Psalm 45 Publications

Men have always been in search of El Dorado. As long as men have walked the face of the earth, there have been whispered stories of fabulous treasures, cities of gold, fool-proof schemes to win big in the stock market. Men will always dream of finding great riches. They will always be looking for that next golden opportunity, that next El Dorado. There are only two problems with this: most of these fabled treasures don’t exist; and if they did exist, they wouldn’t satisfy. A man can starve to death on a pile of gold or on a pile of sand. A millionaire can be as empty as a beggar on the street. Gold doesn’t satisfy the innate hunger for riches that we all have. We were designed for something greater. We were designed to be satisfied with nothing less than the treasure of knowing God. Continue Reading

The next glimpse we have of our Savior in the gospel accounts is that of his formal presentation in the temple, forty days after his birth, in accordance with the law of Moses. On this occasion, a dear and faithful servant of the Lord, Simeon the priest, takes up Jesus in his arms and pours out a sincere and fervent blessing for having finally seen the Savior. In this sacred history we may learn, among other notable things, that Christ Jesus our Savior is the central Person of all history. Let us look first at the occasion for this prophecy of Simeon, and second at how central must be the One of whom it is made. Continue Reading

We are an ignorant and foolish race, always groping for that which is eternally satisfying, and never able to come to the knowledge of what is truly good and pleasing. This blindness is the effect of our sinfulness: well may we be brought under the indictment of those who “[have] the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Ephesians 4:18). This blindness is also a terrible judgment upon our sinfulness, and a cause of increased sinfulness, as the apostle describes for us the terrible condition of our race, viz, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever” (Romans 1:22-25). In this way, evil begets evil, and all mankind, blinded to the Glory that alone can satisfy, rushes impetuously after that which can only end in eternal misery and destruction. Continue Reading

Our need as the children and heirs of Adam is desperate. If we would find again the sweet fellowship that we enjoyed with our Creator in the garden, we must not only be free from all guilt; but more than that, we must possess a positive righteousness. How desperate a case this is, when even our best righteousnesses “are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6), and not only contribute nothing to our being acceptable with God, but actually distance us further from him! But ah, how sweet is the comforting truth that our Savior made it his task to fulfill all righteousness for us, and thus to be uniquely fitted with everything we need to come into renewed fellowship with God. This is the lesson we must learn from the account of our Savior’s baptism. Continue Reading

When God created our first father, Adam, he placed him at once in the heart of paradise, to enjoy a sweet and pleasant fellowship with his Creator. This fellowship was freely offered for as long as Adam was still innocent; but his innocence had not yet been confirmed, and so God designed a test of obedience to see whether Adam would continue in his state of holy blessedness, or reject the Lord’s commandment and bring upon himself misery and banishment from paradise. During this time of probation, God allowed Satan to enter into paradise for the purpose of tempting the man. In this first great struggle between man and Satan, man was utterly defeated and driven out from the presence of the Lord. Adam had failed to abide by the terms of his first covenant with God, and so plunged himself and his entire race into death and corruption. At this time, all might have been lost; but in his mercy, God instead established a new and gracious covenant with our father Adam, promising that he would send a Seed of the woman who would again enter into conflict with Satan. This promised Seed would be triumphant, and would crush the old Tempter, bruising his own heel in the conflict. Thousands of years passed, and all God’s people hopefully awaited this coming Messiah who would again take up the struggle with Satan, and who would this time utterly conquer him by rendering a perfect obedience to the word of the Father in the face of his fiercest temptations. When the Spirit led our Savior into the desert, the time had finally arrived for the mighty conflict to be taken up again between the Seed of the woman and the Tempter of mankind. But this time, the outcome would be much different. Continue Reading

John 2:7-11 Jesus says unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he says unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And says unto him, Every man at the beginning sets forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but you have kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

When God called the worlds into existence, fully completing his great and glorious work in six days, and on the seventh ceased from his labors to rest in the joy of his mighty accomplishment, he was establishing a pattern to be followed by all of creation, and his chosen people in particular. Hence, when he called forth a people unto himself, redeeming them out of Egypt, he commanded them to sanctify the Sabbath day, consecrating it for joyful rest at the completion of six laborious days. This the Israelites in large part failed to observe; but even when they did observe it, the imperfection of the Sabbath ordinance must have been strikingly apparent. Just as the blood of bulls and goats, being incessantly offered, never sufficed to take away the sins of the people (Hebrews 10:4), so the Sabbath celebrations, recurring constantly, never sufficed to usher in a joyous rest that would be forever unmarred by the subsequent intrusion of wearisome labor. The Sabbath rests were at best but a foretaste of something greater and more conclusive. Continue Reading

When Nicodemus sought out Jesus by night, he found him to be more than just a worker of miraculous signs, as he appeared to all the people. He was indeed a worker of signs; but also much more than that, as Nicodemus was about to see. If he were merely what the people thought him to be, he would not have been in any sense unique. He was, by open confession, a worker of miraculous signs – but what of it? The history of Israel is replete with sign-workers: many were the prophets of old who had confirmed their message by miraculous acts which signified the truths they were teaching. But here is the difference: in each case, the signs they performed pointed to something outside themselves, to some other means of grace by which God would redeem the nation, to some other person who would accomplish so great a salvation. Jesus’ miracle-working was unique in that all of his signs, not to mention all the miraculous signs given by the prophets before him, pointed to himself alone. Jesus was not just the greatest worker of signs: he was in himself the true essence of the blessed promises those miracles conveyed. He was not just the great Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15); he was also the great Fulfillment of all the prophecies (John 5:39-40). He possessed in himself every gift to which the miraculous signs testified in symbol only; and, although the outward sign was given to all, those bountiful gifts themselves were reserved strictly for those whom the Spirit should choose to regenerate. This precious glimpse of Christ as the true substance of every miraculous sign, for all those who should be born of the Spirit, is the image granted to Nicodemus, who saw his glory so many years ago. God grant that we may encounter the same image as we look at the account today! Continue Reading

We may only begin to glimpse the surpassing greatness of our Savior when we recognize that every good and satisfying gift bestowed upon us by the Father of Lights (James 1:17) is but a taste and foreshadow of the all-good and all-satisfying gift of Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus came to make all things new, to fulfill every type and promise of the good things stored up for us by the bountiful provision of our heavenly Father, to replace the old shadows with the true Substance of blessing – himself alone, our God come down to take on human flesh and dwell among his people. Christ came to lavish upon us the true wine of wedded bliss. He came to be lifted up as the serpent in the wilderness, thereby providing true absolution from sin and guilt. And in his discourse with the Samaritan woman, we recognize that he came to provide yet more necessary and thirst-quenching blessings for this hopeless world of sinners; he came to pour out upon us in abundant measure the true water which springs up to everlasting life. Continue Reading

It was quite some time ago that, constrained by the onslaught of other pressing needs, I took a forced hiatus from my series, “Images of the Savior”. I hope that the delay does not serve to impress upon anyone that the series is therefore unimportant to me; on the contrary, it is the single topic upon which I most delight to write. It is as sweet to me as the taste of honey after the necessary bitterness of cod-liver oil to reflect once again upon the pleasures of Christ’s person after the needful toil of debating the finer points of theological systems and doctrines. If I could in my lifetime accomplish but one written work to leave as a legacy for those who come behind me, it would be precisely this series: walking slowly, deliberately, fearfully and elatedly through that great treasure field where we encounter our Savior. If I could continue throughout the gospel accounts, and then proceed to do the same thing begining in Genesis, with the first promise of Christ in chapter three, verse fifteen, I will die content, and pass on to where all of life will be but an ever-intensifying pursuit of the One whom my only joy now is to follow. May the Spirit of Christ use these crude thoughts to direct your hearts to the only One who can satisfy forever! Continue Reading

Luke 4:21-22 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?

From the circumstances of the last event in the life of our Savior, his healing of the nobleman’s son, we recognized that Christ’s own people were ready to receive him as a miracle-worker whose ministry held forth many substantial benefits to the seed of Israel; but they stumbled at his person, refusing to acknowledge him as the true Son of God, who contained within himself every spiritual blessing, and through whom was the only hope of acceptance with God. In the account at hand, we find this disposition strengthened, to such a point that his claim to be the long-awaited Messiah aroused in his hearers a murderous rage and unyielding rejection. To this event, what precisely Christ was claiming for himself, his forecast of the effects that his claim would have upon Israel, and the reaction that in reality transpired, we now turn our attention. Continue Reading

When God redeemed Israel from Egypt, he was accomplishing in shadow-form what he had determined to do in Christ, who redeems his people from their sin. Hence, just as God called Israel, his Son, from Egypt (Hosea 11:1), just as he baptized him unto Moses in the Red Sea (1 Corinthians 10:2), and just as he proved him forty years in the wilderness; so he called Christ, his true Son, from Egypt (Matthew 2:15), who was likewise baptized at the commencement of his public ministry as the Son of God, and who successfully passed forty days of testing in the wilderness – all in true fulfillment of Israel’s typical history. This character of Christ’s time on earth, as the substance to which redemptive history pointed, is most instructive when we consider the timing and the nature of his justly famous Sermon on the Mount. For if we consider the first giving of the law on Mount Sinai, which came through the hand of Moses, the typical mediator between God and his people; then we must be struck with the parallels between that and this second giving of the law on the mountain where sat Christ, the only true Mediator between God and man, and the only absolute and final Law-giver. To this sermon as the giving of the fulfilled Law, we must now turn our attention. Continue Reading

Before our Savior began his public ministry, during his probation in the wilderness, he utterly overcame the Devil, as we have before observed. It is no doubt at this time that he “beheld Satan fall as lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18); indeed, he then bound him as one binds a strong man, so that he might enter his house and despoil him (see Matthew 12:28-29). From that point, no demon ventured to assault our Lord directly, but always trembled before him, and sought his leniency in servile fear. However, all the hosts of Satan were still mightily attempting to oppose the work of Christ; not by directly attacking him, but by bringing into bondage the sons of men, whom he had come to redeem and deliver. Now, it is certainly clear that Christ had not triumphed over Satan for his own sake; for he had, from eternity past, been sovereignly in control of the Serpent’s actions, telling him what he may or may not do, and using even the Devil’s brazen wickedness, but always for his own good purposes (see Job 1-2). In that he defeated him in the wilderness, then, he defeated him with respect to the control he had usurped over fallen mankind. He had succeeded where Adam had failed; and thus he was free to take the effects of his own great success, and to apply them to those who, without him, were hopelessly in bondage to the “god of this world” (see 2 Corinthians 4:4). In our account in Mark, we see for the first of what would become innumerable instances, how he is willing to do just that. Continue Reading

Immediately after he had delivered the man with an unclean spirit, our Savior left the synagogue and journeyed to the house in which Peter and Andrew dwelt with Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29). From the circumstances of this visit, we may learn much of the tender compassion of Jesus, our Savior and Healer. First, we are struck with the unquestioning trust that he has already gained among those who know him best; for as soon as they found Peter’s mother-in-law sick with a high fever, they had no other reaction than to bring her case at once to Jesus, so confident were they that he had both the authority and the compassion to deliver her. How encouraging to us that we have grown to know and love the same compassionate Jesus! Well has the apostle exhorted us to take our sick and feeble loved ones in prayer to him who delights to heal and forgive (James 5:14-15). This the disciples did, and they were not turned away empty. This may we do as well, for Christ loves us even as he loved them. Each one of us, who truly belongs to him, may with confidence think of ourselves in trembling wonder as “that disciple whom Jesus loved,” so deep and personal and specific is his love for everyone whom the Father has given to him. Christ was merciful to Peter; he will be no less merciful to us. Continue Reading

Oh, how manifold and wretched is the condition that has been brought upon us by our sin! Not only have we become guilty, by its rebellious exercise; but we have, moreover, become filthy and impure. We are guilty, and thus need forgiveness and clearing, a settling of the account. And we are defiled and unclean, and thus need cleansing and purification. We are guilty, and need justification; and we are impure, and need sanctification. Our sin-induced need is manifold; but in all of our various, desperate needs, we will find the solution in only one place – bowing at the feet of Jesus! Let us consider ourselves spiritual lepers, as we read this account of a leper in the flesh, and apply to Jesus for relief just as he also did. For if we do so, we will certainly meet with the same gracious response. Continue Reading

The next miracle that our Savior performed is especially notable in that it is coupled with the clearest expression of the ultimate purpose that Jesus had in his many merciful acts of healing. In other accounts, we may certainly suppose that Christ’s mighty works demonstrated his divine power and vindicated his claims to be the Messiah. But in this story alone do we find Christ saying so clearly that such a healing was so that, “You may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins.” We will do well to learn from this saying. Christ’s authority over the effect necessitates that he also have authority over the cause. His power in the sign demonstrates his power in the thing signified. His ability to heal the dreadful disease of paralysis ought to have instructed all who saw him, that he was likewise able to heal that terrible ultimate source of paralysis and every other unhappy affliction of mankind: the sinful nature that Adam passed down to all of his descendants. And if it were so mighty and blessed a circumstance to be delivered from the effect, how blessed must it be to be delivered from the ultimate source? Continue Reading

Of all the blessings that God has given to his people throughout the ages, one of the most precious is their Sabbath rest. How wearisome is the toil and labor through which we must pass on our journey through this sin-cursed world! How impossible that our sin-cursed bodies and souls should keep pressing on, apart from the necessary refreshment of regular rest and frequent meditation on the bounty of the Lord! But far greater even than this pleasant shadow-blessing, which God gave to the children of Israel, is the One from whose generous hand this and all other riches flow down to his people. Far greater than this imperfect reminder of the delightful rest which awaits us when the work has been perfectly accomplished, is the One who is, in himself, the fulfillment of the picture. And we see both of these precious realities in Christ Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, and our true Sabbath rest. As the Lord of the Sabbath, he is the One who perfectly accomplished the work of redemption, and so earned the right to dispense a rest which is the reward and culmination of a perfect work completed. And as the fulfillment of the picture, he himself is that reward, that rest, that joyful celebration of culminating victory which awaits those who finish their course. Continue Reading

In all of the scriptures, there is no more precious truth than this: “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich unto all who call upon him; for ‘Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved’” (Romans 10:12-13). And in all the gospels, there are few accounts which more poignantly display this truth than the account of the Gentile centurion, who called upon the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, and found him rich indeed. How well-adapted this account is to strengthen the faith of all of us who, being alienated from the covenants of God, were grafted against nature into God’s good tree (Ephesians 2:11-13; Romans 11:17-24)! Let us then look to this history with a mind to imitate this man’s faith, so far as our Savior commended it; for in so doing, we will find the same Savior abounding in mercy to us, even as he did to the centurion in Galilee. Continue Reading

As manifold and diverse as are the wretched effects to which sin has given rise, they may all be brought under this one heading, death. So God spoke to man in the beginning, solemnly testifying that, in the day he ate of the forbidden fruit, he would surely die (Genesis 2:17); and such in fact occurred, that first man and all after him being suddenly and irretrievably plunged into that spiritual death which consists of separation from fellowship with God, who is our life. And ah, how the effects of this death spread throughout the earth, engendering in men the death-thoughts and lusts which may never be found in God’s presence, plunging the very world into chaos and confusion, covering the earth’s fruitful soil with thorns and thistles, filling the instincts of all the brute beasts with rapine and cruel bloodshed, and finally bringing down the afflicted body of every death-cursed man in sorrow to the grave. And for all this, it is only the beginning, the first death – and oh how fearful will be the second death of eternal torment which awaits fallen man at the final judgment (Revelation 20:14)! Truly may it be said, that when we were in this miserable condition, we were, through fear of death, held in perpetual bondage under our cruel master, the Devil and Deceiver of mankind (Hebrews 2:14-15). Ah, wretched men! Who shall be found to deliver us from so great a calamity? But there is one who fully participated in our flesh and blood, in order that, by tasting death for us, he might destroy the one who possessed the power of death, and so reconcile us to God! To this mighty Conqueror of the grave, let us now turn our attention. Continue Reading

During the course of our journey through the gospels, we have meditated much upon the meek and lamb-like qualities of Jesus, as he performed his mighty miracles of healing, forgiveness, and restoration. And it is fitting that we have done so, for he did not come to earth, at that time, to condemn it, but to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). Truly has John declared to us, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17). However, there is coming a day when the Son of Man will return again in great and terrible glory, with the flaming fire of fearful vengeance, to magnify the power of his wrath against all those who do not know God (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10). At that time we will see the fullness of his Lion-like glory, poured out in righteous fury, joining together with the fullness of Lamb-like glory that he demonstrated before, when he stooped to the death of the cross – and woe to all those who have not called upon his name, when we see him thus a second time! In our next gospel account, we hear the slightest whisper of the coming winds of judgment, as our Savior sternly denounces those cities which have seen the gentle and incarnate God, and have despised him. Oh, let us tremble at this fearful presage, and flee for mercy to the only place where God’s wrath will not then fall, for it has already fallen there and been assuaged – the bosom of Jesus our Savior. For if we be not found in him, we will drink from the same cup that has been promised to Chorazin and Bethsaida. Continue Reading

Among men, it is universally acknowledged that, in proportion as one has something valuable to offer another, he is likely to be well-received by him; and according to his ability to give more to any person than he must take from him, he is apt to be commended and praised. A rich man who lavishly bestows his goods upon his friends is well-thought of; but a beggar is despised, or at best, pitied with a condescending demeanor. But let us learn well, from this account, that it is not so with our Savior. All those who suppose that they are doing something valuable and praiseworthy for his sake, by means of their sacrificial and generous acts of religion, would do well to consider what the apostle Paul has said, that “God, who made the world and all the things which are in it, being himself Lord over heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by hands, neither is worshiped by the hands of men, as if he were needing something, when he himself gives to all life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:24-25). Continue Reading

It is an immutable principle of justice that, the devastation attendant upon the folly of rejecting an offered gift or mercy must be in proportion to the freeness with which it is offered, and the greatness of its substance; and likewise, the guilt which inheres in slanderously accusing any man is in exact proportion to that man’s greatness and righteousness. Let us lay this principle to heart – for if we have been offered the freest gift of mercy, a gift so vast that all the heavens raining down blessings for all eternity could never exhaust its riches, then woe, woe, woe to us if we should refuse it! The greatness of our folly would then be unequaled by all the dark and superstitious abominations wrought by all the heathen tribes of the world, throughout all of time – and the destruction which should come upon us in result of our immense folly would be too great and terrible to express. And ah, if we should be confronted with the person of Jesus, who alone possesses all the greatness of God wrapped up in all the meekness of a spotless Lamb – who has all the treasures of the boundless Godhead to give to us, and all the demeanor which should encourage us to come and take them up freely, however unworthy we may be – then what shall our fate be, if we have despised such a One? If he who at all offended that earthly king Ahasuerus found himself trembling in fear of his life (Esther 7:5-6), then how should we fear who have spit in the face of the King of kings? “If he who rejects the Law of Moses dies without mercy at the mouth of two or three witnesses, of how much worse punishment do you suppose he will be considered worthy, who has trampled upon the Son of God, and considered the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified unclean, and reviled the Spirit of grace” (Hebrews 10:28-29)? In the account at hand, we see an unequaled gift of mercy offered by an incomparably great man – and we see the fearful result of despising so great a gift. Let us be careful that we are not among the ranks of those who blaspheme the Spirit of grace, or all the terrors of divine judgment will rain down upon our heads with immense and eternal fury! Continue Reading

Many generations before our Savior walked on the earth, it was prophesied of him, “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old” (Psalm 78:2); and when he finally arrived upon this earth, we may see how thoroughly he fulfilled this prophecy, uttering parables and sayings which contained all the truth and wisdom of heaven, but which hid their rich wisdom from the understanding of the learned and respected men of Israel, and opened them up to the wondering faith of the simplest child. How true is the praise of the psalmist, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings you have perfected praise” (Matthew 21:16; Psalm 8:2)! And nowhere do we see more clearly the wisdom of Christ in his utterance of parables than when he “sat beside the sea; and there gathered together unto him many crowds, so that he entered a boat and sat down, and all the crowd stood upon the shore; and he spoke to them many things in parables” (Matthew 13:2-3). To this account, what Jesus spoke to the people in parables and mysteries, and the reason for his enigmatic method of instruction, we will now turn our attention, as the Spirit of God permits. Continue Reading

From the account of this notable miracle of the Savior, in which he commanded the winds and the waves to cease with calm authority, and immediately they obeyed him, we may learn much of what manner of man he truly is; in the surrounding circumstances, we may observe many ways in which we are similar to the disciples, loved by Jesus, striving to follow his will, but ah, so weak and filled with doubts, which ever rise to the surface when the storms of life stir the waters of our soul; and finally, in Jesus’ reactions and words of response to the disciples, we may be instructed even as they – for he has not changed, and his words still resound with the same authority and wisdom that they possessed some two thousand years ago, when first he uttered them. Let us, then, be diligent to examine in what ways we resemble those first disciples, and then to discern what we may of the fearful and wonderful person, deeds, and words of our Savior; for in so doing, we will find that whatever our needs are, their solution is found in Christ. This the first disciples learned long ago, and this the disciples throughout the world are still learning today. Continue Reading

Within the account of Jesus’ marvelous resurrection of the only daughter of Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue, we find another marvelous miracle-account embedded, in which he frees a woman from a twelve year discharge of blood, from which she had been able to find relief in no other way. The conjunction of these two accounts teach us of Jesus’ great mercy and compassion for all sorts of believers – the greatest as well as the weakest. He responds to great faith by causing it to grow and become greater yet; and he responds to weak faith in the same way, causing it to grow up until it is healthy and flourishing. Let us take heart at this truth! No matter how smoldering the wick of our faith may be, Jesus will not quench it, but will gently blow upon it with the soft breath of his mighty words and works, until it bursts once more into a flame of passionate devotion and steadfast trust in him alone (see Isaiah 42:3). But ah, let us examine ourselves, to see whether we have any faith at all: for the thronging crowds, who followed Jesus out of impure motives, not because they loved him or supposed that they could obtain their spiritual good from him, received no good thing from the Lord. Are we blindly following along with the crowd of professing believers, walking where they walk because they are many? Or is our one desire to reach Jesus, whether the crowds be with us or against us? If our heart truly yearns to touch him in whom is our healing and hope, then no matter how timid our faith may be, he will see us and strengthen us to come to him. But if we have no true longing to receive from him our every good, then throng about him as we may, he will give us no heed. Let us learn this lesson well: there will always be crowds thronging about Jesus, whether to mock or to offer insincere flattery; but few there be whose yearnings reach out to him alone. Continue Reading

Immediately before Jesus sends his disciples to go throughout Israel from city to city, healing, casting out demons, and preaching the good news of the Kingdom, we are given a glimpse of his deep compassion for the scattered and wayward crowds, a compassion which works mightily in his tireless ministry of healing and evangelizing. This precious glimpse is the foundation and fountainhead for the mission of the twelve, which follows. It is likewise the foundation for our own mission, which trades the cities of the world for the villages of Israel, and substitutes the innumerable band of faithful witnesses for those first twelve disciples. If we would learn anything from this account, let us assure ourselves, above all else, that Jesus’ compassionate person, which manifested itself in his mighty works, done according to the will of the Father, is the sole and illimitable source from which the ever-widening streams of gospel-mercies flow, and shall continue to flow through the Church, until the whole world is full of the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14). Continue Reading

In this remarkable account, we see our Savior signifying through a gloriously bountiful act of generosity the eternal life and joyful feasting in the presence of God that he would soon provide for those whom the Father had given to him, by the offering up of his own body for their life and sustenance; and in the process, we are confronted with an image of Christ the Savior as the perfect fulfillment of the tabernacle imagery of the table of the bread of the presence (Exodus 25:23-20); as the end and goal of the celebratory feasts of the Jews, and that of Passover in particular (note John 6:4), which looked ahead to the joyful feast of the end times, in the presence of God (see Isaiah 25:6-12); and also, as the true fulfillment of the manna that sustained the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years. Moreover, we have this wondrous sign expounded to us in great wisdom by the very words of Jesus, as he explains to the Jews its true meaning and significance. Let us then be richly instructed in these eternal truths, as we look to the account at hand. Continue Reading

As we turn to our next account, we must be aware of its close connection with the account immediately preceding it, in which Jesus presents himself as the true Bread from heaven, given for the life of the world; and hence, the fulfillment of the tabernacle imagery of the table of the bread of the presence. For just as the table signified the provision of the necessary substance of life, which Jesus portrayed as having its ultimate fulfillment in his own body that he would offer up for the life of the world, in illustration of which he provided this bread in the wilderness for the crowds that had gathered around him; so also it signified the ongoing provision and guidance that God offered to his people for their journey, through his own sustaining presence in their midst; which is indeed why the bread was called specifically the bread of the presence. But this element, too, Jesus would portray as having its ultimate fulfillment in himself, when he appeared miraculously to his disciples and brought them along on their journey through the power that his own abiding presence imparted to them. Let us now look at these truths in a little more detail. Continue Reading

We may observe in this account both the essence of false religion, which the Pharisees displayed in their encounter with the disciples of Jesus, and with Jesus himself; as well as the proper response to this sort of deceptive false teaching. For Jesus, when he had seen their hypocritical indignation over the violation of their man-made regulations, first destroyed the foundations of their religious system, rendering them without an answer or excuse; and second, built in its place the just principles of true religion, on the solid foundation of God’s revelation; taking occasion, moreover, to instruct his true followers more thoroughly in these right principles, when they were alone. We ought to learn from this example, first of all, to be certain that our religion is in accordance with God’s own will, and not founded upon our own uncertain speculations; and second, how to respond to false doctrine when we or those near us in the Church are confronted with it. Continue Reading

Of the many lessons we may learn about the Savior from this account, the most notable is his utter resignation to the will of the Father, and his firm resolve not to do anything related to the work of redemption except in its own proper time; from which circumstance we may learn that all the acts of mercy and grace from the beginning of the world are indeed planned out by the sovereign counsel of the Father, and minutely executed by the Son. In this account, we may see this truth borne out, first, by Jesus’ unswerving commitment to the temporal priority of the children of Israel to the nations, in God’s redemptive design; and second, by his manner in responding to the personal request of a woman whose daughter he knew from the beginning that he should heal. In this latter circumstance we may find much that is well-suited to personal application, and so we will spend the greater part of our time on that point. But first, let us note what Jesus intended by his saying, “I am not sent except to the lost sheep of the House of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). Continue Reading

During his time on earth, Jesus himself was preaching the gospel of the eternal Kingdom of Heaven, opening it to whom he would open it, and shutting it against whom he would shut it. But at the same time, he was also preparing his disciples to carry on this Kingdom-work when he should return to the Father, and begin to reign from God’s right hand, sitting on the throne of David. He was then announcing the gospel and opening the Kingdom in his physical body; but he would soon be announcing the gospel and opening the Kingdom in his mystical body, the Church. For this reason, it was necessary that he take the keys of his kingly authority, and bestow them upon some representative (or representatives), to continue his work in his name, and with his authority, until the end of the age. Our account relates the details of this solemn bestowal of authority; and, although it has been much abused and perverted throughout Church history, its true meaning and importance must not therefore be minimized. We trust that the Spirit of God whom the Father has sent to us in the name of Jesus will protect us from all misunderstanding as we pursue the true meaning of his word today. Continue Reading

The great mystery of the work of redemption, and the matchless wonder of the Redeemer himself, consists of the diverse excellencies displayed to infinite degrees in the accomplishment of the work. Consider into what depths of humility Christ plummeted, as he followed his Father’s will to purchase back a people from their unimaginably deep sin and rebellion: he, the infinitely high and happy God, took on human form, lived a life subject to all human weaknesses and temptations, suffered rejection, despite, shame, and mockery at the hands of his creatures, and bore in his own body the full mass of putrid sin which we had heaped up to heaven, together with the full cup of the Father’s holy wrath against this sin. This is humility inexpressible and illimitable! But consider what great glory he has won through such ignoble means: he has won the greatest victory in all the history of the world, against the greatest enemy of all that is good and right who has ever had existence – that old Serpent, the devil. He has fully displayed the infinitely glorious and diverse majesty of the invisible Godhead, whom no man has ever seen, in such a manner that the weakest of men might see God’s true form and glorify him. He has won a people for his everlasting inheritance, and wrought the unspeakable work of making them who had been horribly disfigured and marred into the very image of himself, and a spotless and pure bride. And he has done what by all accounts should be impossible for the infinitely glorious God to do; he has gained a glory which did not inhere in the Godhead before, and obtained a name which did not previously belong to him; for the glory of Mediator, Redeemer, Perfect Man, Immanuel, and, in short, Jesus, who saves his people from their sins, did not from eternity belong to the Godhead; but in consequence of the perfect work of the Christ, the new and glorious name Jesus has been added to the eternal and glorious name Yahweh, in the person of the eternal Son of God – for is this not what is expressed in the words of Paul: “Wherefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above ever name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on the earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11)? In our next account, that of the transfiguration of Jesus before his disciples, we see the first glimpse of the infinitely high glory which should adhere to Jesus in consequence of the infinitely low position to which he stooped, contrary to all human reason or expectation. Continue Reading

Among all peoples, they who are considered greatest in a kingdom or government are they who are in the most prominent positions, who command great honor and respect, and who use their authority to exercise dominion over all those beneath them (see Matthew 20:25-27). It was a most natural circumstance, therefore, that the disciples who had heard so much of Jesus’ Kingdom would begin to dispute and argue among themselves as to who should hold the highest position in this Kingdom, sitting at the right hand of Jesus when he ascended to the throne of David (Mark 9:33-34; 10:35-37). But Jesus’ Kingdom was not to be like the kingdoms of men; for in the wonder of divine wisdom, the greatest glory is gained through the deepest humility, and the most selfless and lowly servant is indeed the highest of all. The King of kings won his throne through the emptying of himself, taking on the form of a servant, and being found obedient unto death, even the shameful death of the cross (Philippians 2:5-11). But if even the all-glorious Son of Man “came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45), then what sort of men ought his followers to be? Let us take these truths to heart, and be attentive to the richly instructive words of Christ, as he takes the opportunity of this dispute among the disciples to open up to us the mystery of the Kingdom, the way in which it is ever to be entered, and the manner in which life within its borders is to be conducted. Continue Reading

Of all the gospel-blessings and benefits that were given to Israel in ancient times, so as to distinguish them from all the other nations of the world as the people upon whom God had set his special, elective love, one of the greatest was the joyful feasts and celebrations that it was enjoined upon them to observe, coming up to Jerusalem three times a year for a solemn and joy-filled assembly. These feasts were a bountiful and merciful gift of God both in that they contained within the manner of their observance a rich instruction of things pertaining to the coming of Christ, and the redemptive blessings that he should provide for his people; and also, in that they provided a foretaste, as it were, of these blessings themselves, as all the people of God were enabled therein to cast off the cares of this cursed world, for a time, and rejoice together in unity before the God of their salvation. Will not the consummation of all things be an anti-type of these joyful feasts, in which all God’s people from every nation of the world rejoices together in the presence of Christ their Savior, and feasts upon the rich banquet that their heavenly Father has provided for them (see Isaiah 25:6-12)? And it is a further point that the most joyful feast, and one of the most richly instructive in gospel truths, was the last great feast of the year, that of Tabernacles. As we turn to our next account, therefore, we must first labor to understand the symbolism of this feast, and how Christ intimates that it is fulfilled in him; and then to notice in brief the basic heads of the message that he was proclaiming at this feast. Continue Reading

Throughout Israel’s history God had done many marvelous works in her behalf, sending to her his prophets and miracle-workers, who brought down bread from heaven (Exodus 16:4), subdued the bitterness of death-bearing poisons (2 Kings 2:19-22; 4:38-41), stopped the mouths of lions (Daniel 6:16-23), and even raised the dead (2 Kings 4:32-37). But there was one miracle so astounding in its divine potency, and so indicative of the true essence of the Messianic accomplishment, that it had never before been performed in sacred history, but only promised as a sign of the final age of blessing, in which the Christ should bring the very Kingdom of God to earth; and that sign was, the giving of sight to the congenitally blind (Isaiah 35:4-5; 42:6-7). As we look to this next account, therefore, we may encounter as clear a glimpse of the person of Christ in his Messianic office as any of his miracles are able to unveil before our eyes. Spirit of God, do not let us come away unravished from this text! Lead us to the Sun of Righteousness, where we might bathe our dark and sorrowing souls in the glory of the Light divine! As sunflowers that ever turn their faces full to the sun of their love, let us turn now our hearts to the light of glory, which beams from the face of the Son of God. In order to do so, we will consider, first, what it means that Jesus is the Light of the World; second, how it is that he accomplishes his Messianic task of bringing light to the world; and third, the diverse effects that this work of light-bringing has upon various classes of people in the world. Continue Reading

One of the most blessed prophecies ever given to the prophets of old may be found in Ezekiel thirty-four. In that notable passage, the Lord first berates the false leaders of his people Israel, who ought to have been as good shepherds, protecting them from the wild beasts, guiding them lest they wander astray, and leading them to good pastures. But instead, they had destroyed and killed the flock of God. In response, God promises that he himself will come and be a shepherd to his people, guiding, protecting, and nourishing them; but when he comes, he will judge the false shepherds, and distinguish between the true sheep of his flock, who are oppressed and down-trodden, and the fat and cruel sheep, who destroy all the provision and leave no sustenance for the others. These latter will share the same fate of condemnation as the false shepherds; but God’s true sheep will be delivered and brought to a place of peace and fruitfulness forevermore, where God will be their God, and dwell among them. At this point in the prophecy, God refers to the Shepherd of the people as David his servant. From which circumstance we may learn that one would arise who is both the offspring of David and indeed God himself; and he will shepherd the true people of God, but judge their oppressive leaders and those sheep who are not truly his. Continue Reading

Whenever we see our Savior in his dealings with the Pharisees and experts in the law, we must be struck with the immeasurable wisdom and authority that he possesses, as well as the boldness and clarity with which he denounces their wicked teachings and practices. Let us note that they who consider themselves religious leaders, and who bind others with very many rules and regulations that God never commanded, always demand of others unquestioning loyalty and obedience; and if it is not forthwith rendered by anyone under their sway, they threaten him with the terrible curses which are due to anyone who turns aside from God’s own commandments, and wresting from their clarifying contexts many verses about the godliness of submitting to those in authority, they demand submission on the basis of God’s word, when in fact their doctrines set aside God’s word; and it is utterly manifest that no person on earth has the religious authority to command God’s children to do other than that which he has prescribed for them in his holy scriptures – although we admit that the civil government has authority from God to demand things which are indifferent with respect to inherent morality, and not in violation of God’s positive commands. Now let us be sure that, no matter how loudly such may assert their authority to bind other believers with things that God has not said, it is never godly to submit to such a perversion of true religion; and if we would follow the example of our Savior, we must rather expose and condemn it on the basis of the scriptures, which God has vested with authority beyond that of any man on earth. To see how our wise and fearful Savior thus exposed the folly of these wicked men, and laid out the progression that false religion would ever follow, let us now look to the text. Continue Reading

Although we have already seen before the divine power of Jesus the Savior displayed in the raising of the dead, this case is the most notable example yet, first, by virtue of the explicit instruction about his own person with which he illuminates its significance, and second, by virtue of the marvelous circumstances surrounding it, through which we may learn much of what sort of man this Jesus truly is. There had never been a more notable resurrection from the dead than this, nor would there be until Jesus himself was raised by the power of God (Romans 1:1-4), the true firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18) inasmuch as he was the first man raised, not to die again, but to the glory of an incorruptible life. Let us rejoice today that the eternal resurrection life which Jesus himself won, having arisen finally victorious over death and the grave, is a life which he won for all of us who partake of his sufferings, and hence are assured as well of a share in his resurrection power (Philippians 3:10-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-24)! To all of these truths our text today speaks, and so we will turn there now to learn the source of this amazing sign; its ultimate goal, or purpose; and finally, the instruction which we might derive from its unusual and typical circumstances. Continue Reading

Those of us whom our heavenly Father has blessed with children of our own may fully appreciate the immeasurably deep yearnings of parental love, which would have for our offspring nothing less than the eternal joy of knowing Christ our Savior, whom we have found in our own souls to be so satisfying; which is indeed the very compassion by which these who had found the delight of knowing Jesus were driven to bring their infant children to him, so that he might but touch them. Therefore, the Savior’s response to these compassionate parents, and the manner in which he received their little children, quite contrary to the expectation of his disciples, is to us who are in the same circumstance a most precious glimpse indeed. And we may likewise be sure that all of us, whether we have children or not, may be most wonderfully instructed by the tender love of Jesus, and his words of wisdom which he takes opportunity to apply to all who would enter his Kingdom. Let us note precisely what it is that Jesus intimated on this blessed occasion, attempt to show how admirably consistent his comfortable doctrine is with the customary dealings of the Father throughout redemptive history, and finally draw a few applications from what we have learned. Continue Reading

In all the gospel of Luke, we may encounter no more concise and compelling description of the Messianic task than that which we meet with at the end of this account: “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost” (Luke 19:10). In this declaration we may learn something of the person of Jesus, and his peculiar office: for he is the Son of Man, that is, the divine Messiah whom Daniel saw in his glory (Daniel 7:13-14). We may also learn of the nature of his work, which is to seek and to save. How appropriate it is that both these elements should be so admirably joined together, for we can no more seek for a Savior, than we can save ourselves (see Romans 3:10-11). Jesus did not come to a world that was clamoring for his grace, and then give it to them in response to their pleas. No, he came unto his own, and was despised and rejected (See Isaiah 53:3; John 1:11); he came unto a world that hated and opposed him, and was mocked and derided by all. Therefore, if he would save anyone, he must first seek him out and draw him. An effectual call must be joined to his effective sacrifice, or else the salvation transaction will never be completed. Ah, let us be grateful that Jesus did not merely come to announce a general offer of salvation, but that he came to seek the individual sinner, and to save him indeed! And finally, we may learn of the subjects of this mighty work of mercy: who are none other than the lost. Many there be in this world who do not consider themselves lost, and see no need of a Savior. Let us be certain that these will be lost indeed before they are ever saved. Jesus saves none but lost and hopeless sinners; and so we who are the chief of sinners may all the more fervently rejoice, for no other quality does the Savior require of men, than that they be as we, and unable to help save themselves. Continue Reading

The writings of the prophets are filled with predictions of a coming glorious king, from the line of David, who would once again take up the scepter, destroy the enemies of the people of God, and reign in righteousness forevermore (e.g. 2 Samuel 7:12-13, Isaiah 11:1- 16, Jeremiah 23:5-6). These same prophets also speak much of a coming servant of the Lord, who would suffer much, and be despised and rejected by his own people (e.g. Isaiah 42:1-9; 49:6-13; 52:13-53:12). In Jesus, these two distinct prophetic lines converge with admirable precision, his everlasting kingship being loudly proclaimed by the same people who, a few days later, would reject him indeed, and leave him to drink alone the inexpressible cup of the Father’s wrath, a man afflicted beyond measure and full to the brim with sorrows surpassing the imagination. But herein lies the wonder: these two remarkably diverse characteristics of the person and ministry of the Son of David do not co-exist in an unnatural and forced juxtaposition, but rather complement and give meaning to each other, in a relationship that bursts all conceptual bounds of true glory and praiseworthiness that had ever before been dreamed up, extending the dominion of the Kingdom of the Christ into realms that no king had ever before conquered. The unique glory of Christ consists in part of his humility and suffering; and through his time of humiliation, he became the king of death and hell, victorious over sin and the devil, even as before he was the king of life and righteousness. The deepest lowliness won the highest glory, and cast across the illimitable regions of the shadow of death the splendor of the noon-day sun, transforming them into a fruitful and fair place, and bringing them forevermore into the eternal Kingdom of peace. Every spite and thorn and cruel stripe that Jesus bore wrought for him in the fires of divine justice and mercy another rare and marvelous jewel for his crown, the likes of which no other king has ever worn, nor indeed could bear, for it is fitted for one brow alone, that which once bled with the chastisement of our peace, and now irradiates the divine majesty, lighting the New Jerusalem toward which we press on in the wonder of hope. Continue Reading

In Isaiah chapter five, the Lord tells of a vineyard to which he had given every peculiar advantage, preparing for it a very fertile place which he had cleared of all stones and debris, planting in it the best vines, and preparing within it a watchtower and a wine vat, in order to protect it and provide it with the necessary means to put its fruit to the best use; but when the time came for it to produce good grapes, it produced wild and unusable grapes instead. For this cause, the Lord destroyed every advantage of the vineyard, ensuring that, from henceforth, it would produce only thorns and thistles. In verse seven, Isaiah makes the application that, “the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel, and the men of Judah are that which was planted for his pleasance; and he waited for justice, but behold, bloodshed! for righteousness, but behold, a cry!” As we shall now see, on the occasion of his cursing of the unfruitful fig tree, our Savior was acting in much the same way, and expressing much the same truth. Let us observe what transpired on this occasion, as well as the use to which Jesus put the event, or the lesson which he drew from it. Continue Reading

It is a fact as certain as the day that, in this world which is under the power of the devil, whenever anyone comes speaking the truth, he will be fiercely opposed, and often beset with insincere questions that arise not from a heart desiring to learn, but out of trickery, and in an attempt to lay a trap by which he might be tripped up, so that the power and truth of his message may be obscured. That this was so to an eminent degree in the life of him who did not just bring the truth, but is himself very Truth (John 14:6), is everywhere evident throughout his ministry; but the most notable example of all comes just before his final hour, when all the forces of Satan were stirred up in a tremendous rage, and casting forth every snare that subtle sophistry can devise, so as to conjure up in the unblameable One a charge that they might bring before the court of Pilate. How utterly they failed to overcome the Wisdom of God may be seen in the results of their frantic endeavors; to which end we will look, so as to rejoice in him who is made to us wisdom from God (1 Corinthians 1:30), and likewise to learn how we ought to respond when we are beset with similar deceitful traps. Continue Reading

Jesus our Savior, when he walked upon the earth, fully recognized the central position that his life had in all of history, and was not at all loathe to indicate that the future times and seasons of the world had all to do with his Kingdom, and his coming again in glory; thus, he indicated to Pilate and the Pharisees, as well as to his own disciples, that the consummation of world history would be the final realization of the Kingdom upon earth, which he had already begun to establish in his lifetime (John 18:36; Matthew 26:64; Luke 22:16-18). The future would be all about the advance of this newly in-broken Kingdom until it had spread throughout the world, and ultimately about the return of the Son of Man in glory to judge the earth, establish his Kingdom fully and finally, and deliver it over to the Father (see 1 Corinthians 15:23-28). It is a most fitting circumstance that, as the time of his departure drew near, he would take occasion to instruct his disciples of these future events, so that they might be well-prepared for their task of Kingdom-spreading, the final commission with which he left them (see Matthew 28:18-20). The key occasion in which he did this is when, after having foretold the utter destruction of the beautiful Temple, he sat on the Mount of Olives, and answering his disciples’ questions, related to them many great and marvelous events of the future, and at the same time drew out many practical applications. Continue Reading

Oh, how many a weary sinner, after having been born again through the washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5), has soon found himself in desperate straits once more, hard-pressed by his besetting sins, dirtied with the filth of the world, hungering and thirsting after the true righteousness which he had tasted of before, and apart from which he can no longer be satisfied! To such a weary pilgrim, as each of us has more than once been, there is no more welcome sight than a table spread in the wilderness with that richest of all feasts, the broken body of Christ, through which comes nourishment, sustenance, forgiveness, and true righteousness; and the wine of his blood, bringing peace, joy, and covenant-life. Let us rejoice at this marvelous dispensation of grace, and make earnest and frequent use of it! A child having just been born has life indeed, but he will not be long sustained without his necessary food; and so a child having been born into the family of God, which birth is symbolized by baptism, in which he is united with Christ in his death and resurrection, still has a daily and pressing need to be sustained with the body and blood of Christ throughout the time of his pilgrimage home. Baptism signifies the impartation of life, and the Lord’s table the sustenance and nourishment of that same life; and we cannot do long without this necessary means of grace. Let us then look to the account of our Lord’s last supper with great joy, and recognizing those great realities that he holds forth in the bread and the cup, to us as well as those first disciples, let us be diligent to observe the same as often as we gather together with the body of Christ; for in doing so, we will be vivified and strengthened with true righteousness and spiritual life. Continue Reading

Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest, having offered a sacrifice for his own sins and the sins of the people, would bring the blood of the sacrifice into the Holy Place, and place it upon the horns of the altar of incense, the smoke of which would ascend before God; and then, he would pass through the veil into the Holy of holies, bringing the blood of the sacrifice to the mercy seat, and thus atoning for the sins of the people (See Leviticus 16). In this circumstance, we see that the sacrifice was not considered effective until it had been joined with the intercession of the High Priest: the smoke from the blood which the priest placed upon the altar of incense rose up before God as a symbol of his prayers in behalf of the people, on the basis of the sacrifice that he had made for them; and only then did God accept his offering. But in the continual observance of this Day of Atonement, year after year, together with the ongoing presence of the veil, we see that no sacrifice and no high-priestly prayer had yet been finally sufficient to atone for the people’s sins, and bring them into God’s presence. There still remained the need both for a perfect sacrifice and a perfect High Priest, who could join his effective intercession with his sufficient offering, and thus tear down the veil which barred men from entering God’s presence forevermore. As we look to our account today, let us rejoice in Jesus our High Priest, who joined his effective pleas with his perfect blood, and so rendered our salvation doubly secure! Continue Reading

O reader, we have followed our dear Savior many places, and have seen him in many lights, as the divine Son of God speaking with power and authority, as the great Physician tirelessly working his miracles of healing and deliverance, and as a man of deep and perfect human emotions, angry with the hypocrites, compassionate to the helpless, weeping with the bereaved. But never before have we seen the depths of sorrow that Jesus would plummet this night, as abandoned by all his friends, betrayed by him who ate at his table, and assailed by all the forces of darkness he cried out to his Father whom he had always pleased in every way, and received from him only the answer that he must indeed drink to its dregs the bitter cup of wrath. Oh, who will not mourn with him, this fairest among ten thousand, who deserves nothing but the infinite joy of the ever-blessed Godhead, but willingly takes into his bosom instead the greatest suffering that all the accumulated sins of mankind have ever merited? Wonder of wonders, that the God of the universe should become a man of sorrows! And wonder of wonders, ah, how far beyond words, that he should do so for us. Let the hardest heart of stone break into a million pieces, and melt into tears of sorrow and gratitude for all that this man has become, sharing in our infirmities so that we might share in his glory! Continue Reading

From the days of righteous Abel, unto whose blood sacrifice the Lord had respect, how many millions of sacrificial lambs had been led to the foot of the altar and there slain? And of them all, how many had lifted up their voice in protest, demanding that they who had done the crimes should receive their own just reward? In the same way it was fitting that our true and final sacrificial Lamb, whose blood really did take away sin, should be like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, not opening his mouth before his accusers (Isaiah 53:7). Oh, let us tremble in wonder as we see the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, meek and silent before his oppressors, led away without protest to the bitter scourge and the cruel tree! For it was because of our iniquities, which the Lord had laid upon him, that he was so fiercely reproached and beaten and slain; and the stripes which bloodied his back flowed forth red in healing and peace for us all (Isaiah 53:5-6). Oh, how can our hearts not melt in everlasting worship as we see our Savior condemned against justice so that we who ought to have been condemned might be acquitted indeed? To this account we now turn; and every step we take, from here to the cross, we are treading upon holy ground, and entering into the mysteries of the Godhead; let us do so in fear and with trembling joy! Continue Reading

As we follow our Savior to the hill of Calvary, we have come to the very time and place for which history was designed. This is the only reference point which gives meaning to all time and reality; no verse in all of scriptures and no event in all of history makes sense until it is related to what took place here. Consider for a moment how all the Old Testament scriptures prepare for this event, from the first prophecy of the Messiah given in Genesis 3:15, to the clothing that the gracious God made for Adam and Eve, to the blood sacrifice of Abel and all the rivers of blood that followed from that point on. Consider the tension built up to a mighty paradox, that the essential nature of God is that he has mercy upon thousands of generations, and yet will not at all acquit the wicked (Exodus 34:6-7), those two great attributes of the Lord that cry out for a resolution, a resolution which is pictured and foreshadowed in many countless ways in prescribed Jewish worship, and yet never adequately accomplished. Consider how central this event was to the life of Christ, the God-Man, whose every step he took was self-consciously a step closer to this climactic and dramatic sacrifice. Consider how central it was to the writers of the New Testament, whose gospel consisted only of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), how central it is to all the centuries following, in which the full fruits of that mighty work are being gathered from the nations, and how central it will be in all eternity, when the blood-bought multitude sings the praises of the Lamb who was slain in never-ending worship. What is your trouble today? It may be resolved in only one way: looking to the pierced side of our Savior, which flowed with the blood of substitution, for our forgiveness; and the water of purification, for our cleansing. This is all our hope: let us live at the foot of the cross every day of our lives, until our merciful Savior takes us to the home that he prepared for us on Golgotha! Let us now reflect a little further on the centrality of this event. Continue Reading

When Jesus had poured out his soul as an offering for sin, having accomplished the Father’s will and satisfied his wrath, he cried out, “It is finished!”, and laid down his life; and in those words, we have a certain hope that nothing remains for our salvation to be complete. The work has been done, the price has been paid, and we who have looked upon him are free from our sin and guilt forevermore. However, that climactic utterance was only half the story; and if the great event of the following Sunday had not occurred, it would have been stripped of all its power, and we would have remained “of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:17-19), still lost in our sins, with no Hero to look to who could strip the devil and hell and death itself, and bring us out from under their authority. The resurrection of Christ from the dead is his final crown of victory, and the culminating stamp of approval from the Father: his work had been sufficient, his matchless power had been triumphant, he had won the day, and henceforth had but to wait at the Father’s right hand, on his throne of glory, until all things were brought under his feet (Ephesians 1:19-23). The resurrection of Christ seals the greatest victory in history, and is the illimitable source of speechless joy, flowing forth in waves of delight and flooding his children with peace and happiness for all eternity. Come to the empty tomb with me, and let us lift up our voices in wonder at the blessed hope of the ages! Continue Reading

We have followed our great Savior with tears and trembling to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he poured out his soul in unspeakable sorrow, we have wept in shame at the kiss of the betrayer, melted in horror at the perversion of justice which he encountered in all the courts of the land, cried out against the shame and mockery and cruel stripes that were laid upon him, seen him lifted up in our place as a curse and sin-bearer, and finally taken our stand at the empty tomb where the bitterness and agony give way to the unspeakable joy of everlasting victory in those most blessed of all utterances, “He is risen, just as he said”. What more then can we say? How can further reflection on the earthly life of our Savior and God be anything but an anti-climactic end to a story that has already concluded with the greatest news in history? And yet, upon further consideration, we are convinced that the very earth-shaking, eternity-shaping significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection demands a final chapter. These events were too mighty to have an end in first-century Palestine: their monumental effects still reverberate throughout the world, and will continue to create in their beneficiaries the glorious fruit of sincere worship for all eternity. Just what the great effects of this greatest of all events should be has yet to be mentioned, as well as how they should come about. To this end, then, we follow our Redeemer for one last chapter, as he makes his post-resurrection appearances to his followers, and instructs them in light of his superlative accomplishment. Continue Reading

Dear reader, we have spent many hours walking through the gospel accounts of the only Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We have seen him in his divine majesty, whose birth was announced by the most glorious angels, who was worshiped in his manger bed by the kings of the earth, and who appeared in radiant light with Moses and Elijah. We have seen him in his meekness and humility, walking as a despised and rejected man, full of sorrows, often weary and full of the most human emotions. We have seen much of his mercy, and have marveled at his signs of grace and forgiveness, his healing of all, his casting out demons, his calm control over winds and waves. We have seen the foretastes of his coming terrible wrath against arrogant sinners, as he fearlessly denounced the Pharisees and hypocrites, and spoke of his future judgment of the entire world. And we have seen him in the grand and culminative display of these various attributes as he was lifted up on the cross for the sins of the world, at one and the same time showing forth the infinite depths of his obedient humility and accomplishing the mightiest and most resounding victory of the ages, putting all the forces of darkness to open shame, and winning an eternal Kingdom of grace, and the Name which is above all names. Continue Reading

I recently came across an objection to my series on the “Images of the Savior”, because they evinced, in the objector’s opinion, a Christology which was not sufficiently high. The seriousness of this charge induced me to write a reply in which I defend my original statements. The further consideration that, if this objector reads a low view of Christology into my articles, then others may be inclined to as well, led me to post this reply, lest my work should in any way fall out to the propagation of an unorthodox Christology. The following is, therefore, a reproduction of the objector’s critique, and my subsequent response. Continue Reading