Christ's humiliation and exaltation

Status
Not open for further replies.

reaganmarsh

Puritan Board Senior
Phil. 2.8: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross.

...Christ was invested with the offices of prophet, priest, and king, for the carrying on the blessed design of our redemption; the execution of these offices necessarily required that he should be both deeply abased, and highly exalted. He cannot, as our Priest, offer up himself a sacrifice to God for us, except he be humbled, and humbled to death. He cannot, as a King, powerfully apply the virtue of that his sacrifice, except he be exalted, yea, highly exalted. Had he not stooped to the low estate of a man, he had not, as a Priest, had a sacrifice of his own to offer; as a Prophet, he had not been fit to teach us the will of God, so as that we should be able to bear it; as a King, he had not been a suitable head to the church: and, had he not been highly exalted, that sacrifice had not been carried within the vail before the Lord. These discoveries of God could not have been universal, effectual, and abiding. The government of Christ could not have secured, protected, and defended the subjects of his kingdom.

The infinite wisdom prospecting all this, ordered that Christ should first be deeply humbled, then highly exalted: both which states of Christ are presented to us by the apostle in this context.

He that intends to build high, lays the foundation deep and low. Christ must have a distinct glory in heaven, transcending that of angels and men, (for the saints will know him from all others by is glory, as the sun is known from the lesser stars.) And, as he must be exalted infinitely above them, so he must, in order thereunto, be humbled and abased as much below them: his form was marred more than any man’s; and his visage more than the sons of men.

--John Flavel, 'The Fountain of Life' (Works, I:223-24).

This is the beauty of our Saviour’s humiliation and exaltation for his sinful people.

Behold what manner of love our God has lavished upon us.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top