” Jesus replies, “I AM the Messiah!” (John 4:25-26).

John brings a witness to the stand who will testify that Jesus is the priest. John the Baptist identifies Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). But how would Christ take away the sins of the world? Jesus speaks of “laying down his life”—the language of sacrifice. And when Jesus dies, John records his triumphant words, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), indicating that the sacrifice is complete and reconciliation between God and humanity is accomplished.

Then John produces evidence that Jesus is the king who delivers us from our enemies. He tells us how Jesus comes to the tomb of a friend who has died four days earlier and says, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). The dead man’s sister says, “I have always believed you are the Messiah” (11:27). Then Jesus asks for the stone to be rolled back, demonstrating his authority over death as he calls the dead man to come out. This king has authority over greater enemies than the Romans—he can deliver us from the tyranny of death and hell!

Once you know who Jesus is, you’ll understand what it means to have faith in him. Jesus Christ is prophet, priest, and king, so believing in him means we trust what he says as prophet, taking his Word as the standard of truth by which all else is measured. It means we trust him as priest to bring us into the presence of God. It means we submit ourselves to him as king, living under his authority and rule.

For further reading, see John 11