Humanity and Divinity
Commentary
As has been observed in one of the lessons, the discussion of JesusÕ humanity and divinity seems never-ending. We can be grateful that the church has insisted on holding this seeming paradox firmly in its heart and mind and not letting either camp come off as winners. We can be grateful, too, to the writer of the Hebrew letter who deals with this subject as well as any other in the New Testament.
A. Divinity. One has to be careful here. If it is maintained that he was God or a God then he is instantly separated from us and we are of all persons most miserable. After all, it would be no trick for a god incognito to live a perfect life, to say wonderful things, to work miracles, and to face the cross and death because he knows death has no hold on him. It is no trick to raise a god from the dead, to wit the Greek myths. But if he is like us, human, in all respects, and is raised from the dead,
then surely hope becomes ours and is demonstrated at the open grave.
B. Humanity. I do not see how one can read all of the New Testament and not find the certain word regarding his humanity. That story begins with his birth, like us; to his life lived in the family and community, like us; to his acceptance and rejection, like us; to his death, like us; to his resurrection, in which we shall become like him. In all this is our assurance. This is in no way to diminish the element of divinity. The New Testament is clear in its declaration that God was in Christ, that the word was made flesh, that the Holy Spirit was present and active. When the early church looked back at what had happened in their midst they clearly saw the hand and heart of God and said so. We are eternally grateful to them for their insistence that he was both sent of God and like us.
OUTLINE I
Beginning at the Right Place
Psalm 111
Introduction: Recently I have been confined to my home for a period of convalescence from a threatening illness. This has afforded me plenty of time to watch television with some minor emphasis on religious broadcasting. I am appalled at the unabashed emphasis on selfishness, benefits to be gained from being a disciple of Jesus, healing, blessings, riches, well being, good health, no problems. I am reminded of all those church bulletin boards that make their great promises in an effort to entice people to come inside and stand with others at the opening of the heavenly cornucopia. Psalm ill furnishes us with a different and a more meaningful point of departure. Here the focus is at the right place, upon God himself.
A. Verses 1-4. Here the emphasis is upon unmotivated worship. Here is no list of benefits followed by encouragement to worship. Here worship comes first.
B. Verses 5-9. Just look at the list of blessings that are presented. The focus is on a providential God who knows our needs even better than we do. Food for the body, power for daily living, a heritage which is forever a challenge and a gift, daily works on our behalf which are just what we need, and teachings by which we might live and be faithful.
C. Verse 10. Life itself begins with focusing life on God. To fear God is not to be afraid but to revere, to stand in awe, to put him first.
Conclusion: Too much at Christmas we focus our attention on the blessings we are to reap from GodÕs act in Christ. Long before Jesus was born the psalmist knew the truth about life, the truth that life begins by getting our focus in the right place and putting God first.
OUTLINE II
Contradicting our Prejudices
Hebrews 2:10-18
Introduction: A bit of agenda always with us in the church is the seeming endless discussion regarding the divinity and humanity of Jesus. The recent furor over a new movie placing emphasis on his humanity has given us a contemporary demonstration of the fact that the controversy is very much alive.
If one reads the Letter to the Hebrews carefully it soon becomes clear that the author is comfortable with both points of view. He can speak of Jesus as our High Priest or the perfect sacrifice and then move easily to declarations that speak clearly of his humanity. The Letter to the Hebrews, it seems to me, provides a useful corrective for those who find themselves migrating to one or the other extreme of this discussion.
A. Focus on God. Note at the very beginning that what is accomplished in Christ is the work of God. He has taken the initiative. He has done the work. I never cease to be amazed at this authorÕs insight that God is not ashamed of those who are his own. That is quite some statement.
B. Focus on Humanity. Here is a needed word of rebuke for those who can only see the divinity of Christ. In verse 14 the message is clear. If he was a demi-god, divinity masquerading, then it is surely no trick for him to beat death, to not be subject to death. That would bring no hope to us. We are human. What we need to know is that one who is like us ... in every respect ... has been raised from the dead. In that declaration lies our hope.
C. Where truths meet. In verse 17 the argument is put to rest. Both the humanity and divinity are necessities. They complement one another. You cannot have one without the other.
Conclusion: Help those in your congregation who are hung up on one or the other end of this discussion to see that both have a point, that if they will listen to the author of this letter they can bring their positions together and abandon their prejudices. After all, defending our prejudices is not the sum total of the faith.
OUTLINE III
Becoming a Messiah
Luke 2:41-52
Introduction: Sometimes when I listen to people talk about Jesus I get the impression that they somehow believe that he knew from the beginning, the cradle, that he was the Messiah. They seem to imagine that he was lying there looking up at those wise men and shepherds and his parents and saying to himself, ÒBoy, if they only knew who I really am.Ó I find this kind of inference incredulous. Luke must have too.
A. Modeling. It is clear that chapters 1 and 2 of Luke are modeled squarely on the first chapters of 1 Samuel. Take time to compare these selections and you will find the same outline. It is clear that Luke uses the Hebrew Scripture model even down to the concluding remarks about growth in wisdom, stature, etc. As a doctor he is surely interested in such things. It is clear that he has no hesitancy in seeing Jesus for what he was, a twelve-year-old boy with a heightened sense of interest in the faith of his people. There is nothing to be gained in making outrageous claims that seem to depict him as wiser than the temple sages.
B. In this selection you have a special opportunity to comment on family life of JesusÕ day. Here is a keen and homey insight into the way people lived and conducted themselves. People like to hear commentary on such things.
C. Let well enough alone. DonÕt try to talk your way around LukeÕs report. He means what he says. Jesus was a normal boy in a normal home who received extraordinary opportunities to develop in matters of faith as well as mind and body. We could covet that balance of wholeness and maturity as a gift for our children.
Conclusion: Remember that in all probability Luke added chapters 1 and 2 after he had written the rest of the Gospel. By the 80s in which he wrote, considerable interest in such things must have been on the agenda. Adding these chapters gives us insight into things the early church was interested in and tells us something of messages Luke wished to convey to his church and succeeded in conveying to us.
A. Divinity. One has to be careful here. If it is maintained that he was God or a God then he is instantly separated from us and we are of all persons most miserable. After all, it would be no trick for a god incognito to live a perfect life, to say wonderful things, to work miracles, and to face the cross and death because he knows death has no hold on him. It is no trick to raise a god from the dead, to wit the Greek myths. But if he is like us, human, in all respects, and is raised from the dead,
then surely hope becomes ours and is demonstrated at the open grave.
B. Humanity. I do not see how one can read all of the New Testament and not find the certain word regarding his humanity. That story begins with his birth, like us; to his life lived in the family and community, like us; to his acceptance and rejection, like us; to his death, like us; to his resurrection, in which we shall become like him. In all this is our assurance. This is in no way to diminish the element of divinity. The New Testament is clear in its declaration that God was in Christ, that the word was made flesh, that the Holy Spirit was present and active. When the early church looked back at what had happened in their midst they clearly saw the hand and heart of God and said so. We are eternally grateful to them for their insistence that he was both sent of God and like us.
OUTLINE I
Beginning at the Right Place
Psalm 111
Introduction: Recently I have been confined to my home for a period of convalescence from a threatening illness. This has afforded me plenty of time to watch television with some minor emphasis on religious broadcasting. I am appalled at the unabashed emphasis on selfishness, benefits to be gained from being a disciple of Jesus, healing, blessings, riches, well being, good health, no problems. I am reminded of all those church bulletin boards that make their great promises in an effort to entice people to come inside and stand with others at the opening of the heavenly cornucopia. Psalm ill furnishes us with a different and a more meaningful point of departure. Here the focus is at the right place, upon God himself.
A. Verses 1-4. Here the emphasis is upon unmotivated worship. Here is no list of benefits followed by encouragement to worship. Here worship comes first.
B. Verses 5-9. Just look at the list of blessings that are presented. The focus is on a providential God who knows our needs even better than we do. Food for the body, power for daily living, a heritage which is forever a challenge and a gift, daily works on our behalf which are just what we need, and teachings by which we might live and be faithful.
C. Verse 10. Life itself begins with focusing life on God. To fear God is not to be afraid but to revere, to stand in awe, to put him first.
Conclusion: Too much at Christmas we focus our attention on the blessings we are to reap from GodÕs act in Christ. Long before Jesus was born the psalmist knew the truth about life, the truth that life begins by getting our focus in the right place and putting God first.
OUTLINE II
Contradicting our Prejudices
Hebrews 2:10-18
Introduction: A bit of agenda always with us in the church is the seeming endless discussion regarding the divinity and humanity of Jesus. The recent furor over a new movie placing emphasis on his humanity has given us a contemporary demonstration of the fact that the controversy is very much alive.
If one reads the Letter to the Hebrews carefully it soon becomes clear that the author is comfortable with both points of view. He can speak of Jesus as our High Priest or the perfect sacrifice and then move easily to declarations that speak clearly of his humanity. The Letter to the Hebrews, it seems to me, provides a useful corrective for those who find themselves migrating to one or the other extreme of this discussion.
A. Focus on God. Note at the very beginning that what is accomplished in Christ is the work of God. He has taken the initiative. He has done the work. I never cease to be amazed at this authorÕs insight that God is not ashamed of those who are his own. That is quite some statement.
B. Focus on Humanity. Here is a needed word of rebuke for those who can only see the divinity of Christ. In verse 14 the message is clear. If he was a demi-god, divinity masquerading, then it is surely no trick for him to beat death, to not be subject to death. That would bring no hope to us. We are human. What we need to know is that one who is like us ... in every respect ... has been raised from the dead. In that declaration lies our hope.
C. Where truths meet. In verse 17 the argument is put to rest. Both the humanity and divinity are necessities. They complement one another. You cannot have one without the other.
Conclusion: Help those in your congregation who are hung up on one or the other end of this discussion to see that both have a point, that if they will listen to the author of this letter they can bring their positions together and abandon their prejudices. After all, defending our prejudices is not the sum total of the faith.
OUTLINE III
Becoming a Messiah
Luke 2:41-52
Introduction: Sometimes when I listen to people talk about Jesus I get the impression that they somehow believe that he knew from the beginning, the cradle, that he was the Messiah. They seem to imagine that he was lying there looking up at those wise men and shepherds and his parents and saying to himself, ÒBoy, if they only knew who I really am.Ó I find this kind of inference incredulous. Luke must have too.
A. Modeling. It is clear that chapters 1 and 2 of Luke are modeled squarely on the first chapters of 1 Samuel. Take time to compare these selections and you will find the same outline. It is clear that Luke uses the Hebrew Scripture model even down to the concluding remarks about growth in wisdom, stature, etc. As a doctor he is surely interested in such things. It is clear that he has no hesitancy in seeing Jesus for what he was, a twelve-year-old boy with a heightened sense of interest in the faith of his people. There is nothing to be gained in making outrageous claims that seem to depict him as wiser than the temple sages.
B. In this selection you have a special opportunity to comment on family life of JesusÕ day. Here is a keen and homey insight into the way people lived and conducted themselves. People like to hear commentary on such things.
C. Let well enough alone. DonÕt try to talk your way around LukeÕs report. He means what he says. Jesus was a normal boy in a normal home who received extraordinary opportunities to develop in matters of faith as well as mind and body. We could covet that balance of wholeness and maturity as a gift for our children.
Conclusion: Remember that in all probability Luke added chapters 1 and 2 after he had written the rest of the Gospel. By the 80s in which he wrote, considerable interest in such things must have been on the agenda. Adding these chapters gives us insight into things the early church was interested in and tells us something of messages Luke wished to convey to his church and succeeded in conveying to us.
