Wednesday, January 23, 2019

God With Us, God As Us.


 Chapter 6 -- THE PAULINE CONCEPT OF THE INCARNATION -- 

PLEASE NOTE- the GREEK lettering did NOT translate well when I changed the font of this chapter. So if you are reading words that make no sense that is why. I'm leaving them for context- but know you can read the actual Greek of these words by following this link…  Thank you!  http://www.adventistalert.com/in.the.form.of.a.slave/Slave.htm

In the Form of a Slave

Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant (KJV)

But Himself He made void a form of a slave taking Philippians 2:7 (Translated from Greek)

Php 2:7 But emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave… (LITV)

William H. Grotheer
January, 1974

 Chapter 6 -- THE PAULINE CONCEPT OF THE INCARNATION -- 


One event shaped Paul's life - the experience of the Damascus way. In this experience, Paul was brought face to face with the reality of the Incarnation. Armed with the authority of the high priest of Judaism to purge from the synagogues of Damascus all who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah of Israel and bring them bound to Jerusalem. Paul, intent upon his purpose, was making his way to the Syrian city, when suddenly at noonday a light brighter than the desert sun stopped him in his tracks.  1   A voice called to him from the brightness - "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" To this question, he responded - "Who art thou Lord?" The answer stunned him more than the brightness of the light, for the Lord of glory declared Himself to be that Jesus.  2

Jesus was the name that the Eternal Son had received at Bethlehem when He became man. To Paul this name meant nothing more than a Galilean carpenter who had disrupted the Jewish faith; and who had died forsaken of God on the cross for seeking to destroy the temple and its services. Reports of His resurrection formed the basis of the evangelistic fervor of His followers, but Paul knew better. He believed the word of the religious leaders of his people who had told him that the followers of Jesus had stolen His body from the tomb and proclaimed that He had risen from the dead.  3  All the information that Paul had ever been able to gather regarding Jesus from orthodox sources verified that He was only a man. Now this Man revealed Himself to Paul as the Lord of glory. How could the Lord of glory ever have become a man, and yet not be recognized as God? This fact was ever to remain in the mind of Paul as an awesome reality, yet ever to be the mystery of godliness. God had manifest Himself in the flesh. The
p 41 -- Lord of glory had been and was Jesus of Nazareth.

Blinded and humbled, yet wiser in the wisdom of God, Paul was led through the gate of Damascus. His mind cleared from the propaganda of his ecclesiastical superiors, he saw as never before the prophecies of the Old Testament in their true significance.  4  This became his study, and the burden of his new testimony. The recorded sermon of Acts 13 reveals this emphasis. He sought to clear the minds of his own people of the same, malicious propaganda that had darkened his own understanding. Paul declared that the people and their leaders had not recognized Jesus because they would not believe the voices of the prophets which were read to them every Sabbath day. These prophecies were fulfilled in the life and death of Jesus, but God had raised Him from the dead. Paul justified this assertion by the eyewitness testimony of the disciples, and the words of prophecy as found in the Psalms.  5   But in the presentation of the historical Jesus, Paul was not unmindful of the significance of the revelation of the Damascus way. He declared to the listeners at Antioch, referring to David, - "of this man's seed hath God according to His promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus."   6  The Saviour was Jesus, and Jesus was verily of the seed of David according to His human descent.
Paul did a lot of thinking before he set down in writing any positive pronouncements on the meaning and nature of the Incarnation. His theology on the Incarnation developed through the doctrine of the pre-existence of Christ. As he studied the prophecies of the Old Testament and the history of Israel, the conviction became clearer that the Unseen Leader who had established Israel as a nation, and who had led them through all their wilderness wanderings was the Rock, Christ Jesus.  7  As He contrasted the glory of the Eternal God, manifest to Israel from Mount Sinai and in the Shekinah glory of the Most Holy Place of
p 42 -- the Sanctuary, with the marked poverty of the Man, Jesus, he confessed the marvelous grace of the Lord Jesus Christ - "that though He was rich, yet for [our] sakes He became poor, that [we] through His poverty might be rich."  8
This poverty which Christ accepted was more than the poverty revealed in His words to a "certain scribe" when He said - "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head."  9  Alford indicates that this poverty was not merely the poverty resulting from "His renunciation of human riches during His life on earth, but by His exinanition of His glory." 10  Paul indicated that Christ accepted the basic poverty of man, the poverty of sin itself, for God "hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin."  11

The development of Paul 's theology of the Incarnation is seen in the progressively definitive statements found in his letters to the various churches.

To the Galatians -- To the churches of Galatia, Paul wrote:       But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under law in order that He might redeem those under law that they might receive the right to be sons of God.  12

Two definitive statements in regard to the Incarnation are set forth in these verses. One speaks of His human source, and the other, that which resulted from His human involvement.

Sin began with the woman in the garden of Eden. It was to be her seed that would break the dominion of the serpent over man. Thus from the very source of human existence - the womb of a woman - Christ was to come, and in so coming, He would accept what every other child of humanity accepts - the working of the law of heredity. In the Greek, there is no article before "law". The phrase is
p 43 -- upo nomon, under law. It is law in its general sense as associated with birth. Paul used the same word to describe Christ's source from a woman, as he used in stating Christ's relationship to law (genomenon). As He was born of woman, so also was He born under law.

Some might contend that since the letter to the Galatians was written concerning the laws of the Jewish religion both moral and ceremonial, that this statement by Paul merely set forth the fact that Christ would be subject to the Jewish law during His earthly life. And He was. He was circumcised.  13  He kept the passover.  14  But the Galatians were not necessarily Jews by birth, and therefore, not subject to all the Mosaic codes which would involve circumcision. The full statement by Paul speaks of redemption for all who are "under law" that they might receive the privilege of sonship whether they be Jew or Gentile. This is the basic gospel.  15  Men, who all their lifetime have been subject to bondage, are to receive power to become sons of God, being born anew of God, and thus the dominion of sin because of the law of heredity is to be broken and the original relationship re-established - men reflecting the image and character of God. To do this, Christ came under the same law of heredity to break the dominion and power of sin. This is the principle that Christ Himself projected when He asked - "How can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house."   16    Christ entered the "strong man's house" - He was born of a woman, born under law. It is stated:      When Adam's sin plunged the race into hopeless misery, God might have cut Himself loose from fallen beings. He might have treated them as sinners deserve to be treated.... But He did not do this. Instead of banishing them from His presence, He came still nearer to the fallen race. He gave His Son to become bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. 17

p 44 -- To the Romans -- In the very first chapter of his Epistle to the Romans, Paul differentiates between the gospel of God, and the gospel of Christ. The good news of God is "concerning His Son Jesus Christ, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead."  18  The good news of Christ is the revelation of the power of God that operated in His life in human flesh wherein the righteousness of God was revealed, and which will be revealed in the life of each one who by faith accepts the provision made.  19

The gospel of God and the gospel of Christ are one, with two provisions:  - 1) -  What was done by Christ because of the Incarnation, and 2) What is to be done in the one who accepts by faith the power obtained through the atonement and intercession of Jesus Christ's priestly ministry. Thus to Paul, the gospel is based in that profound revelation that shook him to his very depths on the road to Damascus - the mystery of godliness, God's manifestation in the flesh. Jesus in His humanity was born verily of the seed of David with all that it implies. Paul used the same Greek word (genomenon) in Romans 1:3 when referring to the source of Christ's humanity being the seed of David, as in Galatians 4:4 when stating that Jesus was made of a woman.

The second definitive statement on the Incarnation in the book of Romans is found in the eighth chapter. There Paul declared that the Incarnation was necessary because of man's weakness. The Law of God could not be obeyed because of the weakness of the flesh. To counteract this impossibility in man, God sent His Son "in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, [kai peri amartiao - "to destroy sin"]  a  condemned sin in the flesh."  20  At the very source, man's flesh,
 a  The preposition [peri] is here used to indicate the design or purpose for removing something, or taking it away. See Thayer, p. 501, I-c-d.
p 45 -- the power of sin was to be destroyed. To do this Christ came in the "likeness of sinful flesh." How is this to be understood?

In this Eighth Chapter, Paul is placing "flesh" and "Spirit" in opposition to each other. When "flesh" is thus used, it "has an ethical sense and denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God; accordingly it includes whatever in the soul is weak, low, debased, tending to ungodliness and vice."  21  Luther wrote:        Thou must not understand, "flesh", therefore, as though that only were "flesh" which is connected with unchastity, but St. Paul uses "flesh" of the whole man, body and soul, reason and all his faculties, because all that is in him longs and strives after the flesh.  22

To meet man's need, for sin to be condemned in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in him, Christ had to meet man's condition in the flesh as it was. He came in the likeness of sinful flesh. To this, an objection is raised, that "likeness of" is not "identity with". The word in Romans 8:3 is the same word as in Philippians 2:7, where Paul wrote - "in the likeness of men."   a  The question is simply - Did Jesus become a real man, or was He only a phantom, appearing as a man? As He was indeed a real man, then He did also in reality take upon Himself the form and nature of fallen man - the likeness of sinful flesh. Thayer indicates that the word - omoiwma - likeness, means, "resemblance, frequently such as amounts well-nigh to equality or identity" and then cites Romans 8:3 as an example.  23
Paul was very careful how he expressed this concept. He did not say, that Christ was in the likeness of the flesh of a sinner, and thus make Him a partaker of sin, nor did he write that Christ was merely in flesh, which would,
  a  Philippians 2:7 - en omoiwmati anqrwpwn genomenoV
                 Romans 8:3 - en omoiwmati sarkoV amartiaV
p 46 -- have omitted any connection between the Manhood of Christ and sin. He stated that God sent His Son in the "likeness of sinful flesh" thus "meaning.... He had a nature like sinful human nature, but had not Himself a sinful nature."  24
"How few of us can understand the love of God for the fallen race in that He withheld not His divine Son from taking upon Him the humiliation of humanity."   25    "He took upon His sinless nature our fallen nature."  26  In thus accepting our humiliating, fallen nature, He could understand "how strong are the inclinations of the natural heart."  27  Uniting in Himself "the offending nature of man"  28  "all the strength of passion of humanity" clamored for expression, but "never did He yield to temptation to do one single act which was not pure and elevating and enobling."  29  He condemned sin in the flesh.

To the Hebrews -- In this theological treatise, Christ is presented as "the express image of" Deity.  30   He is worthy of worship as God in His own right.  31   But Paul declared, "We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death."   32  The Lord of glory became Jesus. Deity stooped to humanity. He came to be a brother to mankind. "For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified, are all of one: for this cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren."  33

Christ's condescension involved full participation in the nature and form of those whom He came to sanctify. "Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same."  34   The order in the Greek is "blood and flesh." Not only did Jesus carry the outward resemblance of man - flesh; He also bore the inward nature of man - blood. "It was in the order of God that Christ should take upon Himself the form and nature of fallen man."  35
p 47 -- In commenting upon the force of the expression, "blood and flesh," Alford quotes Bleek as stating:       "It betokens the whole sensuous corporeal nature of man, which He has in common with the brutes, and whereby he is the object of sensuous perception and corporeal impressions: whereby also He is subjected to the laws of infirmity, decay, and transitoriness of material things, in contrast to purely spiritual and incorporeal beings."  36

This identification with the human race is presented by Paul as an obligation. "In all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren."  37 The word, "behooved" (wfeilen), is a strong word. It expresses debt, and duty. Having accepted the responsibility to redeem man, Christ became duty-bound to be made in all things like unto His brethren whom He came to save. While made in all respects like His brethren, He did not do all the things His brethren did. "Jesus was sinless and had no dread of the consequences of sin. With this exception His condition was as [ours]"   38
The obligation that Christ accepted was for a purpose. He came to understand man's weaknesses and need. He "suffered being tempted," ((( a ))) so that He would be able to sustain "them that are tempted." 39  He was "touched with the feelings of our infirmities" being "in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin"  40   "Christ possessed the same nature that man possesses. He was tempted in all points as man is tempted. The same power by which He obeyed is at man's command."   41

Another purpose of the obligation assumed by Christ is presented by Paul in the Fifth Chapter in the letter to the Hebrews. He was to become the author of eternal salvation. It is stated 
(((a  On the reality of the temptation of Christ, see Section, "The Temptation", pp. 30-33.)))

p 48 --thus:    Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared; though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; and being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him.  42
It states that Jesus supplicated the throne of God to be saved from death, and was heard. Yet according to the record, Jesus died. Then what was He saved from? Death is the result of sin. He was kept from sinning by the power of God. He was heard. Yet He died, but the sins that necessitated His death were not His. It was a struggle with the Son of God in human nature. He learned obedience by the things suffered. Now what we already know, we do not have to learn. Jesus did not begin the struggle in the days of His flesh as an already perfected Being. He learned obedience, and "being made perfect" through the experience of conflict with sin, "He became the author of eternal salvation." The example of sanctification set for man by the One who sanctifies was not even for Him an instantaneous process, but a growth in grace. One with us in blood and flesh; one with us in temptation and trial; He now wants us to be one with Him in the process of redemption "learning obedience", and "being made perfect."

To the Philippians -- The apex of Paul's theology on the Incarnation is reached in his letter to-the Philippians. Here he summarizes in final form the thinking of the years that followed the dynamic confrontation on the Damascus road. Jesus had been in the "form of God", equal in all respects with the Eternal Father. But this "form" He laid aside, and took in its place "the form of a slave."  43  The Greek word for, form (morfh), "always signifies a form which truly and fully expresses the being which underlies it."   44  So completely did Christ enter into the work
p 49 -- of man's redemption that He yielded up His identity with the Godhead, "the form of God" - never more to take it - and accepted the "form" of those He came to redeem - "the form of a slave." He entered into the bondage that became man's because of sin.

Christ did this act of condescension voluntarily, using His own omnipotence to divest Himself of the "form of God." The text reads - "Himself He emptied."   45  The word for, emptied (ekenwsen) is found in the papyrii. In its compounded form with the preposition, out of, (ek) it appears in a report of a man in the imperial corn service of Rome who had just unloaded (exekenwsa) his cargo vessel. In its simple form (kenow) as used by Paul , the word is found in an inscription meaning "to make void."   46  This concept approaches the nearest to the actuality of what was necessitated in accepting the slave-form of man. Christ voided Himself. He subjugated Himself to the very depths of the slave-experience of man - the bondage of death, even the death of the cross. But the Father in whom He trusted, and upon whom He relied, highly exalted Him. He returned to heaven bearing the form of man glorified by His victory over sin and death. It is the Man, Christ Jesus that intercedes at the Father's throne.   47
This condescension and exaltation is well summarized by Alford .  48   He wrote:      The Scriptures teach us, that He who was with God before the creation, from love to men put on flesh, and took the form of a servant, not all the while having on Him the whole fulness of His divine nature and divine glory, but having really and actually emptied Himself of this fulness and glory, so that there was not only a hiding, but an absolute kenwsiV, a putting off, of it. Therefore His subsequent exaltation must be conceived of as belonging, not to His Humanity only, but to the entire undivided Person of Christ, now resuming the fulness and glory of the Godhead (John xvii.5), and in addition to this having taken into the Godhead the Manhood, now glorified by His obedience, atonement, and victory. 49



p 50 -- l   Acts 9:1-3; 22:5-6; 26:13
2   Acts 9:4-5
3   Matthew 28:13
4   Ellen G. White, Acts of the Apostles, pp. 118-119
5   Acts 13:27-37
6   Acts 13:23
7   I Corinthians 10:1-4
8   II Cornithians 8:9
9    Matthew 8:19-20
10  Henry Alford, The Greek Testament, Vol. II, p. 681 (Moody Press Edition)
11  II Corinthians 5:21
12 Galatians 4:4-5 (Translation from the Greek Text)
13 Luke 2:27
14 John 13:1-2
15 John 1:12-13
16 Matthew 12:29
17 Ellen G. White, Sons and Daughters of God, p. 11
18 Romans 1:1, 3-4
19 Romans 1:16-17
20 Romans 8:3
21 "'John Henry Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 571, article, sarx, (4).
22 Martin Luther, Episitle to the Romans (preface) Quoted by Thayer, Ibid.
23 Thayer, Op. cit., p. 445, article, omoiwma. 
24 Alford, Op. cit., p. 387 
25 Ellen G. White, Review & Herald, March 18, 1875
26 Ellen G. White, Medical Ministry, p. 181 
27 Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol.5, p. 177
28 Ellen G. White, Review & Herald, July 17, 1900
29 Ellen G. White, In Heavenly Places, p. 155
30 Hebrews 1:3
31 Hebrews 1:8 
32 Hebrews 2:9 
33 Hebrews 2:11
34 Hebrews 2:14 
35 Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophacy, Vol. II, p. 39
36 Alford, Op cit., Vol. IV, p. 48
37 Hebrews 2:17
38 Ellen G. White, Our High Calling, p.59
39  Hebrews 2:18
40  Hebrews 4:15
41 Ellen G. White, That I May Know Him, p. 292
42 Hebrews 5:7-9
43 Philippians 2:6-7 Greek Text.
44 James Hope Moulton & George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament, article, morfh, p. 417
45 eauton ekenwsen
46 Moulton & Milligan, Op. cit., article, kenow, p. 340
47 1 Timothy 2:5
p 51 -- 48 Alford is quoted frequently in this chapter, not because he is the only source on the subject, but because in 1958, his works were re-published by the Evangelical Moody Press. The positions that Alford takes on the doctrine of the Incarnation are very close to the revelations of the Spirit of Prophecy. It is true that the Moody Press edition carried revisions by Dr. Everett F. Harrison, who takes exception to the last quotation from Alford. (See Vol. IV, p. 758, on Hebrews 1:4) However with such an authority as Alford, there was no excuse for the leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist church to "sell out" to the Evangelicals in the Barnhouse-Martin conferences. See Questions on Doctrine, p. 383. It might be argued that inasmuch as the re-publication date of Alford postdated the publication date of Questions on Doctrine(1957), our theologians did not know the high regard with which Alford was held by the Evangelicals. Even granting this, we did not need to compound our apostasy in the book - Movement of Destiny. See pp. 427-428, 469-470, 497.
49 Alford, Op. cit., Vol. IV, p. 13.

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