Through out the present series of articles, we have repeatedly ad occasion to take note of our Lord’s submission to his Father’s will. The keynote of his life, and supremely that of his death, was his obedience to what his Father required. There are many aspects to this fundamental relationship, not the least of which was that our Lord achieved the purpose in the creation of mankind — to express in his own person the image of God (Gen. 1:26 RV as all quotes). So perfectly did he accomplish this that on one celebrated occasion our Lord was able to say to Philip, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). The apostle John, “the beloved disciple,” who was so close to his Lord and reclined in his bosom, (John 13:25), endorses this claim for, looking back upon the ministry he declares, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (1:18).
As so often happens, a truth proclaimed by John in his Gospel is echoed by Paul, “[Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Col. 1:15).
The early years of Jesus
We do not know how and exactly when the young Jesus became conscious that he was no ordinary child. It seems highly probable that Mary, at some stage when she deemed it right, told Jesus about the special circumstances of his birth. About one matter we can be certain: at the age of 12, he was aware of the unique relationship he bore to the One he called his Father (Luke 2:49). What influence did his divine heredity exercise upon Jesus? Heredity is unquestionably a factor in fashioning us, but it is one which does not lend itself to precise and definitive analysis. Whatever part it played in the case of our Lord, it did not deprive him of his freedom of choice, nor of the need for him to be governed by the normal process of growth, both physical and mental. Luke gives us precious insight into this, “And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men” (2:52).
Such is the only glimpse we have of the growing boy until he responds to the call of John and insists upon being baptized by him (Matt. 3:15). About this and related matters we have already written in studying the Lord’s humility. A number of passages, already cited, will therefore come to our notice once more. Inevitably, also, we have noted how the Father responded to His Son’s humility. We shall now do this in greater detail and, in the process, we hope to direct attention to important details not previously mentioned.
Much has been written about the silent years which preceded the appearance of our Lord upon the banks of the Jordan. They were not easy years, in view of the family circumstances. He was one of a large household; he had four brothers and at least two sisters (Matt. 13:55-56; Mark 6:3). As a village artisan, Joseph could have been able to afford only a modest house. We have to think how crowded a home it must have appeared at times. It is commonly accepted that Joseph died at some stage before the beginning of Christ’s ministry, thus throwing increased responsibility upon the Lord as the firstborn. Throughout the silent years, Jesus, despite the call upon his time and energies, was consciously pre-paring himself for his ministry. There is no evidence that anything of a miraculous nature marked this period, nor did any overt act on his Father’s part declare to others that Jesus was His Son. But we cannot doubt that, apart from his study of the Hebrew scriptures, Jesus lived prayerfully, in constant and close communion with his Father. Out weirdly he appeared a citizen of Nazareth (cf. Matt. 13:53-57), but within a wonderful development was taking place.
Baptized by John
It is when we come to the records of his baptism that everything changes and his Father now acts in an overt manner. A voice from heaven proclaims, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17). While there is a variation in Mark and Luke, both inform us that the voice from heaven proclaims, “Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). If we take account of all three records, we can see that here was a message not merely for Jesus himself, but for the world as well. When we turn to Luke’s account, we note that on the occasion of his baptism, the Lord was praying (Luke 3:21). It was then, significantly, the heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit “descended in a bodily form, as a dove, upon him.”
What was the subject of the Lord’s prayer? There would clearly be the awareness that his life at Nazareth was a thing of the past, and he was now embarking upon a career which would have momentous con-sequences for himself and man-kind. He was responding to the Baptist’s call and John was his forerunner (see Mark 1:1-3). There would, accordingly, be a deep sense of dedication to the tasks ahead of him. It has also been suggested that, with his profound knowledge of the Hebrew scriptures, he would have in mind Isaiah’s prophecy: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen in whom my soul delightful: I have put my spirit upon him…” (42:1). Thus he could have been asking his Father for the fulfillment of the prophecy which for him contained a promise. One thing is certain; the spirit was bestowed upon him and richly (cf. John 3:34). Furthermore, it was an anointing, designating Jesus as the Messiah (see Peter’s words in Acts 10:38).
The Father certifies the Son
When the monarchy was established in Israel, the first king, Saul, was anointed with oil (I Sam. 10:1), as was his successor, David (I Sam. 16:13). In the case of Jesus, his Father anointed him with His own Holy Spirit. The Baptist understood clearly the meaning of the sign, for he said to his disciples, “And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Spirit. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God” (John 1:33-34). That John understood the anointing also showed Jesus to be the Christ, or Messiah, is demonstrated by the fact that those who heard his witness identified the Messiah in Jesus. So it was that Andrew went in search of his brother Peter and told him, “We have found the Messiah (which is, being interpreted, Christ)” (John 1:41).
When we ponder all this evidence, we perceive how important was the Lord’s baptism and how dramatic was the Father’s response to His Son’s obedience. The gift of the spirit was not merely a sign of approval of the baptism, but surely, also, an endorsement of the Lord’s blameless character. Here was the lamb to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29,36), the “lamb without blemish and without spot,” as Peter was later to testify (I Peter 1:19). In a moment of inspired insight, Abraham had said to Isaac, who could not understand how a sacrifice could be carried out without a victim, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Gen. 22:8).
When Jesus leaves the Jordan area, he has been identified by a well-known public figure, the rugged John, as the Son of God and the promised king of Israel. A number have heard John’s testimony and they will not keep the precious knowledge to themselves.
As for the Lord, before he embarks on his career as a preacher of the good news of the kingdom, he understandably must come to terms with his new identity and with the consciousness that unparalleled powers have been bestowed upon him. Such is the meaning of what we call the temptation (Matt. 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13). The outcome, as Matthew tells us, was the resolve by Jesus: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (4:10). This is henceforth the keynote of the Lord’s life, and death, as we have seen.
The temptation was an exhausting experience. The Lord God was aware of what it had meant to His Son; when it was over, angels came and ministered to the Lord and his strength was fully restored (Matt. 4:11; Luke 4:14).
Again we can see how, through His angels, the Lord God is responding to the actions of His Son, and also here to his need.
Jesus and his family
As the consequence of the Baptist’s words, inevitably a new relationship was established between the Lord and his family. It would appear that, for a time, it was harmonious; Jesus provided a copious supply of superior wine at the wedding in Cana, and already he was accompanied by disciples (John 2:2). As Mary was also present, the family would quickly learn about the miracle at Cana. There was nothing about that event to alienate his family, rather the contrary. When the Lord went to Capernaum, he was accompanied by his mother, his disciples and his brothers, and they were all together for a few days (John 2:12). There is no suggestion, at this stage, of any rift between Jesus and his brothers.
Why did things turn sour? While much could be written, consider that Passover time was near and the Lord found the practices which defiled the temple quite intolerable. He accordingly “cleansed” it of its abuses (John 2:13-17). He thereby alienated the higher echelons of Jewish society. This would be an embarrassment, and a growing one, for his immediate family.
Jesus and the power
This concern with the holiness of His house must have given pleasure to the Father. As for the Lord himself, the unique powers the Father had bestowed upon him were deployed from the earliest days of the ministry:
“And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people” (Matt. 4:23).
We must not minimize the importance of the powers the Father bestowed upon the Son: they were the credential of his divine son ship. It is in the gospel of John that this theme is prominent: “For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and greater works than these will he shew him, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son also quickeneth whom he will” (John 5:20-21). Then there is the celebrated passage where the Lord invokes the evidence of the works he performs: “If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do them, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father” (10:37-38).
The miraculous element is woven into the very fabric of the gospels, while in one sense the “works” provide the resounding confirmation of the Lord’s claims, they demonstrate also that God was indeed in Christ. When we reflect how history reveals time and time again the abuse of power for their own selfish ends by those who have wielded it, we can appreciate our Lord’s uniqueness. Furthermore, the bestowal of the Spirit, to a degree unknown before, testifies to the faith the Father had in His Son.
We hope to look at other incidents in the gospel records where the Lord God acts overtly and thus reveals His pleasure with His Son.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One