Monday Meditation
February 02, 2015
From the desk of Dr. A.J. Higgins
His Flesh
There are three mentions of the “flesh” of the Son of God in the Hebrew letter. Each reference is linked with a different truth.
In Hebrews 2:14 it is linked with His entrance into our world. Since we are partakers of blood and flesh, He in like manner took part of the very same things that He might accomplish the great work of redemption. Notice however that this verse is stressing that for Him it was voluntary. He is the only One Who ever chose to come into this world. More amazing is that the only One Who could choose when, where, and how He would come, would choose to come to a subject nation, to peasant parents, in an obscure village called Nazareth.
His “partaking” was not only voluntary but was identical. He “took part of the same.” He was a real man but not a mere man. Absolute and perfect manhood was His; yet He was altogether apart from sin.
Finally, His “partaking” was purposeful. He partook of blood and flesh with a view to death. Every other person born into our world has been born to live; He was born for the purpose of death. We seek to cram as much as we can into our lives; He sought to put away all that He did through His death.
In Hebrews 5:7 we read of “the days of His flesh.” Here the term is linked with His experiences as a man amongst us. Those days were marked by learning the price of obedience. They were punctuated by tears and pressed in by sorrows. His experiences were in real, genuine flesh. He felt as no other could feel. He experienced the sorrows of life as no one else did. He alone knew what life would have been like had sin never entered God’s creation. He knew what life could be like for humankind if it turned to God. He alone could measure the distance between what “was” and what “could have been.” As a result, He alone could feel the intensity of the sorrow all around Him.
Hebrews 10:20 is the third and final mention of “His flesh.” We are told of the privilege we have for our entrance into the holiest – a new and living way inaugurated for us through the veil. This pathway in to the holiest is made possible because of two things: His blood shed at Calvary (19), and the flesh which He has taken into the very presence of God. A living man now sits in heaven as our Great High Priest. His presence there makes it possible for every child of God to enjoy full and complete access: hearts have been purged from sin and bodies have been washed from their defilement. This final reference to His “flesh” reminds us of His exit from earth and His entrance into heaven.
In “flesh” He came; in flesh He suffered; in flesh He returned to the throne above. He will never divest Himself of Manhood but shall forever be linked with His Bride.
Consider:
- Each of the mentions of His flesh is a lead in to His High Priestly work. Why do you think manhood was so critical to being an effective High Priest?
2. Hebrews 2:16 says that in taking flesh and laying hold of the seed of Abraham, He did not lay hold of angels. He did not provide salvation for angels. Why do you think this is?
___________________________________________________________