God's Name Master

The word, Master, is really more of a title used by the disciples when referring to Jesus than a name for God. This usage is akin to our custom of referring to the president as Mr. President and to calling a physician Doctor. Notwithstanding the disciples frequently referred to and called Christ, "Master."

In the new testament there are five Greek words and one Aramaic word that are translated into the English word master with reference to Christ.

First, the Greek word, didaskalos, means a teacher or one who teaches.
It is indicative of a teacher/disciple relationship. The following verses are typical of its usage in the N. T.:

1. Matt. 8:19 "Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest."
2. Matt. 9:11 "Why eatest your Master with publicans and sinners?"
3. John 3:2 "Rabbi we know thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him."

We read in the scriptures where Jesus taught the disciples by speech (Matt.5:2), by example (John 13:15), by written word (Matt. 12:3), and by parable (Matt. 13:3). He taught them in the synagogues (Matt. 9:23), in the temple (Matt. 26:55), by the sea side (Mk 4:1), in the villages (Mk. 6:6), on the mountain (Matt. 5:1), in the desert (Matt. 14:15) and many other places. Furthermore, "he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes" (Matt 7:29). In Deut. 18:15 18 Moses spoke to Israel saying, "The Lord thy God will raise up to thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; according to all that thou desirest of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more,  that I die not. And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I command him." Jesus is that Prophet.

Part of a work of the prophet is to teach the people and as Jesus walked
on earth he was that teacher or master teaching the word of God.

Second, the Greek word, kurios, indicates a lord, or one who exercises
authority. It is translated, Master, in reference to Jesus two times, but it is translated, Lord, 663 times. It indicates a master/servant relationship. It is in this relationship that the people of God most frequently view their relationship with God. They see God as the Master/Lord and themselves as his servants. In Eph. 6:5 9 we are taught that our relationships as natural servants/masters should be mirrored after our relationship with Christ as our master: "Servants, be obedient
to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eye service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of person with him."

Third, the Greek word, despotes, indicates one who has absolute ownership and uncontrolled authority. This principle is elaborated in 2 Tim. 2:21, "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." This principle of the Lord's absolute ownership and authority over us is also set forth in 1 Cor. 6:19, 20, "...and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." Simeon recognized his subservience to God when he said in Lk. 2:29, 30, "Lord
(despotes), now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to they word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." Surely every one of us as God's children should recognize that we are not the owners or controllers of our lives, but that God has redeemed us by the blood of Jesus. We belong to God!

Fourth, the Aramaic word, rabbei, signifies "my master" a title of respectful address to Jewish teachers. This word can be distinguished from didaskalos in the following manner: There are many didaskalos (teachers) but the Lord is my teacher (rabbei). Rabbei carries with it the personal pronoun "my." This personalizes the one called rabbi to the one calling him rabbi. Rabbi is also used to indicate a great teacher. Jesus warned the disciples in Matt. 23:8, "But be ye not called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren." The word, Rabbi, would appear from this passage to be an exalting title while appropriate to Christ, is not appropriate for the disciples.

Fifth, the Greek word, epistates, denotes a chief, a commander, an overseer or master. It appears to have been used by the disciples in addressing the Lord, in recognition of his authority. This word only appears in the book of Luke: Luke 5:5; 8:24; 8:45; 9:33; 9:49; 17:13.  Luke 5:4, 5 illustrates the above usage of the word Master: "Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing:
nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net." Simon Peter recognized Jesus as the commander or chief and let down the net at his command. This principle should be a part of each of our lives that we would be willing to do as Christ commands.

Sixth, the Greek word, kathegetes, indicates a guide or leader. It appears only in Matt. 23:10, "Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ." We are to follow our leader or guide and our leader (Master) is Christ. We, as disciples, are not to be called masters (leaders or guides) but to point the Lord's people to their true Master.


 

Jesus, the Mediator

The word, mediator, is translated from the Greek, mesites, and means a
go between.

The principle of a mediator is illustrated in a very limited sense in
two old testament passages. In Numbers chapter 16 we read where the
children of Israel had murmured against Aaron and Moses and had accused
them of killing the people of the Lord. God's wrath was kindled against
the congregation and a plague broke out amongst the people. In verses
47 and 48 we read, "And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the
midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the
people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
And he STOOD BETWEEN the dead and the living; and the plague was
stayed." Similarly, when Moses recounted the giving of the law on Horeb
he said in Deut. 5:4, 5, "The Lord talked with you face to face in the
mount out of the midst of the fire, (I STOOD BETWEEN the Lord and you at that time, to shew you the word of the Lord: for ye were afraid by
reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount)..."

Job lamented in Job 9:32, 33, "For he is not a man, as I am, that I
should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is
there any days man betwixt us, that may lay his hand upon us both." The
principle is laid out before us that a mediator must be able to relate
to both parties, i.e., lay his hands upon both. For instance, in a
labor dispute, a mediator, to be effective, should have had experience
as a laborer in the workforce and have had experience as a manager in
order that he can see the needs and requirements of both sides. Thus
the mediator between God and man must possess both deity and humanity.
 

Only by possessing both natures could he lay his hand on both. The
passage in Job also tells us the purpose of the mediation, i.e., that
God and man may come together in judgment.

Isa. 59:2 defines for us the need for mediation: "But your iniquities
have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face
from you, that he will not hear." God's elect people and God were
separated by sin. The question is, how can they be reconciled?

Gal. 3:20, "Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one."
A mediator must be a mediator of both parties, not just one party. To
be a mediator between man and God, the mediator must possess both the
nature of God and the nature of man (without sin) that he may effect a
reconciliation. For this cause we see that Jesus "was made a little
lower than the angels for the suffering of death...that he by the grace
of God should taste death for every man (Heb. 2:9). Thus it was
necessary that Jesus possess humanity. Furthermore, Heb. 2:14 reads,
"Furthermore then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he
also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might
destroy him that had the power of death..." He must also have the
nature of God that he may come in the presence of God and make a
successful offering to God to satisfy the demands of God. Thus Jesus
Christ is the God man possessing both the nature of man and the deity of
God. As such he is both the offering and the one who made the offering,
thus he is both the "lamb of God" and the "high priest" after the order
of Melchisedec.

1 Tim. 2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and
men, the man Christ Jesus." The role of mediator is singular and Jesus
is the only one who fills that role. The mediator brings reconciliation
to the separated parties. According to the above scripture only Jesus
mediates between God and men. This disposes of the idea that the
preacher or some other party assists in bringing about reconciliation.
Jesus, and Jesus alone, as the one mediator, is able to bring about
permanent reconciliation of men and God.

According to Heb. 8:6 this work of mediation is a covenant work: "But
now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is
the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better
promises." God promised in the covenant of redemption that those he
foreknew, he predestinated; and those he predestinated, he called; and
those he called, he JUSTIFIED; and those he justified, he glorified.
Thus the mediatorial work of Jesus Christ is established upon the sure
and unconditional promises of God, who cannot lie!

Heb. 9:15 shows us the nature of and results of Jesus' mediatorial
work: "And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that
by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were
under the first testament, they which are called might receive the
promise of eternal inheritance." Jesus, as the lamb without spot or
blemish thru means of his death upon the cross offered himself to God to
bring about reconciliation of man to God.

The following verses speak directly to the mediatorial work of Christ
bringing about the reconciliation of God's elect to himself:

1. Rom. 5:10, 11, "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled
to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be
saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement."
2. Eph. 2:16, "And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body
by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby."
3. Eph. 1:21, 22, "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies
in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of
his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and
unreproveable in his sight."
4. II Cor. 5:18, 19, "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled
us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world
unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath
committed unto us the word of reconciliation."
5. Heb. 2:17, "Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made
like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high
priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins
of the people."



God's Name Jesus

Matt. 1:20, 21, "But while he thought on these things, behold, the
angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son
of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is
conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son,
and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from
their sins." From this we have the name "JESUS" defined for us as
meaning "Savior."

From the old testament we discover a deeper meaning
of the word Jesus. The name Joshua in the old testament is the same as
the word Jesus in the new testament. The two times Joshua is mentioned
in the new testament the English word used is Jesus (Acts 7:45; Heb.
4:8). Joshua's name was not called Joshua at the first, but rather
Oshea (Num. 13:8, 16) which means "God saves." Later Moses changed the
name of Joshua from Oshea to Jehoshua which means Jehovah saves.
Jehoshua was contracted into Joshua. Thus the name Joshua and the
equivalent name Jesus in the new testament means "Jehovah saves."
 

As we have previously studied the name Jehovah refers to God as the
covenant making, covenant keeping, covenant fulfilling God. Thus
Jehovah is often referred to as God's covenant name.

In Rom. 8:29, 30 God's covenant of redemption or covenant of salvation
which He made with himself before the foundation of the world is plainly
stated: "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among
many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called:
and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them
he also glorified." The declaration of the angle in naming the holy
child Jesus in Matt. 1:21 is basically a restatement of the covenant of
salvation. It was His people that Jesus came to save. This equates to
those that he "foreknew" or chose "before the foundation of the world"
(Eph. 1:4). The phrase "shall save" when connected with the work of
Jehovah equates to God's predestination of his people to be conformed to
the image of his Son. Furthermore, salvation from sins is a threefold
process. Jesus saves us from the bondage of sin when he causes the
elect to be born again by his effectual calling. He saved his people
from the condemnation of sin when he died on the cross to justify us
before God. He will save us from the corruption of sin when we are
glorified in the resurrection from the dead. Thus Jesus (Jehovah saves)
has made the covenant of redemption, kept the covenant of redemption,
and fulfills the covenant of redemption.

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Salvation from sin is the work of Jesus. Only Jesus saves from sin.
Salvation from sin is not a cooperative work between Jesus and man (for
there is none other name...whereby we must be saved). If I or any other
man could do anything to assist in the salvation from sin, then there
would be other names under heaven that would be responsible for
salvation from sin! Thus salvation from sin is the work of Jesus
(Jehovah saves).

"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which
is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of
things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and
that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father" (Phil 2:9 11). Everyone of us should bow before
Jesus for his blessed work of salvation and confess him as Lord to the
glory of God the Father. We all should do this as we live in this time
world. I am convinced we WILL do this in the resurrection.

Because of Jesus' (Jehovah saves) work of salvation we can gather
together to worship in his name (Matt. 18:20); we can communicate with
God in prayer asking in his name (John 16:23); the gospel preachers can
speak boldly in the name of Jesus (Acts 9:27); and the disciples are
baptized in the name of Jesus (under the authority of Jesus) (Acts
2:38).

Finally we are taught in Col. 3:17, "And whatsoever ye do in word or
deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the
Father by him."


God's Name Lamb

When John was baptizing in the river Jordan and saw Jesus coming unto
him he said, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the
world" (John 1:29). Those Jews who heard John most likely were aware of
what John was saying, or, at least, they should have been aware. In the
old testament there are numerous references both in the ordinances,
types, and prophecies to an individual, who, as a lamb, would become a
sacrifice to redeem the people of God.

After that Adam and Eve were driven from the garden of Eden they had
their first born son Cain and then they had his brother Abel. In the process of time "Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord and Abel he also brought of the firstlings (first born) of the flock and of the fat
thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but
unto Cain and his offering he had not respect" (Gen. 4:3 5). Among many
things this teaches us that at that time God respected the sacrifice of
a first born lamb as an offering unto him.

Next, Abraham had a son, born after the flesh, of the Egyptian hand
maid Hagar who was named Ishmael. Then later Abraham had a son of Sarah
whom God gave unto them by promise and his name was Isaac. It came to
pass that God tempted Abraham saying, "Take now thy son, thine only son
Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah: and offer
him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will
tell thee of" (Gen. 22:2). Now it may be said that Abraham had two son,
but Isaac was the only son of promise. Now Abraham, Isaac, and two
young men with them rose early and began journeying into the land of
Moriah until Abraham saw the place afar off. "And Abraham said unto the
young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder
and worship, and come again unto you" (Gen 22:5). Evidently Abraham
expected both he and Isaac would return! As they journeyed, Isaac spake
unto Abraham his father, and said, "Behold the fire and the wood: but
where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" "And Abraham said, My son, God
will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of
them together."

When they arrived at the place and Abraham built the altar, laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac, his son, and stretched forth his hand with the knife to slay Isaac then the angel of the Lord stayed Abraham from slaying Isaac. Afterwards Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked and behold a ram caught in the thicket by his horns: and Abraham took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. Now that ram was typical of how Jesus, the Lamb of God, was offered in the place of the children of promise.

During the latter days that Israel was in Egyptian bondage, God sent Moses to deliver Israel. After God has poured out nine plagues upon Egypt the
time came for the tenth and last plague. And God told Moses to speak to
all the congregation of Israel saying that they should take a lamb for a
house and keep it up until the 14th day of the month. Then the whole
assembly would kill the lamb in the evening and take the blood and
sprinkle it upon the upper door post and two side posts of the houses
for "it is the Lord's Passover. For I will pass through the land of
Egypt this night, and will smite all the first born in the land of
Egypt, both man and beast: and against all the gods of Egypt I will
execute judgment: I am the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a
token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will
pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when
I smite the land of Egypt (Ex. 12:11 13). Furthermore God established
that as a memorial Israel was to observe an annual Passover at that same
time every year. Please note from the Passover that the lamb
represented the entire house. When the Lord passed through he was
looking for the blood of the lamb. Where there was no blood, the first
born of each house died. Where there was blood no one died in the
judgment, but the lamb. The lamb died to save the house.
Furthermore, God established as an ordinance a daily sacrifice wherein
one lamb should be offered in the morning as a morning sacrifice and
another lamb should be offered in the afternoon as an evening
sacrifice. This was to be done everyday throughout their generations.
From the above it is plain that the children of Israel should have been
looking for the "Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." In
Isaiah 53, a chapter prophesying of the atonement of Jesus we read in
verse 7, "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his
mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before
her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." It was at this same
verse that Philip preached Jesus unto the eunuch of Ethiopia.
For the lamb to be acceptable as an offering unto God, it had to meet
certain qualifications. In Lev. 22:20 24 these qualifications are
given: "But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it
shall not be acceptable for you. And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of
peace offerings unto the Lord...it shall be perfect to be accepted;
there shall be no blemish therein. Blind, or broken, or maimed, or
having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the
Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the
Lord. Either a bullock or a lamb that hath anything superfluous or
lacking in its parts...but for a vow it shall not be accepted. Ye shall
not offer unto the Lord that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or
cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land."

In summation the lamb to be offered had to be perfect for God to accept
it. Anything less than perfection, God would not accept. That Christ
was that perfect lamb is set forth in 1 Pet. 1:18, 19, "Forasmuch as ye
know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and
gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your
fathers; but with the precious blood of Jesus, as of a lamb without
blemish and without spot."

Jesus is the perfect "Lamb of God." He, being conceived in the womb of
a virgin by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, came into this
world without sin. He lived a perfect sinless life and fulfilled all that
was written or prophesied concerning him. He lived by every word that
proceeded forth from the mouth of God. He, being holy, harmless,
undefiled, and separate from sinners was made to be sin for us as
the Lamb was sacrificed for us on the cross under God's wrathful judgment.
He, as a ram caught in a thicket, was caught in a covenant promise
(covenant of redemption Rom. 8:28 30) to redeem us from our sins.
Thus we sing the song of Moses (timely deliverance) and of the Lamb
(eternal deliverance) giving all the praise for our salvation to the
Lamb (Rev. 7:10) knowing that our names are written in the Lamb's book
of life (Rev. 13:8, 17:8, 10:15) from before the foundation of the
world. It is the Lamb who opens to us the seven sealed book of
salvation (Rev. 5:6) and we sing the new song of salvation praising him
for our redemption (Rev. 5:8 10).

Praise be to the Lamb who has overcome all our enemies (Rev. 19:14),
made us his bride (Rev. 21:9), sent forth his apostles (Rev. 21:14), and
become the light (Rev. 21:23) and the temple (Rev. 21:22) of the church,
who now sits upon his throne (Rev. 22:1, 3) and feeds us with the gospel
(Rev. 7:17) wiping away all tears of our own sinful state from our eyes.