Chapter 12  Part I

God’s Enablement of Jesus Christ

Sections

God enabled Jesus Christ to carry out his mission, empowering and directing him. Consequently what Jesus did and said showed that he had been sent and empowered by God. For without God no one could possibly have the extraordinary authority, power and knowledge that Jesus had.

Jesus Christ’s Power from God

God granted Jesus sovereign authority

[Jesus:] All things have been handed over to me by my Father.   Matthew 11:27a NET

For you [God] have given him authority over all humanity so that he might give eternal life to all those you gave him.   John 17:2 ISV

God bestowed the Holy Spirit on Jesus, for his mission

After Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my one dear Son; in him I take great delight.”   Matthew 3:16-17 NET

As noted earlier, the descending of the Holy Spirit onto Jesus Christ at his baptism is understood to be God’s anointing of Jesus Christ for his mission (cf. Luke 4:18). As such, through the Holy Spirit God empowered Jesus in his mission.

The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus in what he said and did

The man [Jesus] whom God has sent speaks God’s message. After all, God gives him the Spirit without limit.   John 3:34 GW

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and he went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.   Acts 10:38 ISV

Presumably the power spoken of was due to the Holy Spirit, the power being given in conjunction with the Holy Spirit. This verse also appears to correlate Jesus having the Holy Spirit with God’s presence being with him.

Jesus did many miraculous deeds with God’s power

The power of the Lord was present for Jesus to heal the sick.   Luke 5:17b GNT

One night Nicodemus came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we know you are a teacher sent from God, because no one can do the miracles you do unless God is with him.”   John 3:2 NCV™

Jesus Christ’s Knowledge from God

God taught Jesus

[Jesus:] I do nothing on my own initiative, but I speak just what the Father taught me.   John 8:28b NET

[Jesus, to his disciples:] But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father.   John 15:15b NET

Jesus taught his disciples everything he learned from God.

Jesus knew everything

[The disciples, to Jesus:] Now we know that you know everything and do not need anyone to ask you anything. Because of this we believe that you have come from God.   John 16:30 NET

The final statement arguably suggests that Jesus’ knowledge of all things was due to God. Jesus’ complete knowledge would appear to have been due to both God’s teaching of him (as per the previous subsection) and God enabling him to know or perceive all things about people and everything else.

Jesus was also filled with wisdom

And the child [Jesus] grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.   Luke 2:40 NET

Nobody could match Jesus’ wisdom

[Men trying to trick Jesus:] Is it right for us to pay the tribute tax to Caesar or not?” 23But Jesus perceived their deceit and said to them, 24“Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” They said, “Caesar’s.” 25So he said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26Thus they were unable in the presence of the people to trap him with his own words. And stunned by his answer, they fell silent.   Luke 20:22-26 NET

No one could answer him at all, and from that day on no one dared to ask him another question.   Matthew 22:46 ISV

Jesus Christ’s Direction from God

God worked through Jesus . . .

[Peter:] Listen to these words, fellow-Israelites! Jesus of Nazareth was a man whose divine authority was clearly proven to you by all the miracles and wonders which God performed through him. You yourselves know this, for it happened here among you.   Acts 2:22 GNT

. . . Jesus only did what God did

So Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, the Son can do nothing on his own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise.   John 5:19 NET

Jesus carried out God’s will, doing the work God had given him

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to complete his work.   John 4:34 NET

In speaking of doing God’s will as his “food”, Jesus indicated that it was his prime source of “nourishment” (AMP, NLT). Doing God’s work was in a sense what sustained him and was his top priority.

Pray for persecuted Christians