THE death of Jesus of Nazareth upon the cross of Calvary was not the entire sacrifice which He made for a lost world. It was not the only evidence of His love for a fallen race. In a way it represents His sacrifice; it is a part of the sacrifice; in a sense it is its culmination, its supreme moment, but in itself it was not all. And yet how often we look upon His death as Jesus of Nazareth as the great evidence of His love. But how much more that sacrifice means than a few hours of agony and a physical death! These were but the representatives, so to speak, of the great eternal whole.
JESUS LEAVING THE PRAETORIUM.
Who Makes This Offering?
It is not merely Jesus of Nazareth, who was born in Bethlehem, about a third of a century before the crucifixion; it was He “whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2. It was the eternal Son of God, who was with the Father “before the world was.” John 17:5. It was He by whom “were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by Him, and for Him; and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.” Col. 1:17. Therefore, with the Father, the mighty, all-wise Upholder of the universe. He was in the form of God. Phil. 2:6, R. V. margin. He was “the brightness” of the Father’s “glory, and the express image of His person.” Heb. 1:3. He who died for man upon the cross of Calvary was the mighty, all-glorious Creator.
When Did He Make the Sacrifice?
The infinite love which prompted Him to make it was in Him eternally; for He is “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.” Heb. 13:8. He is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Rev. 13:8.
The Carrying Out of the Purpose
The first step in that sacrifice was not taken when He came to earth and took upon Him the form of flesh. It began in the beginning. He was angel before He was man. The first step was in that holy purpose, when for the salvation of His creatures, and to prove forever God’s eternal and undying love, He who was “originally in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God, but emptied Himself.” Phil. 2:6, 7, R. V. margin. In that purpose was embraced all that came after, even to the death of the cross. He was “the Lamb slain” from the beginning. In the carrying out of that purpose, He stepped down to the angelic creation, “the Angel of Jehovah, “the Messenger of the covenant, — “taking the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:7), the chief angel, because the chief servant. And thus we trace Him all through the past dispensation He was the Angel of the Lord to the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the Angel of God’s presence to Noah; the Captain of the Lord’s host to Joshua; Michael, the Archangel, to Daniel.
The next step in the fulfilment of the purpose
was “becoming in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:7, R. V., margin), taking the likeness of a flesh of sin (Rom. 8:3), born of woman, born under the law (Gal. 4:4), “in all things” “to be made like unto His brethren” (Heb. 2:17). “And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” Phil. 2:8. And thus was the sacrifice complete. The Son of God had given all in fact even as in the beginning He had given all in purpose. The giving in fact proved the integrity of the purpose and the wonderful love of God for man; for it was all purposed and wrought that men might be redeemed and made indeed “sons of God.” Gal. 4:4, 5.
On Earth
And every step of the way on earth was a step of sacrifice, of giving His life for a lost and sinful race. His temptation in the wilderness was a step. His prayers during the long, cold nights in the mountains, the giving of life in teaching and healing, the agony of Gethsemane, the trials before Ananias and Caiaphas, the cruel mocking in Herod’s court, the scourging and crowning with thorns, the2unjust condemnation at last, the journey of our blessed Lord from the Roman Prætorium to the cruel cross, so beautifully suggested in our illustration, till that journey culminated in the crucifixion and death of Jesus, the King of the Jews,—all were but steps in the great, all-comprehending, divine sacrifice in behalf of fallen man.
It Is Not Yet Finished
Jesus Christ is in heaven, exalted by the Father at His right hand. But He has identified Himself with every suffering soul in the earth. The life of God flows out through Him to every human being, to every living thing. He is touched with the infirmities of all His children, with yours, reader, and mine. He suffers when we suffer. And all the sufferings of His children for Christ’s sake and truth’s sake, are but filling up “that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ” in their “flesh for His body’s sake, which is the church.” Col. 1:24. But if we suffer with Christ, we shall reign with Him. If we are yielded to Christ, we will follow Him in His humiliation, in His cruel mocking, in the bearing of the cross, in the complete sacrifice of self. But in its place, the place of self, Christ will fill us with His own precious fulness. “Ye are complete in Him.” X.
