(2) Wonder Magnified in Mary and Joseph Thus the Spirit-led man, prepared by a life of harmony with God's will and Spirit, recognized the Divine Nature of Jesus immediately upon coming into this presence of the Son of God. Simeon had come to the Temple by Divine plan and direction. Thus there was fulfilled, before the eyes of Mary and Joseph, another prophecy that concerned their Son. Thus there culminated in Him another chain of strangely ordered events from without. Thus there was heard another outburst of praise, exalting the Child Jesus as the Messiah of Israel, and the Savior of the world. Thus was seen another prophetic interweaving of the Birth, and the Divine Nature of Christ, with tangible experiences in other lives hitherto unrelated to the Child. No one will wonder that Mary and Joseph, with increasing astonishment, "were marvelling at the things that were spoken concerning Him." The Parents marvelled that Simeon so quickly recognized the true Nature of the Son of God. And this amazement would (3) Simeon's Discriminating Benediction naturally be increased by the two things that were yet to happen on this occasion. The first of these was Simeon's address to Mary and Joseph. The statement is made, that "Simeon blessed them." They could scarcely have failed to notice his careful discrimination in not blessing the Child Jesus. In the sense of this benediction, men do not bless a God. After this discriminating benediction, Simeon spoke to Mary at some length about the work and destiny of the Lord Jesus Christ. The message was such as would unfailingly link his prophetic words with other similar prophecies about the Child that were already precious to Mary's wondering heart. The final incident in this scene was the appearance of Anna, and her testimony to the Infant Savior. She was old, and well (4) Anna's Testimony concerning the Lord Jesus seasoned in the service of God. She also, like Simeon, had the apperception of righteousness, which enables the pure in heart to see God. Coming thus, with a discerning spirit, into the presence of the Infant Savior, Anna also immediately recognized that the Child Jesus was the Son of God, and she "spake of Him to all them that were looking for the Redemption of Jerusalem." Thus was wonder added to wonder while the Infant Lord was in the ancient and holy Temple. But there was still another occasion on which was increased the wonder which had already attached to the Birth and Infancy of the Son of God. The Fact of His Birth, and possibly the 4. Star-Led Journey of The Wise Men from the East Matthew 2:1-12 miraculous nature of it, had been manifested far beyond the place of its occurrence. Far in the East, the Three Wise Men, if the traditional number of them is to be accepted, had learned the Fact, through the medium of Prophecy, and possibly also by direct revelation from God. They had "seen His Star in the East, and (had) come to worship Him." Following their Guilding Star, they came to Jerusalem, and called for the Infant "King of the Jews." This form of their inquiry brought them into an encounter with King Herod. But after they had further consulted their Guide-Book of Prophecy, they found the Child Jesus at Bethlehem. They had come to see a King. They saw Jesus, and recognized Him as God. Then they gave Him worship, such as was fitting to His Divine Char acter. 5. Providential Notice to Wicked King Herod Matthew 2:1-23 Finally, the extraordinary facts of this Child Jesus were brought circumstantially before the jealous and treacherous mind of King Herod. At once Herod's desire was to destroy this Child, said to be "born King of the Jews." But those evil intentions of Herod were thwarted by the higher plans of God. Herod had sought to find Jesus through information had from the Wise Men of the East. But by a dream, sent for that purpose, God directed the Wise Men to go home another way, and thus to avoid meeting again with Herod. By another dream, God directed Joseph to seek safety for the Child in the Land of Egypt. This instruction was in direct fulfillment of another ancient prophecy concerning the Infant Savior. Thus Herod was thwarted, and should have been instructed. His frenzied massacre of the innocent children of Bethlehem only fulfilled another prophecy in support of the Christ. But Herod was blind to the extraordinary element of the situation: for there was written across the very face of this special providential care of the Child a fact which any but a Herod might have recognized. But Herod had no eyes to see, and no heart to accept. His apperception was only evil for evil. Therefore he blundered on in his conflict with God. At length, Herod stumbled out into outer darkness, leaving the Child of Prophecy free to return to His quiet home in the town of Nazareth. IV. The Open Declaration by Christ Himself of His Own Divine Nature Jesus Said, "I Pro- One interesting question yet remains concerning the early period of Christ's life. Did Jesus Himself know the secret truth about His own Divine Parentage? Did He grow up, supposing Himself to be the son of Joseph? Did Jesus know at all that He was the Son of God? In His later Life-Work, the Lord Jesus showed a definite consciousness of His eternal pre-existence with His Father in Heaven.® But what shall be said of that consciousness during this earlier period of His life? The public ministry of Jesus began when He was about thirty years of age. The intervening years, from Childhood to Manhood, were years of growth, and of realization too deep for extended record. Three things only have been recorded out of all that intervening period. However, all of these things bear upon the question now under consideration. Central among these recorded facts, as will presently appear, was the mutual recognition, between Jesus and His Mother, of the fundamental truth about His own Birth. Natural Growth: Physical, Intellec Matthew 2:23 Luke 2:39-40 I. The Early Natural Development of the Child Jesus. First, there is a definite statement about the natural development of the Child Jesus during the first part of this early period. This first stage of early development was a preliminary necessity as leading up to tual, and Spiritual the time when the central fact of mutual recognition took place. In Nazareth, as the records have stated, "the Child grew, and waxed strong, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon Him." This brief statement covers the life of Jesus during those ten years between the Return from Egypt and the memorable Visit to the Temple, when Jesus was twelve years of age. But this statement, brief as it is, is a complete record in itself, and quite full enough for clearness, when it is rightly understood. "My Father, and 2. The Mutual Recognition, between Mother and Son, of the Great Secret of the Lord's Birth. The right understanding of the above brief record is seen best from the standpoint of the later incident in the Temple. In general, the meaning seems to be this. The Birth of Jesus belonged essentially to the Human side Luke 2:41-50 6 See Chapter I, Section I, 3, (pages 14-17). of His Nature. Considered on its human side alone, the question of parentage would not arise until a certain degree of maturity had been attained. If the question had arisen earlier, it would have had, humanly speaking, no real significance. Such a question begins to have meaning only with the earlier years of adolescent development. Speaking humanly, and with great reverence, one may say that this general law of life fits perfectly into the recorded facts in the life of Jesus at that time. In that more tropical country, with its oriental forward development of life, the Lord Jesus, by the age of twelve years, had reached that stage in His human development when the question of parentage might have arisen with significance. With Him the question had arisen. Did He know the secret fact of His Birth? Did Mary even suspect that her Son Jesus knew the secret which she had so long pondered in her own heart? ner of This Recognition The answer to this question has been fully recorded. It is found in the story of the Visit of Jesus to Jerusalem when He was twelve years old. This answer, as 1. Setting and Man- therein revealed, is full of far-reaching significance in its bearing upon the Divine Nature of Jesus Christ. The story is universally known. Jesus had gone, with His Parents, to the Passover Feast. He had visited the City and the Temple. Later He had been lost from the home-going party. Mary and Joseph had sought for Him diligently, and had at last found Him among the doctors in the Temple, "both hearing them, and asking them questions: and all that heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers." That is the first part of the story; but that part was only the setting of the stage, as it were, for the central and all-important thing that followed. That central thing was the conversation which took place, there in the Temple, between the Lord Jesus and His Mother. That conversation was made up of an address by the Mother to her Son, and the reply which He made to her. The Mother's address contained two things. The first was a question, which was asked with an obvious mingling of motherlove and mild remonstrance. When Mary and Joseph saw Jesus in the Temple, they were astonished at Him. Then Mary said, certainly with a tone of anxiety and suppressed complaint, "Son, why hast Thou dealt with us thus?" That was her first thought. Her second thought was in the form of a statement, which contained an error in point of fact. "Thy father and I," she said, "have sought Thee sorrowing." (1) Mary's Question She thus spoke of Joseph as the father of her Son Jesus. and Error (2) Christ's Reply and Correction The Lord Jesus at once made reply, dealing directly with both of the points in the address of His Mother. His first note was one of wonder, which He expressed in the form of a counter question. "How is it that ye sought Me?" He said to her. Certainly His words were expressive either of wonder, or of mild reproach. But at what exactly was He wondering? What was the tone and manner of His expression? These questions grow in interest as one more fully realizes the situation. Certainly, also, the thing that Jesus then had in mind was closely related to His next thought. Immediately He corrected His Mother's error of fact. This He did by asking her another question. "Did ye not know," He said to her, "that I must be in My Father's house?" Thus, in a gentle but very definite way, Jesus suggested that God was His Father. 2. Significance of This Recognition Mary had forgotten. For the one time in her life, and that but for a moment, Mary had forgotten the secret of her Son's Birth. But that one lapse of memory served to bring to her a profound revelation. Henceforth she was to know that her Son Jesus knew the secret mystery of His own Divine Parentage, and His own consequent Divine Nature. The records say that "they (evidently the company present) understood not the saying which He spake unto them." They knew not the secret which lay back of His words. But how did Jesus know that secret? What must have been the electric effect of His words upon Mary! She had now another wonder of wonders to add to those which she was already pondering in her secret heart. This conversation shows plainly that Jesus did know the secret of His own Birth. This incident shows also that He was fully aware of what that secret signified as to His own Nature and Personality. The revelation that Jesus Himself knew these things practically completed His Life-Story in this earlier period. This fact, which was so well established, almost rounded out the secret mystery of His Birth, and its great significance for His conscious Personality and His Life-Work." 3. The Subsequent Growth and Development of Jesus. One |