So, going along a little more with the original intent of this thread- when Jesus became a man was he changed from what he was to who he is now? Stephen saw him as he lay dying. I don't understand that to be a vision but a sighting- and he was Jesus- changed as we know after the resurrection but still Jesus. Will he have scars on his hands and feet when we see him? Is he unalterably changed after dying for our sins and raising from the dead?
I know these seem simple, or maybe very complex, but it's where I am and you all know me well enough to know that I'd rather ask and seem foolish than not ask at all.
Hi octoberose,
I believe that the Son has always had the form of a man... that was a purpose for Him, to have an image of a man (like us), right from when the Father brought Him forth. This is how Ezekiel described the image of the OT God that he saw out of a whirlwind.
Eze 1:26 And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it.
v. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around.
v. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.
In His glory the Son appears so magnificent that it's hard to comprehend, though in the form of a man. Yes the Son created all of the universe and was there to witnessed the transformation of the earth and all it's creatures from the very beginning... But that was always from His glorious state of being on high.
We know that He appeared to Abraham in a fleshly form, as a man and ate with him (Gen 18), so He had known something of the flesh. But when the Son was born into this world He had to experience all of this life from being a helpless babe to the suffering of crucifixion. The comprehension that He received from that experience would have given Him much better understanding of what we go through and must have been needed for Him to become "perfected"... not that He was not already perfect, but the experience gave Him something more, completed Him.
Luke 13:32 And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.'
Perfected G5048
teleioō - to complete, that is, (literally) accomplish, or (figuratively) consummate (in character): - consecrate, finish, fulfil, (make) perfect.Heb 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us live our lives consistent with our confession of faith.
v. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. Instead, we have One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet He never sinned. (ISV)
The crucifixion was no easy pill to swallow, not even for Christ, by it was part of His learning experience and obedience even to the death.
Heb 5:7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear,
v. 8 though He was a Son,
yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
v. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,
After Christ was resurrected He appeared in the flesh to 'many' of His own followers for 40 days as a witness of His resurrection and they recognized Him and knew it was Him and yes He still had the marks of the crucifixion on His body. But He had obviously regained His glory, because He appeared to some in a different form, a different look for His purpose needed.
Mar 16:12 After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.
Remember even as the OT God He could come into the flesh and appear as a man, so when He regained His power after resurrection, He could again appear any way He chose to. So He stayed with them long enough to absolutely verify that He had indeed risen from the dead and saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (Mat 28:18). Then He ascended back to the heavenly throne and there I believe He took on the majestic appearance that Ezekiel saw... that must have been what Stephen saw just before he died. Stephen was brought before the council and in a long speech fiercely accused the high priest and all the Jews and they became enraged and attacked and killed him. I would think Christ appeared to him in His glory to strength this righteous man 'that He personally knew' in the last mins of his life.
Acts 7:54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
v. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
v. 56 and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"
v. 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;
v. 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
v. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
v. 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Hope this is helpful.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
Hi virginia, I don't think it's so much about the word we use to address Him, that's just a physical means we use in oral language. He looks much more to our enter desire of regeneracy, respect and obedience that we have for Him, because He certainly knows what we think of Him in our heart.