Works of John Bunyan: LIGHT FOR THEM THAT SIT IN DARKNESS. 395

 

QUEST. SECOND. What it was for Jesus to come into the world.

Answ. Not his coming in, or by his Spirit in his people; for so he was never out of the world. Neither is it his appearance in his ordinances. Nor that coming of his by which he destroyed Antichrist. Nor his appearing in his dreadful providences or judgments. But by the coming of Jesus, according to the text, we are to understand that, or such a coming, whereby he was manifest to be God-man in one person; God in our flesh without us, or distinct in his own person by himself; such a coming by which he was manifested to be in all points like as men are, sin only excepted; such a coming wherein, or by which, the Son of God became also the Son of man.

[First.] To clarify this further, you find it expressly said he was 'born into the world'; Mary, 'of whom was born Jesus.' When Jesus was born, it is said, 'Where is he that is born King of the Jews?' Herod 'demanded of them where Christ should be born' (Matt 1:16, 2:1, 2,4; Luke 1:35, 2:11).

Now that this was fulfilled according to the very word of the text, without any juggle, evasion, or cunningly devised fable, consider—

1. He is called the firstborn of this woman, the male child who opened her womb (Luke 2:7, 23).

2. He was not born till nourished in her womb the whole time, according to the time of life: 'And so it was, that while they were there [at Bethlehem], the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. She brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger (Luke 2:6,7).

3. She also continued in her separation at the birth of Jesus, as other women at the birth of their children, until 'the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished' (Luke 2:22).

4. Like other Hebrew children, he was brought to Jerusalem to present himself to the Lord—' As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opened the womb shall be called holy to the Lord' (Luke 2:23, 24).

5. Thus, Jesus also, like other Hebrew children, was circumcised when the set day came—' And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb' (Luke 2:21).

6. After this, he is often called the young child, the child Jesus; further, it is said that he grew and increased in wisdom and stature (Matt 2:20, 21; Luke 2:40, 52).

Behold with what diligence, even to a circumstance, the Holy Ghost sets forth the birth of the Lord Jesus and all to convince the incredulous world of the proper manner of the coming of the Saviour into the world.

Second. The reality of this Lord Jesus's manhood is yet further manifest, and that, 1. by those natural infirmities that attend human flesh; 2. by the names the prophets gave him in the days of the Old Testament and the New Testament.

1. By those natural infirmities that attend human flesh. As, at his birth, he could not go but was carried by his parents. He was sensible of hunger (Luke 4:2). He was sensible of thirst (John 19:28). He was sensible of weariness (John 4:6). He was nourished by sleep (Mark 4:38). He was subject to grief (Mark 3:5). He was subject to anger (Mark 3:5). He was subject to weep (John 11:35; Luke 19:41). He had joy as a man, and rejoiced (Matt 11:25; Luke 10:21). These things, I say, Jesus was subject to as a man, as the son of the Virgin.

2. The reality of his manhood is yet made manifest by the names the prophets gave him, both in the Old Testament and in the New. As,

(1.) He is called the 'seed'—the seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham, the seed of David—which means he was to come from their children (Gen 3:15, 12, 22; Gal 3:16,17; Rom 1:3).

(2.) Therefore, it is added (where mention is made of the fathers), 'of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came.' He was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and hence again he called himself the offspring of David; therefore, I say, he is said to be of their flesh, their loins, and is called their Son (Rom 1:3, 4:5; Acts 2:30; Rev 22:16).

(3.) He, therefore, is frequently called 'a man, and the Son of man'—' Then shall you see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven.' 'When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him.' 'This man, because he continued ever, had an unchangeable priesthood.' 'Wherefore, it is necessary that this man have somewhat also to offer' (Matt 25:31, 26:64; Heb 7:24, 8:3, 10:12).

(4.) What shall I say? He gave an undeniable demonstration of all this when he said he 'was dead'; when he called to Thomas to put his finger to, and behold his hands, to reach to him his hand and thrust it into his side, and bid him he should not be faithless, but believing. At another time, when he stood in the midst of the eleven, as they were troubled with the thoughts of unbelief, he said, 'Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I; handle me, and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have' (John 20:27; Luke 24:39).

Thus, I have shown you what it was for Jesus to come into the world—namely, to be born of a woman, to take flesh, and to become God-man in one person. I come now to the third question, but before I speak mainly to that, I will produce further testimony that we find upon record concerning the truth of all this.