EDITORS’ NOTE
As editors of Notes of Ministry, we often pray for the Lord’s help to ensure that what is published is according to the truth of Scripture, and that its meaning is clear. We are conscious of, and thankful for, the wide variety of Christian experience represented by our readership across the world in terms of age, background and spiritual experience, and we are responsible for ensuring that what is printed is not capable of misinterpretation.
Our attention has been drawn to a statement in the notes of a reading on the body of the Lord Jesus published in the July 2020 edition of the Notes (No. 572) which, on reflection, we should have edited more carefully before publication to remove any likelihood that it could be misunderstood. A remark was made at the top of page 7 about how it was always God’s purpose from eternity that Christ should become flesh by taking at His birth a body which had been prepared. It was remarked that we are not told when this happened.
The editors believe that the reference in the scripture being considered, “thou hast prepared me a body” (Heb.10:5) is to the body that was the Lord’s as a Man here from His birth onwards, and that it was prepared at His birth. It has been helpfully taught that the reference in Psalm 40 to what was prepared ‘belonged properly to Him in the body’ 2. But of course, the Lord’s taking up a body when He would come into this world had been in the purpose of God from eternity.
We should have distinguished more clearly between what was in the purpose of God in relation to the Lord Jesus coming into the world in manhood’s form, and the actual preparation of that holy body which is referred to in Luke 1:35. The purpose of God was before time, but the preparation of that body was at the incarnation. These are holy matters for our contemplation, and the Holy Spirit would help us to think about them with worshipful hearts, so that our affections might be stimulated freshly towards our Lord Jesus and His coming into this world as a Man.
We are deeply conscious of the need of divine help in the publication of Notes of Ministry, and would ask that you pray that this help might be granted to us by our blessed God.
John Brown
Paul Martin
Edited and published monthly by John Brown and Paul Martin
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