The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and
majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him today and what came to my heart and mind in Hebrews 5:7-10,
"During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and
petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from
death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although
he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once
made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who
obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of
Melchizedek."
As we read of the theological discussions that took place in the very
early church we find that one of the big issues of the day was a
discussion over whether Jesus Christ was human or not. Did he really
have a body or did he only seem to have one. His deity wasn't
questioned, but was he really human? We get something of the feel for
it in John's first letter where he says, "That which was from the
beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,
which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim
concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and
testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with
the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have
seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us." 1 John
1:1-3a.
John appears to argue against those false teachers who taught that the
Son of God really did not take on humanity with a physical body, etc.
but only appeared to do so. The issue of our day regarding the nature
of Jesus Christ is just the opposite. The false teachers of our day
often acknowledge that Jesus Christ was human, an "historical figure"
but doubt his deity. He was a man but certainly not God. The truth of
the matter is that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man all in one
person at the same time. I remember from my college days the
theological phrase describing Jesus Christ as the "theo-anthropic man
in hypostatic union". Now there is a phrase to throw around at your
next barbeque!
While the current false teaching will lead to certain damnation, I
find the earlier false teaching particularly offensive. It shrugs off
the notion that Jesus Christ as God the Son did not suffer. It
nullifies the appreciation for all our wonderful Savior endured on our
behalf. As I read this passage in Hebrews 5, I am reminded that Jesus
Christ struggled for us. It is one thing to see someone who is
impervious to pain, suffering, sorrow and anguish do things for us.
"No sweat." It is quite another to see someone endure that very pain,
suffering, sorrow and anguish in their effort to rescue us. It
displays a love, a compassion that transcends our understanding and
leads us to an inexorable and inevitable passion to worship him for
all he has done for us.
How can I not feel the strings of my heart tugged in a big way as I
read of his cries and tears, his suffering, his anguish and pain: all
endured on my behalf to save me from God's own judgment for the sin
and rebellion in my life? What love and what giving our Lord has
provided us!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
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