Study Guide: Jesus Is the Christ, the Son of God, Come in the Flesh
Quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB); please check each one in your own Bible.
The Big Idea
The big idea: Jesus is the Christ, God’s anointed King, and the Son of God, and he came as a real man of flesh and blood (John 20:31; Acts 4:26–27; Luke 1:32–33; 1 John 4:2; Hebrews 2:14).
Read Aloud
Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” They said, “Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
— Matthew 16:13–17
The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’ He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?” The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.
— Luke 1:30–35
Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
— John 20:30–31
Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit who doesn’t confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God; and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already.
— 1 John 4:1–3
Where We Stand
Scripture says
- John wrote “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31).
- Jesus accepted the title the Christ from Peter and claimed it before the high priest (Matthew 16:16–17; Mark 14:61–62).
- God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power (Acts 10:38; 4:27).
- The Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day (Luke 24:26, 46; Acts 17:3).
- God called Jesus his beloved Son (Mark 1:11; 9:7). Scripture ties the title to his conception by the Holy Spirit, to God’s word about David’s son, to his resurrection, and to the Father’s sanctifying him and sending him into the world (Luke 1:35; Hebrews 1:5; Acts 13:33; Romans 1:4; John 10:36).
- Jesus was a man, born of a woman, made like his brothers in all things, and tempted, yet without sin (Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 2:17; 4:15; 1 Timothy 2:5).
- The risen Jesus had flesh and bones, and he ate in front of his disciples (Luke 24:39–43).
- Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God (1 John 5:1).
- Scripture plainly rules out two teachings: that Jesus is not the Christ (1 John 2:22), and that Jesus Christ did not come in the flesh (1 John 4:2–3; 2 John 7).
We conclude
- Our conclusion: the Christ names Jesus as the King of the second psalm and the son promised to David (Psalm 2:2, 6; 2 Samuel 7:12–13; Acts 4:26–27).
- Our conclusion: in these passages Son of God names Jesus as conceived by the Holy Spirit, promised to David, raised by God, and sanctified and sent by the Father (Luke 1:35; Hebrews 1:5; Acts 13:33; John 10:36).
- Our conclusion: likeness in Romans 8:3 and Philippians 2:7 does not mean a seeming, and the likeness of sinful flesh means flesh like ours in everything except sin (Romans 8:3; Philippians 2:7–8; Hebrews 4:15).
- Our conclusion: come in the flesh affirms a real human life, from birth to death (1 John 4:2; 1:1; 2 John 7).
- Our conclusion: Jesus came into existence when the Holy Spirit came on Mary (Luke 1:35; Matthew 1:18; 1 Peter 1:20; 2 Timothy 1:9).
- Our conclusion: the belief these verses mean is trust that receives Jesus as the Christ and follows him, not knowledge alone (John 1:12; 20:31; 1 John 5:1–3).
The Hard Questions
- Can a crucified man be the Christ, when the crowd heard that the Christ remains forever and the law calls the hanged man accursed (John 12:34; Deuteronomy 21:23)? See The strongest objection under Jesus Is the Christ, God’s Anointed King.
- Does the title Son of God make Jesus equal with God, sharing the Father’s own being (John 5:18)? See The strongest objection under God Himself Calls Jesus His Son.
- Did Jesus only seem to have a body (Romans 8:3; Philippians 2:7–8)? See The strongest objection under He Came in the Flesh, Made Like His Brothers.
- Do has come in the flesh and became flesh mean that he existed before (1 John 4:2; John 1:14)? See A second objection under He Came in the Flesh, Made Like His Brothers.
- Was Jesus raised a spirit (1 Peter 3:18; 1 Corinthians 15:45, 50)? See What we conclude under He Came in the Flesh, Made Like His Brothers, which leaves these verses to Article 5.
- If demons say that Jesus is the Christ, how can believing it give life (Luke 4:41; James 2:19)? See The strongest objection under Believing This Brings Life.
- Did Jesus exist before his conception (Luke 1:35; John 17:5)? See A second objection under He Came in the Flesh, Made Like His Brothers.
- How are the Trinity’s texts to be read, and who is the Word of John 1? See The Trinity’s texts, and what the Word of John 1 is under Questions Answered.
- When does Jesus take David’s throne? See When Jesus takes David’s throne under Questions Answered.
- Does salvation depend on these questions (John 8:24; 2 John 9)? See Whether salvation depends on these questions under Questions Answered.
Discussion Questions
- When Jesus asked, “But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15), what did Peter answer? (See the opening.)
- What did the risen Jesus say the Christ had to do before entering his glory? (See the objection under Jesus Is the Christ.)
- To what do Luke 1:35, Hebrews 1:5, Acts 13:33 and John 10:36 tie the title Son of God? (See God Himself Calls Jesus His Son.)
- Why does Hebrews say Jesus was made like his brothers in all things? (See He Came in the Flesh and Hope.)
- How did Peter’s belief differ from what the demons knew? (See the objection under Believing This Brings Life.)
- What does it mean for you that your high priest was tempted in all points as you are? (See Hope.)
Hope
Hebrews says why Jesus shared our flesh and blood: “that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Hebrews 2:14–15). First John gives its purpose plainly: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).
For the Leader
Allow about 45 minutes for one session. Read Matthew 16:13–17 first, then Luke 1:30–35, John 20:30–31 and 1 John 4:1–3. Invite everyone to open and check each verse in their own Bible.
© 2026 Elvis Lucas, Open the Text. Original: https://openthetext.com/series/the-good-news/03-jesus-is-the-christ-the-son-of-god-come-in-the-flesh-study-guide/
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