Jesus is the archetype of eternal life

Footnotes

Jesus is the example of both the end and the means of salvation,¹ the archetype of eternal life. The role of the Lord as the archetype of eternal life is unnecessarily obscured by weak translations of the Greek word archégos (Strong’s 747), which means “the first example.”² An archégos is the first person who demonstrates something by doing it, and by demonstrating it, makes a way for others to do the same. Consider how much clearer the following verses become when archetype is used in place of the parenthesized word that the translators chose instead:

And killed the archetype (Prince) of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. (Acts 3:15)

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a(n) archetype (Prince) and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. (Acts 5:31)

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the archetype (captain) of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10)

Looking unto Jesus the archetype (author) and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

Jesus is not just the Prince of life, the captain of our salvation, or even the author and finisher of our faith, but the demonstration of the process and outcome of obtaining the character of the Father—the archetype and fulfillment of eternal life.

In who he is and how he became that way, the Lord shows us the process we must follow if we are to obtain eternal life. We must become the same way he is, and we must do it the same way he did it. The Lord knows the process to become like he is because he went through it. Jesus is our “forerunner”³ because he has gone to where we can follow by doing what we must do to join him there. By embodying how the Father is through learning and living according to his character, Jesus made it possible for all who would live according to his demonstration to do the same.⁴

The life of Jesus Christ was the representation of how the Father would live mortal life, the example of how we can become like him, and the demonstration of the potential of man.

The Lord’s life demonstrated what the Father’s character looks like embodied in a mortal man, here on earth.⁵ In mortality, Jesus was the visible⁶ and apparent application of the divine model to mortal life,⁷ “the image of the invisible God.” (Colossians 1:15) The Lord explained that his life was meant to show us how the Father is⁸ in terms that we could understand.⁹

The life of Christ provided the example of how to come to know God through becoming like him.¹⁰ We are to follow this example.¹¹ Jesus said that he sought, discovered, and did the will of the Father in all things:

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. (John 5:30)

19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth... (John 5)

Jesus taught that everyone who follows him would do the same:

...He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do. (2 Nephi 31:12)

True religion is to learn how God would be in every situation, and to become that way yourself. Jesus predicted that a time would come when all people would understand this, and all believers would practice it.¹² Jesus instructed his disciples to obtain and live as God would in their place so effectively that others would learn more about God by seeing their actions.¹³

It _is_ possible to follow the example of Jesus. Jesus was special in that he was the first to acquire and live the character of the Father. He is not meant to be the only one.[^311] When his disciples protested that Jesus’ standards were too exacting, and even impossible, Jesus intently fixed his eyes upon them, spiritually discerning their hearts, and then said: It is indeed impossible for men, as long as they continue to think, feel, and act like men. But everything God does is possible for God, and anything God does can be done by all who think, feel, and act like him. No man can enter into the kingdom of God, except through forsaking everything in him that is not like God. (Matthew 19:26, Author’s Reflection)

Those who believe they can become like God behave differently than those who do not. It is rare to find a person who actually believes that they can become like God. One who thinks this will act and feel very differently than one who does not.¹⁴ They will purify themselves by following his example as far as they understand it.¹⁵

The life of Jesus Christ showed the fulfillment of the potential of what man can become.¹⁶ During his life, the Lord constantly called himself the “Son of Man” (Hebrew: “ ben Adam ”) as the heir of the role of Adam. Adam was the first son of God, created in his image, charged to fulfill the purpose of creation by stewarding creation as God would in his place. Instead, Adam fell, leaving a void for one of his descendants to fill. The Lord called himself “Son of Man” to demonstrate that he was fulfilling the potential that Adam had—and the potential of all mankind—by learning and living the character of the Father. In using the title, he was not making a difference between himself and others, but calling all people to reach toward their full potential: “I am living as all of you could and should.”¹⁷

Footnotes

1. Looking unto Jesus, the example of the means and end of salvation, who inherited the right hand of the throne of God by enduring the shame of the cross through faith in the joy that would come. (Hebrews 12:2, Author’s Reflection) ↩
2. ...and he is the head of the body, the congregation. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might become the one who is first in all things; (Colossians 1:18, NWT) ↩
3. Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 6:20) ↩
4. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:2-6) ↩
5. Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you— that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. (3 Nephi 27:13) ↩
6. ...he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.... (John 14:9) No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18) No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. (John 6:46, NIV) ↩
7. ...if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. (John 8:19) ↩
8. Don’t you understand that my character is the same as the Father’s? Therefore, the works and words I show you are not mine, but his. (John 14:10, Author’s Reflection) By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (Hebrews 10:20) ↩
9. I have manifested thy name... (John 17:6) The Father because he gave me of his fulness, and the Son because I was in the world and made flesh my tabernacle, and dwelt among the sons of men. I was in the world and received of my Father, and the works of him were plainly manifest. (D&C 93:4-5) ↩
10. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6) ↩
11. Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do; (3 Nephi 27:21) ↩
12. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:21-23) ↩
13. Live the Father’s light so thoroughly that those who see your good works will increase in their understanding of and belief in the Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16, Author’s Reflection) ↩
14. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. (Job 23:11) ↩
15. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:2-3) ↩
16. And fulfilling his potential, he became the example of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; (Hebrews 5:9, Author’s Reflection) ↩
17. And as it has been written that the first Adam came as a living soul, the last Adam will come as a life-giving spirit. The first Adam came by breathing God’s spirit into himself, the last Adam will come breathing God’s spirit into others. The first Adam came from an eternal life to receive a mortal life, the second Adam will come from a mortal life to lead all to an eternal life. The first man was brought down to earth, and though his soul came down from heaven, his body was made of the dust. The second man will ascend to heaven, and though his body be born in flesh as any other mortal, it will be quickened by a fullness of God’s spirit. Those who remain of the earth do so by following the example of the first Adam, choosing to rebel against God. Those who will become the sons of God will do so by following the example of the second Adam, completely subjecting themselves to God. And as we have taken upon ourselves the image of the earthy through birth, we must also take upon ourselves the image of the heavenly through repentance and sanctification. (1 Corinthians 15:45-49, Author’s Reflection) ↩

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