SEPTEMBER 28TH, 1926

SEPTEMBER 28TH, 1926

MY DEAR BROTHER, — I would say, with reference to the questions which you ask, that I believe “that which is natural”, 1 Corinthians 15: 46, refers to the order of life in which the first man Adam became a living soul. I do not know that the word “natural” is ever applied in the Scriptures to the Lord Jesus. We do read that the Word became flesh, and Christ could be known according to flesh; “the days of his flesh” are spoken of, referring to a condition in which He is now no longer. He was born, and grew, and ate and drank and slept, etc., and all this may be spoken of as natural in the sense that it refers to what belongs to man’s condition here as in flesh and blood, yet His humanity was unique on account of who He was. In speaking of the Lord Jesus it is of the utmost importance to keep close to Scripture, for its language is wiser than ^[p. 150] ours, and many, as you observe, have fallen into pits by adding expressions of their own. In Him we see manhood in the power of the Holy Spirit; He was conceived of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin. This is, obviously, quite outside and above the order of nature. No one could believe in the Incarnation without realising the unique character of His manhood, who, though come of woman, and of Israel, and of David’s seed according to flesh, is “over all, God blessed for ever”. He was truly in man’s condition, but that condition derived a wholly new character from the One who was in it. His body was prepared of God, the holy Vessel for the manifestation of God in flesh, and for perfect obedience too — creature perfection — for it was characterised by ears being digged. So that the condition of humanity in Him was not what it was in Adam either before or after his fall. It was unique and incomparable — a wondrous contemplation for those who have spiritual eyes to see it, recognising Him to be the sent One of God.

Scripture clearly states that “as to the life of all flesh, its blood is the life in it”, and it is given upon the altar to make atonement, Leviticus 18. This is true of the life in which the Lord Jesus was here in flesh — a life which it was possible for Him to lay down for men, having come in grace for that very purpose. But He did not die by His blood being poured out, for God would have it to be manifested that His death was in no way a natural death. He laid down His life. He said, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself”. His death was unlike every other death; it was an exercise of His authority as having received commandment of His Father. But having laid down His life His blood was poured out, the witness of the reality of His death — the ending of that life in blood and flesh in which He had been here. And many scriptures speak of its efficacious sacrificial value, and of it in its character of witness.

Whether blood flows naturally from a dead body or not is quite immaterial; we know that it did so from the pierced side of the Lord Jesus. It was the evidence that His life here in blood and flesh had ended, and many scriptures tell us the precious and divine results of that death.

The Son of God was here as Man, having taken part in blood and flesh that He might die — not taking up our nature as sinful, save to bear the judgment of it vicariously upon the cross, for He was “the holy thing”, Luke 1: 35, “the holy one of God”, “him who knew not sin”. The note to Hebrews 2: 14 in the New Translation is an important one.

He did not take hold of angels by the hand, by taking up that order of being; He became Man, but it is to be noted that the Scripture does not speak of His taking hold of the seed of Adam, but of the seed of Abraham. That is, men are in view from the standpoint of divine calling. It supposes men being such by the call and work of God that He could take hold of them by the hand — a generation suited to Him as having faith, the saints that are on the earth, the excellent. They are “the children”, “his brethren”, “the people” standing in relation to God. Though subject to bondage through fear of death, and needing propitiation to be made for their sins, and help as tempted, they are viewed as subjects of divine calling. The place that He takes in grace in relation to such is before the mind of the Spirit, not His relation to men in general, but it necessitated His becoming a Man, taking part in blood and flesh condition. That condition was in Him unique. He was truly the Seed of the woman, conceived and brought forth by the virgin, her first-born Son, truly Man, but His humanity was by divine power altogether of its own order as without sin. The body in which He was found here was the prepared and holy vessel in which God was manifested in flesh, and in which every feature in Man that was delightful to God also had its full expression.

I just send you what comes before me in connection with your letter, with my love in the Lord to yourself and the brethren.

Yours affectionately in Him,

September 28th, 1926.