NOVEMBER 25TH, 1890

NOVEMBER 25TH, 1890

As I gather the truth, Christ is the last Adam — a life-giving Spirit (1 Corinthians 15:25), and the second Man (1 Corinthians 15:47). As the last Adam He stands alone as ^[p. 34] Head; John 17:2; 1 Corinthians 11:3. He gives life (who but God could do this?). As the second Man He is the pattern of the heavenly family — “as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly”, 1 Corinthians 15:48. Hence, when I view Him thus (though in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily), I think of Him in connection with the family — of what is true in Him and in them; 1 John 2:8. “As he is, so are we in this world”, 1 John 4:17. And this in itself does not involve all that is true of a divine Person, as self-existence, having life in Himself, etc., etc., or it would be true also of us, which is impossible. Christ is the second Man, and there is that which we have in common with Him. We “are all of one”, Hebrews 2:11. But then He is more — as well as being eternal life He is the true God (1 John 5:20), and in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead, every divine attribute. There is that which He has in common with the Father (John 5:26); though He as Son is the eternal source of it. I cannot imagine how anyone could think that “the second Man” covers all that is true of the Son, yet the second Man was out of heaven.

As regards the second passage underlined, I judge we have Jesus presented as the last Adam in the virtue of redemption in John 20:22; 1 John 5:6; the One coming, not by water only, but by water and blood (the Spirit also bears witness), and He is the second Man, for when He is manifested we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. In resurrection (1 Corinthians 15) He is revealed as last Adam and second Man, though ever such in His own Person, for the second Man is “out of heaven”.

F E. Raven.