The Head of the New Humanity
A Sermon on John 1:50-51
Originally preached Oct. 21, 1956
Scripture
50Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. 51And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of …
Sermon Description
What does it mean that Jesus is the head of new humanity? In this sermon on John 1:50–51 titled “The Head of the New Humanity,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on the great truth that Jesus is the new Adam who has come to restore humanity to fellowship with God. Just as all of humanity fell into sin because of Adam, now all who believe in Jesus are made a part of the new humanity. This is why Jesus tells the disciples that He is the Son of Man. Jesus is the new and better man. Jesus Christ is the only way for fallen sinners to be restored with God; He is the only way to the Father. The gospels are clear that Jesus as the Son of Man means that He is for all of humanity, not only the Jews. But this also means that Jesus is the only way to God. God has appointed no other means of salvation than through His Son. There is no message more important than the message of the gospel. All are in dire need to be saved from their sins, and it is only Jesus that can fill this need. Jesus alone is the new and better man.
Sermon Breakdown
- Jesus answered Nathaniel's confession by saying he will see greater things.
- Jesus refers to himself as the "Son of Man" which is a reference to Daniel 7 where the Son of Man is given dominion over all people. Jesus is claiming to be that figure.
- As the Son of Man, Jesus is claiming to be the seed of the woman promised in Genesis 3:15 to defeat the serpent. He is the new Adam, the head of a new humanity.
- Jesus is not just the King of Israel but the King of all humanity. He came to save all people, not just the Jews.
- The story of Jacob's ladder is a picture of Jesus as the link between heaven and earth. Jesus is the ladder between God and man.
- Jesus is the only way for God's blessings to come to humanity. Jesus is the only way to be saved and know God.
- We must come to see that we can only be saved through Jesus. He is the only ladder between heaven and earth.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on John 1:50-51
What is the significance of Jesus calling Himself "the Son of Man" to Nathanael?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, when Jesus calls Himself "the Son of Man" after Nathanael had already recognized Him as "the Son of God," He is revealing something greater. This title indicates that Jesus is not merely a man among many men, but belongs to a category apart. He is "the man" in a sense similar to how Adam was "the man" at the beginning - the founder of a new humanity, a "second Adam." Jesus is telling Nathanael that He has "come into this world to give a new start to the human race," initiating a new humanity as "the firstborn among many brethren."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the imagery of "heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains this as a reference to Jacob's dream in Genesis 28, but with a crucial difference. While Jacob saw angels ascending and descending on a ladder between heaven and earth, Jesus says the angels will ascend and descend upon "the Son of Man." This means that Jesus Himself is the ladder - He is the link between heaven and earth, "the bond of union between God and men." Through Christ, the communion between God and man that was broken by sin is restored, and He becomes the means by which God's blessings come to humanity.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones consider this passage so important in understanding Christ's mission?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this passage is "one of those crucial statements" where Jesus makes "one of the clearest and most important statements about himself and his purpose in coming into this world." He calls it a "theme" that introduces much of what follows in John's Gospel. The importance lies in understanding that Jesus is not only the Son of God but also the Son of Man who provides the only way for humanity to be connected to God. This dual nature is essential for our salvation - "if he hadn't become Son of Men, though he's Son of God, he couldn't have saved us."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say about Jesus being the exclusive way to God?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphatically teaches that Jesus is claiming to be the only way to God and the only means by which God's blessings come to mankind. He points to Jesus' other "I am" statements in John's Gospel: "I am the bread of life," "I am the door," "I am the light of the world," and "I am the way, the truth and the life." He also cites Peter's declaration that "there is none other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved" and Paul's determination "not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified." Lloyd-Jones concludes: "You'll never know God except through Jesus Christ. You'll never be blessed by God unless it comes to you through Jesus Christ."
How does Jesus' role as "Son of Man" expand beyond being merely "the king of Israel"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the Jews expected the Messiah would only deliver Israel, but Jesus as "the Son of Man" is the savior of the whole world. He references John the Baptist's declaration: "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." Lloyd-Jones adds that Jesus later made this abundantly clear when He said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, shall draw all men unto me," meaning He would draw "men out of all nations and kindreds and tribes" to Himself. As the Son of Man, Jesus is not merely the king of Israel but "the king of kings and lord of lords."
The Book of John
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.