Chapter 90—The Word Made Flesh
The union of the divine with the human nature is one of the most
precious and most mysterious truths of the plan of redemption. It is
this of which Paul speaks when he says: “Without controversy great is
the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh.”
This truth has been to many a cause of doubt and unbelief. When
Christ came into the world,—the Son of God and the Son of man,—
He was not understood by the people of His time. Christ stooped
to take upon Himself human nature, that He might reach the fallen
race and lift them up. But the minds of men had become darkened
by sin, their faculties were benumbed and their perceptions dulled, so
that they could not discern His divine character beneath the garb of
humanity. This lack of appreciation on their part was an obstacle to
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the work which He desired to accomplish for them; and in order to
give force to His teaching he was often under the necessity of defining
and defending His position. By referring to His mysterious and divine
character, He sought to lead their minds into a train of thought which
would be favorable to the transforming power of truth. Again, He
used the things of nature with which they were familiar, to illustrate
divine truth. The soil of the heart was thus prepared to receive the
good seed. He made His hearers feel that His interests were identified
with theirs, that His heart beat in sympathy with them in their joys and
griefs. At the same time they saw in Him the manifestation of power
and excellence far above that possessed by their most-honored rabbis.
The teachings of Christ were marked with a simplicity, dignity, and
power heretofore unknown to them, and their involuntary exclamation
was: “Never man spake like this Man.” The people listened to Him
gladly; but the priests and rulers—themselves false to their trust as
guardians of the truth—hated Christ for the very grace revealed, which
had drawn the multitudes away from them to follow the Light of life.
Through their influence the Jewish nation, failing to discern His divine
character, rejected the Redeemer.
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