It's common to hear people speak of the death of Jesus as simply according to His human nature. This is insisted upon because it is assumed that His 'divine nature' could have nothing to do with death. It's less common to hear the same people trumpeting the resurrection as simply according to His human nature. Why? Because the resurrection is tied in the closest possible way to Christ's divine identification:
He was declared with power to be the Son of God, by His resurrection. (Rom 1:4)
God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36)
For many it seems that the death of Jesus is quite a human thing. And His resurrection something more divine. But this is wrong.
First, Jesus death is considered similarly to be an identification of Jesus' divinity:
e.g. "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM WHO I AM." (John 8:28)
Second, Jesus divinity is not spoken of as separate from His humanity at any point, including (and perhaps especially) His crucifixion:
They... have crucified the Lord of Glory. (1 Cor 2:8)
In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!" (Rev 5:12)
Third, the whole of salvation - incarnation, life, death, resurrection and ascension - is accomplished by the Man Christ Jesus. And at the same time He is never anything less than the eternal Word of the Father.
Fourth, we just don't have a high enough view of Man. Man is the true ruler of the cosmos (Psalm 8). Man is the Head of creation. Seated on the throne of the world is Man - and this has always been God's intention. Though Adam was a corrupted and corrupting king, even so God showed the importance of man. God took Adam's rule very seriously. He tied the destiny of the whole creation to the actions of this king. And now with Adam's Lord - the true King, the heavenly Man (1 Cor 15:47-49) - comes the restoration of all things:
Since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead came also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ will all be made alive. (1 Cor 15:21-22).
Christ's work in reversing Adam's failures could be nothing other than the work of Man - true Man. And at the same time His triumph could be nothing other than the triumph of God - redeeming, reconciling, ruling. To be true Man can never be at odds with 'the divine nature.' The divine nature shines forth at its strongest in this Man - the Head of the New Creation.
So this easter rejoice in Man restored. Rejoice in the true King and Head who summed up all your Adam-ness and put it away for good. He rose up again as King, bringing His Kingdom with Him. His resurrection renewed Himself, His people and the whole earth.
In the meantime you have your flesh from Adam and your Spirit from Christ. You are, for now, the scene of an almighty struggle. You groan. Creation groans. The Spirit of God groans. But when Christ is revealed so too will His Kingdom be revealed. You and the whole earth will be reborn and renewed under the rule of Man.
Praise God
Great post!!! I could not agree more!
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