SOME FUNDAMENTALS -
THE PERFECTION OF THE LIFE OF JESUS
The life of Jesus stands in marked contrast to the life of every other man. He was a Man of another order altogether. Every day of His life was filled out for the pleasure of God, and how full those days were! His disciples contemplated His glory, a glory as of an only-begotten with a father, full of grace and truth. The four evangelists have written their gospels from different aspects, but all set out His perfection, whether as a Babe, a Child or a Man; He was absolutely unique.
Jehovah looked down from the heavens in David's day and His comment was, "There is none that doeth good, not even one", (Ps 14: 3). There is not a righteous man, not even one. But when He looked down more than a thousand years later He saw Jesus, a blessed Man who went through all quarters doing good, the only one who fulfilled all righteousness. He was the embodiment of goodness and righteousness. God had set out in the law of Moses His standard of righteousness, but all men had fallen miserably short. In Jesus, however, not one iota of the law was allowed to pass; all was fulfilled to God's entire satisfaction. The Lamb of God must necessarily be without blemish and without spot.
As to holiness, He was "holy, harmless, undefiled", Heb 7: 26. Before His birth His holiness as a babe was testified to by the angel, Gabriel; in His pathway He was hailed as "the holy one of God" (John 6: 69) and later He was described in prayer to God as "thy holy servant, Jesus", Acts 4: 27. How He must have shrunk in the intrinsic holiness of His Person from the unholiness and sin in this world around Him; and what it meant to Him to be "made sin" we shall never fathom.
As to sin, when faced by a strong force of opposers, He was able to challenge them with the question, "Which of you convinces me of sin?", John 8: 46. Writing under the control of the Spirit of God, Peter (who was so fully acquainted with the Lord) clearly spoke of Him as the One "who did no sin"; John testified that "In him sin is not", and Paul wrote of Him as "Him who knew not sin". These were not empty comments, for Satan himself had come forward to test Him with the most skilful temptations his experience could contrive, but Jesus proved completely victorious. The ruler of this world came and in Him he had nothing.
The Lord Jesus was fully devoted to God's will. His food was to do the will of Him that sent Him and finish His work. The Father's will involved the sorrows of Calvary but He could say° "not my will, but thine be done", Luke 22: 42. Ever in communion with the Father, He did always the things which were pleasing to Him. He was marked by perfect love to God and perfect love to man, and in love He laid down His perfect life that He might take it again. The hearts of all His saints are moved in adoration to Him.
W.E.Ellis