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CHRIST ONE WITH THE FATHER
IT might well be expected, that, if God should reveal his will to man, there would be many things disclosed by him, which exceed the narrow limits of human reason. This might more particularly be expected in whatsoever related to his own person and character: for, as we can know nothing of him any farther than he is pleased to reveal himself to us; and as we cannot even comprehend our own nature, or discover how the soul is united to the body; it would be strange indeed if we could comprehend the mode of God’s existence, and explain how there should be an union of Three Persons in the God-head. In relation to such a mysterious subject, our wisdom is to ascertain what God has revealed concerning himself, and to receive it on the testimony of his word. This is the office of reason, as well as of faith: for reason requires, that we submit our understanding to the dictates of His wisdom, no less than our wills to the influence of His authority. That a Trinity of Persons in the Godhead is revealed, cannot reasonably be doubted, as long as the baptismal rite shall continue to be administered “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;” for to imagine, that a creature is here associated with Almighty God in the highest possible act of divine worship, were the height of absurdity, and impiety. The subject before us relates only to the union subsisting between Christ and his Father: to that therefore we shall confine our attention. We begin with considering,
I. The truth of our Lord’s assertion.
Here mark,
1. The assertion itself—
[Our Lord says, “I and my Father are one.” Now it must be remembered, that the same expressions are used, as in human compositions, so also in the Holy Scriptures, sometimes in a metaphorical and figurative sense, and sometimes in a plain and literal sense; and their true import must always be judged of by the context. This is particularly the case with respect to the expression before us; which is elsewhere used in reference to the saints, to mark the exalted state to which they are raised by their connexion with Christ, and the mutual interest which they should feel in each other’s concerns: “I pray for them, that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I iu them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one [Note: Joh_17:20-23.].” Here the sense is obvious: no one could conceive for a moment that the union here spoken of is personal, as though the saints could be one person with God, or one person ill their collective capacity: it simply means, that the saints are to enjoy an union with God and with each other, as nearly resembling that which subsists between Christ and his Father, as their situation and circumstances will admit of, namely, an union of sentiment, of affection, of will, and of operation. But, in the passage under our consideration, more is evidently intended: in that is implied, not merely a figurative, but a real and personal union, an union of nature and of essence.
In proof of this, we must refer you to the whole scope of the passage. Our Lord is speaking of the security which his sheep enjoyed; that “He gives unto them eternal life, and that they shall never perish, nor shall any one ever pluck them out of his hand.” But, because he was speedily to be taken from them, and might therefore be supposed incapable of fulfilling this promise, he says, that “his Father was confessedly greater than all” created powers, yea, greater than he himself was in his human or Mediatorial capacity; and “that none should ever be able to pluck them out of his Father’s hand.” Yet, that they might know that he would not, on account of his removal from them, remit his care of them, he added, “I and my Father are one;” ‘we are one, as in will, so in power; as in operation, so in nature and in essence: and consequently my sheep have a double pledge of their security.’
This is the plain meaning of the passage; and that it is so, may be clearly seen from the construction which the Jews put upon his words. They took up stones immediately, to stone him: and when he inquired for which of all his good works they were about to stone him, they replied, that it was “not for any good work, but for blasphemy; because that He, who was only a man like themselves, made himself God [Note: ver. 32, 33.].” Now this shews incontestably what meaning they affixed to his words: it was not an ignorant individual, or persons ill acquainted with the received import of the words, that so interpreted them; but the whole audience, who perfectly understood what meaning his expressions were suited to convey.
The Jews were taught by God himself to be particularly jealous on the subject of idolatry; and to put to death any person who should, whether openly or in secret, attempt to seduce them to it. When therefore they heard our Lord arrogate to himself divine honours, they resented it, as they had done repeatedly before, by taking up stones to stone him as a blasphemer [Note: Joh_5:17-18; Joh_8:58-59.]. We do not say, that they were right in expressing their abhorrence of idolatry in this way; because they should have had the matter examined before a magistrate, and have acted according to evidence, and not according to the impulse of their blind passions: but we do say, that Jesus was justly accused of blasphemy, if he was not God; and that there was just cause for the indignation which his audience expressed.
But perhaps they were mistaken in their construction of his words: in which case we may be assured that Jesus would carefully rectify their error. But do we find that he did disclaim the assertion which they called blasphemy? No;
In his answers to them we find only,]
2. His confirmation of it—
[They had just complained that he kept them in suspense; and had desired that he would tell them plainly, who, and what, he was. He, in reply, declares that he had told them, and that they would not believe [Note: ver. 25.]. Had he told them that he was a mere man like themselves, the; would readily enough have believed that: but when he tells them again that he was “one with his Father,” they go about to stone him for blasphemy. Nevertheless, instead of revoking his word, he vindicates his claim; and establishes the justice of it by an appeal to the sacred writings. Magistrates, he tells them, were in the inspired volume frequently dignified with the name of gods [Note: Exo_7:1; Exo_22:28.]: and he refers them to one passage in particular, well known to them all, “I have said, Ye are gods [Note: Psa_82:6.],” Now these were called gods partly, because they were Jehovah’s representatives and vice-gerents upon earth; and partly, because they were types of the Messiah, who was to be really and truly God, even “Emmanuel, god with us [Note: Isa_7:14. Mat_1:23.],” ‘Now,’ says our Lord, ‘if these persons, in order to prepare you for the reception of your incarnate God, were honoured with the name and title of gods, and you readily acquiesced in it, with what reason can you, when your incarnate God appears, accuse him of blasphemy, because he assumes that title, or calls himself by a name which you justly consider as equivalent to it? You are looking for your Messiah; and that Messiah is expressly foretold under the character of “Jehovah’s fellow [Note: Zec_13:7.],” who is “David’s Lord, as well as David’s Son [Note: Psa_110:1 with Mat_22:42-45.]:” such therefore the Messiah must be; for “the Scripture cannot be broken:” why then do you not acknowledge the justice of my claim? If indeed I do not give evidence enough that I am the Messiah, you may justly dispute my title to be regarded as God; but if I do, then you are the blasphemers, who rob me of my proper honour. Know ye then, that I am the Person “whom the Father hath sanctified” and set apart from all eternity to the office, “and now hath sent into the world” to execute it: know also, that, instead of retracting any thing I have said, I repeat my assertions, and demand your acknowledgment of me in my true character,’
Thus our Lord confirms his assertion by an appeal to Scripture. He next proceeds to confirm it by an appeal to his own works. ‘I do not desire to be credited in such an assertion upon my bare unsupported word, without any corroborating evidence;’ says our Lord: ‘ “If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not: but, if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works; that ye may know and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him [Note: ver. 37, 38.].” Consider my works, both the matter, and the manner of them, and see if they do not justify every assertion I have made. Did ever man perform such miracles as I have done, so many, so great, so benevolent, so demonstrative of a divine agency? Moses indeed and the prophets wrought some few miracles: but how? they wrought them uniformly by application to Jehovah for the intervention of his power: but look at my miracles: on some occasions indeed, I also, acting in my mediatorial capacity, have acknowledged my dependence on him, and have acted “in his name,” as his servant [Note: Luk_11:41-43.]; (for as Mediator, I am his servant:) but, as being One with the Father, I have wrought in instances without number by that power and authority which I possess in common with the Father. Whence had I the power to still the elements as I have done [Note: Mar_4:39.]; or to expel Satan [Note: Mar_9:25.], or to raise the dead [Note: Mar_5:41. Luk_7:14.]? When the leper justly acknowledged my power to effect whatsoever I would; to whom was I indebted for power to heal him, when I said, “I will, Be thou clean [Note: Mat_8:3.]?” ’
Such an appeal as this was sufficient to convince the most incredulous: and it receives much additional light from the manner in which the Apostles wrought their miracles: they wrought them invariably in the name of Jesus [Note: Act_9:34; Act_16:18.]; and disclaimed all idea of any inherent power in themselves, or even of any goodness on account of which God had wrought by them; so fearful were they, lest by any means they should rob the Lord Jesus of the honour due unto his name [Note: Act_3:6; Act_3:12; Act_3:16. with 4:9, 10, 12.].
Shall it be said that our Lord did not mean in this appeal to assert his true and proper Godhead? Then see both his words, and the sense in which his enraged adversaries continued to understand them: “Though ye believe not me, believe the works; that ye may know and believe, that the Father is in me, and T in him.—Therefore they sought again to take him.” Here are two things demonstrated; first, that his enemies understood him to affect equality with God: and next, that He, knowing that they did so understand him, renewed and confirmed the assertions which they had so interpreted. A clearer explanation of what he affirmed, or a stronger proof of what he is, we cannot reasonably desire.]
We are the more earnest in establishing the Divinity of our blessed Lord, because it is intimately connected with every fundamental truth of our holy religion.
To illustrate more fully the truth asserted, I proceed to mark,
II. The incalculable importance of it—
This truth established, we behold in the clearest light—
1. The dignity of his person—
[Because God condescended to take our nature upon him, we requite his love by denying him to be God. But know that Jesus Christ is indeed “the true God [Note: 1Jn_5:20.],” “the mighty God [Note: Isa_9:6.],” “the great God and our Saviour [Note: Tit_2:13.],” “God over all, blessed for evermore [Note: Rom_9:5.].” He is “the brightness of his Father’s glory, and the express image of his person [Note: Heb_1:3.];” yea, in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily [Note: Col_2:9.].” Hear what he himself saith unto Philip: Philip, having heard him speaking of the Father, as actually known to his Disciples, and already seen by them, saith, “Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.” To this Jesus replies, “Have I been so long with you, and hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? Believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake [Note: Joh_14:7-11.].” Now, I ask, if Jesus had not been really “one with the Father, would he have dared to use such language as this? And, if his Disciples were guilty of idolatry in worshipping him, was not the fault altogether his? Were not his words and his arguments expressly calculated to mislead and deceive them? But there is no room for doubt on this head. We never can entertain too high thoughts of him; nor can we ever honour him as we ought, unless we “honour him, even as we honour the Father [Note: Joh_5:23.].”]
2. The virtue of his sacrifice—
[On the dignity of his person depends the whole value of his atonement. The Apostle justly observes, that “it is not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take away sin:” and the same observation may with justice be applied to every creature, however exalted. But when we are assured that it was “God who was manifest in the flesh [Note: 1Ti_3:16.],” that it was “the Lord of glory that was crucified [Note: 1Co_2:8.],” and that it was “God who purchased the Church with his own blood [Note: Act_20:28.],” we no longer hesitate to declare that his death was “a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world [Note: The Communion Service; and 1Jn_2:2.].” He was, it is true, “in the form of a servant; but he was also in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God [Note: Php_2:6-8.];” and therefore we may be assured that “his blood will cleanse us from all sin [Note: 1Jn_1:7.].” The ransom he has paid for us, is fully equal to the redemption of a ruined world: and the righteousness which he has wrought out for us by his obedience unto death, is all that is wanted for the justification of those who trust in it. The very name given him by the prophet declares this; for we are taught to “call him, Jehovah our Righteousness [Note: Jer_33:16.].” Here then “the weary and heavy-laden may find rest unto their souls” — — —]
3. The sufficiency of his grace—
[If Jesus were only a creature, those who trust in him might be addressed like the worshippers of Baal, “Cry aloud, for he is a god: either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is on a journey; or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked [Note: 1Ki_18:27.].” He could not attend to the concerns of the whole universe at once; and therefore could not be a suitable object of our trust and confidence. But he is infinitely above all creatures, being “King of kings, and Lord of lords [Note: Rev_19:16.].” He could truly say to Paul, and to every suppliant in the universe, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” Let not any one then despond, as though his corruptions were irremediable, or his enemies invincible; for “God hath laid help for us upon One that is mighty [Note: Psa_89:19.]:” and the weakest of the human race that relies on him, may confidently say, “In the Lord have I righteousness and strength [Note: Isa_45:24.]:” “The Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation [Note: Isa_12:2.]:” “The Lord is my shepherd; therefore can I lack nothing [Note: Psa_23:1.].”]
4. The excellency of his salvation—
[If we consider the price that has been paid, we may judge of the value of that redemption which has been purchased for us. Even in relation to the present life, we are told that “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him [Note: Isa_64:4. 1Co_2:9-10.].” Under whatever figure they are spoken of, they are represented as exceeding all human apprehension: “the gift of them is unspeakable [Note: 2Co_9:15.]:” “the riches of them unsearchable [Note: Eph_3:8.]:” the peace that is enjoyed by means of them, passeth understanding [Note: Php_4:7.];” and “the joy which they produce, is unspeakable and glorified [Note: 1Pe_1:8.]:” the love that bestowed them has “a height and depth, and length and breadth” that can never be explored [Note: Eph_3:18.]. Respecting the future life, we are still further from being able to appreciate the glories of it. The description of heaven, as a city paved with gold, and enriched with every thing magnificent or good, affords but a faint idea of that glorious place [Note: Rev_21:10-23.]; as the songs and music of its inhabitants very inadequately represent their blessedness and joy [Note: Rev_5:8-14; Rev_14:1-3.]. But this we know, that, both on earth and in heaven, the felicity of the saints shall be worthy of the sacrifice that was made to obtain it. Let not any one then seek it in a listless and lukewarm manner, as though it were of little value — — — for it is a “great salvation [Note: Heb_2:3.],” which the tongues of men and angels can never worthily describe, nor can the ages of eternity suffice to enumerate its blessings.]