b The Greek is not laov ru> ©£w, as in John v. 18, but laa, which means as. This is unanswerably shewn by the references which Dr. Whitby on the place has made to passages in the Septuagint, where it is so translated.
and exercised all the divine prerogatives. He per- formed by his own power all the works which are ever ascribed to God. And in all this he was guilty of no presumption ; because he was truly ' One with the Father, in glory equal, in majesty co-eternal.' To understand the Apostle as saying, that Christ, while he was only a mere man, did not think of the robbery of being equal with God, is to represent him as commending a creature for his humility in not aspiring to an equality with God ; a greater absurdity than which could not enter into the human mind. As Christ, when he took upon himself " the form of a servant," became really man, so when, pre- vious to his incarnation, he was " in the form of God," he was really and truly God. To this the Scriptures bear ample testimony : they declare that before he was " a Child born and a Son given, he was the mighty God," even " God over all, blessed for ever." And therefore, when he became incar- nate, he was " God, manifest in the flesh ;" he was " Emmanuel, God with us."
But this glory he, in infinite condescension, laid aside. Not that he ceased to be God ; but that he veiled his Deity in human flesh. As, previous to his descent from Mount Tabor, he divested himself of those robes of majesty wherewith he was then arrayed; so, for the purpose of sojourning among men, he emptied himself0 of all his divine splendour, either hiding it altogether from human eyes, or only suffer- ing a ray of it occasionally to beam forth for the instruction of his disciples; that, while others saw him but as a common man, they might " behold his glory, as the glory of the only -begotten of the Father." He did not, however, assume our nature in its primeval state, while yet it bore the image of its Maker ; but in its fallen state, encompassed with
e ' a.
infirmities : " he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh ;" and was " in all points like unto us, sin only excepted."
tKtvwat tavTOv.
2145. J Christ's humiliation. 53
But there was yet a lower state of degradation to which our blessed Lord submitted for our sakes, which also is mentioned in the text, and which was the very end of his incarnation ; " being found in fashion as a man, he became obedient unto death"
When our Lord vouchsafed to take our nature into an immediate union with himself, he became from that moment subject to the law, even as we are. More especially, having substituted himself in the place of sinners, he was bound to fulfil the precepts which we had broken, and to endure the penalties which we had incurred. He was to be the servant of God in executing his Father's will ; and the ser- vant of man, in performing every duty, whether of obedience to his earthly parents, or of subjection to the civil magistrate. He knew from the beginning how arduous a course he had to run ; he beheld at one view all that he must do, and all that he must suffer, in order to accomplish the purposes of his mission ; and yet he freely undertook our cause, say- ing, " I come, I delight to do thy will, O my God ; yea, thy law is within my heart." And with the same readiness did he persevere " even unto death." When the extremity of his sufferings were coming upon him, he implored indeed the removal of the bitter cup, provided it could be removed consistently with his Father's glory and man's salvation. But this he did, to shew that he was really man ; and to instruct his followers how to demean themselves in seasons of deep affliction. By this we see, that it is our privilege to make our requests known to God, and to implore such a mitigation of our troubles as shall render them more supportable, or such an in- crease of strength as may enable us to endure them. Cheerfully however did he resign himself to the will of his heavenly Father ; and though twelve legions of angels were at his command to deliver him, yet did he continue fixed in his purpose to give his own life a ransom for us. Notwithstanding the death of the cross was the most painful and ignominious of any, yet to that did he submit for us ; nor did he