When the fullness of time came God sent his Son, his eternal wisdom, the substance of his own glory, into this world, who took the nature of humanity from the substance of a woman, a virgin, by means of the Holy Ghost. And so was born the "just seed of David," the "Angel of the great counsel of God," the very Messiah promised, whom we confess and acknowledge to be Emmanuel, true God and true man, two perfect natures united and joined in one person.
4But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,5so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.… (Galatians 4:4,5)
Thoughts: Knox elaborates on the person of Christ on this section on the Incarnation of Christ. Jesus is:
1) The Son- of the same essence and mind as the Father, yet separate.
2) His eternal wisdom- The Word (logos) of God is also the wisdom coming from God to us.
3) The substance of His glory- Jesus is the radiance of God's glory of the same essence/substance.
4) Took on the nature of humanity- Jesus was both divine and human.
5) A Virgin by means of the Holy Ghost- The Spirit enabled Mary to conceive. This was a both a supernatural and theological statement. Jesus was not an ordinary human- but extraordinary.
6) Just seed of David- Jesus was from the line of David- and was the way in which David's line continues to rule.
7) Angel of the Great Counsel of God- Jesus is the "messenger" (Angel means messenger) of God's great news of grace and care. He is the Living message- the Living Word but also the Living Messenger.
8) Messiah- anointed one- appointed and called to be our savior.
9) Emmanuel- God with us- abiding and dwelling with us.
10) True God and true man- not half and half; not one more than the other- but fully of each.
11) Two perfect natures united in one person- He was not two different beings- one divine for awhile and the other human for awhile. He was not schizophrenic- divided in Himself. Rather Jesus was perfectly whole- and shows us how to have peace within ourselves and with God.
These titles of Jesus emphasize that Jesus is not just a teacher, or a good man- as we might emphasize today. Knox was not afraid to see God at work in extraordinary ways. He experienced it in his own life. If we think of it, we probably could also point to God working in extraordinary ways pointing us to the person of Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Lord, help me to see you more clearly. May my wisdom submit to your greatest Wisdom.
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