The incarnation, death, burial, and resurrection of the Son of God, and it's implication for 21st century ministry
- Curtis Flemming
- Apr 9, 2009
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The incarnation and subsequent death, burial and resurrection of the Son of God is the most controversial dogma of the Christian faith, and at the same time it has the potential to be the most compelling to 21st century humanity.
The answer lies in the biblical narrative of the incarnation[1] itself. This is the story of God coming to earth and experiencing life situations right along with us, and as us. The Bible testifies to this truth throughout its pages in both the Old[2] and New Testaments some sixty nine times.[3] Though the word incarnation (incarnatio) is not found in the biblical canon, but is rather the Latin equivalent of the Greek en sarki, i.e. in flesh. It speaks to the Christian teaching that Jesus of Nazareth is God in flesh.[4] The first intimation of this incarnation is indeed found in the book of beginnings, where in response to errant decision-making by the first couple,[5]and the subsequent sentence of separation, first spiritual and eventually physically a need for a savior arose. God in his sovereign grace bridged this chasm of separation by instituting the blood sacrifice,[6] and later the sacrificial system by which he postponed the penalty of our sin until the antitypical sacrifice came. Otherwise the stress of this new reality would have been unbearable to humanity. It was also necessary that this redeemer be of the same substance of those being redeemed. The writer of letter to the Hebrews confirms this saying:
The
apostolic fathers also confirm the teaching of the incarnation, and give us
insight into the character of his personification. Clement.[7]
Wrote concerning him:
For Christ is of those who are humble-minded, and not of those who exalt themselves over His flock. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Scepter of the majesty of God, did not come in the pomp of pride or arrogance, although He might have done so, but in a lowly condition, as the Holy Spirit had declared regarding Him. For He says, "Lord, who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? We have declared [our message] in His presence: He is, as it were, a child, and like a root in thirsty ground; He has no form nor glory, yea, we saw Him, and He had no form nor comeliness; but His form was without eminence, yea, deficient in comparison with the [ordinary] form of men. He is a man exposed to stripes and suffering, anti acquainted with the endurance of grief: for His countenance was turned away; He was despised, and not esteemed. He bears our iniquities, and is in sorrow for our sakes; yet we supposed that [on His own account] He was exposed to labour, and stripes, and affliction. But He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we were healed.
The unknown writer[8]
of the epistle to Diognetus also declares that the incarnation is a reality and
worthy to be believed and known:
I do not speak of things strange to me, nor do I aim at
anything inconsistent with right reason; but having been a disciple of the
Apostles, I am become a teacher of the Gentiles. I minister the things
delivered to me to those that are disciples worthy of the truth. For who that
is rightly taught and begotten by the loving Word, would not seek to learn
accurately the things which have been clearly shown by the Word to His
disciples, to whom the Word being manifested has revealed them, speaking
plainly [to them], not understood indeed by the unbelieving, but conversing
with the disciples, who, being esteemed faithful by Him, acquired a knowledge
of the mysteries of the Father? For which reason He sent the Word, that He
might be manifested to the world; and He, being despised by the people [of the
Jews], was, when preached by the Apostles, believed on by the Gentiles. This is
He who was from the beginning, who appeared as if new, and was found old, and
yet who is ever born afresh in the hearts of the saints. This is He who, being
from everlasting, is to-day called the Son;
through whom the Church is enriched, and grace, widely spread, increases in the
saints.
By
the time the apostles had passed from the scene the fact of the incarnation was
settled in the hearts and minds of most[9]
second century believers. So the fact that God came to earth in the reality of
Jesus Christ and endured as I endure, felt like I feel, and was willing to give
his life for mine in the most undignified, excruciating way, is a very
compelling argument of his love. Unlike those who have shaped the intellectual and
philosophical milieu of today, and their adherents, who presently weld
influence and power for their own enrichment, and self-gratification, Jesus is
with us, our Emanuel. Spurgeon wrote this observation:
How strangely different was our Lord Jesus Christ
from the philosophers of Greece! They were reserved in their demeanour;
eclectic, or studiously choice, in their tastes; and jealous of contact with
their fellow-creatures. Retiring from the busy haunts of men, to encircle
themselves with an atmosphere created by their own breath, they wanted none in
their society but those who were fit companions for men so exalted in wisdom.
Their disciples looked up to them with profound and obsequious reverence; and
they themselves, in their various halls and classrooms, talked as men might who
were teaching little children, and their pupils were completely subject to
their dictation; but they always kept "the common people" at a
distance, for they concerned not themselves to instruct the many, but only to
teach the few who were ambitious to become wise like themselves. Our blessed
Lord and Master was no philosopher of this sort, shut up with his few disciples
by themselves. He had his chosen twelve but he and they mingled freely with the
populace. He was a man among men, and not a philosopher among those shut out
from men. True, he taught greater wisdom than all the sages knew, and better
philosophy than all the wise men of Greece understood; but, still, he was
familiar with the people, tender-hearted, mild, and of a gentle spirit.[10]
In a time when the World is experiencing unabashed corporate
greed, global economic and systemic distresses and the widening economic gap
between the rich and the poor; How timely the gospel narrative of this ‘with us
God’ and what a good time for us to encourage people to rethink the Christian
story.
There is also another element to be observed by the incarnation, God intentionally exposed himself to the hitherto undefeated enemy of humankind Death.[11] Jesus after he opened the minds of his disciples said to them, it was written long ago, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Jesus came to die, and through death the immortal God would fulfill the righteous demand of justice, for you and I. Think about the sheer brilliance of this act. A sinless sacrifice was needed, all had sinned, the sacrifice had to be human, no one was qualified, not even God! So by means of the incarnation God went to the only place he was up till then unable to go, Death; and God tore down the wall that separated us from him. So that great nemesis death, the cessation of all one’s lifetime achievements, social relations and hope, Death, always crouching around the next bend, or the birth of the next child or in the quiver of some raider, was always lurking in the mind of humanity, death who had the ominous distinction of being all inclusive, truly tolerant, no matter what the social economic status, political or philosophical leanings. Death the equal opportunity employer that never went bankrupt or laid-off its indentured employees was conquered. The specter of death coupled with Post-Fall ontological deficits,[12] and existential yearnings, created an atmosphere palpable with fear and despair,[13] and in this vacuum of hope many took license to profit off the uncertainties of humanity.[14] Some like the epicureans[15] appealed to pleasure, some like the stoics,[16] ascetics and others to special knowledge.[17]
However, when Jesus came, not only did he bring capital “T” truth back into the sphere of Humankind, but he brought a radical new concept, the certainty of life beyond death. He too is all-inclusive and invited whomsoever will come, he rejected none if they were willing to have a change of mind. However, he spoke of death as an instrument he would use to give everyone the opportunity for true life. It is this message of acceptance, and hope by this God-Man that submitted himself to death[18] for us, that is the power and attractiveness of the Christian message, if he could pull it off that is. The resurrection of the Son of God is that controversial doctrine which all else hangs on. The strength in its message is that there is more to our existence than what we can perceive with our five senses. There is a hope for new life where one can be free of all the suffering and existential yearnings we presently experience. The problem with the resurrection is crede, ut intelligas;[19] this is, in my opinion, the area God did not make knowable through the wisdom of Man. It however must be comprehended through revelation.[20] This revelation has been handed down to believers who as ministers of reconciliation have the great privilege to share the words of life, and that word will either find good soil and produce a harvest or unbelieving soil and not produce. The effectiveness of our sharing is our lives; the power is our testimony lies in what God has done for me. I was a drug dealer and addict before I met Jesus, but he met me where I was and saved me! I was lost and unfulfilled, morally bankrupt and without peace, but someone told me about Jesus, how he brought them out of hopelessness and despairs and I decided to give him a chance, because if he could do that for them maybe, just maybe he could do it for me. The implication for 21st century ministry lies in the fact that God changes lives! This is empirical. I was hungry and he fed me, I was in prison and he visited me, I was blind but now I see, I was lost but now I am found. The power of the gospel has never been in the intellectual argument although that has its place in the church. The power of the gospel is in changed lives, and whether we lived in the Greco-Roman world with all of its excesses, or this post-capitalist, post-modern, anti-institutional world, the gospel is still relevant because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.
[1]
See, Ge.3: 15; De.
18:15–19; Ps. 22:22; Is. 8:18; Is. 9:6; Da. 7:13; Mt. 16:27, 28; Mt.
18:11; Mt. 20:28, 30, 31; Mt. 21:9; Mt. 26:2, 26–28, 36–45 Mk.
14:34, 42. Mt.. 26:64; Mk. 2:28; Mk. 9:9, 12; Mk. 10:33, 45; Mk.
14:21, 62; Lk. 2:11–14; Lk. 5:24; Lk. 17:22, 24; Lk. 18:31; Lk.
19:10; Lk. 21:36; Lk. 22:48, 69; Jn. 1:14; Jn. 5:27; Jn. 12:34;
Jn. 13:31; Acts 7:56; Acts 17:31; Gal. 4:4; Phil. 2:7, 8; 1 Tim.
2:5; Heb. 2:9, 10, 14–18; Heb. 10:12; 1 Jn. 4:2, 3; 2 Jn. 7;
Rev. 1:13; Rev. 14:14
[2]
While the OT must be understood as part of Christian
Scripture which testifies to Jesus Christ, Judaism also claims this cannon of
sacred books, but rejects the idea it points to Jesus or has anything to do
with him. New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Vol. 1, ed. Brian S. Rosner, D.A.
Carson, Graeme Goldsworthy T.Desmond Alexander, 593 (Downers Grove, Illinois:
Intervarsity Press).
[3]
Biblical references concerning the Incarnation of Jesus:
Gen. 3:15; De. 18:15–18; 1 Ch. 5:2; Ps. 2:7 Acts 13:33. Ps. 40:7,
8; Ps. 80:17; Ps. 89:19; Isa. 7:14–16; Isa. 9:6; Isa. 11:1; Isa.
32:2; Isa. 49:1, 5; Jer. 23:5; Mic. 5:2, 3 Mt.. 2:5, 6. Mt.. 1:1,
16, 17 [Lk. 3:23–38.] Mt.. 1:18, 23; Mt.. 8:20; Mt.. 13:55, 56;
Mt.. 22:45; Lk. 1:26–35, 38–56; Lk. 2:1–21; Lk. 24:39; Jn. 1:14;
Jn. 7:42; Jn. 20:27; Acts 2:30 2 Sam. 7:12; Ps. 89:35, 36. Acts
3:22 De.. 18:15–19. Acts 13:23; Rom. 1:3; Rom. 8:3; Rom. 9:5; 1
Cor. 15:47; 2 Cor. 5:16; Gal. 3:16 Gen. 12:3; 17:7; 22:18. Gal.
4:4; Phil. 2:7, 8; Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:3, 6; Heb.
2:9, 14, 16–18 vs. 9–17.; Heb. 7:14; Heb. 10:5; 1 Jn. 1:1–3; 1
Jn. 4:2, 3; 2 Jn. 7; Rev. 22:16.
[4]
1Tim.3:16. in this hymn sung by the primitive church the
incarnation of God is clearly
affirmed
[5] Scripture is clear that Adam as the corporate head bear the responsibility for the fall, but it is also clear that both sinned, or erred in judgment. See, 1Tim 2:14.
[6] The innocence and harmony of original Creation are shattered
when Adam and Eve choose to disobey God, with consequences that affect the
entire human race. The story of the Fall is Scripture’s explanation for the sin
and evils that mar society, corrupt personal and international relationships,
and doom us to biological and spiritual death. The chapter explores temptation
(3:1–6), the impact of sin on relationship with God (vv. 7–12) and with other
persons (vv. 12–13). It records God’s devastating judgment on man and woman,
and the impact of human sin on nature itself (vv. 14–20). Adam and Eve are
exiled from Eden (vv. 21–24). But first God Himself provides them with
coverings of skin: Scripture’s first word of a forgiveness won through the
shedding of blood (v. 21).
Lawrence O. Richards, The Bible Readers Companion, Vol. I, !
vols. (Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1991).
The Clement, The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, Vol. I, Document, trans. James Donaldson, Cleveland A. Coxe Alexander Roberts, prod. Clement (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997).
[8] [ A.D. 130.] The anonymous author of this Epistle gives himself the title (Mathetes) "a disciple of the Apostles," and I venture to adopt it as his name. It is about all we know of him.
[9] There were of course those who held that Jesus did not come in the flesh, the apostle Jn. warns of these individuals who were already present in his lifetime, cf. 2Jn.1:7. here are some more notable ones: Valentinus Heracleon, Ptolemy, Florinus, Marcus and Axionicus.
[10]
From Spurgeon's Sermons, Electronic
Database. Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved
[11] God is clearly the ultimate Ruler of life and death (cf. De. 32:39). This idea is especially clear in the Creation account, in which God tells man that he will surely die if he eats of the forbidden fruit Gen 2:17 — the first occurrence of the verb. Apparently there was no death before this time. When the serpent questioned Eve, she associated disobedience with death Gen 3:3. The serpent repeated God's words, but negated them Gen 3:4. When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit, both spiritual and physical death came upon Adam and Eve and their descendants (cf. Rom 5:12). They experienced spiritual death immediately, resulting in their shame and their attempt to cover their nakedness Gen 3:7. Sin and or the presence of spiritual death required a covering, but man's provision was inadequate; so God made a perfect covering in the form of a promised redeemer Gen 3:15 and a typological covering of animal skins Gen 3:21.
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
[12] 8 Ontological pre-fall givens: Acceptance, Belonging, Competence, Equity, Identity, Security, Significance, and Transcendence. These describe the psychological, interpersonal, and spiritual characteristics of fully functioning human beings. Craig Ellison, From Stress To Well-Being, ed. Gary R. Collins, Vol. 1 (Nyack, New York: Word, 1994).
[13] The popular idea has a sting. “O death,
where is thy sting?” This is a vivid personification of the last enemy. The
world sedulously shuts up its heart against the idea; but there is not an
individual into whose bosom it does not force its way at times, and like a
serpent it stings. There is no idea that stings an ungodly man like the idea of
death. The popular idea has a victory. It not only stings like a serpent, but
crushes like a conqueror. I speak not of the victory, which death obtains over
the body, but I speak of a more crushing “victory” than this—a victory over the
soul. Whenever the idea takes possession of a worldly mind, it is a victor; the
soul is prostrated, the man is unmanned.
Spence-Jones,
H. D. M. (Hrsg.): The Pulpit Commentary: 1 Corinthians. Bellingham, WA : Logos
Research Systems, Inc., 2004, S. 508
[14] This was common in all ages and is still present today with those who purport to speak for God just to get personal gain. See Je.23:16-33, Jude 1:1-19.
[15] “The gods are not to be feared; death cannot be felt; the good can be won; all that we dread can be conquered.” -- Epicurus
[16]Let no one break your will!” he said. Man conquers the world by conquering himself. Start by developing an indifference to pain and pleasure, through meditation. Wisdom occurs when reason controls passions; Evil occurs when passions control us. Zeno of Citium (333-262) The founder of stoicism
[17]GNOSTICISM IS THE TEACHING based on Gnosis, the knowledge of transcendence arrived at by way of interior, intuitive means. Although Gnosticism thus rests on personal religious experience, it is a mistake to assume all such experience results in Gnostic recognitions. It is nearer the truth to say that Gnosticism expresses a specific religious experience, an experience that does not lend itself to the language of theology or philosophy, but which is instead closely affinitized to, and expresses itself through, the medium of myth. Indeed, one finds that most Gnostic scriptures take the forms of myths. The term “myth” should not here be taken to mean “stories that are not true”, but rather, that the truths embodied in these myths are of a different order from the dogmas of theology or the statements of philosophy.
http://www.gnosis.org/gnintro.htm
[18]
Some mentioned above deny the death of Jesus. It is also a point of
contention with Islam. However, the biblical cannon affirms it as well as
extra-biblical extant documents. See, Cornelius
Tacitus (55-120 AD),
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillas, chief
secretary of
Flavius Josephus (37-97 AD), court
historian for Emperor Vespasian
Julius Africanus, writing around 221 AD, found a reference
in the writings of Thallus, who wrote a
history of the Eastern Mediterranean around 52 AD
Pliny the Younger, Roman governor
of Bithynia in Asia Minor around 112 AD
Emperor Trajan, in reply to Pliny
Emporer Hadrian (117-138 AD), in a
letter to Minucius Fundanus, the Asian proconsul
The Jewish Talmud, compiled
between 70 and 200 AD
Lucian, a second century Greek
satirist
Mara Bar-Serapion, of Syria,
writing between 70 and 200 AD from prison to motivate his son to emulate wise
teachers of the past
The Gospel of Truth, probably by
Valentius, around 135-160 AD
The Aprocryphon of Jn., probably by
Saturninus, around 120-130 AD
The Gospel of Thomas, probably from
140-200 AD
The Treatise On Resurrection, by uncertain
author of the late second century, to Rheginos
Acts of Pontius Pilate, reports sent
from Pilate to Tiberius, referred to by Justin Martyr (150 AD)
Phlegon
Clement, elder of Rome, letter to
the Corinthian church (95 AD)
Ignatius, bishop of Antioch,
letter to the Trallians (110-115 AD)
Ignatius, letter to the Smyrneans
(110-115 AD)
Ignatius, letter to the Magnesians
(110-115 AD)
Quadratus, to Emperor Hadrian
about 125 AD
(Pseudo-)Barnabas, written 130-138
AD
Justin Martyr, to Emperor
Antoninus Pius about 150 AD
Justin Martyr, in Dialogue with
Trypho, around 150 AD
[19] Believe so you may understand, Augustine
of Hippo
[20]
cf. Ro. 10.
