Jesus is the ultimate power in the universe and the firstborn of all creation, with a cosmic identity beyond his human lineage.
Jesus demonstrates the contagious holiness or life of God by touching and healing the sick, overturning purity laws and bringing purity and healing to those he touches.
Deep dives
Jesus as the Ultimate Power and Firstborn
Jesus is revealed as the ultimate power in the universe and the firstborn of all creation. This title is applied to Jesus by Paul in the New Testament, but the gospel authors call him the Son of God. The story of Jesus' baptism is about the commissioning of the Son as the Son of God to rule over creation. Jesus is the true ruler of the cosmos and has a cosmic identity beyond his human lineage. He is both the Son of Adam and the eternal Son of the Father. Jesus faces temptation in the wilderness and succeeds by surrendering his life, using his power in a different manner. The Hebrew Bible points forward to a king from the lineage of David, who would be the lowest of lows, elevated to the highest of highs by giving their life for others' sins.
Jesus as the Son of God
Jesus is referred to as the Son of God in the Gospel of Mark and Luke. The baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River reveals his identity as the Son of God, the ultimate firstborn. The heavenly voice announces, 'You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' Jesus' lineage links back to Adam, but his baptism reveals his cosmic identity as the eternal Son of the Father. Jesus undergoes three tests from Satan in the wilderness, demonstrating his commitment to God's word and his refusal to misuse his power. Jesus emerges from the tests and begins his ministry, teaching in synagogues and showing compassion to the poor, captive, blind, and oppressed.
Jesus as the New Adam and David
Jesus is presented as the new Adam and the new David in the Gospels. His human lineage connects him to David through Joseph and ultimately to Adam. Jesus fulfills the role of the firstborn, both as a human and as the Son of God. He is the image of God in whom all humanity is meant to be created. In the genealogy of Luke, Jesus' line is traced back to Adam, highlighting his connection to humanity and his role as a new Adam. Jesus' baptism and subsequent tests in the wilderness serve as a moment of commissioning and reveal his divine authority and the mode in which he exercises it. He chooses to elevate those who are low in society, healing the sick, releasing captives, and freeing the oppressed.
Jesus and the Contagious Holiness
Jesus demonstrates the contagious holiness or life of God by touching and healing the sick. He overturns the purity laws of Leviticus, which deem someone unclean if they touch a sick person. Jesus brings purity and healing to those he touches and sets them free. His actions exemplify the way God empowers and elevates the marginalized and oppressed. Jesus' power is not about personal gain or dominance, but about healing and restoring those in need, bringing the kingdom of God to earth.
The authors of the gospel accounts in the Bible—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—regularly refer to Jesus as the Son of God, a title that’s connected to the theme of the firstborn. In this episode, Tim and Jon explore what it means that Jesus is God’s Son through the stories of his baptism and testing in the wilderness. Listen in to find out how Jesus uses his power in a way we’ve never seen another human do before.
You can experience the literary themes and movements we’re tracing on the podcast in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.
Show Music
“Defender (Instrumental)” by TENTS
"Colors Fade" by Sleepy Fish
"BreaKmode" by Tyler Bailey
"Catching the Wave" by Tyler Bailey & Sam Stewart
Show produced by Cooper Peltz with Associate Producer Lindsey Ponder. Edited by Lead Editor Dan Gummel and Editors Tyler Bailey and Frank Garza. Mixed by Tyler Bailey. Podcast annotations for the BibleProject app by Hannah Woo.
Powered and distributed by Simplecast.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode