Dear Bob,
The Old Testament speaks of Jesus mainly through the prophecies of various prophets. It is only in the New Testament that such information is fleshed out—in more ways than one. In Luke 1:31-33 we read: “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Jesus is the Word made flesh. Word is a synonym for Jesus. It is always capitalized because Jesus is God. St. John begins his Gospel with the words: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “Beginning” here doesn’t mean the beginning of the world, but what always has been. He didn’t have a word for it.
In the Nicene Creed that we say on Sundays we read that Jesus was “begotten, not made—one in being with the Father.” “Begotten” here has a specialized and unique meaning. He is eternally being begotten from the Father and the Holy Spirit is eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son. “Proceed” here also has a specialized and unique meaning. The three Persons are equal, have always existed and always will.
You should not be surprised that all this information is lacking in the Old Testament. The New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old. The Old Testament seeks and looks to the future for fulfillment and completion.
With the incarnation, Jesus enters human history by taking on flesh and becoming a man. But as God, He was always the Word. There are many passages in the New Testament that equate Jesus with the Father.
Write again if you need more.
Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.
