Manuscript Releases, vol. 17 [Nos. 1236-1300]

Comments on the Incarnation of Christ

The Son of God, who is the express image of the Father's person, became man's Advocate and Redeemer. He humbled Himself in taking the nature of man in his fallen condition, but he did not take the taint of sin.—Manuscript 93, 1893, 3. 17MR 24.2

He [Christ] came to bring moral power to man that he might overcome every sin, that he might become conqueror through Christ.—Manuscript 43a, 1894, p. 11. 17MR 24.3

Christ stooped to take man's nature that He might reveal God's sentiments toward the fallen race. Divinity and humanity combined were brought within the reach of all, that fallen man might reveal the image of God. Christ assumed our nature to counterwork Satan's false principles.—Manuscript 43, 1897, 2, 3. 17MR 24.4

By overcoming in man's behalf, He [Christ] was placing fallen man on vantage ground with God. In His human nature Jesus gave evidence that in every temptation wherewith Satan shall assail fallen man, there is help for him in God, if he will take hold of His strength, and through obedience make peace with Him. Jesus stood forth in human nature a conqueror in behalf of the fallen race.—Manuscript 49, 1897, 9. 17MR 24.5

As the world's Redeemer He [Christ] understands all the experiences that humanity must pass through.—Manuscript 128, 1897, 11. 17MR 24.6

In itself the act of consenting to be a man would be no act of humiliation were it not for the fact of Christ's exalted preexistence, and the fallen condition of man. But when we open our understanding to realize that in taking humanity upon Him, Christ laid aside His royal robe, His kingly crown, His high command, and clothed His divinity with humanity, that He might meet man where he was, and bring to the human family moral power to become the sons and daughters of God, [we begin to understand the magnitude of the Incarnation].—Manuscript 67, 1898, 4, 5. 17MR 25.1

He [Christ] had clothed His divinity with humanity, and in every period of His life, through infancy, childhood, youth, and manhood, He had suffered every phase of trial and temptation with which humanity is beset.—Manuscript 35, 1895, 1. 17MR 25.2

When Jesus would uplift men to become members of the heavenly family, He humbled Himself to become a member of the earthly family, and by partaking of our nature He became the Son of man, the Son of Adam, and a Brother to every son and daughter of our fallen race.—Manuscript 58, 1896, 4. 17MR 25.3

What a sight was this for heaven to look upon. Christ, who knew not the least moral taint or defilement of sin, took our nature in its deteriorated condition.... 17MR 25.4

By taking upon Himself man's nature in its fallen condition Christ did not in the least participate in its sin. He was subject to the infirmities and weaknesses of the flesh with which humanity is encompassed, “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses” [Matthew 8:17]. He was touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and was in all points tempted like as we are. And yet He was without a spot. 17MR 25.5

There should not be the faintest misgiving in regard to the perfect freedom from sinfulness in the human nature of Christ.—Manuscript 143, 1897, 1, 3. 17MR 26.1

The heavenly universe were amazed at such patience, such inexpressible love. To save fallen humanity, the Son of God took humanity upon Him, laying aside His kingly crown and royal robe. He became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich. One with God, He alone was capable of accomplishing this work, and He consented to an actual union with man. In His sinlessness, He could bear every transgression. 17MR 26.2

This love was manifested, but it cannot be comprehended by mortal man. It is a mystery too deep for the human mind to fathom. Christ did in reality unite the offending nature of man with His own sinless nature, because by this act of condescension, He would be enabled to pour out His blood in behalf of the fallen race.—Manuscript 166, 1898, 9, 10. 17MR 26.3

The Lord Jesus Christ left His riches and His splendor in the heavenly courts and took humanity upon Himself that He might cooperate with humanity in the work of uplifting them.—Manuscript 177, 1898, 4. 17MR 26.4

Christ clothed His divinity with humanity that He might associate with the fallen race, and through His own merits might elevate man to be a partaker of the divine nature.... Man can accomplish nothing without God, but God has chosen that His only begotten Son should come in the form of humanity to stand at the head of the fallen race.—Manuscript 193, 1898, 1, 2. 17MR 26.5

He [God] could not make man a partaker of the divine nature until His only begotten Son, One equal with Himself, should stoop to human nature, and reach man where he was.—Manuscript 23, 1899, 5. 17MR 27.1

He, the Majesty of heaven, disrobed Himself of His glory, and clothed His divinity with humanity, that He might pass through what humanity must pass through.—Manuscript 147, 1899. p. 5. 17MR 27.2

He [Christ] might have cut Himself loose from fallen beings. He might have treated them as sinners deserve to be treated. But instead, He came still nearer to them.—Manuscript 165, 1899, 3. 17MR 27.3

In all the afflictions of humanity He [Jesus] was afflicted. Manuscript 21, 1900, 6. 17MR 27.4

Christ became one with the human family. He spoke in the language of men. He bore with them their trials and their poverty. He ate with them at their tables, and shared their toils. Thus He assured them of His complete identification with humanity.—Manuscript 53, 1900, 1. 17MR 27.5

The fallen nature of man is like the vine's tendrils grasping the stubble and rubbish. But Christ is represented as coming down from heaven and taking the nature of man, thus making it possible for the human arm of Christ to encircle fallen man, while with His divine arm He reaches to the very throne of God so that He can place man on vantage ground with God.—Manuscript 88, 1900, 3. 17MR 27.6

All the human family of God which Christ has taken into close relationship to His own humanity are subjects which He has redeemed by giving His life a substitute for them, that the human family shall have a second probation.—Manuscript 89, 1900, 10. 17MR 28.1

We are compassed with the infirmities of humanity. So also was Christ. That He might by His own example condemn sin in the flesh, He took upon Himself the likeness of sinful flesh.—Manuscript 125, 1901, 14. 17MR 28.2

The Son of God took human nature upon Him, and came to this earth to stand at the head of the fallen race. He dwelt on this earth a man among men.—Manuscript 11, 1902, 6. 17MR 28.3

He took the nature of man, with all its possibilities. We have nothing to endure that He has not endured.... Adam had the advantage over Christ, in that when he was assailed by the tempter, none of the effects of sin were upon him. He stood in the strength of perfect manhood, possessing the full vigor of mind and body. He was surrounded with the glories of Eden, and was in daily communion with heavenly beings. It was not thus with Jesus when He entered the wilderness to cope with Satan. For four thousand years the race had been decreasing in physical strength, in mental power, in moral worth; and Christ took upon Him the infirmities of degenerate humanity. Only thus could He rescue man from the lowest depths of degradation.—Manuscript 113, 1902, 1, 2 (See The Desire of Ages, 117). 17MR 28.4

He [Christ] laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown and clothed His divinity with humanity, that He might stand among the human family as one of them.—Manuscript 115, 1902, 8. 17MR 29.1

The Saviour came to the world in lowliness, and lived as a man among men. On all points except sin divinity was to touch humanity.—Manuscript 9, 1903, 9. 17MR 29.2

The Saviour took upon Himself the infirmities of humanity, and on this earth lived a sinless life that men should have no fear that because of the weakness of human nature they would not be able to overcome.—Manuscript 51, 1903, 4. 17MR 29.3

Christ assumed our fallen nature, and was subject to every temptation to which man is subject.—Manuscript 80, 1903, 12. 17MR 29.4

Christ became one with the human family—bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh.... He pledged Himself to endure all the temptations that man must endure, that He might know how to succor those who are tempted.—Manuscript 102, 1903, 7. 17MR 29.5

The majesty of heaven stepped down from His royal throne, gave up His authority as Commander in the heavenly courts, laid aside His kingly robe and crown, and clothed His divinity with humanity, that He might take on Himself the weakness of human nature. This He did that He might give men an example of true humility. 17MR 29.6

Only by living a sinless life while clad in the garb of humanity, could Christ, as man's Substitute and Surety, bear the burden of the sin of a fallen world. He was to suffer, being tempted in all points upon which fallen men are tempted, that by His own experience He might become acquainted with the temptation of humanity, and know how to succor those who are most severely tempted.—Manuscript 107, 1903, 5. 17MR 29.7

Christ was about to visit our world, and to become incarnate. He says, “A body hast Thou prepared Me.” Had He appeared with the glory that was His with the Father before the world was, we could not have endured the light of His presence. That we might behold it and not be destroyed, the manifestation of His glory was shrouded. His divinity was veiled with humanity—the invisible glory in the visible human form. 17MR 30.1

This great purpose had been shadowed forth in types and symbols. The burning bush, in which Christ appeared to Moses, revealed God. The symbol chosen for the representation of the Deity was a lowly shrub that seemingly had no attractions. This enshrined the Infinite. The all-merciful God shrouded His glory in a most humble type, that Moses could look upon it and live. So in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, God communicated with Israel, revealing to men His will, and imparting to them His grace. God's glory was subdued, and His majesty veiled, that the weak vision of finite men might behold it. So Christ was to come in “the body of our humiliation,” “in the likeness of men.”—Manuscript 151, 1903, 3. 17MR 30.2

In order to embrace every human being in the plan of salvation, Christ came not as a prince, escorted by a majestic train of heavenly angels; He came in the likeness of mankind.—Manuscript 110, 1904, 10. 17MR 30.3

Christ brought men and women power to overcome. He came to this world in human form, to live a man among men. He assumed the liabilities of human nature, to be proved and tried.—Manuscript 22, 1905, 2, 3. 17MR 31.1

A divine-human Saviour, He [Christ] came to stand at the head of the fallen race, to share in their experience from childhood to manhood.—Manuscript 54, 1905, 4, 5. 17MR 31.2

He [Christ] took His stand at the head of the fallen race, that men and women might be enabled to stand on vantage ground.—Manuscript 58, 1905, 3. 17MR 31.3

He [Christ] is our elder Brother, compassed with human infirmities, and in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.—Manuscript 9, 1906, 2. 17MR 31.4

In order to make man a partaker of His nature, He [Christ] took humanity upon Himself, from His earliest years bearing the trials and temptations which the human family must bear. He identified Himself with man's weakness, that man might identify himself with His strength.—Manuscript 49, 1907, 3. 17MR 31.5

He who was Commander in the heavenly courts laid aside His royal robes, laid off His kingly crown, and came as a little child to our world to experience all the ills that humanity is heir to.—Manuscript 99, 1908, 7. 17MR 31.6

Christ in the courts of heaven had known that the time would come when the power of Satan must be met and conquered if the human race was ever to be saved from his dominion. And when that time came, the Son of God laid off His kingly crown and royal robe, and, clothing His divinity with humanity, came to the earth to meet the Prince of evil, and to conquer him. In order to become the advocate of men before the Father, He would live His life on earth as every human being must, accepting its adversities and sorrows and temptations. As the Babe of Bethlehem, He would become one with the race, and by a spotless life from the manger to the cross, He would show that man by a life of repentance and faith in Him might be restored to the favor of God. He would bring to man redeeming grace, forgiveness of sins. If men would return to their loyalty, and no longer transgress the law of God, they would receive pardon. 17MR 31.7

Christ in the weakness of humanity was to meet the temptations of one possessing the power of the higher nature that God had bestowed on the angelic family. But His humanity was united with divinity, and in this strength He would bear all the temptations that Satan could bring against Him, and yet keep His soul untainted by sin.—Manuscript 117, 1908, 3, 4. 17MR 32.1

So great was the interest of God in our world that He gave His only begotten Son to come to the earth as a little child and to live a life like that of every human being, that through Him humanity might reach divinity.—Manuscript 49, 1909, 4. 17MR 32.2

Christ came to our world to dispute Satan's sovereignty, to remove from the minds of men the false impressions that they had received of God. He came in human form, that He might come close to the fallen race, and through divine power break the hold that Satan had obtained over them.—Manuscript 33, 1911, 19. 17MR 32.3

Ellen G. White Estate

Washington, D. C.,

April 6, 1987.