EGW SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7

Chapter 2

5 (John 8:12; see EGW on Titus 2:10). Light for the Humble—“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” If you strive in all humility to understand what is the mind of Christ, you will not be left in darkness. Jesus says, “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (The Youth's Instructor, October 13, 1892). 7BC 903.4

5-8 (John 1:1-3, 14; Hebrews 2:14-18; see EGW on Mark 16:6; Luke 22:44; John 10:17, 18; Romans 5:12-19; 2 Corinthians 8:9; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 3:1-3). The Humble Circumstances of Christ's Life—After Christ had condescended to leave His high command, step down from an infinite height and assume humanity, He could have taken upon Him any condition of humanity He might choose. But greatness and rank were nothing to Him, and He selected the lowest and most humble walk of life. The place of His birth was Bethlehem, and on one side His parentage was poor, but God, the owner of the world, was His Father. 7BC 903.5

No trace of luxury, ease, selfish gratification, or indulgence was brought into His life, which was a continual round of self-denial and self-sacrifice. In accordance with His humble birth, He had apparently no greatness or riches, in order that the humblest believer need not say Christ never knew the stress of pinching poverty. Had He possessed the semblance of outward show, of riches, of grandeur, the poorest class of humanity would have shunned His society; therefore He chose the lowly condition of the far greater number of the people (Manuscript 9, 1896). 7BC 903.6

Faith Not to Rest on Evidences of Sight—Before Christ left heaven and came into the world to die, He was taller than any of the angels. He was majestic and lovely. But when His ministry commenced, He was but little taller than the common size of men then living upon the earth. Had He come among men with His noble, heavenly form, His outward appearance would have attracted the minds of the people to Himself, and He would have been received without the exercise of faith.... 7BC 904.1

The faith of men in Christ as the Messiah was not to rest on the evidences of sight, and they believe on Him because of His personal attractions, but because of the excellence of character found in Him, which never had been found, neither could be, in another (The Spirit of Prophecy 2:39). 7BC 904.2

(Colossians 2:9; Ephesians 3:9; 1 Peter 1:11, 12.) The Mystery Into Which Angels Desire to Look—In Christ dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead. But the only way in which He could reach men was to veil His glory by a garb of humanity. The angels beheld the hiding of His glory, that divinity might touch humanity. Christ ever retained the utmost hatred for sin, but He loved the purchase of His blood. He suffered in the place of sinful men, taking them into union with Himself. 7BC 904.3

This is the mystery into which angels desire to look. They desire to know how Christ could live and work in a fallen world, how He could mingle with sinful humanity. It was a mystery to them that He who hated sin with intense hatred felt the most tender, compassionate sympathy for the beings that committed sin (The Signs of the Times, January 20, 1898). 7BC 904.4

(Colossians 1:26, 27.) An Unexplainable Blending—Christ could have done nothing during His earthly ministry in saving fallen man if the divine had not been blended with the human. The limited capacity of man cannot define this wonderful mystery—the blending of the two natures, the divine and the human. It can never be explained. Man must wonder and be silent. And yet man is privileged to be a partaker of the divine nature, and in this way he can to some degree enter into the mystery (Letter 5, 1889). 7BC 904.5

The Most Marvelous Thing in Earth or Heaven—When we want a deep problem to study, let us fix our minds on the most marvelous thing that ever took place in earth or heaven—the incarnation of the Son of God. God gave His Son to die for sinful human beings a death of ignominy and shame. He who was Commander in the heavenly courts laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown, and clothing His divinity with humanity, came to this world to stand at the head of the human race as the pattern-man. He humbled Himself to suffer with the race, to be afflicted in all their afflictions. 7BC 904.6

The whole world was His, but so completely did He empty Himself that during His ministry He declared, “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” [Hebrews 2:14-18 quoted] (Manuscript 76, 1903). 7BC 904.7

Christ Above All Law—The Son of God came voluntarily to accomplish the work of atonement. There was no obligatory yoke upon Him; for He was independent and above all law. 7BC 904.8

The angels, as God's intelligent messengers, were under the yoke of obligation; no personal sacrifice of theirs could atone for fallen man. Christ alone was free from the claims of the law to undertake the redemption of the sinful race. He had power to lay down His life and to take it up again. “Being in the form of God,” He “thought it not robbery to be equal with God” (The Watchman, September 4, 1906). 7BC 904.9

(Exodus 3:5.) Christ's Humanity a Golden Chain—To redeem man, Christ became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. The humanity of the Son of God is everything to us. It is the golden linked chain which binds our souls to Christ and through Christ to God. This is to be our study. Christ was a real man, and He gave proof of His humility in becoming a man. And He was God in the flesh. 7BC 904.10

When we approach the subject of Christ's divinity clothed with the garb of humanity, we may appropriately heed the words spoken by Christ to Moses at the burning bush, “Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.” We must come to the study of this subject with the humility of a learner, with a contrite heart. And the study of the incarnation of Christ is a fruitful field, and will repay the searcher who digs deep for hidden truth (Manuscript 67, 1898). 7BC 904.11

6 (John 1:1-3, 14; see EGW on John 1:1-3; Revelation 12:10). Equality Between Christ and the Father—Christ's position with His Father is one of equality. This enabled Him to become a sin-offering for transgressors. He was fully sufficient to magnify the law and make it honorable (Manuscript 48, 1893). 7BC 905.1

7. See EGW on Matthew 26:42. 7BC 905.2

7, 8. See EGW on Hebrews 2:17. 7BC 905.3

9. See EGW on Matthew 27:21, 22, 29. 7BC 905.4

10, 11. See EGW on Romans 3:19. 7BC 905.5

12. See EGW on Galatians 5:6. 7BC 905.6

12, 13. See EGW on Romans 12:2; 2 Peter 1:5-11. 7BC 905.7