God the Son, Student Workbook, SW10

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G O D T H E S O N

Jesus, the Messiah and Lord of All: He Died

Segment 1: His Humiliation and Death

Rev. Dr. Don L. Davis

The humiliation of Jesus Christ, to use the theologian Oden’s language, deals with his descent from the heavenly realms in his divine glory to come to earth and die on behalf of the world. This lowliness was reflected in every dimension of Jesus’ Incarnation and earthly life, from his birth to his life and ministry. The culmination of this lowliness and humility is revealed in his passion and death on Calvary. His death may be understood through various dimensions which enable us to understand better the nature of our salvation in him: his death was a ransom for us, the propitiation for our sins, a substitutionary sacrifice in our place, a victory over the devil and death itself, and a reconciliation between God and humankind. Our objective for this segment, His Humiliation and Death , is to enable you to see that: • The humiliation of Jesus Christ is represented by his descent from the heavenly realms in his glory to come to earth to suffer and die on behalf of the world. • Jesus revealed his lowliness and humility in every dimension of his Incarnation, in his birth and throughout his life and ministry. • The culmination of this lowliness and humility is revealed in the passion and death of Jesus Christ. • The death of Jesus may be understood through various dimensions which enable us to understand the blessings his suffering provided to the world. These include the concept of Jesus’ death as a ransom for us, as a propitiation for our sins, as a substitutionary sacrifice in our place, as a victory over the devil and death itself, and as a reconciliation between God and humankind. • The Nicene Creed unequivocally confesses that our Lord Jesus Christ died and was buried for our sins. This was the culmination of our Lord’s humiliation upon earth in his descent from his heavenly, preexistent glory.

Summary of Segment 1

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