Lesson for February 25, 2026

The Names and Titles of Jesus

Lesson 8

Titles of Jesus in Seven Analogies

1. Head and Body

The analogy of the Head and the Body is a reference to Christ being the Head of the Church, which is called “the Body of Christ.” The Church is made up of all believers of the Church Age from the Day of Pentecost to the Rapture. This, of course, is a reference to Positional Sanctification when believers are placed into union with Christ at salvation. Therefore, all Church Age believers are members of the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:12-16; 5:23-30)

2. Shepherd and Sheep

Jesus Christ is called the Great Shepherd, the Good Shepherd, and the Chief Shepherd. (Hebrews 13:20-21; I Peter 5:4) Christ is our Shepherd and we are His sheep. As sheep, we have certain needs that must be provided for us by the Shepherd. For example, sheep cannot guide themselves (John. 16:13), sheep cannot clean themselves (I John 1:9), sheep are helpless when injured (Psalms 9:9; 46:1), sheep are defenseless (John 14:27), sheep cannot find food or water (John 14:26), sheep are easily frightened (John 14:16), and sheep produce wool that belongs to the shepherd (John 15:4-5). Our Shepherd provides guidance, cleansing, help, protection, spiritual food and drink, freedom from fear, and all that we have belongs to Him. Jesus Christ is our Great, Good, Chief Shepherd that gave His life for us. (John 10:9-11)

3. Vine and Branches

In this analogy, Christ is the vine and believers are the branches. The branch takes its life from the vine. The branch must periodically be “pruned” so that it will continue to produce a maximum amount of fruit. In the same manner, when we as believers abide in Christ (continue in fellowship) and He is abiding in us (God’s Word, the mind of Christ) we are able to produce maximum divine good. Just as a branch will wither and die when separated from the vine, believers will experience temporal death (temporary loss of their spiritual life) by staying out of fellowship with God for a prolonged period of time.

Failure to abide in Christ and to allow His Word to abide in us results in failure to execute the Christian Way of Life. Abiding in Christ means that you understand the system God has provided for you for the recovery from your personal sin. (I John 1:9) It also means that you use this system to spend a maximum amount of time in fellowship with God, being guided and taught by the Holy Spirit. Abiding in Christ also means that His Word is circulating in your soul, which is the means by which the Holy Spirit guides and empowers you. (John 15:1-14)

4. Cornerstone and Stones

A cornerstone in biblical times was much more than a mere symbolic stone placed in the corner of a building with the names of builders, architects, founding members, etc. In biblical times, a cornerstone was a load-bearing stone that connected and held together two walls of a structure. It was with this in mind that Peter and Paul used the cornerstone as an illustration of Christ and smaller stones to represent believers. Both are necessary to the overall building, but it is the Chief Cornerstone (Jesus Christ) that we rely upon to “bear the load” and to “connect us” together with God and His Word.

Paul, for example used this analogy to show that believing Jews and Gentiles are united in the body of Christ. (Ephesians 2:20) Peter used the analogy to refer to the Royal Priesthood of Believers (living stones) and the spiritual house that they are building. (I Peter 2:1-8)

5. High Priest and Priests

Jesus Christ is our Royal High Priest. (Hebrews 5:6,10) In order to become our High Priest, Christ had to become a human being. Jesus Christ represented us before God first on the “altar of the Cross,” and now represents us in Heaven before the throne of God. By becoming our High Priest, Jesus Christ became our Mediator with God. (I Timothy 2:5-6) As believers in the Church Age, we belong to His priesthood (the Royal Priesthood). This priesthood is far superior to any that existed in the past. (Hebrews 7) As our High Priest, Christ won the victory over Satan in the Angelic Conflict at the Cross. (Hebrews 4:14-16; 6:17-20)

6. Bridegroom and Bride

During the Church Age, God is forming a bride for the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ). It is the Body of Christ (the Church) that will become the “Bride of Christ,” in eternity. This analogy refers to the fact that we are uniquely united to Christ at salvation. We are placed into union with Him in the same manner as a bride and a bridegroom “become one” in marriage. (I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 5:23-32; Revelation 21:9) As the Bride of Christ, we will participate in the Marriage Feast of the Lamb, which will be a time of joy and celebration. As the Bride of Christ, Church Age believers will be “dressed in fine white linen,” which is a reference to God’s righteousness. (Revelation 19:7-9)

7. King and Royal Family

The fact that God has a kingdom means that there must be a king. Jesus Christ will be the King on earth during the Millennium, but who is the king of the Kingdom of God? Remember that the Kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom. Therefore, the king of this kingdom must be a spiritual being. The King of this kingdom is also Jesus Christ. He is perfect humanity and perfect deity in one Person. Jesus Christ is uniquely qualified to be both the earthly ruler in the royal line of David and to be the spiritual ruler as the Second Person of the Godhead. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords in one Person forever. The Royal Family of God is made up of all believers from the Church Age. (I Timohty 6:15; Revelation 19:16)

The Kingdom of God is God’s eternal kingdom to which every believer belongs from all dispensations, perhaps even angels. It is God’s spiritual kingdom, which is entered only through salvation by faith alone in Christ alone. (Matthew 6:33; Luke 13:28-29; John 3:3-7; Hebrews 12:22-23) Within that kingdom there is the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven is only part of the entire Kingdom of God and refers to the millennial reign of Jesus Christ on earth. Since the Kingdom of Heaven is a part of the Kingdom of God, they are sometimes used interchangeably.

It is this earthly kingdom that was announced by John the Baptist and offered to Israel by Jesus Christ and rejected by the Jewish nation. Since it was rejected and the Messiah crucified, the Kingdom of Heaven was postponed until after the Tribulation. Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven and the Millennium are the same period of time. This period will be the time when Jesus Christ will rule on earth. It is a time when all the covenants to Israel will be fulfilled. It is a time of peace and prosperity. (Matthew 3:1-3; Luke 1:31-33; Zechariah 12:8; II Samuel 7:7-10)

When John announced that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand, it simply meant that the Messianic ruler was on the scene, and ready to set up His kingdom on earth. Even the disciples of Jesus thought that the Kingdom of Heaven was going to be set up at that time. (Acts 1:6) In Matthew 13, Jesus taught the multitudes about the Kingdom of Heaven in parables, so, these parables and their meanings apply only to the Millennium, not to the Church Age. In the end, the nation of Israel rejected Jesus as their Messiah and with the assistance of the Romans fulfilled prophecy by crucifying the Savior. (Matthew 27)