Phil. 2:5-8; Psalm 2, True Man

Let us summarize with a well-known quote from Pope Leo I written in a letter explaining the conclusion of the Council of Chalcedon in 451AD. 

Thus the properties of each nature and substance were preserved entire, and came together to form one Person.  Humility was assumed by majesty, weakness by strength, mortality by eternity, and to pay the debt that we had incurred, an inviolable nature was united to a nature that can suffer.

In addition let us reflect briefly on excerpts from some great Christmas Carols that express the great truth of Phil. 2:5-8:

“veiled in flesh the God-head see, hail the incarnate deity”

“mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die”

(Hark the Herald Angels Sing)

“There’s a tumult of joy o’er the wonderful birth;

The virgin’s sweet boy is the Lord of the earth”

(There’s a Song in the Air)

“Shepherds in the field abiding, watching o’er their flocks by night;

God with man is now residing, yonder shines the infant light”

(Angels From the Realms of Glory)

·        Station #4: coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man.

We now ask: When the Son took on the form of the bond-servant, what did the Father ask of His Son?  The answer is that the Father’s plan required that the Son become a Man.  Before we consider this in detail let us remember that the Father’s plan was not only the plan of salvation.  It was actually more than that.  The Father’s delight was to honor the Son, to give Him the nations as an inheritance (Psalm 2:6-9).  As the nations came to be immersed in sin the plan of salvation was necessary to the exaltation of the Son.

o   The fact of Jesus’ humanity.  The Bible does not speak of Jesus’ humanity as “partial” or “pretend” in any sense.  Just meditate on these passages.

§  Jn. 1:14: The Word became flesh.

§  Rom. 1:3-4: Jesus is the Son of David according to the flesh as well as Son of God as declared powerfully by His resurrection from the dead.

§  Rom. 8:3: Jesus was made in the likeness of sinful man.  He was not “made” a sinful man but made like sinful men (more on this tomorrow).

§  Gal. 4:4: God sent His Son at just the right time, born of a woman, born under law.

§  1 Tim. 3:16: Jesus appeared in a body.

§  Heb. 2:9,14: We see Jesus, made a little lower than the angels.  Since the children have flesh and blood He too shared in the same.

§  1 Jn. 1:1-2: John heard, saw and touched this Word who appeared to us.