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THE TIME AND MANNER OF CHRIST’S INCARNATION
THE advantages which we as Christians enjoy above the Jews are exceeding great. The Jewish Church was like an heir to a large estate during the years of his minority: he has indeed bright prospects before him; but at present he receives no more than what his guardians judge necessary for his use, and suited to his condition. “He, in fact, differs nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all:” for he is altogether “under the controul of tutors and governors, till the time appointed by his father,” whose possessions he is to inherit. We, on the contrary, are like the same person when arrived at full age, having perfect liberty from servile restraints, and entering into the complete enjoyment of the inheritance, to which by our Father’s will we are entitled. In this view St. Paul himself has illustrated the subject in the chapter before us. Having in the preceding verses described the state of the Jewish Church, he declares, in the words of our text, the superior privileges which, through the incarnation of the Son of God, we enjoy.
To bring the whole subject under your consideration, it will be proper to notice the time, the manner, and the end of our Saviour’s incarnation.
I. The time—
It may seem strange that, when God had promised to send his Son into the world, he should delay the execution of that promise four thousand years. But it does not become us to sit in judgment upon God’s proceedings; it is sufficient for us to know that he cannot err. But, in relation to the point before us, we may observe, that the time when our Lord came into the world, was,
1. The time fixed in the Divine counsels—
[When the promise of a Saviour was given to our first parents, nothing was specified respecting the time. Hence Eve (as it should seem) imagined that her first-born child was he: for she named him Cain (which signifies getting); intimating, that “she had gotten a man from the Lord,” or rather, that she had gotten the man, the Lord [Note: Gen_3:1.]. Nothing seems to have been declared concerning the time of the Messiah’s arrival, till it was revealed to Jacob, that “the sceptre should not depart from Judah, till Shiloh should came [Note: Gen_49:10.]:” and it is remarkable, that a separate jurisdiction did depart from all the other tribes several hundred years before Christ’s advent; but that Judah retained it, in a measure, even during the captivity in Babylon; and never completely lost it, till Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, and the whole Jewish polity was dissolved.
After the restoration of the Jews from Babylon, it was revealed to the Prophet Haggai, that the Messiah should come while that temple was standing; and by his presence in it should add greater glory to it, than the former temple, with all its magnificence and peculiar appendages, possessed [Note: Hag_2:7; Hag_2:9.].
But that which marked the period with most precision, was the prophecy of Daniel, which declared, that in seventy weeks (of years), or four hundred and ninety years, from the command given by Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem, the Messiah should be cut off [Note: Dan_9:24-25.]. This determined the time with such accuracy, that the expectation of the Messiah’s advent was very general among the Jews, when our Lord made his appearance upon earth.
Thus the fulness of the time was come, because it was the time ordained by God in his eternal counsels, and made known to the world by his holy prophets.]
2. The fittest time—
[If our Lord had come into the world at an earlier period, several valuable purposes would either not have been answered, or not in so eminent a degree. By the delay, there was abundant proof given, how little could be done by reason, with all its improvements; or by the law, with all its sanctions; or by the most signal judgments and mercies.
Reason had attained its summit. The learning of Greece and Rome had left nothing to be added for the perfecting of the human intellect. Yet what did all their boasted philosophy effect? Were the habits and dispositions of men meliorated? Was the dominion of sin broken, or virtue made more generally prevalent throughout the world? Read the account which St. Paul gives of the heathen world; and judge [Note: Rom_1:22-32.].
God has been pleased to republish his law, in a way calculated to awe his people, and secure their obedience to it. He had enforced it with the most solemn sanctions; and had himself written it on tables of stone, in order that it might not any more be mutilated and forgotten, as it had been when left to the uncertainty of oral tradition. And did this succeed? No. The Jew had nothing to boast of above the Gentiles. St. Paul draws their character also, and shews that they, with all their advantages, were as far from God and righteousness as the heathen themselves [Note: Rom_2:17-29.].
The interposition of the Deity had also been displayed in a visible series of mercies and judgments, correspondent to the moral conduct of his people. Not only had thousands and tens of thousands been struck dead at a time for some great offence, but even the whole nation were sent into a miserable captivity for seventy years. On the other hand, their restoration from captivity had been so miraculous, as evidently to bear the stamp of Omnipotence upon it. These things did lead the Jews to renounce idolatry: but how far they prevailed to introduce general habits of piety and virtue, may be seen in the awful unanimity which obtained among them in rejecting and crucifying the Son of God.
No fitter time therefore could have been chosen for the sending of this last remedy, than when all other remedies had been fully tried, and their inefficacy had incontrovertibly appeared.]
The next thing to be noticed respecting the incarnation of Christ, is,
II. The manner—
Though Christ was God equal with the Father, yet in his mediatorial capacity he acted as the Father’s Messenger or Servant. The Father sent his Son,
1. “Made of a woman”—
[This expression would have been superfluous if applied to any mere man; but, as applied to the Lord Jesus, it is peculiarly important. Our adorable Saviour was not born like other men; but was formed in the womb of a pure virgin by the operation of the Holy Ghost: and this was necessary on many accounts.
If Christ had been born in the ordinary way of generation, he would have been comprehended in Adam’s natural posterity, and would therefore have been involved in the same curse as all others are on account of the first transgression: for “in Adam all died;” and “through his disobedience many were made sinners,” even all who were represented by him as their covenant-head. Moreover, he would have been corrupt, as all others are; for “who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?” But, not deriving his existence from man, he could not be ranked among the sons of Adam; and, being formed by the immediate agency of the Holy Ghost, he was perfectly immaculate.
This miraculous mode of conception and birth was farther necessary, in order to fulfil the prophecies: for in the very first promise that announced God’s gracious intentions to the world, it was said, that “the Seed of the woman (not of the man, but of the woman) should bruise the serpent’s head [Note: Gen_3:15.].” It had afterwards been more plainly declared, that “a virgin should conceive, and bear a Son, whose name should be called Emmanuel,” God with us [Note: Isa_7:14. Mat_1:23.].
Hence the expression in the text marks at once, that Christ was fitted for his mediatorial office; and that he is the very person fore-ordained from the foundation of the world to sustain and execute it.]
2. “Made under the law”—
[Not being represented by Adam, and not inheriting his defilement, Christ was not under the curse of the law; but, being born of a Jewish parent, he was under the authority of the law, as well the ceremonial as the moral. The law was to him, as it was to Adam in Paradise, a covenant of life and death. The covenant made with Adam was for himself and all his natural posterity: that which was made with Christ, was for himself and all his spiritual seed. Now, Adam, by violating the covenant, had entailed a curse on all his descendants. To remedy this evil, two things were to be done: the curse due to us was to be endured; and a new claim to heaven was to be established for us. For these two purposes Christ was fitted, when he was sent into the world: He was sent “made of a woman only,” that, not being himself obnoxious to the curse of the law, he might bear the curse for us; and that, fulfilling all the demands of the law, he might “bring in an everlasting righteousness,” which should be imputed to us, and placed to our account [Note: Dan_9:24. Rom_3:21-22.].
If we attend to the various circumstances of his life and death, we shall find that he actually fulfilled the law in every particular. He fulfilled the ceremonial law both actively and passively: actively, by submitting to circumcision, by attending the stated feasts, and by complying with the Mosaic ritual in all its parts: he fulfilled it also passively, by accomplishing every thing which was there prefigured, and by exhibiting in himself the substance of every thing which the Mosaic ritual had shadowed forth [Note: Col_2:17.]. He fulfilled also the moral law, obeying it in its utmost extent, insomuch that not a spot or blemish could be found in him. In short, as “it became him to fulfil all righteousness,” so he did fulfil it; and, being “made under the law,” he resigned not his breath till he could say in reference to all that the law required of him, “It is finished [Note: Joh_19:30.].”]
The incarnation of our blessed Lord remains yet further to be considered, as it respects,
III. The end—
We may say in general terms that he was sent,
1. To redeem us from guilt and misery—
[The Jews alone were under the ceremonial law, and therefore they alone can be said to have been delivered from the yoke which that law imposed upon them. But the whole human race are under the moral law: they are under it as a covenant, which, having been once violated, denounces only its curses against them, without affording them the smallest hope of mercy [Note: Rom_3:19. Gal_3:10.]. Now the Lord Jesus Christ came to redeem us from the law; and to establish a new covenant for us, by embracing which we are released from the covenant of works, and brought into a perfectly new state. This new covenant offers us life upon totally different terms from those which were proposed under the old covenant: the old covenant said, “Do this and thou shalt live:” the new covenant says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved [Note: Rom_10:5-9. with Act_16:31.].” The very instant we lay hold on the new covenant, the old covenant is cancelled with respect to us: It cannot condemn us, because its penalties have been inflicted on our Surety: It cannot command us, because we are not under its jurisdiction. As a rule of duty, it retains its authority; but, as a covenant, it is altogether abrogated and annulled [Note: Gal_2:19. Rom_7:1-4.]. Thus through the incarnation and death of Christ we are redeemed from the condemnation we have merited by our past transgression of the law, and from all obligation to stand or fall by the terms which that law prescribes.]
2. To exalt us to happiness and glory—
[Our blessed Lord had yet higher ends in view when he became incarnate. He came to restore us to all the blessedness from which we had fallen. By creation we were children of God: but, when sin entered, that relation ceased; and we became “children of the devil.” This being our state, Christ came, that through him we might again return to the family of God. Though we are by nature strangers and aliens, we may receive through him the adoption of sons, and be regarded by God as dear children. We are expressly assured that this privilege is given to all without exception who believe in Christ [Note: Joh_1:12.]. What is implied in this privilege, the Apostle states in the two verses following the text. He specifies both the present and future benefits of this adoption. In this world, instead of having any occasion to dread the wrath of God, we may look up with filial confidence to him, “crying, Abba, Father;” and may expect from him all that care, and love, and mercy which are suited to the relation of a father. In the eternal world, we shall be raised to such dignity and glory as no words can express, no imagination can conceive. “Being sons, we are heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ:” and whatever God or Christ possess either of happiness or glory, shall be possessed by us, according to the degree of our meetness for it, and the measure of our capacity to enjoy it.
“This honour have all the saints;” and that they might enjoy it in its fullest extent, was the design of God in sending his dear Son into the world.]
Infer—
1. The folly of adhering to the law—
[Men, in seeking salvation by the works of the law, have no idea what folly they are guilty of. What should we think of a man, who, when offered an estate which had been purchased for him at an immense price, should decline accepting it as a gift, and should prefer the making a stipulation to earn it, and that too by labours which a thousand men were not able to perform? Yet that were wisdom when compared with a rejection of the Gospel, and a seeking of salvation by the works of the law; because it is impossible for fallen man to be saved by the covenant of works: and, if Christ had not redeemed us from that covenant, we must all have perished together. Will any of you then be so mad as to adhere to that covenant, now that God has sent his own Son to redeem you from it? You think indeed by this to shew your zeal for good works; but it is a zeal which is not according to knowledge [Note: Rom_10:2-3.]; and a zeal which will only leave you, as it left the self-righteous Jews, destitute of any part in the salvation of Christ [Note: Rom_9:30-32.].” We would not discourage your zeal for good works: we only wish to give it a right direction. Obey the law; but obey it with proper views. Renounce your dependence upon it as a covenant of works, and seek salvation by faith in Christ. Then shall you receive that spirit of adoption, which will make the service of God to be perfect freedom, and afford you ample scope for your most active exertions.]
2. The blessedness of receiving the Gospel—
[What an astonishing transition does that soul experience, which is delivered from the terrors of Mount Sinai, and brought into “the liberty of the children of God!” From being harassed with the dread of God’s wrath, and impelled by servile fears to irksome, unsatisfying, ineffectual labours, how delightful to behold the face of a reconciled God and Father, to feel a holy boldness and confidence before him, and to anticipate the joys of heaven! This is not a picture which is drawn by a warm imagination: it is a reality; it is the experience of thousands; it is in a greater or less degree known to all who believe in Christ. Seek then, my brethren, this happiness. You can easily conceive the difference between the labours of a slave under the lash of the whip, and the services which an affectionate child renders to an indulgent parent: you can see that even at present their states are exceeding different. Such is the difference between those who are under the law, and those who embrace the Gospel. But what will be the difference hereafter? “Now, believers are the sons of God: but it doth not yet appear what they shall be: but we know that, when they shall see Christ in glory, they shall be like him, for they shall see him as he is [Note: 1Jn_3:2.].” Let all of us then believe in Christ, that “we may see the good of his chosen, and rejoice in the gladness of his nation, and give thanks with his inheritance [Note: Psa_106:5.].”]