A Treatise on the Character of Jesus Christ/Section I

     WE read of Christ's being "declared to be the Son of God with power,--by is resurrection from the dead." Here is one decision of the great question of that day; and it is, that Christ was the Son of God. No doubt this implies all the great truths involved in his mediatorial name and character. But it looks more immediately at one point, which was now ascertained. This point was the great question of that day concerning him. And what was this? Was it, whether Christ's highest nature was actually derived from God, as a son from a father, and thus began to exist, and is totally dependant? Or was this the great question concerning Christ? Was Jesus of Nazareth the true Messiah? Or was he an impostor?

     Do we find at that day any such question as the following? In what sense is the promised Messiah the Son of God? What is the mode of his divine existence? Was his Divinity derived? Or was it underived? It it dependent? Or is it independent? Is it eternal? Or had it a beginning?