Jesus: The perfect salvation program
Towards the end of his Gospel, we read these fascinating comments by the Apostle John: “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book… But if they were written down one after the other, I suppose that the world could not contain the books that would have to be written” (Joh 20,30; 21:25). Based on these observations and considering the differences between the four Gospels, it can be concluded that the accounts in question were not written as complete retellings of Jesus' life. John explains that his writings are intended "so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (Joh 20,31)The main focus of the Gospels is to proclaim the good news about the Savior and the salvation granted to us in him.
Although John sees salvation (life) linked to Jesus 'name in verse 31, Christians speak of being saved through Jesus' death. While this succinct statement is so far correct, the sole reference of salvation to Jesus' death can obscure the fullness of who He is and what He did for our salvation. The events of Holy Week remind us that Jesus' death - of crucial importance as it is - is to be considered in a larger context that includes the Incarnation of our Lord, his death, his resurrection and ascension to heaven. They are all essential, inextricably interwoven milestones in his work of salvation - the work that gives us life in his name. So during Holy Week, as in the rest of the year, we want to see in Jesus the perfect work of redemption.
incarnation
Jesus' birth was not the ordinary birth of an ordinary person. Being unique in every way, it embodies the beginning of the incarnation of God Himself. With Jesus' birth, God came to us in the same way as man has been born since Adam. Although he remained what he was, the eternal Son of God took on human life in its full extent - from beginning to end, from birth to death. As a person, he is totally God and human. In this overwhelming statement we find an eternally valid meaning, which deserves an equally eternal appreciation.
With his incarnation, the eternal Son of God emerged from eternity and, as a man of flesh and blood, entered his creation, governed by time and space. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (Joh 1,14)Jesus was indeed a real human being in all his humanity, yet at the same time he was also fully God—of the same substance as the Father and the Holy Spirit. His birth fulfills many prophecies and embodies the promise of our salvation.
The Incarnation did not end with Jesus' birth—it continued throughout his earthly life and finds its further realization today in his glorified human life. The incarnate (i.e., flesh-begotten) Son of God remains consubstantial with the Father and the Holy Spirit—his divine nature is fully present and omnipotent, giving his life as a human being a unique significance. As it says in Romans 8:3-4: “For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who now live not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Paul further explains that “we are saved through his life.” (Röm 5,10).
Jesus' life and ministry are inextricably interwoven - both are part of the incarnation. The God-Man Jesus is the perfect High Priest and mediator between God and men. He took part in human nature and did justice to humanity by leading a sinless life. This circumstance allows us to understand how he can cultivate a relationship, both with God and with men. While we usually celebrate his birth at Christmas, the events of his whole life are always part of our all-out praise - even in Holy Week. His life reveals the relationship character of our salvation. Jesus, in the form of Himself, brought together God and humanity in a perfect relationship.
Tod
Some mislead the short message that we were saved by Jesus' death, the misguided misperception that his death was a sacrifice of atonement that led God to grace. I pray that we all recognize the fallacy of this thought.
TF Torrance writes that, against the background of a correct understanding of the Old Testament sacrifices, we do not see a pagan sacrifice for the sake of forgiveness in Jesus' death, but the powerful testimony of the will of a gracious God (Atonement: The Person and Work of Christ : Person and ministry of Christ], pp. 38-39). Pagan sacrificial rites were based on the principle of retribution, while Israel's sacrificial system was based on forgiveness and reconciliation. Instead of earning forgiveness with the help of offerings, the Israelites saw themselves enabled by God to be acquitted of their sins and thus reconciled to him.
Israel's sacrificial practices were designed to testify to and reveal God's love and grace by pointing to the purpose of Jesus' death, which is given in reconciliation with the Father. With his death, our Lord also defeated Satan and took away death's power: "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in this, so that by his death he might break the power of him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and redeem those who all their lives were slaves to death through their fear of it." (Hebr 2,14-15)Paul added that Jesus “must reign until God puts all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1Kor 15,25-26)Jesus' death manifests the atoning aspect of our salvation.
Auferstehung
On Easter Sunday we celebrate Jesus' resurrection, which fulfills many prophecies of the Old Testament. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews points out that Isaac's rescue from death reflects the resurrection. (Hebr 11,18-19)From the Book of Jonah we learn that he was in the belly of the great fish for "three days and three nights". (Jon 2, 1)Jesus referred to that event concerning his death, burial, and resurrection. (Mt 12,39-40); Mt 16,4. and 21; Joh 2,18-22).
We celebrate Jesus' resurrection with great joy because it reminds us that death is not the end. Rather, it represents an intermediate step on our journey into the future—eternal life in communion with God. At Easter, we celebrate Jesus' victory over death and the new life we will have in him. We look forward with joy to the time that is foretold in the Offenbarung 21,4 the speech is: “[...] and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will there be more mourning, nor outcry, nor pain; for the first has passed away.” The resurrection represents the hope of our redemption.
Arrangement for ascension
Jesus' birth led to his life and his life to his death. However, we can not separate His death from His resurrection, nor His resurrection from His ascension. He did not emerge from the grave to lead a life in human form. In glorious human nature he ascended to the Father in heaven, and only with that great event did the work begun by him end.
In the introduction to Torrances' book Atonement, Robert Walker wrote: "With the resurrection, Jesus takes our human essence into himself and leads it to the presence of God in the unity and fellowship of Trinitarian love." C.S. Lewis put it this way: "In Christian history, God descends only to ascend again." The wonderful Good News proclaims that Jesus raised us up with himself. "...and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in heaven in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." (Eph 2,6-7).
Incarnation, death, resurrection and ascension - they are all part of our salvation and thus our praise in Holy Week. These milestones point to everything that Jesus has accomplished for us with all his life and ministry. Let us see more and more, who he is and what he has done for us, all year long. He represents the perfect work of salvation.
by Josep Tkack
