Chapter 4

Secondly, the Son was an Agent in this great work, concurring by a voluntary acceptance, or willing undertaking of the office imposed on him: for when the Lord said, sacrifice and offerings, section 1, he would not, in burnt offerings and sacrifice for sin he had no pleasure, then said Christ, look, I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me to do your will O God (Hebrews 10:17-18). All other ways being rejected or insufficient, Christ undertakes the task, in whom alone the Father was well pleased (Matthew 3:13). Hence he professes that he came not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him (John 6:38), yes that it was his food and drink, to do his Father's will, and to finish his work (John 4:34). The first words that we find recorded of him in Scripture are to the same purpose, did you not know, that I must be about my Father's business? (Luke 2:49), and at the close of all he says, I have glorified you on earth, I have finished the work which you gave me to do (John 17:4), calling it everywhere his Father's work that he did, or his Father's will which he came to accomplish, with reference to the imposition, which we before treated of. Now this undertaking of the Son may be referred to three heads: the first being a common foundation for both the others, being as it were the means in respect of them as the End, and yet in some sort partaking of the nature of a distinct action, with a goodness in itself, in reference to the main end proposed to all three; we shall consider it apart: and that is

First his Incarnation, as usually it is called, for his taking of flesh, section 2, and pitching his tent among us (John 1:4), his being made of a woman (Galatians 4:4), is usually called his Incarnation, for this was the mystery of godliness, that God should be manifested in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:13), thereby assuming not any singular person but our human nature into personal union with himself; for, forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil (Hebrews 2:14). It was the children that he considered, the children whom the Lord gave him (verse 13), their participation in flesh and blood, moved him to partake of the same: not because all the world, all the posterity of Adam, but because the children were in that condition, for their sakes he sanctified himself. Now this emptying of the Deity, this humbling of himself, this dwelling among us, was the sole act of the second Person or the Divine nature in the second Person, the Father and the Spirit having no concurrence in it, but by liking, approbation, and eternal counsel.

Secondly, his oblation or offering himself up to God for us, section 3, without spot to purge our consciences from dead works (Hebrews 9:14), for he loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood (Revelation 1:5); he loved his Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it (Ephesians 5:25-26), taking the cup of wrath at his Father's hands, due to us, and drinking it off, but not for himself (Daniel 9:6), for, for our sakes he sanctified himself (John 17:19), that is, to be an offering, an oblation for sin; for when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6). This being that, which was typified out by all the institutions, ordinances and sacrifices of old, which when they were to have an end then said Christ, Look, I come to do your will. Now though the perfecting or consummating of this oblation, be set out in the scripture chiefly in respect of what Christ suffered, and not so much in respect of what he did, because it is chiefly considered as the means used by these three blessed Agents, for the attaining of a further end, yet in respect of his own voluntary giving up himself, to be so an oblation and a sacrifice, without which it would not have been of any value, (for if the will of Christ had not been in it, it could never have purged our sins) therefore in that regard, I refer it to his actions. He was the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29), the lamb of God, which himself had provided for a sacrifice; and how did this lamb behave himself in it? With unwillingness, and struggling? No, he opened not his mouth, he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before the shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth (Isaiah 53:7). From which he says, I lay down my life, no man takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself, I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again (John 10:17-18). He might have been crucified on the part of God, but his death could not have been an oblation and offering had not his will concurred. But he loved me said the Apostle, and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20). Now that alone deserves the name of a gift, which is from a free and willing mind, as Christ's was, when he loved us and gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance (Ephesians 5:2). He does it cheerfully, Look, I come to do your will O my God (Hebrews 9:10), and so his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24). Now this oblation or offering of Christ, I would not tie up to any one thing, action, or passion, performance or suffering, but it comprises the whole economy and dispensation of God manifested in the flesh, and conversing among us, with all those things which he performed in the days of his flesh, when he offered up prayers and supplications, with strong cries and tears, until he had fully by himself purged our sins, and sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3), expecting until his enemies be made his footstool. All the whole dispensation of his coming and ministering, until he had given his soul a price of redemption for many (Matthew 26). But for his entering into the holiest of holies, sprinkled with his own blood, and appearing so for us, before the majesty of God, by some accounted as the continuation of his oblation we may refer unto third, his Intercession, for all and every one of those, for whom he gave, section 4, himself for an oblation, he did not suffer for them, and then refuse to intercede for them, he did not do the greater, and omit the lesser. The price of our redemption is more precious in the eyes of God and his Son, than that it should (as it were) be cast away on perishing souls, without any care taken, of what becomes of them afterwards. Nay, this also is imposed on Christ, with a promise annexed. Ask of me (said the Lord) and I will give you the nations, for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession (Psalm 2:8). Who accordingly tells his disciples, that he had more work to do for them in heaven, I go, said he, to prepare a place for you, that I may come again and receive you unto myself (John 14:2-3). For as the high priest went into the second tabernacle alone, once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and the errors of the people (Hebrews 9:7), so Christ having come a high Priest of good things to come, by his own blood entered once into the holy place having obtained for us eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:11-12). Now what was this holy place whereinto he entered, thus sprinkled with the blood of the Covenant, and to what end did he enter into it? Why; he is not entered into the holy place, made with hands, which is the figure of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us (verse 24), and what does he there appear for? Why; to be our advocate to plead our cause with God, for the application of the good things, procured by his oblation unto all them for whom he was an offering; as the Apostle tells us, if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1). Why? How does that come to pass? He is a propitiation for our sins (verse 2); his being a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, is the foundation of his interceding, the ground of it: and therefore they both belong to the same persons. Now (by the way) we know, that Christ refused to pray for the world, in opposition to his elect: I pray for them said he, I pray not for the world, but for them you have given me, out of the world (John 17:9); and therefore there was no foundation for such an interceding for them, because he was not a propitiation for them. Again, we know the Father always hears the Son, for I know said he, that he hears me always (John 11:42), that is so to grant his request, according to the aforementioned engagement (Psalm 2:8), and therefore if he should intercede for all; all should undoubtedly be saved. For he is able to save to the uttermost, them that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25). Hence is that confidence of the Apostle, upon that intercession of Christ, Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies, who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yes rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us (Romans 8:33-34). Where also we cannot but observe, that those for whom he died, may assuredly conclude he makes intercession for them, and that none shall lay anything to their charge: which breaks the neck of the general ransom, for according to that, he died for millions, that have no interest in his intercession, who shall have their sins laid to their charge, and perish under them. Which might be further cleared up, from the very nature of this intercession, which is not a humble dejected supplication, which is unbecoming that glorious state of advancement, which he is possessed of, that sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high; but an authoritative presenting himself before the throne of his Father, sprinkled with his own blood, for the making out to his people all spiritual things that are procured by his oblation; saying, Father, I will that those whom you have given me be where I am (John 17). So that for whomsoever he suffered, he appears for them in heaven with his satisfaction and merit. Here also, we must call to mind what the Father promised his Son, upon his undertaking of this employment; for there is no doubt, but that for that, and that alone does Christ upon the accomplishment of the whole, intercede with him about, which was in sum, that he might be the Captain of salvation to all that believe on him, and effectually bring many sons to glory. And hence it is, having such a high Priest over the house of God, we may draw near with the full assurance of faith, for by one offering he has perfected them that are sanctified (Hebrews 10:13). But of this more must be said afterwards.

The Son was also an agent in this great work, participating through His voluntary acceptance and willing assumption of the office assigned to Him. When God indicated that He took no pleasure in sacrifices, offerings, and burnt offerings for sin, Christ said, "Behold, I have come — in the scroll of the book it is written of Me — to do Your will, O God" (Hebrews 10:7-8). With all other ways rejected or insufficient, Christ took on the task — He in whom alone the Father was well pleased (Matthew 3:17). He openly declared that He came not to do His own will, but the will of the One who sent Him (John 6:38), and that it was His food and drink to do His Father's will and to complete His work (John 4:34). The first words we find recorded of Him in Scripture express the same: "Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?" (Luke 2:49). At the close of His earthly life He said, "I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do" (John 17:4). Throughout His ministry He consistently referred to what He did as His Father's work or His Father's will that He came to fulfill — always in reference to the office the Father had appointed Him to. The Son's undertaking can be organized under three headings. The first serves as a common foundation for the other two — it functions as the means toward them as the end, yet in some sense stands as a distinct act with its own value in relation to the main goal of all three. We treat it separately.

The first is His incarnation. His taking on flesh and dwelling among us (John 1:14), His being born of a woman (Galatians 4:4), is commonly called the incarnation. This was the mystery of godliness: that God was manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). In doing so He assumed not an individual human person but our human nature itself into personal union with Himself. Since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself also took on the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death — that is, the devil (Hebrews 2:14). It was the children He had in view — the children the Father gave Him (verse 13). Their sharing in flesh and blood was what moved Him to share in the same. It was not because all the world and all the descendants of Adam were in that condition, but because those children were — and for their sake He consecrated Himself. This emptying of Himself, this humbling, this dwelling among us, was the sole act of the second Person of the Trinity, or rather of the divine nature in the second Person. The Father and the Spirit had no part in it except by approval, agreement, and eternal counsel.

The second act of the Son is His oblation — His offering of Himself to God for us, without blemish, to cleanse our consciences from dead works (Hebrews 9:14). He loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood (Revelation 1:5). He loved the Church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her (Ephesians 5:25-26). He took from His Father's hands the cup of wrath that was owed to us and drank it completely — not for His own sake (Daniel 9:26) — for He consecrated Himself for our sake (John 17:19), that is, to be an offering, a sacrifice for sin. While we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6). This is what all the institutions, ordinances, and sacrifices of the old covenant foreshadowed. When they were to come to an end, Christ said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will." Although the completion of this offering is presented in Scripture primarily in terms of what Christ suffered rather than what He did — since it is considered mainly as the means these three blessed agents used to achieve a further end — it was His own voluntary self-giving that made it an oblation and sacrifice at all. Without His willing participation it would have had no value. If Christ's own will had not been in it, it could never have cleansed our sins. In that regard, I place it under the category of His actions. He was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29) — the Lamb God Himself had provided as a sacrifice. And how did this Lamb conduct Himself in it? With reluctance and resistance? No. He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, He did not open His mouth (Isaiah 53:7). He said Himself, "I lay down My life; no one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again" (John 10:17-18). God the Father could have had Him crucified, but His death could not have been an offering had His own will not concurred. "He loved me," said the apostle, "and gave Himself up for me" (Galatians 2:20). Only what is given freely and willingly deserves to be called a gift — and Christ's was exactly that, when He loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma (Ephesians 5:2). He did it gladly: "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God" (Hebrews 10:9). And so He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). Now I would not confine this oblation of Christ to any single act, action, suffering, performance, or event. Rather, it encompasses the whole work and ministry of God manifest in the flesh — His entire earthly life and all He accomplished during the days of His flesh, including the prayers and supplications He offered with loud crying and tears, until He had by Himself fully purged our sins and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3), waiting for His enemies to be made His footstool. His entire ministry and coming — until He had given His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). But His entering the most holy place, sprinkled with His own blood, and appearing there before God on our behalf — which some count as a continuation of His oblation — we may refer to the third act: His intercession. For everyone for whom He gave Himself as an offering, He did not then refuse to intercede. He did not do the greater thing and leave out the lesser. The price of our redemption is too precious in the sight of God and His Son to be, as it were, cast away on perishing souls with no concern for what becomes of them afterward. Indeed, this too is laid upon Christ, with a promise attached. "Ask of Me," said the Lord, "and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession" (Psalm 2:8). Accordingly, Christ told His disciples He had more work to do for them in heaven: "I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:2-3). Just as the high priest entered the second room of the tabernacle alone once a year, carrying blood he offered for himself and the mistakes of the people (Hebrews 9:7), so Christ came as a high priest of the good things to come and through His own blood entered the holy place once for all, having secured eternal redemption for us (Hebrews 9:11-12). What is this holy place He entered, sprinkled with the blood of the covenant, and for what purpose did He enter? He did not enter a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true. He entered heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us (verse 24). And what does He appear there for? He is our advocate, pleading our cause before God, applying to all those for whom He was an offering the good things His oblation secured. As the apostle says: "If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1). Why? How does that follow? He is the propitiation for our sins (verse 2). His being the propitiatory sacrifice for our sins is the foundation and ground of His interceding. Therefore, both His intercession and His propitiation belong to the same persons. We know, furthermore, that Christ refused to pray for the world as opposed to His elect. "I ask on their behalf," He said, "I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me out of the world" (John 17:9). There was therefore no foundation for interceding for those outside the elect, because He was not a propitiation for them. We also know the Father always hears the Son: "I know that You always hear Me" (John 11:42) — that is, God grants His requests, in keeping with the earlier promise of Psalm 2:8. If then Christ were to intercede for all people, all people would undoubtedly be saved. "He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). This is the basis of the apostle's confidence, grounded in Christ's intercession: "Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us" (Romans 8:33-34). We cannot help but notice here that those for whom He died can be certain He intercedes for them, and that no one will bring a charge against them. This destroys the idea of a general ransom. Under that view, He died for millions who have no share in His intercession, whose sins will be charged against them, and who will perish under them. This is further clarified by the nature of this intercession. It is not a humble, pleading petition — which would be unbecoming of the glorious state of exaltation He now possesses at the right hand of the Majesty on high. It is an authoritative presentation of Himself before His Father's throne, sprinkled with His own blood, to secure for His people all the spiritual blessings procured by His oblation. He declares: "Father, I desire that those also whom You have given Me be with Me where I am" (John 17:24). So for everyone He suffered for, He appears in heaven on their behalf with His satisfaction and merit. We must also recall what the Father promised the Son upon His undertaking of this mission. There is no doubt that what Christ intercedes for, upon completing the whole work, is precisely what was promised — namely, that He would be the captain of salvation to all who believe in Him and would effectively bring many sons to glory. Therefore, having such a high priest over the house of God, we may draw near with full assurance of faith, for by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:14). But more will need to be said on this later.