The Man Christ Jesus
1 Tdi. 2: 5.
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
I]S” the system of divine truth, the humunity of Christ should be as fully considered as his Divinity; and there are seasons when it is important to bring this precious and touching doctrine before the direct gaze of the spiritual understanding. The proper manhood of the Lord Jesus is indispensable to his mediatorial character and work. Let it be however most distinctly noted, in the outset of our discussion, that we are far from assertmg that, as Mediator, the adorable Redeemer acts solely as man. The unique constitution of the blessed Saviour offers itself to us as
an ineftable union of godhead and humanity in one adorable Person. The two natures are distinct but inseparable, conjoined but not confounded. There is no loss of either, but both are blended in a single personality. The Godhead is fully and forever God; the manhood is purely and unchangeably man. Proy)erly speaking, Divinity is not turned into humanity, nor is manhood so taken up in divinity as to be absorbed and lost: Eternal godhead abides, in unparalleled connexion with genuine, complete and sinless humanity. But the Christ, whom we believe in, love and wor ship, is everlastingly One. It is not a Divine Person and a human j)erson, brought into the state of a twofold being; but the Word made flesh, in one transcendent, inconceivable, but most precious Personality. So that we contemplate, receive, rest in, and commune with the one indivisible Immanuel. — In consequence of which, the acts and sufferings of the Lord Jesus, in the work ol our redemption, are to be regarded as proceeding from the one Lord; even while we ascribe j)^^i*t of the work more immediately to one nature, and part to the other. And it is allowable for us to make this (listiDction, in perfect consistency ys’iih the single view of our Mediator as one person. We may properly look sometimes on THE MANHOOD 0-? Christ Jesus, as having A PECULIAR EXCELLENCE, AND A PECTI-LTAR FITNESS TO THE WANTS OF OUR NATURE.
And this is what is now proposed, in examining the words of the Ayostle, who sets before us the one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.
1. A -9 men ive need a Mediator wJio is man to bring us near to the otherwise inaccessible God. The Daysman, who shall lay his hand upon both, must be partaker of both natures. Were he not God, he could not ascend to the heisrht of that infinitude, from which sin has made us so remote. But were he not man, we should be left still as far from the supreme Godhead. The High Priest, who for us enters in to the awful splendors of the Holy of Holies, goes, so to speak, from among ouryelves. We may venture, through grace, to follow, when Ele who leads the countless retinue of sons and dausrhters, himself was born of woman. When Divine Love would save the lost of our race, it is not sufficient for his condescension to stand afar upon the heights of godhead, and utter decrees of favour. He stoops to our very condition. He becomes bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. He is born, he passes through infancy, youth and manhood. He assumes our soul, our body, our infirmities. He lives as men live, and among his chosen brothers of our race. He learns the lesson of weariness, want, pain, grief, groans and tears. He shares our temptations, involves himself in our responsibilities, and lives as our example. He joins in our devotion, and praises and y)rays. All this, while, as to his Divinity, he is in the bosom of the Father. The Word was with God, the Word was God. Thus joined to one who has made himself like us, we may ascend even to the throne. Here is the mystic ladder, which joins heaven to earth. God is not so distant, when the Son of God is also the Son of Man. Can we forego the preciousness of this sacred truth; and are we not emboldened in every hope and every prayer, when Jesus in very flesh and blood, allows us to touch his hand, even
THJ^. MAN CHRIST JESUS. 298
while lie dwells in the central glory of the Godhead?
1. A ‘9 offenders ive need a mediator hearing the nature loliich has offended. We are not only men, hut sinners; it is man who has incurred wrath; it is by man that the means of recovering favour must be procured. What the inmost soul craves, is that our own humanity may be seen venturing near the throne of insulted Justice This we attain, when we behold by faith that there is One like unto ourselves, who has right of access. My fears begin to be dissipated, when I regard Jesus, who is very man, carrying up the plea of condemned humanity, in the nature which he has vouchsafed to assume; and who, though not a sinner, has consented to be treated as a sinner, for my sake. Otherwise, relief and pardon would be only the communication of a sovereicj-n, divine decree, and the boon, even if possible, would be cold and distant. But suretyship is a different idea. The infinite descent of God’s comy:>assion is to the taking of our very nature. The Sponsor is our own. He has passed through the cii’cle of our entire humanity. He is an Elder Brother, the nearest of kin, the Goel of type, the Redeemer of the lost inheritance, the Head of the Family, transacting for his fellow-men. Still more close is the tie He is the vital Head, in union with the whole body, and with each member in particular. For “the Head of every man is Christ.” He can act for offenders, when he mingles with them, and adopts all that is theirs, exce|)t their personal sinfulness.
3. We need as Mediator one lolio as man obeys that Law which was given to man. The human race was originally formed to glorify God, l)y perfect conformity to his holy will. The Law was ordained as the standard of that conformity From this great intention, the race fell, in the person of the first Adam. It is only by a second Adam, of nobler powers and more exalted dignity that the original purpose can be fulfilled. Taking the lead of his people, and in their name, he became subject to Law, and obeyed it, not merely as an Exam2:)le, which he is, in the highest sense, but as a Representative. “When the fulness jf time was come, God sent forth his Sou, made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” It was necessary that this obedience shoukl be rendered in our nature. By a divine nature, it could not be rendered; by any other it woukl have been unavailable for us. But now we behold the Son of man, as Mediator, standing in our place, and by obedience providinsr an active riorhteousness, such as we should forever have failed to render; but which becomes ours by the constitution of grace. And that which Jesus, as the Head of Redeemed humanity, accomplishes of perfect holiness in act, as the spotless model, he will accordiusr to the measure of each, accomplish in every one of them, when the work of grace shall be comjDleted in glory, and all saints shall stand around their Lord in the likeness of his perfect excellency.
4. We require a Mediator who could endure the suffering dm to our sm-^-; and therefore a man. Here we are brought at once to the central and most tender part of the mediatoi’y work — to liumiliatiou
and the Cross. “He made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross.” It was human groans, and cries, and tears and blood, which were forced from our blessed Saviour in his agony. As the Head and Representative of redeemed humanity, he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. Death, or the separation of soul and body, is peculiarly a human suffering; and this he endured. He died for our sins. He bore the penalty, which was death, as a substitute. The edge of justice pierced him, in his spotless manhood, when he stood in our place. This had been tyjjified by all the dying victims of the tabernacle and temple, which taught in crimson characters, during the Old Testament ages, that ‘’ without the shedding of blood there is no remission.” Thus the curse was rolled away, by him who became a curse for us. Thus Divine justice was satisfied, by an expiation offered in the human nature, united to the Divine. And there is inexpressible comfort to the wounded conscience, in contemplating a sacrifice of innocent and exalted manhood, united in covenant to our own, and thus opening the way for the further transactions of our great High Priest for us, within the vail of the visible heavens, whither he has now gone, bearing his own peace- speaking blood. 5 Faith is encouraged amidst sin and weahiiess by seeing one transacting for its, who is himself a Man, though infinitely exalted above all mere men. The tie is real and sensible. The gulf between the creature and the Creator is bridged over. When otherwise we could hardly dare look towards the sublime heisfhts of Divinity, we are reassured by the invitations of him, who is God incarnate. It is this which is utterly wanting in all systems which exclude the double nature of Christ. The gospel assures us, that since the ascension of our Lord, there is a perpetual presentation of our humanity in his person, before the throne of the infinite Majesty. “He ever liveth to make intercession for us.” And though the human nature of
Christ is locally remote from us, being in heaven, yet it is made near, and even present, by the omnipresence of the inseparable divinity. We can therefore look with lively hope, ^’within the vail, whither the Forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a High Priest forever.”
6. Tills becomes still ^nore encouraging when we Tememhei that the humanity of the Mediator causes Mm to excite sympathy toloards our human infirmities. “For we have not a High Priest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points temj)ted like as we are, yet without sin.” In our common bodily trials, it is a sensible relief, when we fall in with those who have suffered the same or greater yi^- unspeakably more comforting is it to recognize this experience of weakness and sorrow in him who is mighty to help as well as tender to pity. He was the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. There is not an affliction of our nature, which has not its response in that human heart which beats within the shrine of deity above. Here opens upon us a field of precious Christian experience, which some have not entered. The Lord Jesus Christ is very far from them. They reverence, perhaps they love him; but lie is not to them the comjDassionate, the sympathising Jesus of the Evangelists; he who pitied the fainting crowds — he who bent in grief over the dying — he who never rejected a supphant. They have not discovered in him, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to-day and forever.” They have not learnt to lean on him as the personal friend, and to pour into his ear the bursting sorrows of the heart. Yet here is the true solace in affliction. For even when we approach the last enemy, and begin to shudder at the pang of dissolution, we may be encouraged and emboldened by the truth, ‘’that 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; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” 7. We Imve a Mediator by ivliom our human nature is raised to its highest exaltation. If treated Mly this would engage us in a copious discussion, being one of the most interesting heads of theology. No reflective mind among us can think without a thrill of pleasure upon the perfection of humanity. It is a noble ideal, which has entered alike into the dreams of perfectibilian philosophers, and the more sober visions of Christian philanthropy. In his original creation man was a faultless being, of wonderful capacities; and we know not what height he might have reached, of knowledge, beauty, power and bliss. But the fair image was broken to pieces, almost on issuing from the mould. Still the craving after perfection adheres to the shattered creature. But all the efforts of ao:es have failed in the blind attempt, and man lives and dies imperfect and miserable. Shall there then never be any realization of this noblest hope? There shall. The Second Adam, the Lord from heaven, has carried up our nature to that elevation which it could never have attained in Eden, or even in glory, without the incarnation. As the Head of the new creation, we see Jesus, not only exalted himself, but exalting his members. They are kings and priests unto God forever. “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ;” Comprehend, if you can, my brethren, “what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.” Inconceivable is the glory which shall crown redeemed humanity, by its union with the only Mediator, the Man Christ Jesus.
8. It is further our delightful anticipation, that the Mediator in our own nature is to he our final Judge. This is a blessed hope for poor humanity. I need not recite the numerous passages, which assure us that the Lord Jesus shall come again to judgment, in the glory of the Father, with the holy angels — that he shall sit on the throne of his glory, and that before him shall be gathered all nations. The awful scene has often occupied your thoughts. But the point on which I would fix your attention, is, that He will then, amidst all the blaze of accompanying Deity, be visibly manifested, as the Son of Man. In the nature which is offended he will judge the offenders. In the nature which he has redeemed and exalted, he will triumphantly absolve and save his chosen. “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” “And hath given him authority to execute judginent also, because lie is the Son of ManP In that tremendous hour, it will not be least among the earnests of safety and hope that He who sitteth upon the august tribunal, bears our very nature; nay, that he is our Mediator; that the eye which pierces all hearts was once swimming in tears and death upon the cross, and that the hand which holds the sceptre of irrevocable sway was once nailed to the accursed tree. Amidst the consternation of those who call on rocks and mountains to cover them from the wrath of the Lamb, the humblest believer, catching the first lineaments of that face which he has loved, and now gaining his first true sight of the countenance for which he has longed, will feel the perfect love that casteth out fear, and will exclaim, “This is my Beloved, and this is my friend!”
9. What remains to be said, but that the Mediator Christ Jesus will continue to he the Head of redeemed huinanity through all the increasing bliss and glory of Eternity. Here it becomes us to use especial caution. It was not necessary for our obtaining pardon and title to life that we should know in its mode and its details, the wonders of the future state. And therefore a sovereign reserve is employed, in what Scripture sparingly reveals of that rest. As if the love of God intended for his frail creature a series of transcendent surprises, for each successive stage of which the soul should be mercifully prepared, as it is born into new states of rapture and exultation. And therefore we know not what place the mediatorship of Christ occupies in the third heaven. But this we know, and have learnt from childhood, that ‘the only Redeemer of God’s elect, the Lord Jesus Christ, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was and continueth to be, God and man, in two distinct natures, and one person — forevek.” Here then is our humanity, eternally present in heaven. We know further that he is seated at the right hand of God, and that he ever intercedes. But the Scriptures afford glimpses of mediatorial agency, even beyond this. More of that coming state was disclosed to the last apostle, the beloved John, than to any other. In his apocalyptic visions, he beholds Him on whose bosom he had reclined, reappearing in human and in priestly garb - — one like unto the So7i of man clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the breast with a golden girdle.” His voice speaks of humanity and death: “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold I live for evermore.” Admitted more profoundly to behold the worship of heaven, he describes a sacrificial emblem — “a Lamb, as it had been slain.” We may rest in the assurance that the expiatory work is not forgotten there; for hearken to the new song: “Thou art ^’orthy — for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue and peojDle and nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth.” Even when fixed in their unchangeable possession, the redeemed sons of men will be but finite creatures, and will need a mediation of incarnate love between them and the insufferable fires of unapproachable Deity. Jesus will still be the Head and Re[)resentative of his glorified people. And as human nature goes on in its holy development and endless exaltation, who shall say that the union with the mediatory Lord, and with his supreme humanity shall not be felt in a thousand ecstasies of near affection and gracious kindred, such as we are unfit now to conceive. We conclude therefore that the mediatory office of Christ’s human nature shall not have expired, when not only our souls shall more resemble his, but when these vile bodies, raised from the dust, and exempted from infirmity, pain and corruption, shall be fashioned like unto his glorious body. — Let us briefly recapitulate our lessons: As men, we need a Mediator who is man, to bring us near to the otherwise inaccessible God; as sinners, one bearing the nature wliicli lias offended. We need a Mediator, who as man obeys that law wliicb was given to men; — and who suffers the penalty due to sin.
Amidst weakness and iniquity, Faith is encouraged by seeing one transacting for us, who is himself a man. As man he sympathizes with us in our human infirmities. By such a Mediator, our humanity is raised to its highest exaltation. It is ground of hope, that the Mediator, in our own nature, is to be our judge. And, to crown all, the Lord Jesus will continue to be the Head of ransomed men, through all the bliss of Eternity.
Let us not now, my brethren, rest in the doctrine, but press on to the experience. If you have assented to the things which have been spoken, you have felt that there is a peculiar privilege in having access to God by his incarnate Son. Faith finds grace nearer, when it apyroaches by Christ’s humanity, and enters through the rent vail, that is, his flesh. Mere humanity could offer no sufiicient support for myriads of sinners; but real Immaiiity, united to godhead, becomes the stay and salvation of all who believe. The great transactions which he engaoed in, bearinii; our flesh and blood, and the great truths comprised in the doctrine of his mediation, are the pro^er nourishment of the new creature. The appropriation of these, that is of Christ himself, by faith, is compared to the taking of nourishment by food. Those strange words in the 6th chapter of John, surely mean something, even though they mean not what popish superstition would persuade us. And whatsoever they mean, connects itself with the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ. They tell us of meat (food) enduring unto everlasting life; this is the food of faith. They tell us of “the bread of God — which Cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” This bread is the Lord Jesus, received by faith. “I am the Bread of life,” said he; and again, “I am the lildno bread which came down fro-m heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” Is it not apparent, that the human nature of the Mediator is thus immediately connected with our salvation? Is it not equally manifest, that in the ordinance, which we are met to celebrate, we have communion with the human as well as divine nature, of the one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus? “This is my body, broken for you” — “this is my blood of the New Testament shed for many.” These words — “body and blood” are words which savour of humanity. It is a human victim which bleeds and smokes and is consumed upon the golden altar of the godhead. There must be an assumed weakness, which was not in divinity, in order to obedience, suffering and merit. And we rejoice in every human trait of our beloved Saviour, when we can thus draw near to him, and own the palpitation of a heart, which is ours at the same time that it is GocVs. This is just the place, therefore, where we recognize the preciousness of the doctrine of Incarnation. Those who deny this doctrine, and dignify themselves ])y names derived from th:it unity of God. of which they would fain be the sole defenders, leave a mighty chasm in their system. They say much, and so for as it goes truly of the humanity of Jesus. They admit his immaculate excellence, dwell on his perfect example, and celebrate him as the chief and best of men. But they abide in the outer court, among Judaic shadows. The “man Christ Jesus,” viewed as man only, is after all one who stands on the same level with ourselves. He does not lift us up to God, as being himself, eternally and coequally the Son of God. His sufferings have no virtue of infinite merit, derived from the indwelling and sustaining divinity; no satisfying righteousness; no expiatory prevalence.
We also plead for the proper and full humanity of Messiah. But O with what different emotions do we receive these emblems of death, when we are assured that the “man Christ Jesus” is also God the Saviour! In our moments of self-condemnation, we know that we cannot approach the absolute Deity, without this intervention. Then the manhood of Christ assumes its just place. Then we are certified, that the race of men has a way of entrance into the joys of complete redemption; when our very nature, in its utmost exaltation, goes before, and ventures on covenant grounds, into the mid effulgence of the incomprehensible godhead. There are moments of despondence, weakness, suffering and dread, when the tossed soul shrinks from the tempest of infinite wrath. Then the declaration of Isaiah is made good to our almost shi]^ wrecked hope; that ‘’ a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest;” And the awful utterances of Zechariah echo from the sacramental table: “Awake O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts.” Come then, ye who know your weakness, and who fear to draw nigh, because ye are men: come and behold manhood embraced in the mediatorial work. Though the Table is not an altar, to use the popish phrase; and though this is not a sacrifice — we may learn something as to the mode of approach, from the ancient rite — for that too was symbolical. Come then, as in Old Testament days you would
Lave come, heavy laden with sin, to the unblemislied lamb, laid upon the altar of burnt offering. As you would have laid your hand on the head of the devoted victim, so lay the hand of fiiith upon the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. As you would have presented your person, to be sprinkled with typical blood; so let your heart be sprinkled from an evil conscience by the real expiation. And as you would have retired from the courts of the temple with a sense of absolution, so go down from this solemnity, with a persuasion, that God for Christ’s sake, freely pardons all your sins. Say no more that we make little of the humanity of the Mediator. How truly human are the objects presently to be offered to our minds! Here is Jesus, in our flesh, weak, subject to law, suffering and dying. Here our humanity draws strength and elevation from his humanity. Here we find it sealed to us, that as men, we are saved by him who is man. And all in correspondence with the fundamental truth, that our Hedeemer is mighty, the Holy One of Israel; the Lord of hosts is his name. Nor need you suspect mistake, if, avoiding all distinctions, you find your faith, love and adoration, going forth to that One glorious person; who “was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness (or divine nature) by the resurrection from the dead.”