Every year I look forward to Christmas. People greet you differently at Christmas time. For the most part wishes of merriness and joy fill the air. But, even more significant, it is one of the few times of year where we get to reflect on the powerful truth of the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
The virgin birth is one of Christianity’s most foundational doctrines. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
We celebrate the incarnation by highlighting several passages of Scripture from both Old and New Testament during the Christmas season. One of the books of the Old Testament preached from the most in relation of Christ’s birth is the book of Isaiah.
Unfortunately, in today’s pulpits the book of Isaiah is mostly preached only during Christmas and Easter. The prophet is rarely examined as a whole. Nevertheless, the prophetic words of Isaiah are unique because the book contains prophecies of both Jesus’ birth and vicarious death.
Isaiah 7:14 is quoted in the Matthew 1:22–23. The prophet wrote, hundreds of years prior, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” This passage is usually quoted around Christmas time as Christians reflect on the Matthean birth narrative. However, it is another passage of Isaiah that is more often quoted at Christmas time.
Though only the first verse of Isaiah 9 is quoted in the NT (Matthew 4:15), preachers usually take time to examine Isaiah 9: 1–7:
1 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. 3 You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. 4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Much can be said about this particular pericope of Scripture. Four titles are given to Jesus. Much is made of Christ’s role as Prince of Peace because the the announcement of his birth in Luke 2.
However, one of them is most confusing: Everlasting Father.
How Can the “Son” Be “Everlasting Father”?
First, it is important to note that Jesus is not the Father. He is co-equal with the Father in essence, but distinct in personhood. So, the Son is not the Father. Charles Spurgeon puts it this way, “The Son is not the Father, neither is the Father the Son; and though they be one God, essentially and eternally, being for evermore one and indivisible, yet still the distinction of persons is to be carefully believed and observed.”
So, why did the prophet Isaiah call Jesus “everlasting Father”? This seeming contradiction needs explaining. I believe Spurgeon provides us with good insight as to the stated conundrum. He outlines,
First, Jesus is everlasting. This means that Jesus has always existed and has always been one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He was not created, he is creator. As it is stated in the introduction to the book of Revelation, “John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come … ”
Spurgeon further clarifies, “The connection of the word “Father” with the word “everlasting” allows us very fairly to remark that our Lord is as everlasting as the Father, since he himself is called “the everlasting Father.”
Second, Jesus is “federally” a father. But federally, Spurgeon means that Jesus is the head of all his descendants. It is through the covenant established through Jesus that his role as “father” is displayed. Spurgeon summarizes it way better than I could,
He is federally a Father representing those who are in him, as the head of a tribe represents his descendants … Adam is the father of all living; he federally stood for us in the garden, and federally fell and ruined us all … The only other man who is a representative man before God is the second Adam, the man Christ Jesus, the Lord from heaven … In this sense, then, Christ is called Father; and inasmuch as the covenant of grace is older than the covenant of works, Christ is, while Adam is not, “the everlasting Father”
Third, Jesus is father in terms of representation. He represents the first of all things. He is preeminent over everything. The apostle Paul wrote of him, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body [speaking of his federal position], the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”
Jesus as father is a representation of his status, not his personhood. Even as such, Jesus is the father of salvation, because through him whose name is salvation we obtain our own redemption. Spurgeon writes,
He is the Father of spiritual worship. It has been common to call Socrates the “father of philosophy;” Jesus is Father of the philosophy of salvation; Galen, the “father of medicine,” Jesus is Father of the medicine of souls; Herodotus, “father of history;” but Jesus is the Father of heaven on earth. He is the Father of disinterested living, of true love to men; he is the Father of forgiving one’s enemies; the Father, in fact, of the divine system of Christian life. The system of salvation claims Christ to be its Father.
Fourth, Jesus may be called father because of his role in caring for us. Jesus is loving and tender toward his sheep. After all, he is also the Great Shepherd. In ancient Jewish custom, the oldest brother took the place of caring for his family when the father died. Spurgeon contends, “The firstborn took precedence of all, and took upon him the father’s position; so the Lord Jesus, the firstborn among many brethren, exercises to us a Father’s office. Is it not so? Has he not succoured us in all time of our need as a father succors his child? Has he not supplied us with more than heavenly bread as a father gives bread unto his children?”
Like a father who is the head of a family he is the head of the church. It follows, then, that we owe him our obedience.
We can conclude that Jesus, the child who was born and the son who was given, is everlasting Father. Though is is not the Father in terms of his trinitarian personhood, he is like an everlasting father in many ways in relation to us!
Written by Daniel Messina