Then another title is “Lord.” “Lord” means “owner” or “master.” It is used as a title of respect and of submission. Jesus is the Lord of all things, but He is to rule in the soul of each person as their Lord and as their Master, Acts 2:36 [“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, Whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”]; Acts 22:10 [“I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’”]; Romans 6:17 [“But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.”]. We make Him our Lord by being submissive to Him. This is a title that is descriptive of Who He is, but it is not something that comes “automatically,” if you will. In order for Him to be my Lord—in order for me to be able to call Him Lord, then I must submit to Him. If I do not submit to Him, I might refer to Him as “Lord,” in a general sense, but I cannot refer to Him as “my Lord.”

Jesus is also known as the “Son of God.” The “Son of God” is really from the Old Testament and was used in the Old Testament times in various ways. It was used regarding angels; it was used regarding the children of, or nation of, Israel; and it was also used in regard to kings. However, in the New Testament, it is used to imply that Jesus is the One, the Only Begotten Son of God, Matthew 16, verses 13 through 18 [See verses 15-16: “He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’”]. Jesus never referred to Himself in this way—He never called Himself the “Son of God,” at least not in the record that we have. But many times God called Him by this Name, Matthew 14:33 [“Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God.’”]; John 5:23 [“that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him.”]; John 8:36 [“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”]; Hebrews 6:6 [“if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”]. So, indeed, it is an appropriate Name—the “Son of God.”

Another Name for Jesus is the “Son of man,” Matthew 20:28 [“just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”]. This is the most frequent way that Jesus referred to Himself. Those who have thought about this say that, by referring to Himself in this way, two things are revealed. First, this Name gave the least support to the political and to the national desires of the Jews during Jesus’ ministry. In other words, if Jesus had referred to Himself in some other way (for example, if He referred to Himself as the “Son of God”), that Name would have, perhaps, been more inflammatory. After all, things were inflammatory enough for Jesus. Secondly, this Name also reveals to us the humanity of Jesus and His humility. He didn’t go about “bragging,” as we might put it.

Other titles and Names of Jesus include the “Son of Joseph,” the “Son of Mary,” “Rabbi,” (meaning “teacher”), and also “Prophet.” In applying the Messianic titles, Jesus was also referred to, and correctly so, as “The King,” “The Holy One,” and “The Lion of the Tribe of Judah.”

And so these are the Names of Jesus. As we look at these, we can then see how descriptive they are in helping us to understand more about Who He was, and what His purpose was in this world.

Now let’s look at the ETERNAL SONSHIP OF JESUS. In His nature, Christ shares equality with God in “essence.” We refer again to the text that we read in Philippians, chapter 2, verses 5 through 7; that is, Jesus is fully Divine, possessing the attributes and the characteristics of divinity, as well as its make up or its nature.

Yet, as far as function is concerned, He is subordinate to the Father. There is an element of subordination within the God-head Itself. And Jesus is subordinate in the areas of planning and purpose, and in the area of roles. Think about it this way: The Father is the sender; the Son is the One sent. Also, the Holy Spirit, part of the God-head, is sent by the Father and the Son, and they speak through Him. Yet Jesus prayed that those in the church—those of us even now—would be one even as He and the Father are One.

Well, that sets up a little bit of a dichotomy [division into two parts], perhaps a little bit of a conundrum any puzzling problem]. What does this mean? It is also one of those mysteries that is difficult for us to comprehend. How can Jesus and the Father be One, yet be different? How can Jesus, being subordinate to God the Father in the areas of planning, purpose and roles, still pray that we be one as He and the Father are One? It is interesting to comprehend.

While in the flesh, Jesus’ divine attributes were mostly veiled. He spoke of Himself being under God the Father. He said, “the Father is Greater than I,” John 14, verse 28 [“You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.”]; and the Son can do nothing without the Father, John 5:19 and 30 [Verse 19: “Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.’” Verse 30: “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My Own Will but the Will of the Father Who sent Me.”]. So there is that relationship, that Eternal Sonship of Jesus being the Son of God—being Divine, but also being subordinate to the Father.