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This week’s Christian Science Bible Lesson, “Christ Jesus,” opens in the Golden Text with a declaration of Jesus’ mission—“to be the Saviour of the world” (I John 4:14). The Responsive Reading informs us that, through a knowledge of God and of Jesus, we “might be partakers of the divine nature” (II Peter 1:4) and enjoy the grace and peace this knowledge brings.

What is the divine nature of the Savior of the world, of which we, too, can partake?

Section 1 speaks of eyewitnesses who saw Jesus’ divine nature, or Christly “majesty,” and refers to the glory of his life’s work foretold by the prophets (see II Peter 1:16, 17, citation 2). In Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy describes that life’s work as “reveal[ing] the Science of celestial being” (p. 26, cit. 3), demonstrating the reliability of divine power to bless mankind.

Section 2 further reveals the divine nature of Jesus in the virgin birth. The Bible portion of the section concludes with the wonderful promise of the Christ message—glory to God and peace to man (see Luke 2:13, 14, cit. 6). Mrs. Eddy describes the virgin birth as the illumination of spiritual sense that inaugurated a new vision, declaring God as the true Father of man (see Science and Health, p. 29, cit. 5). This revelation of spiritual origin displaced the misapprehension of matter as the basis of life, and it also inspired Jesus’ “wisest and least-understood sayings, and was the basis of his marvelous demonstrations” (Science and Health, p. 539, cit. 8).

Section 3 cites more witnesses to the Christ nature and mission. John the Baptist, Andrew, and Philip all testify to it, saying variously, “We have found him,” “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,” “of whom Moses … and the prophets, did write” (John 1, cit. 7). Mrs. Eddy confirms that Jesus presented this Christ nature by “healing the sick and the sinning and destroying the power of death” (Science and Health, p. 473, cit. 11).

In Section 4, Jesus proclaims he is one with God (see John 10:30, cit. 10). In Section 5, he humbly acknowledges, “I can of mine own self do nothing” (John 5:30, cit. 11). His very oneness with God is the explanation for his works, but many misunderstand. Mrs. Eddy explains, “His words and works were unknown to the world because above and contrary to the world’s religious sense” (Science and Health, p. 53, cit. 13). His Christlike understanding of our oneness with God—perfect God, perfect man—empowered Jesus to prove what he taught by, for example, healing the man with a decades-old infirmity who had been waiting by the pool of Bethesda (see John 5:2–9, cit. 11). This was just one of many healings.

In Section 6, we see that Jesus’ resurrection is central to Christian faith because it gives conclusive evidence of the power of Spirit over matter, of good over evil, of Life over death. “The evidence of man’s immortality will become more apparent, as material beliefs are given up and the immortal facts of being are admitted” (Science and Health, p. 428, cit. 25).

Concluding the Lesson, Section 7 gives a gentle prayer from Ephesians that we may all “know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge” (3:19, cit. 14), and Mrs. Eddy affirms, “The promises will be fulfilled” (Science and Health, p. 55, cit. 28).