142 ATTRIBUTES OF CHRIST
ATTRIBUTES OF CHRIST
in the highest forms. He is the ' author and per- fecter (ipxvyii! nai TeXetwriJs) of our faith ' (He 12=), 'the perfect example— perfect in realization and etfect — of that faith which we are to imitate trust- ing in Him ' ( Westcott). Submission and Obedience He showed to Mary and Joseph also (Lk 2^'), and to His Heavenly Father (Mt 26*=) ; cf. Ro 5'9. The purpose of His life was summed up in the words ' to do thy will, O God ' (He 10').
7. Liability to Human Infirmities. — Jesus experi- enced hunrier (Mt 4= 21'*, cf. Jn 4^') ; thirst (Jn 4' 19^, cf. Mt 27") ; weariness and pain : ' being wearied {KeKowMKii^) wth His journey He sat thus (oOtus) by the well' (Jn 4«) ; in the boat He 'fell asleep' {atpvirvuae, Lk 8^); in the Garden there appeared an angel strengthening Hira (im.axvuv, Lk 22^) ; He was unable to carry His cross (Mk 15-'), and it would seem that He Himself required support (cf. (pipovdL v.2= ^>'ith ^tdyowj v.™) ; cf. 2 Co 13S He 4'^ No sickness is mentioned (the quot. in Mt 8" can hardly bear this meaning) ; He truly died, but it was a voluntary death ( Jn 10"- "* ; and note that in no Gospel is the word ' died ' used of His passing from life) ; cf . Ro 6' ' death hatli no more dominion over him ' (oiKin KupiEi/ei), and Ac 2".
8. Sorrow.— The prophecy was amply fulfilled that the Messiah should be ' a man of sorrows and acquainted -wMh. grief.' Sorrow was inevitable for one who had such insight into human nature, and so sympathized with its woes (cf. Jn 11^**). It came also from ' the gainsaying' (aiiTi.\oyla)Qi sinners (He 12^ cf. 1 P 22"-). One of the greatest causes of grief is misunderstanding of motive and action, which He experienced in abundance. On one occasion His relatives spoke of Him as 'mad' (i^iarrj, Mk 3-') ; His enemies said He had a demon and was mad (Jn 10-"), and ascribed His works to Beelzebub (Lk 11'°). There was disappointment also (Lk 13", Jn 5*). The knowledge of what was coming cast a shadow on His life (Lk 12*", Jn 12"), it is implied in the description of the last journey to Jerusalem (Mk 1CF=) ; at the Last Supper He was troubled in spirit {iTapdxffv, Jn 13=') ; it IS clearly expressed in the accounts of tlie Agony — Mt 26^ ijp^a.To XinrftaSai Kal dBrj/iofcTv, the latter expressing 'utter loneliness, desertion, and desolate- ness' (Edersheim); Mk 14^ ijp^aro iKeaix^e-uTdat. Kal dSriiiove'iv ; Lk 22" yev6p.(voi if dyuvlif, and the Bloody Sweat ; His soul was weplXviros f ms Oai-dTou (Mt '26^) ; the strong word dTre<7Trda$ri ' was parted ' is used in Lk 22^' as if the separation itself caused grief ; and the sorrow culminated in the heart- broken cry on the cross (Mt 27*=). Cf. He 5' Hira. Kpavyijs Wxvpds Kal SaKpiav,
9. Joy. — It would be a great mistake, however, to regard His whole life as one of continuous over- whelming sonow.* Our accounts deal almost entirely with the last three vears, and surely there must have been much real happiness in the previous thirty years spent in honest work amid the beautiful surroundings of Nazareth, especially as He was conscious of no stain of guilt or failure in duty, and felt no remorse. Even in the Gospels we see His pure appreciation of nature and of children's games. It is once recorded that He rejoiced in spirit (iiyaWLdaaTo, Lk 10='), and several times He used ' joy ' (xapi and xa'pu) of Himself (Jn ll's 15" 17'^ cf. Lk 15=- '»). He must have felt joy in communion with His Father (Mt 11==, Jn ll'"), and in the consciousness of success (Lk 10'", Jn 16^). Complaisance appears in His praise of the centurion (Mt 8'") and His words to Simon (Mt 16") ; cf. Mt 21'«, Lk 19*', Jn i'\ So He 12= ('for the joy that was set before liim he endured the cross '). See ' Sociability ' (22).
10. Humility and MeeknesB.— These were shown in the circumstances of His childhood (Lk 2=^-") ;
* See Brooks, New Starts in Life, Sermon on ' Joy and Sorrow.'
during His ministry He was homeless (Mt 8="), and .sometimes without money (Mt 17=^, cf. Lk 8'). He describes Himself as ' meek and lowly of heart ' (tt^jos Kal TaTiiwot, Mt 11=') ; cf. Jn 1-', 2 Co 10' (SA TTji irpfiTjp-os Kal firieixeias toS Xpiarov). 'Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor' ({wTu)xevae, 2 Co 8"); He 'emptied him.self' (iavrbv eKivuae, Ph 2', see whole passage). His life was one of unselfish ministry to others (Mt 20^, Jn 13«-, Lk aS^'- 5' ; cf. 23=» and the first three ' Words on the Cross '). He ' pleased not himself (Ro 15'), and ' He gave himself up for us ' (Eph 5=).
11. Patience and LongsntFering are seen in Lk 9" 23", Jn 18"- =» ; He left us the examiile of His patience (IP 2="-=', He 12'-=); cf. 2 Th S^* (Lightfoot's Notes on Epp. of St. Paul, in loc.) and 1 Ti l'«.