A perfect example of the cooperation and harmony of the members of the Trinity is exhibited in the earthly life of Christ. Not only was the Savior conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, the virgin, He was present at the baptism of Christ in the form of a dove, subsequently led Christ into the wilderness for His temptation experience by Satan, which ordeal would confirm His moral fitness as Israel’s Messiah and Savior of the world. Later, He will be offered to God by the eternal Spirit and, then, raised from the dead by the power of the Spirit. In this session, we also find the Holy Spirit thoroughly operative in the earthly teaching and miracle-performing aspect of the Messiah’s ministry. The singular burning issue in the life of Christ and His public earthly ministry was: Was Jesus of Nazareth the One spoken of and promised by God through Moses and His prophets or was He not? The implications of either answer were staggering. Many, particularly His most faithful followers, were persuaded that He was, indeed, the Messiah of Israel. Peter’s great confession, uttered in Matthew 16 while at Caesarea Philippi, reflected the conviction of many: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
But how would Jesus be able to verify His credentials? What could He do to make His case? First, and foremost, was His teaching. Of Him, it was said, “Never man spake like this man, for He spoke not as the scribes and Pharisees, but with authority.” Mark tells us in chapter 1, secondly and even more dramatically, Christ vindicated His claims to Messiahship via the many miracles He performed. After all, if He claimed to be the long-awaited Messiah sent from God, He should have evidence to demonstrate that. He did… verily, He did, healing all manner of diseases, exorcism, authority over the very elements of nature, and capping all the miracles by exercising authority over death itself, man’s most dreaded and powerful enemy. Jarius’ daughter, the son of the widow of Naim, Lazarus… dead for four days, and, then, the ultimate demonstration of His own life, gloriously restored in the resurrection. How did He do all these things?
He tells us quite clearly about the Source of His power. In the 12th of Matthew, Jesus is confronted by the religious establishment who accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan. He gave His famous answer, steeped in pure logic, by saying, “If Satan cast out his own demons, how shall his kingdom stand? A house divided against itself cannot stand. Then, He went on to say, But, if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then is the kingdom of God come unto you.” Clearly, Christ claims He works in concert with His dear eternal Friend and counterpart in the person of the Holy Spirit, a member, like Himself, of the Triune Godhead.
CC-07-09
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