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Romans 1:1–4
“[God’s] Son . . . was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord” (vv. 3–4).
As the Messiah, or Anointed One, Jesus fulfills the three old covenant offices wherein officeholders received an anointing of oil to set them apart for their task: the offices of prophet, priest, and king (Ex. 29:1–9; 1 Sam. 16:1–13; 1 Kings 19:16; see Mark 8:29). Of course, Jesus does not serve only as the Messiah; He also is the Mediator between God and man, so as Mediator He also functions as our Prophet, Priest, and King (see 1 Tim. 2:5). Moreover, Jesus executes His prophetic, priestly, and kingly ministry in what theologians refer as to the two estates of Christ: His humiliation and His exaltation.
When we talk about the two estates of Christ, we have in view the two different stages of His ministry as the Mediator. The humiliation of Christ includes all that the Son of God does in assuming a human nature, living a perfect life in His humanity, and suffering for the sin of His people. Thus, Westminster Shorter Catechism 27 states that “Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.” The exaltation of Christ includes all that Jesus does in His resurrection, return to heaven, and ruling and reigning until His return. So Westminster Shorter Catechism 28 says, “Christ’s exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day.”
The truth about the humiliation and exaltation of Christ is described throughout Scripture. Romans 1:1–4 is a key passage. Paul refers to the Son of God, who was “descended from David according to the flesh.” The Apostle has the incarnation in view here, the coming down of the Son from heaven to become like us in every respect, yet without sin. Paul also says that Jesus was “declared to be the Son of God in power” in His resurrection. This does not mean that He became the Son of God only in His resurrection, for He has been the Son of God from all eternity. It means that in His resurrection, Jesus entered a new phase of ministry, one in which He is publicly recognized as the Son of God as He was not before and one in which He now reigns in supreme power and authority as the God-man over all creation.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Jesus executes His prophetic ministry today by illumining His Word through the Holy Spirit to bring us to salvation and conform us to His image. He executes His priestly ministry by continually praying for us in heaven. He executes His kingly ministry by bringing the nations under His reign through the preaching of the gospel. Thanks be to God, our Savior is not aloof from us, but He continues to work in our behalf.
For further study
- Isaiah 53:11
- Ephesians 4:10
The bible in a year
- Psalms 82–84
- Romans 8:18–39
- Psalms 85–89
- Romans 9–10