TRIUMPHS OF TRUTH: CHRIST - MEDIATOR 2...

[ed. This is the ninth of the 27-part-series from a pamphlet by Elder Wilson Thompson titled, The Triumphs of Truth. Or The Scripture A Sure Guide To Zion's Pilgrims.]


CHAPTER 8 THE MEDIATOR CONTINUED
So we see that the same medium by which God created the worlds, which above has been denominated:word, wisdom, voice, breath, etc., is here called the Son of God, for by him the worlds were made, seeCol. 1:15-17. This same medium is called Lord Jesus Christ, and distinguished from God, in the work of creation; see I Cor. 8:6, “To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in [or for] him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” Here we are said to be ofGod, and by Christ. Thus whatever name he is known by; the medium of operation is intended, when he is distinguished from God; and his human nature is that medium, and the divine nature, was the agent operating through it, in the creation of the worlds, so we are of God, but by Christ. 

As there were two natures in the Word, in the creation of the world, so there were two natures in Christ, when in this world, and as the divine power, operated through, and by the human nature in creation; so it did in performing miracles, when in this world; as Jesus says in John 8:28, “When ye have lifted up the Son of Man, then shall ye know that I am he, and I do nothing of myself, but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” Here in the 8th chapter of John, Christ uses the same language, substantially, that is used in the first chapter, first and 2nd verses. See the 29th verse, “And he that sent me [says Jesus] is with me; the Father hath not left me alone.” 38th verse, “I speak that which I have seen with my Father.” Christ was here speaking of his human nature, for it was Christ as man, who was the Son of man; it was as man, that the Jews lifted him up; it was as man, that he did nothing of himself, it was as man, that he was taught of the Father to speak as he did; it was as man, that he says, “I speak that whichI have seen with my Father;” yea, it was as man, that he had been with the Father, seeing and learning; and it was as man, that the Father had not left him alone, but was still with him. 

Then as John 1:1-2, says, “The Word was with God,” so here Jesus speaks of himself as man, says he had seen, and had been taught with the Father, and as he had been with the Father, so when he came into this world, the Father had not left him alone, but he is still with him. Verse 29, “He that sent me is with me.” Will any man say that God sent the divinity of Jesus? No, it was as man that he was sent, for he that was sent says, “I came not of myself.” “I came not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me,” etc.Read the 23rd verse, “And he said unto them, ye are from beneath; I am from above; ye are of this world; I am not of this world.” See the 26th verse, “I have many things to say, and to judge of you; but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.” 

Surely all these things cannot be said of Christ as God. No, they must, and do apply to him only as man; then the man was from above, the man was not of this world, and the man was sent from above, to do the will of God, and to do the work which was given him to do; hence he says, “not my will, but thine be done; ”The Jews, like many in this day, did not believe him; verse 42, “Jesus said unto them, if God were your Father, ye would love me; for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.” Now as the Word was with God in the beginning, so Jesus as man says he proceeded forth and came from him; not of himself, but as he was sent. Can any words be selected from the English vocabulary that could make this point any plainer? Had Christ said to the Jews, I am that word which was with God, by which all things were made, when he formed the earth and the world; then I was with him; when he prepared the heavens I was there; but I have proceeded forth and came into this world; but I came not of myself, for he sent me, and he is still with me; I am from above, and speak to this world those things which I have seen with my Father; it would have been no plainer; yet their prejudices were so stubborn, that they did not believe, and as it was then, so it is now. 

Verse 43, “Why do ye not understand my speech? [the answer he gives is] even because ye cannot hear my word.” This was the reason why the Jews did not understand the speech of Christ, and I will not venture to assign any other reason why men do not understand his speech now, for like the Jews, they cannot hear the word without their prepossessions. In the 47th verse it is said, “He that is of God heareth God’s words, ye, therefore, hear them not, because ye are not of God.” When Jesus preached this doctrine, of his coming from above, and having come down from heaven, and being sent of God, to speak as he had been taught of God, the Jews were so much opposed to this truth, that they plead a justification of themselves in saying, “he hath a devil;“ and perhaps some may think the same of me in attempting to defend it. 

It seems there was something more pointed yet to be said, and the more pointed he speaks of the pre-existence of his human nature, the more they are enraged at him. They said Abraham was their father; but he said, verse 56, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad." This was very paradoxical in the ears of the unbelieving Jews; they thought he was now betrayed in his speech, for said they in the 57th verse, “Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham!” 

I suppose many in our days, if they like the Jews, looked at Christ as speaking of himself as man, would have thought this question unanswerable; but to their surprise Jesus says, verse 58, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am.” Now it seems they could not, with all their stupidity, help understanding him to say, that he had preexisted his own birth of Mary, nay, even that he lived before Abraham, who had been dead upwards of 1820 years; and this enraged them so much, that they broke over all bounds of moderation, and took up stones to cast at him; and some of the same disposition is very apparent in those who oppose the same doctrine of the pre-existence of Jesus, in our times. 

From the above cited verses, with the whole of the 8th chapter of John, out of which they are selected, prove this point beyond a doubt; nor is this chapter alone to the point, but in sweet agreement with the whole of the old and new Testament, on this point. From the preceding texts it evidently appears, that Christ was not speaking of himself as God, but as man. As God he was not sent by another; but as man, he was sent into the world. As God he had not been taught of another, but as man, he spake as he had been taught of his Father.