There are many scriptures which, though not 1 expressly stating the deity of the Lord Jesus, infer it. Among these, the beautiful incentive to Christian giving in 2 Cor. 8 :9, has its place :

" For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich."

"Though He was rich." This could not be applied to His earthly pathway. The circumstances surrounding His birth all point to poverty. The manger-cradle, the offering brought by Mary on the day of her purification and the Lord's presentation (see Luke 2 :22-24) was the poorest admissible by the law, which read, " If she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtle-doves or two young pigeons" (Lev. 12 :8). Then also His Nazareth home and lowly connections:" Is not this the carpenter ?" they said of Him.

If we think of His pathway in ministry, it is evident that earthly riches He had not. Dependent on the ministration of others (Luke 8:3), with "nowhere to lay His head," He certainly was not rich, as this world counts wealth !

The words therefore in 2 Cor. 8 can have but one application, viz.:to a prior existence-His deity is implied! " He was rich." Yes! rich in glory; the One whom the angels worshiped and served; the One who was before all things, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things; the Creator and Upholder, by whom all things subsist – the eternal god!

He laid aside His glory, left His glorious estate, became poor, and was found in fashion as a man. No creature could rightly leave his first estate:to do so, would be to violate the bounds which God has set. Our first parents did this with direful consequences; a path of self-will has and ever must produce the bitterest fruit. But thus in self-abasement DEITY expressed itself, and the rich grace of a Saviour-God was made known. That mighty down-stoop was taken in deepest love, and out of the depths of His voluntary poverty we have been eternally enriched-rich in blessing now, enriched in glory by and by. The memory of it all surely bows our hearts in adoration, and we sing :

"Were the whole realm of nature ours,
That were an offering far too small;
Love that transcends our highest powers
Demands our lives, our souls, our all."

May the memory of that unselfish, infinite grace ever be before us, while we wait the full realization of our hope, and see His face. J. W. H. N.