In the Gospel according to St. John (Fohn 7. 1) the evangelist
Word and Wisdom ok with what He proposed (Matt. iii. 17). He therefore loved Him because He undertook to lay down His life for the sheep. He was confident that He would go through with this work and not fail or fly off. The Son also rejoiced always before Him; delighted to do His work, stick close to His undertaking as one who was well satisfied in it. Lo, I come, to do as in the volume of the book it is written of me.
(e) The gracious concern He had for mankind (verse 31). Wisdom rejoiced, not so much in the rich products of the earth, or the treasure hid in the bowels of it, as in the habitable parts of it, for her '"'delights were with the sons of men"', not only in the creation of men—it is spoken with a peculiar air of pleasure (Gen. i. 27), ""Let us make man''—but in the redemption and salvation of man. The Son of God was ordained before the world to that great work (1 Pet. i. 20). A remnant of the sons of men were given Him to be brought through His grace to His glory. Those were they in whom His delights were. His Church was the habitable part of His earth; made habitable for Him, that the Lord God might dwell even among them that had been rebellious. This He rejoiced in—in the prospect of seeing His seed.
Though He foresaw all the difficulties He was to meet with in His work, the sufferings and services He would go through, yet, because it would issue in the glory of the Father and the salvation of those sons of men that were given Him, He looked forward to it with the greatest satisfaction imaginable, in which we have all the encouragement we can desire to come to Him, and rely upon Him for all the benefits designed us by that glorious undertaking of His.
3. THE WorD AND WISDOM
In the Gospel according to St. John (Fohn 7. 1) the evangelist is laying down the great truth He is to prove, that Jesus Christ is God, one with the Father.
First, observe of whom He speaks: '"'The Word". This is an idiom, peculiar to John's writings (cf. 1 John i. 1, v. 7; Rev. xix. 13). The Chaldee paraphrase very frequently calls the Messiah (Memra) the Word of Jehovah, and speaks of many things in the Old Testament, said to be done by the Lord, as done by that Word of the Lord. Even the vulgar Jews were taught that the Word of God was the same with God.
The evangelist, in the close of his discourse (verse 18) plainly tells us why he calls Christ the Word. It is because He is "the only begotten Son of God, which is in the bosom of the Father, and has declared him''. ''Word" is twofold: word conceived and word uttered. The ratio and oratio—''intelligence"' and "'utterance''.
(a) There is the Word conceived, that is, thought, which is the first and only immediate product and conception of the soul, all the operations of which are performed by thought. This is one with the soul. Thus the second person in the Trinity is fitly called the ''Word'', for He is the first begotten of the Father. He is the essential and eternal Wisdom which "the Lord possessed"' as the soul doth its thought, '"'in the beginning of his way". This we have already discussed at some length.
There is nothing we are more sure of than that we think, yet nothing we are more in the dark about than how we think. Who can declare the generation of thought in the soul? Surely, then, the generations and births of the eternal mind may well be allowed to be great mysteries of godliness, the bottom of which we cannot fathom, while we yet adore the depth.
(b) There is the Word uttered. 'That is speech, the chief and most natural indication of the mind. Thus Christ is the Word, for by Him God has in these last days spoken to us (Heb. i. 1), and has directed us to hear Him (Matt. xvii. 5). He has made known God's mind to us, as a man's worth or speech makes known his thoughts, as far as he pleases and no farther. Christ is called that wonderful Speaker (Dan. viii. 13). The speaker of things hidden and strange. He is the Word speaking from God to us, and to God for us. John Baptist was the voice, but Christ was the Word. Being the Word, He is the truth, the Amen, the faithful Witness of the mind of God.
Now, "in the beginning was the Word''. This tells us that His existence was not only before the incarnation, but before all time. The beginning of time, in which all creatures were produced and brought into being, found this Eternal Word in being. 'The world was from the beginning; the Word was in the beginning.
(c) The Word is God. ''The Word was with God, and the Word was God."' Let none say that when we invite them to Christ we would draw them from God. Christ is with God, Word and Wisdom 253 and is God. The same, the very same, that we believe in and preach, was in the beginning with God. That is, he was from eternity.
(d) "All things were made by Him." The Word was with God not only so as to be acquainted with the divine counsels from eternity, but, as we have already seen, to be active in the divine operations in the beginning of time. God made the worlds by a Word (Ps. xxxuli. 6). Christ was that Word. By Him, not as a subordinate instrument, but as a co-ordinate agent, God made the world (Heb. i. 2), not as the workman cuts by his axe, but as the body sees by the eye.
As confirmatory emphasis it is stated "without Him was not anything made that was made''; from the highest angel to the meanest worm. God the Father did nothing without Him in that work. This proves the excellency of the Christian religion, The author and founder of it is the same who was the author and founder of the world. How excellent must that constitution needs be which derives its institution from Him who is the Fountain of all excellency.
This also proves how well qualified He was for the work of our redemption and salvation. He is appointed author of our bliss who was the author of our being.
"The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us."
SERMON OUTLINE
THE INCARNATE WORD
I. THe INCARNATE WorpD ANTICIPATED (O.T.)
(a) The Word of God Active in Creation (b) The Wisdom of God the Source of Revelation (i) The personality of the divine wisdom (ii) The eternity of the divine wisdom
II]. THe Incarnate Worp ReEvEALeED (N.T.)
(a) Christ the Word of God (i) The Word conceived (ii) The Word uttered (6) Christ One with the Father (c) Christ the Creator of all Things
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S.A. BRENGLE MEMORIAL LIBRARY These carefully selected excerpts from Matthew Henry's
Commentary are arranged alphabetically by subject un ice) CoN Vitae Mantelamarey-\el [ale tse
Ascension eTeer-) ()ef-tel-laler=)
Atonement ime) eX=) Preachers and Preaching
Born Again ele) Feltay Resurrection
Christ Joy i Sanctification
Church Judgment Transfiguration
Discipleship Claro lo lolaa io) a € (ole umm Ulavel(ct-Ta)at=\<3
Emmanuel Light Vision
Evil Mercy Word and Wisdom
Faith Neighbor :
MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714) was a Nonconformist Bible commentator. Born in Wales, he was educated privately in the home of his father, also a Nonconformist minister, as well as at an academy at Islington. In 1687 he was ordained a Presbyterian minister and became jex<t=} (0) aarlam @y al -1) (21 8 where he labored from 1687 to 1712. The last two years of his life he was pastor at Hackney, near London. In 1714 while on a preaching mission at Chester he died and was buried there. Married twice and father of nine (oF TUle]alcclecmr-l ale me)al=Mcvelamm \VElilalc\] Henry was a faithful, humble, devout, orthodox minister of the gospel, a loving pastor of souls, and a wise Spiritual father.
Henry is famous for His Exposition ISBN 0-8254-2838-L of the Old and New Testaments, now commonly known as Matthew 90000 Henry's Commentary— well known
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Bible Study / Doctrine