The Obedient Christ
I am a worm and not a man.
PSALM 22:6
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The Obedient Christ
Christ not only subjected Himself to people but also to sin, death, and the devil, and bore all of that for us. Moreover, [He bore] that death which is most disgraceful of all, namely, death on a cross, not as a man but as a worm (Psalm 22:6), even as the chief evildoer of all evildoers. He even lost the favor, thanks, and honor of the form of a servant which He took on, so that He became nothing at all. . .. He certainly did not do all of that because we were worthy of it or had deserved it, for who could be worthy of such service from such a person? Rather, [He did all of that] because He was obedient to the Father [Philippians 2:8]. Here St. Paul opens up heaven with a word and makes room for us to see the abundance of the divine majesty and to gaze on the inexpressibly gracious will and love of the Father's heart toward us, so that we would feel that God from eternity has been pleased with what Christ, the glorious person, would do and now has done for us. Whose heart does not melt for joy at this?
From the Church Postil, sermon for Palm Sunday on Philippians 2:5-11 (Luther's Works 76:421-22:)
PSALM 22:6
+
The Obedient Christ
Christ not only subjected Himself to people but also to sin, death, and the devil, and bore all of that for us. Moreover, [He bore] that death which is most disgraceful of all, namely, death on a cross, not as a man but as a worm (Psalm 22:6), even as the chief evildoer of all evildoers. He even lost the favor, thanks, and honor of the form of a servant which He took on, so that He became nothing at all. . .. He certainly did not do all of that because we were worthy of it or had deserved it, for who could be worthy of such service from such a person? Rather, [He did all of that] because He was obedient to the Father [Philippians 2:8]. Here St. Paul opens up heaven with a word and makes room for us to see the abundance of the divine majesty and to gaze on the inexpressibly gracious will and love of the Father's heart toward us, so that we would feel that God from eternity has been pleased with what Christ, the glorious person, would do and now has done for us. Whose heart does not melt for joy at this?
From the Church Postil, sermon for Palm Sunday on Philippians 2:5-11 (Luther's Works 76:421-22:)
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