Page 68 - Christology - Student Textbook

Savior from God’s coming wrath but in the future, He will be the source of God’s wrath to bring all
men under subjection to Him.

Christ as the Head of the Church
In the Scriptures, we read that Jesus Christ is the head of the body which is the Church. This body is
an assembly of people who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 6:15; 12:12-14;
Eph. 2:16; 4:4-5). Those who have repented their sins and received the gift of eternal life offered by
Jesus to anyone who will believer are saved from the wrath to come. In the act of salvation, Jesus
sends the Holy Spirit to indwell every believer. That is known as “the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1
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Cor. 12:13). The Father is said also to participate in placing Christ as the Head of the body” (Eph.
1:22). The main thrust of Ephesians 5:29, Philippians 4:13, and Colossians 2:19 illustrates the
relationship of Christ to the Church by comparing it to the relationship in marriage between a man
and a woman. The husband nourishes his wife, just as Christ nourishes the church. He nourishes it
by means of maturing it through the relationship of its members to one another. In quoting William
F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, Walvoord defined the phrase “to nourish” as meaning “rearing or
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bringing up”, just like it is used in another New Testament occurrence. He concludes that “it
describes the general purpose of God to bring the body to maturity in the development of its
individual members and their relationship to one another.”
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So, one of the major works of Christ currently is to guide, lead, and shape the development of the
Church in this age.

Christ as the Great Shepherd to His Sheep
In the Bible, Christ is pictured as a Shepherd. Christ is depicted as the good Shepherd for His sheep
(Ps 22; John 10). Christ is pictured as the great shepherd in His present work (Heb. 13:20). Christ is
described as the chief Shepherd who will manifest Himself as the King of Glory during the second
coming (1 Pet 5:4). On this, Walvoord notes;

In fulfillment of the figure as the great Shepherd Christ seeks and finds His sheep. Christ Himself
used this concept in the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). A more extended revelation of
the present work of Christ as Shepherd he lays down His life for His sheep and as the great
Shepherd.

He has other sheep who are to be added to the flock (John 10:16). This is a reference to His
present ministry in the church where both Jews and Gentiles form one flock under one
Shepherd. In calling His sheep Christ uses the convicting work of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7-11),
the proclamation of the gospel through God’s appointed servants, as well as other means of
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bringing lost sheep to Himself.

The current work of Jesus Christ as the great Shepherd is connected to His redemptive work with the
redeemed. He desires an intimate relationship with those who have placed their faith in Him in

161 Walvoord, Jesus Christ our Lord, 229.

162 Ibid.
163 Ibid.

164 Ibid., 233.

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