The Jesus You Never Knew

The Jesus You Never Knew<= /span>

John 1:14=

The Word became flesh

The eternally existent Word (vv. 1–2) took on full humanity, but without sin; Heb 4:15. and took up residence Lit and tabernacled, or <= /span>and dwelt in a tent; this word occurs only here in John. A related word, referring to the Festiv= al of Tabernacles, occurs only in 7:2; Ex 40:34–38. among us.

Introduction

Can you imagine a page written in the vocabulary of elementary school children that clearly and comprehensively explains Einstein’s theory of relativity completely??

The comparison is actually inadequate, but is a similar example to understand the Prologue of John’s gospel, 1:1-18.

The MacArthur Study Bible says

Although John = wrote the prologue wityh the simplest vocabulary in the N= T, the truths which the prologue conveys are the most profound (in the NT).

The Word was = God. (Jn 1:= 1)        &= nbsp;

The word “was” is a tense (imperfect) in t= he original language that expresses continuous timeless existence in the past.=

The Word beca= me flesh. (Jn 1:= 14)

In contrast to the continuous timeless existence of th= e Word as God in eternity past, the word “became” = is simple statement of fact th= at occurs in a particular moment of history.

It was the event we call the Incarnation.

“Flesh” here means he became fully and who= lly human, not just human-like in some respects.

1 Timothy 3:16

God was manife= sted in the flesh.

The voice of the original language indicates that the Word did not initiate this action= of becoming flesh or of “coming into the world,” but was acted = upon for this to happen.

Who made this happen?

The Father. He sent the Son= into the world.

OUR PROBLEM

We see his miraculous birth, his supreme wisdom in his teachings, his miracles, his astonishing death, his powerful resurrection, = and his ascension to heaven and we naturally realize and are assured by Scriptu= re that he was God. We think of = him as being God almost to the exclusion of thinking of him as a human.

He was 100% God and at the same time, 100% human.

In theology this is called the hypostatic union.

Flesh signifi= es:

        &= nbsp;   1)         = The ability to suffer pain, both physically and emotionally

            =

   &nbs= p;        2)         = Physical limitations and weaknesses

   &nbs= p;        3)         = Vulnerability to temptation (like Adam)

   &nbs= p;        4)         = The experience of all human emotions (except guilt)

   &nbs= p;        5)         = Temporality and mortality – vulnerability to death

   &nbs= p;        6)         = Solidarity with all of the rest of humanity

Imagine, if you can, the courage it took for God to lay aside power and glory to take a lowly place among human beings who would not understand him, would hate and reject him, and ultimately would brutally ma= ke him suffer the horrible death of crucifixion.

What more foolhardy thing could God have done?

1.      His Humanit= y Made Him the Revelation of God

   &nbs= p;        Hebrews 1:1-2

1 Long ago God spoke to the father= s by the prophets at different times and in different ways.
= 2 In these last = days, He has spoken to us by [His]* The br= acketed text has been added for clarity. Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things and through whom He made the universe.[1] Lit ages
= 3 He is the radi= ance[2] Or reflection of His glory, the exact expression[3] Or representation, or copy, or reproduction of His nature.

John 1:14, 1= 8

= The Word became flesh[13] The eternally existent Word (vv. 1–2) took on full humanity, but without sin; Heb 4:15. and took up residence[14] Lit and tabernacled, or and dwelt in a tent; this word occurs only here in John. A related word, referring to t= he Festival of Tabernacles, occurs only in 7:2; Ex 40:34–38. among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the • One and Only Son[15] Son is implied from the reference to the Father and = from Gk usage. from the Father, full of grace and truth= . 18 No one h= as ever seen God.[16] Since God is an infinite being, no one can see Him in His absolute = essential nature; Ex 33:18–23. The One a= nd Only Son[17] Other= mss read God — the One who is at the Father’s side[18] Lit is in the bosom of the Father — He has rev= ealed Him.

=

= The Word or Son be= came a human to show us exactly what God is like.

2.      His Humanit= y Made Him an Acceptable Sacrifice

   &nbs= p;        Hebrews 2:9, 14-17

= 9 But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace He might= taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because of the suffer= ing of death. 14 Now since the = children have flesh and blood in common, He also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the Devil—
15 and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.
¹⁶ For it is clear that He= does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring.
17 Therefore He h= ad to be like His brothers in every way, so that He could become a merciful and fait= hful high priest in service] Lit <= /span>things to God, to make propitiation The word propitiation<= span class=3Dfntext1> has to do with the removal of divine wrath. Jesus’ death is t= he means that turns God’s wrath from the sinner; see 2 Co 5:21. for the sins of the people.

&= nbsp;

Withou= t becoming human, the Son of God could not have died!!!

Theref= ore, he had to become a human in order to pay the price of our sin – and that price was death!

3.      His Humanity Makes Him a Qualified Mediator

   &nbs= p;        1 Timothy 2:5<= o:p>

For there is o= ne God and one me= diator between God and man, a man, Christ J= esus.

=

= Job 9:33

"There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand up= on us both. (NAS95)

   &nbs= p;        A mediator has to understand the position of both sides.

The Son of God already unde= rstood God’s side of the matter, because He was God.

   &nbs= p;

But to understand humanity&= #8217;s side and to represent humanity, he had to become human himself.

4.      His Humanity Makes Him Head of the Church

   &nbs= p;        Hebrews 3:1-6

1 Therefore, holy brothers and companions in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high prie= st of our confession;
= 2 He was faithfu= l to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was in all God’s[1] Lit His household.[2] Nm 12:7
= 3 For Jesus<= /span>[3] Lit He is considered worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder has more honor than the house.
= 4 Now every hous= e is built by someone, but the One who built everything is God.
= 5 Moses was fait= hful as a servant in all God’s[4] Lit His household, as a testimony to what would be said [in the future]<= span class=3Dfn1>* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. .
= 6 But Christ was faithful= as a Son over His household, whose household we are if we hold on to the courage= and the confidence of our hope.

This made = him the federal head of a new race of humanity (cf. 1 Peter 2:9).

That is wh= y he is called “the second Adam” (cf. 1 Cor= . 15:45).

To be the head of a new rac= e of humanity, he had to become human!

5.      His Humanity Makes Him a Sympathetic High

        Hebrews 4:14-16

14 Therefore sinc= e we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the= Son of God—let us hold fast to the confession.[8] Heb 3:1
= 15<= /span> For we do not = have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin.
= 16<= /span> Therefore let = us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.

Having experienced all of o= ur frailties, weaknesses, disappointments, hurts, sorrows, struggles, loneline= ss, rejection, pain and suffering, he is able to be sympathetic and to intercede for us before the Father.

conclusion

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