The Larger Catechism – Questions 41-50
Q.
41. Why was our Mediator called Jesus?
A.
Our Mediator was called Jesus, because he saveth his people from their sinsa.
a
Matt.1:21
Q.
42. Why was our Mediator called Christ?
A.
Our Mediator was called Christ, because he was anointed with the Holy Ghost
above measurea; and so set apart, and fully furnished with all
authority and abilityb, to execute the offices of prophetc,
priestd, and king of his churche, in the estate both of
his humiliation and exaltation.
a
John 3:34; Ps.45:7 b John 6:27; Matt.28:18-20 c Acts 3:21,22;
Luke 4:18,21 d Heb.5:5-7; Heb.4:14,15 e Ps.2:6; Matt.21:5;
Isa.9:6,7; Phil.2:8-11
Q.
43. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?
A.
Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in his revealing to the churcha,
in all ages, by his Spirit and wordb, in divers ways of
administrationc, the whole will of Godd, in all things
concerning their edification and salvatione.
a
John
1:18
b 1 Pet.1:10-12 c Heb.1:1,2 d John
15:15
e Acts
20:32
; Eph.4:11-13; John 20:31
Q.
44. How doth Christ execute the of office of a priest?
A.
Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering himself a
sacrifice without spot to Goda, to be a reconciliation for the sins
of his peopleb; and in making continual intercession for themc.
a
Heb.9:14,28 b Heb.2:17 c Heb.7:25
Q.
45. How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
A.
Christ executeth the office of a king, in calling out of the world a people to
himselfa and giving them officersb, lawsc,
and censures, by which he visibly governs themd; in bestowing
saving grace upon his electe, rewarding their obediencef,
and correcting them for their sinsg, preserving and supporting them
under all their temptations and sufferingsh, restraining and
overcoming all their enemiesi, and powerfully ordering all things
for his own gloryk, and their goodl; and also in taking
vengeance on the rest, who know not God, and obey not the gospelm.
a
Acts 15:14-16; Isa.55:4,5; Gen.49:10; Ps.110:3 b Eph.4:11,12; 1
Cor.12:28 c Isa.33:22 d Matt.18:17,18; 1 Cor.5:4,5 e Acts
5:31 f Rev.22:12; Rev.2:10 g Rev.3:19 h Isa.63:9 i
1 Cor.15:25; Ps.110 k Rom.14:10,11 l Rom.8:28 m 2
Thess.1:8,9; Ps.2:8,9
Q.
46. What was the estate of Christ's humiliation?
A.
The estate of Christ's humiliation was that low condition, wherein he for our
sakes, emptying himself of his glory, took upon him the form of a servant, in
his conception and birth, life, death, and after his death, until his
resurrectiona.
a
Phil.2:6-8; Luke 1:31; 2 Cor.8:9; Acts 2:24
Q.
47. How did Christ humble himself in his conception and birth?
A.
Christ humbled himself in his conception and birth, in that, being from all
eternity the Son of God, in the bosom of the Father, he was pleased in the
fulness of time to become the son of man, made of a woman of low estate, and
to be born of her; with divers circumstances of more than ordinary abasementa.
a
John 1:14,18; Gal.4:4; Luke 2:7
Q.
48. How did Christ humble himself in his life?
A.
Christ humbled himself in his life, by subjecting himself to the lawa,
which he perfectly fulfilledb; and by conflicting with the
indignities of the worldc, temptations of Satand, and
infirmities in his flesh, whether common to the nature of man, or particularly
accompanying that his low conditione.
a
Gal.4:4 b Matt.5:17; Rom.5:19 c Ps.22:6; Heb.12:2,3 d
Matt.4:1-12; Luke 4:13 e Heb.2:17,18; Heb.4:15; Isa.52:13,14
Q.
49. How did Christ humble himself in his death?
A.
Christ humbled himself in his death, in that having been betrayed by Judasa,
forsaken by his disciplesb, scorned and rejected by the worldc,
condemned by Pilate, and tormented by his persecutorsd; having also
conflicted with the terrors of death, and the powers of darkness, felt and
borne the weight of God's wrathe, he laid down his life an offering
for sinf, enduring the painful, shameful, and cursed death of the
crossg.
a
Matt.27:4 b Matt.26:56 c Isa.53:2,3 d Matt.27:26-50; John
19:34 e Luke 22:44; MAtt.27:46 f Isa.53:10 g Phil.2:8;
Heb.12:2; Gal.3:13
Q.
50. Wherein consisted Christ's humiliation after his death?
A.
Christ's humiliation after his death consisted in his being burieda,
and continuing in the state of the dead, and under the power of death till the
third dayb; which hath been otherwise expressed in these words, He
descended into hell.
a
1 Cor.15:3,4 b Ps.16:10 compared with Acts 2:24-27,31; Rom.6:9;
Matt.12:40
Next
Section
Larger
Catechism (index)
