|
|
|
Come Thou Long
Expected Jesus - The Incarnation
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." Definition The word incarnation does not occur in the Bible.
However, it is a word that means the act of assuming flesh, or of
taking a human body, and the nature of man. This is a term commonly
used to describe Christ's birth through the virgin Mary. God was
incarnated in human form.
"The Word was made flesh…" - o logov sarx egeneto – (ho logos sarx egeneto) is how the phrase reads in the KJV and Greek TR. As you can see from your study notes logos is the Greek word translated word in John 1:14. Please listen closely as I try and describe to you what the meaning is behind "the logos-word was made flesh. The word logos was familiar to both Gentiles and Jews back when this phrase was written by the Apostle John under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Normally logos means "the verbal expression of thought." However as John uses it, it refers to the eternal God in relation to man, the self-communicating God. Let me see if I can give you an illustration that will help you grasp what I am trying to get across. As your word is yourself uttered, so Jesus is God uttered. So the Word was the full and complete thought of God revealed to man, not in human words but in a Divine-human Person, His only begotten Son. Turn to Hebrews 1:1-2 "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;" Jesus is the Word who expressed the complete thought of God, the One who utters all God has to say to mankind. He (Jesus) is God’s full and final word to man. The phrase "the word was made flesh" simply states the fact that
the eternally pre-existent Word of God voluntarily took upon Himself
a human body. The Word became man.
Three Passages of Scriptures That Teach The Incarnation
We have already looked at the first passage of Scripture that teaches the Incarnation – John 1:14. The second passage is - Philippians 2:5-8 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." The third passage is - Hebrews 2:14 "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;" These passages and numerous others could be used to demonstrate
the truth that God became man in the person of Jesus Christ, so that
it can be factually stated (as Christ stated) that, "He which hast
seen Me hath seen the Father." (John 14:9).
The Word of God, Jesus Christ displayed His power, made known His
grace, revealed his father’s wisdom, exhibited His holiness and
declared that He and His Father were one (John
10:30). In Jesus Christ and in Him alone, God is fully
revealed.
As I told you in my last message, 700 years before its fulfillment Isaiah prophesied the miracle of the incarnation - Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Next, turn to Matthew 1:18, 22 which will reveal some more insight into this biological miracle. "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 22 "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet…" The Word became flesh through a unique, new, special creative act of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. There was no human man involved whatsoever! I found some interesting information on a website recently. The late Ron Wyatt claims to have found the Ark of the Covenant buried under the crucifixion site near the Garden Tomb. He also claims that on the Mercy Seat was a pool of dried blood that had leaked from the surface through an earthquake fracture. When that blood was tested something VERY unique occurred. The blood on the top of the buried Mercy Seat only 24 chromosomes! Normal human blood has a total of 46 chromosomes. When a child is conceived, 23 chromosomes come from the mother (all of these are "X" chromosomes), and 23 come from the father. If a child is to be a male child a "Y" chromosome is provided by the father and that chromosome designates the child will be a male. The blood, which Wyatt believed was the blood of Christ ha only 24 chromosomes! There are 23 from his earthly human mother and only one "Y" chromosome from His heavenly Father! No other human blood like exists on the earth! The scientific term for this is "ploidy" or "haploidy." There have been known examples of females born with only half the normal chromosome count - 23 - but never a male child, because the father has to provide that distinctive "Y" chromosome! To be sure Wyatt’s discovery is very, very interesting. Even if it is true, I do not need it to believe in the Incarnation! The Birth of Christ was a biological miracle. Turn with me in your hymnals to – Hark The Herald Angels Sing. Note this verse -
What a marvelous gift was given to mankind when the Word left the splendor of Heaven and descended to Bethlehem’s manger. He is the glorious Savior! Peter, James and John "beheld his glory" on the Mount of Transfiguration. Further, He is "the only begotten of the Father." The word only begotten is a translation of the Greek word monogenhv monogenes). That means that Jesus Christ was the only son God ever begot physically. This too is a reference to the virgin conception of Mary. Jesus Christ is unique in that regard. Our sonship is by adoption. His sonship was by the Father through the Holy Ghost at Bethlehem. The term is a reference to the incarnation of Christ. Finally, He is "full of grace and truth." Christ is a perfect blend of Grace and Truth. Grace signifies love and good will, out of which it was He delivered us from the curse of the law and offers us grace. He was also full of truth, as truth is opposed to falsehood, and truth which signifies the sincerity and integrity of Christ’s life. If you have never received Christ as your Savior, do it today!
|
|