by Rev. J. Colquhoun, D.D.
Text—”The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” John 1: 14.
I proceed now to the fourth general head, which was—To consider the import of the assertion in the text, “He dwelt among us”.
The original verb, which is here translated “DWELT” properly signifies, He tabernacled, or pitched his tabernacle; that is he dwelt in human nature among us. This is foretold in Zech. 2: 10. “Sing and rejoice, Oh daughter of Zion; for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord.” It is hinted also in Psalm 68 verse 18, “Thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them”. And in Rev. 21 verse 3, “I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them.” Now, this expression in the text, “He tabernacled or dwelt among us”—
1. Does not imply that he had never dwelt in the Church before;
for it is evident, that, by his Spirit, and by his prophets, by typical representations of him, and by sacrifices, he dwelt in it long before his incarnation. Hence, long before his assumption of human nature, he said concerning the Church, “This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell: for I have desired it”. Psalm 132: 14. And we read in the Revelation, that he was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; but he could not be said to be slain, when he was in no respect present. The expression, then, does not imply that he never dwelt in His Church previously to his incarnation, but only, that he never tabernacled or dwelt in human nature in it before.
2. It shows his amazing condescension and grace.
He dwelt, says the evangelist, among us—among us men and us apostles. He dwelt among us who are counted less than nothing and vanity—among us who were by nature sinners, the chief of sinners, who were rebellious also, and his most inveterate enemies. If he had, in this affair, consulted his own ease of pleasure, to dwell among us would be worse to him than it was to David to dwell in Mesech, or to Ezekiel to dwell among scorpions. How mean, how sinful, and how dangerous, is this world which we inhabit! and how difficult to a devout and contemplative mind to be reconciled to dwell in it always! and yet our Divine Redeemer dwelt in it for more than thirty-three years, and that in circumstances of the deepest abasement.
3. The expression also implies, that he lived in the meanest circumstances during his state of humiliation.
He tabernacled among us; he lived in a low condition, as shepherds do who dwell in tents. When he was in this world, he did not reside under a gilded roof, nor in a splendid habitation, as the rich and honourable of the earth do; but he dwelt as in a tent or tabernacle. He was like a stranger and a sojourner, and he had not where to lay his head, in order that he might exalt all who believe in him, to a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich.
4. It imports, that while he was in this world, the rays of his Divinity, or Divine glory, shone through the vail of his humanity, in the view of those whose eyes had been opened to behold them.
“The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father.” The eternal “Word, the brightness of the Father’s glory, and the express image of his person”, was made flesh, and dwelt among us. He tabernacled or dwelt in flesh among us. The expression evidently contains an allusion to the shechinah, or cloud of glory, which hovered above the mercy-seat and between the cherubim, in the tabernacle of Moses. This cloud was a lively representation of Jehovah and his glory, as peculiarly present in the most holy place of the tabernacle. Now, as the Son of God dwelt in the Mosaic tabernacle, by the shechinah or cloud of glory, so he tabernacled or dwelt for a time in the human nature upon earth. He dwelt among us in flesh, which the Apostle Paul calls “this tabernacle”, as he did formerly in the Jewish tabernacle and temple, by the cloud of glory. And as the high priest, who went once in the year into the holy of holies, had access to see this cloud of glory shining in it, so those who were kings and priests to God, and had access to see the Lord Jesus in the days of his flesh, beheld a spiritual glory in him, which, especially on some occasions, shone with refulgent lustre to their view. And, indeed, all true believers behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord Jesus; and so are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord. Their spiritual sight of the glory of Christ in human nature is an assimilating sight.
5. The expression suggests, that Christ’s state in this world was a state of warfare.
In time of war, soldiers who sojourn in a country which is the seat of war commonly dwell in tents. The Son of God had, long before his incarnation, proclaimed war against the god of this world; and now he enters the enemy’s country and pitches his tent to carry on the war. He that speaketh in righteousness, mighty to save, travelled through this enemy’s country; he marched through it in the greatness of his strength, conquering and to conquer. He spoiled principalities and powers, made a show of them openly, and triumphed over them in his cross, Col. 2: 15.
Finally, it intimates, that the Lord Jesus was not to continue long in human nature upon earth.
He dwelt here as in a tent, and not as in a fixed habitation. He so inhabited this world as to show that here he had no continuing city. The ancient patriarchs dwelt in tabernacles, and thereby confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. In like manner, Christ’s abode, in this world was like that of a stranger and a pilgrim, only but for a time, a short time. But why did the Lord Jesus, after his assumption of human nature, choose to dwell in it upon earth, and not rather immediately among the blessed inhabitants of heaven? In addition to the reasons of this already mentioned, I would say, he chose to dwell for a time rather upon earth, that he might show the more effectually his tender regard to his people. One discovers great regard to a friend when he takes a long and difficult journey to visit him. The Lord Jesus performed a journey of infinite length, in order to visit and redeem his people. He resolved also to tabernacle for a time upon earth, that he might give to his saints an example of being willing to continue in this valley of tears so long as they had any service to perform in it for the glory of their heavenly Father. And he dwelt for a time in this world, that by his residence in it he might sanctify it, as the place of his people’s pilgrimage, before they arrive at their Father’s house, the holy place on high.
Now, from what has been said on the whole subject before us, we may see the high honour which is put upon human nature.
The greatest and most wonderful work that ever God did, was done in our nature. The work of redeeming a lost world was a greater work than the creation of millions of worlds, and yet this most wonderful work was performed in the human nature. If he hath honoured our nature so highly, ought not we to glorify him in our bodies and in our spirits, which are his? Shall we debase our nature, which has been thus highly honoured, by yielding to any motion of sin or temptation of Satan? Should not we employ all the faculties of our souls, and members of our bodies, in performing works of faith, and labours of love, and in maintaining good works?
2. Hence we see, that the law as a covenant of works, is magnified and made honourable, in the highest degree possible.
It has been honoured with the perfect obedience of a Divine Person in human nature. It is honoured and magnified more with the meritorious obedience of the Son of God, than ever it had been dishonoured by the disobedience of man. Whenever, therefore, the law as a covenant finds its way again into the believer’s conscience, and charges him with the guilt of dishonouring it by acts of disobedience, let him present in the hand of faith to it, the consummate obedience and the complete atonement of God his Saviour: let him also, in reliance on promised grace, perform that sincere and evangelical obedience to it as a rule of duty, by which he will honour it as the law of Christ. Since the Lord Jesus Christ, believer, honoured the law as a covenant for your salvation, it is surely your duty to honour it as a rule for his glory, and the glory of God in him.
3. Hence learn this sovereign remedy for our having been conceived in sin, and our having brought a depraved nature into the world with us.
Our Lord Jesus Christ brought a human nature perfectly holy into the world with him, and, as the Surety for sinners, presented to the law an holy human nature; which holiness of nature is imputed to believers as a fundamental part of their justifying righteousness. He at the same time purchased the saving influences of the Holy Spirit for the sanctification of their nature. This is ground of comfort to you, to whom the sin that dwelleth in you is the most oppressive and grievous burden.
4. Did the Lord Jesus tabernacle among men, and thereby show that he was not to remain long an inhabitant of this world? Then, let believers study to be more and more conformed to him, by living so as daily to confess that they are strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Let them declare plainly, that they seek a better country, and that their conversation is in heaven.
5. Hence we may see what ground we have of thankfulness and praise to our gracious God and Father.
Our nature is indissolubly united to the Divine nature in the person of his only-begotten Son. And what reason have we to thank and praise his dear Son for remembering us in our low estate, and for condescending to be made flesh and dwell among us; and so to unite our low nature to himself by a personal and indissolvable union, that he might lay a foundation for the spiritual union of our persons with his adorable person! We ought to thank God for Moses and the prophets; for evangelists and apostles; but, above all, for Jesus the incarnate Redeemer, the Messenger of the covenant, the Desire of all nations. But some disconsolate believer will say, “I ought indeed to be thankful that ever Christ united the human nature to the Divine in his person; but I find it very difficult to be heartily thankful for it. If I were satisfied that I was vitally united to Him as my Kinsman-Redeemer, I should find it easy to give thanks for that personal union; but my fear that this is not the case renders the sincere performance of such a duty very hard to me.” Indeed, if you be under prevailing doubts as to your union and communion with Christ, you cannot be cordially thankful for anything connected with him. But is it true that you are not united to Christ? Then whence is it that you see indwelling sin so plainly, and feel it so sensibly, as to loathe it, and long for deliverance from it? This must be from the Spirit of Christ. False professors pretend that they see the corruption of their hearts; but that which they see never either discourages their presumptuous confidence, or makes them loathe themselves in their own sight before the Lord. How comes it that you complain bitterly of your want of love to Jesus Christ, and to God in him? Union of affection is a good evidence of vital union. If you were entirely destitute of true love to Christ, you would not bewail your want of love to him. And whence is it, that you complain to him of your want of conformity to him in holiness, and of the prevalence of iniquities against you, by which you dishonour him? Is it not, that you delight in his law after the inward man, and long for perfect conformity to it? Credit the reports of sense less, and of faith more. Be thankful for the signs of union with Christ which you have, and especially that, by the offers of the Gospel, you are warranted to come as a sinner in yourself, and to trust in him for all his salvation. Let it fill you with gratitude to the God of all grace, that he hath made this your present duty.
6. In conclusion: Let saints and sinners suffer the word of exhortation.
As for you who have not only your nature, but your persons united to Jesus Christ, be persuaded, first, to meditate frequently on the transcendent glory of his person. It is the masterpiece of the manifold wisdom of God. Devout meditation on this glorious object is attended with many advantages. It is a means of confirming, faith, hope, love, admiration, and conformity to the Lord Jesus Christ; II Cor. 3: 18. Second, take encouragement in the midst of all your conflicts with corruption and temptation, from that personal union: for so long as it continues, the union between your persons and the person of Christ shall not be dissolved. There is no condemnation to you, for you are in Christ Jesus; and in union with him, sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law as a covenant, but under grace. Thirdly, study to make a particular and daily application of Christ to yourselves, in virtue of the union of your nature with him; saying, “Spread the covering of this spotless righteousness over me, for thou art a near Kinsman”. What is the reason that little love, desire, zeal, courage, joy and holiness is in many of the saints of this day? They do not, as they ought, appropriate to themselves the person of Christ, nor place the confidence of their hearts in him for all his salvation. Fourthly, did the only-begotten of the Father obey the law as a covenant, and endure the execution of the curse of it in your nature? You are, therefore, bound to obey it as a rule of life in your persons. His design in assuming your nature was, that he might yield perfect obedience to the law as a covenant of works for your salvation; and his intention in obeying it under that form was, that he might merit the sanctification of the Spirit, to enable you to yield sincere obedience to it, as the rule of righteousness in his kingdom. He obeyed it as a covenant for your justification of life that you might obey it as a rule for his glory, and the glory of God in him. Study, then, in reliance on his promised grace to fall in with the gracious design of his incarnation and obedience unto death, in your nature. From principles of faith and love, advance daily in holy conformity to him. Glorify him in your body and in your spirit, which are his.
As for you, who are not by faith united to the incarnate Redeemer, and have no communion with him in his righteousness and salvation, be convinced of your sinfulness and misery. If the Son of God had not seen from eternity that you are lost, he would never have stooped to infinitely low as to be made flesh. Do not imagine, that because he assumed your nature, you are secured from perishing in your sins. Except your persons be vitally united to him by a living faith, you cannot inherit eternal life. “He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life.” Oh be persuaded to embrace and trust in the compassionate Saviour, as he is freely offered to you in the Gospel. “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”