THEOLOGY FOR THE
PEOPLE
Biblical Doctrine, Plainly Stated
By William S. Plumer, 1875
THE GLORY OF CHRIST IN HIS OFFICES
Having spoken of the offices of Christ as Mediator, let
us consider his glory therein:
I. His glory as a
PROPHET.
He spoke with authority, and not as the scribes. He spoke with such power
that the very men sent to arrest him were disarmed. When asked how this was,
all they could answer was, "Never man spoke like this man." John 7:46. Those
who heard him felt that the Searcher of hearts was speaking to them. As he
himself was truth, all he said was true, and he was its author. He was also
the substance of truth. He made known to us the true nature of God. He said,
"He who has seen me has seen the Father." John 14:9. Nor did any one else
ever so reveal the true nature of God: "Neither knows any man the Father,
but the Son, and he to whoever the Son will reveal him." Matt. 1:27. The
reason why that which was spoken by the prophets was good and pure, was
because they spoke by the Spirit of Christ. 1 Pet. 1:11. "The words of the
Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven
times." Psalm 12:6. As he who builds a house has more honor than the house,
so Christ is more glorious than the greatest prophet, who was a mere man.
Heb. 3:3.
As a prophet Christ has great power. He savingly
impresses his lessons by the "exceeding greatness of his power to us who
believe, according to the working of his mighty power." Eph. 1:19. As he
said to Lazarus, Come forth, and the dead obeyed him; so he says to the soul
sunk in ignorance and dead in trespasses and sins, and it hears the voice of
the Son of God and lives. John 5:25. As the great teacher of his church
Christ transmits to others power to teach the same blessed truths with
authority; and in his name greater things are done than were done by him in
person. John 14:12.
There is also glorious fullness and completeness in the
teachings of Christ. He keeps back nothing that is profitable for us. He
calls us friends, and treats us as such: "All things that I have heard of my
Father I have made known unto you." John 15:15. Christ has always been the
Light of the world; and his light is the life of men. John 1:4-9. To him
gave all the prophets witness. His glory shone out illustriously in his
first miracle. John 2:11. As a prophet Christ taught us by his example also.
John 13:15. His example was faultless. It showed us what he meant by his
words. It proved that he enjoined nothing that could not be done. In all
dispensations the power of Christ's truth has been made resistless by the
Holy Spirit.
II. Let us dwell a little on Christ's glory as a
PRIEST.
None so great ever filled that office before or since the Mediator held it.
His person was most glorious, being truly divine. Never was such a sacrifice
made as that made on Calvary. His whole person made the offering. None deny
that he died on the cross. But prophecy required that his soul should be
made an offering for sin, and have bitter travail. Isaiah 53:10, His soul
was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, even before he was brought into
the judgment-hall. Matt. 26:38. The reason was, he was treading the
wine-press of his Father's wrath alone.
None was so faultless as he. Heb. 7:26, 27. He magnified
the law and made it honorable, as prophecy said he would. Isaiah 42:21. His
entire human nature was offered upon the altar of his divine nature, and
thus his sacrifice was very glorious. It was a ransom—a full ransom-price
for those whom he would redeem. Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45; 1 Tim. 2:6. He
glorified his Father so as no one else ever honored God. The union of his
natures was so close that what he did and suffered in his human nature is
spoken of as if it had been done and suffered in his divine nature. Acts
20:28. We fitly speak of him as a divine sufferer, though we do not mean
that his divinity suffered, but only that the Divine Redeemer suffered in
his human nature. The effect of such a priestly offering we should expect to
be great on those who believe in it; and so it is. "Be it known unto you
therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the
forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all
things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses." Acts
13:38, 39. The beloved disciple says, "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.
Other sacrifices never made perfect the worshiper as
pertaining to the conscience. Heb. 9:9. All that the offerings made under
the law of Moses did, was to purify the flesh—to make men ceremonially fit
worshipers. "The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer
sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they
are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our
consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living
God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those
who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has
died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first
covenant." Hebrews 9:13-15. It is by his spotless life and amazing death
that believers have the righteousness of God without the law; even the
righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon
all those who believe. They are justified freely by his grace, through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:21-24.
III. Let us view Christ's glory as
KING.
He deserves all his royal honors. Isaiah 52:13; 53:12; 49:4. On this point
Paul is very clear. He says of Christ, "Who, being in very nature God, did
not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself
nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became
obedient to death--even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the
highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the
name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the
earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of
God the Father." Phil. 2:6-11.
Christ's kingly power is vast. On his head are many
crowns. Rev. 19:12. Long ago his Father gave him the heathen for an
inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession. Psalm
2:8. "He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the
ends of the earth." Psalm 72:8. Christ's kingdom is the more glorious
because it is spiritual, and not carnal. He said to Pilate, "My kingdom is
not of this world." John 18:36. Nor shall this kingdom ever fade away. "Your
throne, O God, is forever and ever." Psalm 45:6. "I will establish the
throne of his kingdom forever." 2 Sam. 7:13. "And he shall reign over the
house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Luke
1:33. So glorious is Zion's King, that he makes all his people kings and
priests unto God! Rev. 1:6. As head of the church he alone is King. 1
Cor. 8:6; Eph. 1:22; 4:5. He shall never be superseded, but abides ever over
the house of God; Heb. 10:21 and is heir of all things. Heb. 1:2-4.
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