Who Is Jesus? A Personal Exploration of His Nature

Growing up, I never realized just how many different ideas exist about who Jesus is. Not just the surface-level question of “Do you believe in Him?” but the deeper questions: Who is He? Where did He come from? What happened to His nature as the Being described throughout Scripture? Most of us learn one view early on and, perhaps like me, assume it’s universal. But spending time online, reading, and actually researching opened my eyes. People genuinely believe vastly different things about Jesus’ nature, His relationship to God, and even His humanity.

Some believe Jesus is one person of a three-person Godhead, fully God and fully man at the same time. Others see Him as divine, but not God in the same sense. Another unique perspective presents Jesus as the firstborn spirit-child of the Father in a pre-mortal existence. Each worldview has passionate advocates and carefully constructed reasoning, yet they differ dramatically, and many of those ideas were, at least for me, difficult to reconcile logically.

Curious, I examined these perspectives more closely — not to argue, but to understand. What I discovered didn’t necessarily change what I had been taught, but it helped me appreciate it more deeply. It gave me new insight into the view I grew up with: the Church of God understanding that Jesus is one of two eternal divine Beings, distinct yet united in purpose, the pre-incarnate Christ (the Word) Who voluntarily submitted to the Father. He became fully human, truly experiencing our life and mortality, while remaining eternal.

Scriptural Defense of this View

With that in mind, I thought it might be helpful to walk through some key pillars of this understanding. Not to convince anyone, but for those who are curious, it’s a chance to see a perspective that differs from more common views — yet remains firmly rooted in Scripture.

Pillar 1: The Eternal Father and Son — Distinct Yet United

Claim: God exists as a family: the Father and the pre-existent Son, distinct beings yet acting in complete unity.
Scriptures:

• Genesis 1:26 – “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…’”
  
• John 1:1–3 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
  
• Colossians 1:16 – “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and on earth… all things were created through Him and for Him.”
   

Support: Plural pronouns in Genesis, along with “Elohim,” suggest God exists as more than one eternal person. Scripture affirms that the Word, the pre-existent Christ, was active in creation under the Father’s direction.

 Contrast: This differs from views that present God as solitary or merge multiple persons into a single entity.

Pillar 2: Oneness of Purpose

Claim: Although distinct, the Father and Son are perfectly united in will, plan, and intent.
Scriptures:

• John 10:30 – “I and the Father are one.”
  
• John 17:21 – “…that they may be one, even as We are one.”
  
• Philippians 2:5–8 – Christ humbled Himself in perfect cooperation with the Father.
  

 Support: Unity does not erase distinction; their oneness is relational and purposeful, showing God’s plan as coherent and coordinated.

 Contrast: This addresses questions about God’s “oneness” and differs from models that either collapse persons into one or separates them without unity.

Pillar 3: The Pre-incarnate Christ Interacted with Humanity

Claim: The God who appeared to Abraham, Moses, and Israel — the God of the Old Testament — was the Word (the Son), acting on behalf of the Father.
Scriptures:

• John 1:18 – “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”
  
• John 5:37 – “And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.”
  
• Matthew 11:27 – “No one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
   

Support: All visible interactions with YHWH in the Old Testament are through the Son, highlighting His eternal role as God’s agent and exclusive revealer of the Father.

Contrast: This differs from interpretations that treat the God of the Old Testament as distinct from the God revealed in the New Testament.

Pillar 4: Jesus Became Fully Human

Claim: The Word became flesh, experiencing humanity fully, not merely inhabiting a human body.
Scriptures:

• John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory… full of grace and truth.”
  
• Luke 2:52 – “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”
  
• Hebrews 2:14,17 – “He shared in flesh and blood… that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest.”
   

 Support: Jesus’ human growth, limitations, and experiences confirm genuine humanity.

 Contrast: This differs from views that reduce His humanity or imply only partial human experience.

Pillar 5: Voluntary Self-Emptying

Claim: Jesus temporarily set aside certain divine privileges to live as a human.
Scriptures:

• Philippians 2:5–8 – “…He made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant… He humbled Himself and became obedient to death.”
  
• Luke 2:40,52 – He grew and learned as a human, developing knowledge gradually.

 Support: This explains how He could grow and be tempted while remaining truly divine.

 Contrast: Avoids the logical tension of omniscience and submission coexisting.

Pillar 6: Subjection to the Father

Claim: The Son voluntarily submits to the Father, demonstrating hierarchy without inferiority.
Scriptures:

• John 14:28 – “The Father is greater than I.”
  
• 1 Corinthians 11:3 – “…the head of Christ is God.”
  
• 1 Corinthians 15:27–28 – “Then the Son Himself will also be subjected to Him who put all things under Him.”
  

 Support: Eternal subjection reflects a family-like Godhead.

 Contrast: Differs from models emphasizing co-equal status, which struggle to reconcile submission with divinity.

Pillar 7: Death and Resurrection

Claim: Jesus was fully human, able to die, and rose to a glorified spiritual state.
Scriptures:

• Hebrews 2:14 – “…through death He might destroy him who had the power of death.”
  
• Hebrews 4:15 – “…tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.”
  
• Luke 22:42 – “Not My will, but Yours be done.”
  
• John 17:5 – “Glorify Me with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”
  
• Hebrews 1:3 – “…sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
  

 Support: Only a truly human being could atone for sin; resurrection restored Him to divine glory while maintaining eternal Sonship.

 Contrast: Differs from views that suggest He was simultaneously fully human and fully divine in an inseparable union.

Growing up, I was always taught that Scripture does not contradict. If there seems to be a contradiction, it’s often in traditional interpretations, translation issues, or figurative versus literal language. This understanding avoids the logical contradictions that arise in other models. Some struggle with how one person can be fully God and fully human while submitting. Others make Jesus a created being to explain His pre-existence, while some deny His full divinity. In contrast, this perspective keeps Scripture at the center, preserves both His humanity and divinity, and explains the hierarchy and unity of the Godhead naturally.

Admittedly, the concept of two eternal divine beings, with one submitting to the other, is challenging to the human mind. It’s hard enough to grasp one eternal being. But perhaps that is the point — Scripture often presents truths that stretch our understanding. For those willing to consider it, this model of Jesus is not only coherent, but fully scriptural, inviting believers to see God’s plan for salvation and family in a new light.