Did Jesus
go to physical workout at the local gymnasium? Unlikely. Not a very acceptable
place for a young Rabbi to attend. Be that as it was, the physical strength of
the body of Christ should astound us all. More than that, there was the moral
tone to his physic. In John 8:46 Jesus challenged the crowd to level and short-coming
evident in His life. Was there any commandment, statute or judgement damaged by
His behaviour or voice? But there was one other facet of His nature, housed
within His body, no one could see but was essential for Jesus’ physical health
and strength. Did He possess a sin nature?
The
importance of this lies at the very heart of the person, prophesy about and
work of Jesus. In Hebrews there is much written about Jesus as the fulfilment
of the Jewish sacrificial system! In chapter 10:5 ‘Sacrifices and offerings you
have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me.’ What was the purpose of
this ‘body prepared?’ To fulfil the shadow cast by the sacrifices. When you
read about the qualifications for the ‘shadow sacrifices’ each of them had to
be without spot or blemish. Therefore, if Jesus was to be the real sacrifice He
too must be without blemish or spot.
Impossible.
That is, if He was sired by Joseph (or any other person.) Why? Because when the
first Adam betrayed God’s commission to him certain things entered the human
lineage. One of course is death and decay. The other is described by Paul in
Romans 6:6 as ‘the body of sin.’ If this resided in Jesus He was automatically
disqualified as the fulfilment of Isaiah 53, and other shadow sacrifices. Who
then could sit in judgement upon the inner life of this Man of Galilee? God!
How could the Lord God Almighty do that and get the information out to us?
Through a
severe, intensive, thorough test upon His body! The word ‘prepared for me’ ‘Katartizo’
speaks about being free of eternal blemish. In 1 Peter 1:19 the writer says
Jesus was without internal defect (amomos) and (aspilos) external spot. This
was proven through great trial and testing. From the time the Devil was let
loose on Him for forty days in the wilderness to the barbarity of Roman
soldiers’ torture and crucifixion. However that might simply reveal Jesus as a
brave, unflinching martyr. What is the undeniable evidence according to
Scripture, to the early disciples and the fledgling Church?
The most
wonderful words spoken by an Angel, “Why do you look for the living among the
dead? He is not here, but has risen!” Luke 24:5.
How was
it possible for Jesus to escape the curse of the first Adam? By becoming the 2nd
Adam. That is, by passing the birth process of male and female union. He needed
a ‘body prepared.’ That was the promise to Eve and the threat to the Serpent
(Genesis 3:15.) Hundreds of years later this promise was again foreshadowed in
Isaiah 7:14. The wonder of the Christmas event is the fulfilment of this
promise through Mary. Luke 1:26-38. Only in this manner could the body prepared
be unblemished by the indwelling sin nature.
Then too,
this is often overlooked. The human lineage of Joseph, Mary’s betrothed, was
under a curse. Jeremiah 22:24-30. Joseph or any of his descendants could sit
upon the throne of David in Israel, ever! This is another factor in the virgin
birth and ‘the body prepared.’ Mary’s line came through David’s son, Nathan. (Luke
3:23-33.)
Christmas
cannot be separated from Calvary. The virgin birth cannot be dismissed as a
non-essential. The resurrection cannot be spiritualised.
The ‘body
prepared’ bore our sin and judgement. The Body of Jesus surely was physically,
morally and spiritually strong and unique. When Jesus arose from the tomb He
had a glorified body. The old one was consumed. No remains were seen in the
tomb only the grave cloths and napkin.
What a
privilege Christians have of celebrating this ‘body prepared’ and its
achievements in the sacrament of Communion. However, there is a warning
attached. Do not treat the symbol of the bread, His body, with dishonour. (1
Corinthians 11:23-32.)
Romans 1:1-4
expressed the wonder associated with Christ Jesus and His ‘body prepared.’
[God] promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the
gospel concerning His son, who was descended from David according to the flesh
and was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of
holiness by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
©Ray
Hawkins December 3rd 2017.
http://rayhawkinsauthor.blogspot.com.au
No comments:
Post a Comment