Friendly Theology: Barclay’s Catechism – Chapter 3 (part 1)

CHAP. III.

Of Jesus Christ being manifest in the Flesh, the Use and End of it.

Q. What are the Scriptures which do most observably prophesie of Christ’s Appearance?

A. The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren, like unto me, unto him ye shall hearken [Deut. 18:15].

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a Sign: Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call his Name Immanuel [Isa. 7:14].

Q. Was not Jesus Christ in being before he appeared in the Flesh? What clear Scriptures prove this, against such as erroneously assert the contrary?

A. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the Thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me, that is to be Ruler in Israel, whose Goings forth have been from of Old, from Everlasting [Mic. 5:2].

In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; The same was in the Beginning with God: All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made [John 1:1-3].

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was I am [John 8:58].

And now, O Father, Glorifie thou me with thine own self, with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was [John 17:5].

And to make all Men see what is the Fellowship of the Mystery, which from the beginning of the World hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ [Eph. 3:9].

For by him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, visible and invisible, whether they be Thrones, or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers: All things were created by him and for him [Col. 1:16].

God hath in these last Days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed Heir of all things, by whom also he made the Worlds [Heb. 1:2].

Q. These are very clear, that even the World was created by Christ; But what Scriptures prove the Divinity of Christ against such as falsly deny the same?

A. And the Word was God [John 1:1].

Whose are the Fathers, and of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came, who is over all God, blessed forever, Amen [Rom. 9:5].

Who being in the Form of God thought it no Robbery to be equal with God [Phil. 2:6].

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an Understanding that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ: This is the true God, and Eternal Life [1 John 5:20].

Q. What are the Glorious Names the Scripture gives unto Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God?

A. And his Name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace [Isa. 9:6].

Who is the Image of the Invisible God, the First born of every Creature [Col. 1:15].

Who being the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person (or more properly, according to the Greek, of his Substance) [Heb. 1:3].

And he was cloathed with a Vesture dipt in Blood, and his Name is called the Word of God [Rev. 19:13].

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Barclay’s chapter on the human manifestation of Jesus Christ is one of the longest chapters in Barclay’s Catechism. Barclay notes Old Testament prophecy that Jesus would come to be (e.g. Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2), the words of Jesus declaring himself to have existed prior to being human (e.g. John 1:1-3, John 8:58), and the words of Paul (e.g. Ephesians 3:9). Barclay spends a lot of time proving that Jesus was more than merely human; in fact Jesus is divine.

We can learn much from meditating on the names of Jesus: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peach, Image of the Invisible God, First Born of Every Creature, the Brightness of His Glory and the express Image of his Substance, Word of God.

The divinity of Jesus is really important to Robert Barclay. The divinity of Jesus should be important to any Christian. We are not following a wise teacher, a brilliant philosopher, or someone who wrote down the words of an angel. We are following God who came to earth and lived a human life. We are following the divine Word of God who lived amongst us and knows us. We are following the light of the world who shines in the darkness. We are following the one on whose name we can call and be adopted into the family of God. We are disciples, followers, and friends of Jesus Christ.

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