Let us
reverently consider the lowliness of the Son of God in self-abasement and
perfection of obedience to God when here as a Man among men. While Adam’s first
act, after being surrounded here with blessing, was to seek his own will,
involving his posterity in ruin and misery, Christ came into this world of
misery devoting Himself in love to do His Father’s will.

Coming down
here, the Son of God emptied Himself of all that was His by right. He came here
in devotedness to His Father, at all cost to Himself, that God might be
glorified. He was in the world, the obedient man, whose will was to do His
Father’s will and bring glory to God. It is impossible to read John’s Gospel,
or indeed any of the Gospels, without meeting at every moment this blessed
fragrance of loving obedience and self-renunciation. The wickedness of man all
around Him only gave force and blessedness to the self-abasement which never
faltered. The “I AM” who was here in perfectness of human obedience.

This is
revealed everywhere. Replying to the devil He answers, “It is written, Man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth
of God” (Matt. 4:4). “It is written” was His constant reply. “Suffer it to be
so now,” He says to John the Baptist, “Thus it becomes us to fulfill all
righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). To Peter He said, with regard to the question
about paying tribute, “Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we
should offend them … take, and give unto them for Me and you” (Matt. 17:24-27).
In John’s Gospel we read, “The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees
the Father do” (5:19). “As the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do”
(14:31). “I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (15:10).
Oh, humble, lowly Man! God’s beloved Son, in whom the Father found His delight!

All that was
pure, separate, and lovely in human nature was found in Jesus. There was no
unevenness in Him, no predominant quality to produce the effect of giving Him a
distinctive character. He was, though despised and rejected of men, the
perfection of human nature. The sensibilities, firmness, elevation, and calm
meekness that belong to human nature all found their perfect place in Him. In a
Paul we find energy and zeal; in a Peter, impetuousness and ardent affection;
in a John, tender sensibilities united with a desire to vindicate the One He
loved. But the qualities that we observe in Peter predominate and characterize
him (Matt. 16:22; 17:3; John 18:10,11). In a Paul, blessed servant though he
was, he tries to go into Bithynia but the Spirit does not let him (Acts 16:7).
He has no rest in his spirit when he does not find Titus, his brother, and goes
off to Macedonia, though a door was opened in Troas (2 Cor. 2:12,13). John, who
would have vindicated Jesus in His zeal, knew not what manner of spirit He was
of, and would have forbidden the work of God if a man walked not with them
(Luke 9:49-56). Such were Paul and Peter and John.

But in Jesus,
even as Man, there was none of this unevenness. There was nothing prominent in
His character because all was in perfect subjection to God in His humanity; all
had its place and did exactly its service, then disappeared. God was glorified
in it and all was in harmony. When meekness became Him, He was meek; when
indignation, who could stand before His overwhelming rebuke! He was gracious,
merciful and longsuffering to the chief of sinners (1 Tim. 2:13-16), but
unmoved by the heartless haughtiness of the cold Pharisee who was curious to
judge who He was (Luke 7:36-50). On the cross He was tender to His mother:in
human care He entrusted her to one who learned on His bosom; but He had no ear
to recognize her word or claim when His service occupied Him for God (Matt.
12:46-50). What calmness which disconcerted His adversaries! What moral power
which dismayed them at times! What meekness which drew out the hearts of all
not steeled by willful opposition! What keenness of spirit to separate between
the evil and the good!

In a word,
then, the humanity of Christ was perfect—all subject to God, all in immediate
answer to His will. “Praise His name!”

(From Help
and Food, Vol. 38.)