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Realizing the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom of God.
The DEEP

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A translation.

John 12:44–46 (NIV)

Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

Remember also how God’s name is important? This is a bit like that.

Remember how John the Baptist kept insisting that he wasn’t the one, but he was heralding the one who is to come? This is a bit like that too. Consider these related verses.

who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, — Hebrews 1:3

About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. — Luke 9:28–29 (NIV)

But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” — Exodus 33:20 (NIV)

There’s no way we’re going to fully understand what incarnation is (in the life anyways), but it’s a lot more than a road trip. The incarnate Jesus is, as Hebrews 1:3 says, “the express image of His person.” The English word “image” cannot possibly cover the full meaning of incarnation.

There a word in mathematics that might come closer—mapping. It refers to how something is different in different realms and how to map (or translate) from one to the other. A mapping is sometimes called an image. That can’t possibly cover the full meaning of incarnation either, but it’s an interesting way to think about it. All ways are futile though, and that is, in itself, an important lesson.

Just as God’s name is to be revered because it represents God, Jesus is to be revered as the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person.

All this supports the main point of this passage. Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.

It’s a package deal. You don’t get one without the other. They’re not even really separate.


Another term used to describe incarnation is “condescended.” While this is a pejorative term when referring to human actions, it’s literal when referring to Christ. He gave something up while incarnate.

He left His Father’s throne above—
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s Helpless race:
— “And Can It Be” 1738, Charles Wesley


These Monday—Friday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. The Saturday DEEPs are written by Matt Richardson. To subscribe to all the DEEPs click here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community

The weekly study guides, which include the Monday–Friday devotionals plus related questions for discussion or meditation, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.

Mike Slay

As a mathematician, inventor, and ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church in America, Mike Slay brings an analytical, conversational, and even whimsical approach to the daily study of God's Word.

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