The Unique One
—Christ’s Origin, Birth, etc.
Jesus is described as “the unique one” in John’s gospel the first chapter. "The Word became flesh and lived with us, and we saw his splendor, the splendor of the unique one from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14 McCord). In this lesson, we will list some of the things which make Jesus Christ unique.
1 His Unique Origin
The One called “the Word” in John 1:14, is the One of whom John said, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made that ever was made." (John 1:1-3)
This shows that the Word always existed before anything or any being was created. He had no beginning. He was already there with God in the beginning. "He is before all things and in him all things consist" (Colossians 1:17).
2 His Unique Birth
The angel Gabriel said to the virgin Mary, "And behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son and shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called Son of the Highest... The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; and so that holy One, who is to be born, will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:26-38).
3 His Unique Doctrine
It was said of Jesus by those who heard him teach, "No man ever spoke like this man!" (John 7:46) . Jesus himself claimed it: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one can come to the Father except through me." (John 14:6).
4 His Unique Life
Jesus lived a life without sin. That is one reason why he could be the sacrifice for our sins. "He was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:14-15) . "He committed no sin, neither was any deceit found in his mouth" (1Peter 2:21-23).
5 His Unique Death
Nobody else could die as an offering for the sins of the whole world. "He bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sin, might live for righteousness. By his stripes you were healed." (1Peter 2:24). "With his own blood he entered the Most Holy Place once for all having obtained eternal redemption." (Hebrews 9:11-14).
6 His Unique Burial
"Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but he has risen! ...Thus it was written that the Christ should suffer and rise from the dead the third day" (Luke 24:1-9,46).
"You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption" (Acts 2:26-27,31).
"For now Christ has risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of those who have slept" (1Corinthians 15:20-23).
"Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him" (Romans 6:9).
"Therefore we are buried with him though baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life..." (Romans 6:3-6).
7 His Unique Promise
The point of all these things that make Jesus unique, is that he can make a unique promise" "In my Father’s house are many mansions... I go to prepare a place for you... I will come again and receive you to myself so that where I live you can live too." (John 14:2-3).