Jesus The Last Adam

"The Last Adam" and "the Second Man" are names applied to Christ by St. Paul, in antithesis to the Adam of the Genesis creation story, in Romans 5:12-21 and 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45-9.  This teaching has played a great role in subsequent Christian theology in connection with the representative functions and ministry of Christ.  As Adam is the head of fallen humanity, so, it has been held, Christ is the federal head of the redeemed world.

In Romans 5:14 Adam is described as "a figure of him that was to come", that is Christ.  Through the one came death, through the other life; through the disobedience of Adam condemnation, through the obedience of Christ the gift of righteousness (Romans 5:12, 17-19).  Many problems, notably that of freewill, are not worked out in Romans 5:12-21, largely because St. Paul is anxious to dwell upon the immeasurable superiority of the free gift which came to men in Christ over the judgment which fell upon them in Adam, and to insist that "where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly" (5:20).  The same contrast appears in 1 Corinthians 14:22, "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive".  In 1 Corinthians 15:45-9 the theme of the "spiritual body" is developed.  Adapting Genesis 2:7, the Apostle says, "he first man Adam became a living soul", and to this he adds, "The last Adam became a life-giving spirit" (15:45).  "The first man", he says, "is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of heaven" (15:47); and, from these contrasting statements, he draws the inference, "As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly" (15:49).

Our concern is not with the doctrines of sin and of the resurrection with which these passages are so closely connected, but with the place they assign to Christ as the head of a redeemed humanity.  "The Last Adam" and "the Second Man" are names which stand out even among the great Christological titles, especially "the High Priest", "the Image of God", "the Firstborn", "the Son of Man", and "the Paraclete". 

Undeniably Jewish in origin, the new name had never been applied to the expected Messiah by the Jews, the title is pre-eminently the creation of Christian faith and hope.  Strange to the modern man, it contains a permanent valuation of the person of Christ.  Christ is not the Last Adam because He is divine; He is the Last Adam and therefore divine.  Divinity is the inevitable attribute of His person and work.  In the language of St. Paul, "the Second Man is of heaven".

-excerpt was adapted from The Names of Jesus by Vincent Taylor pg 153-5

Jesus The Last Adam - Pt 2

The Apostle Paul brings out the contrast vividly when he wrote, "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive" (I Corinthians 15:20). "But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many" (Romans 5:15). "For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17).

Then he adds, "through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men" (5:18).

The first Adam was tempted and failed the test, and in him, we all continue to sin and die. The Last Adam was tempted as was the first, but remained sinless, and lived a perfect life of righteousness. Jesus Christ is the only " . . . One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15b).

The first Adam began with everything provided for him in the Garden of Eden and he lost everything. The Last Adam began with nothing in a stable and ended with everything. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich" (II Corinthians 8:9).

The first Adam was commissioned to "be fruitful" replenish the earth. The Last Adam came to "bring many sons to glory" and to fill heaven with redeemed people known as His Bride.

The first Adam lived a long fruitful life to accomplish his destiny. The Last Adam was born to die to accomplish God's eternal purpose.

The first Adam was given a bride as a helpmate. The Last Adam had to purchase His Bride, at the cost of His very life. The bride of the first Adam was painless since he was placed in a deep sleep. However, the Bride of the Last Adam was purchased through the deep sleep of His death on the cross of Calvary.

The first Adam lost his bride through age, disease and death. The Last Adam will never be separated from His Bride.

Through the first Adam's disobedience all mankind were all made to be sinners, however, through obedience the Last Adam "many were made righteous" through His obedience (Romans 5:19). That righteousness that we have received as believers is His gift to us. It is not because we merited it, or earned it. It is ours because He has adopted us and placed us into His family. He is now the head of our family, not old Adam.

Before the Fall Adam and Eve enjoyed the Garden of Eden, a perfect paradise, however as God's redeemed children we have been made to sit with Christ in heavenly places.

-excerpt from a message by Wil Pounds (c) 2004. Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it. http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/1cor1520.html

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