Lord the Twelve do not seem to have
been altogether ignorant of His exalted dignity; [194:19] and yet the
most decisive attestations to His Godhead do not occur until after His
resurrection. [194:20] When the apostles surveyed the humble individual
with whom they were in daily intercourse, it is not extraordinary that
their faith faltered, and that their powers of apprehension failed, as
they pondered the prophecies relating to His advent. When they attempted
closely to grapple with the amazing truths there presented to their
contemplation, and thought of "the Word made flesh," well might they be
overwhelmed with a feeling of giddy and dubious wonder. Even after the
resurrection had illustrated so marvellously the announcements of the
Old Testament, the disciples still continued to regard them with a
species of bewilderment; and our Saviour himself found it necessary to
point out in detail their meaning and their fulfilment. "Beginning at
Moses and all the prophets he expounded to them in all the Scriptures
the things concerning himself." [195:1] The whole truth as to the glory
of His person now flashed upon their minds, and henceforth they do not
scruple to apply to Him all the lofty titles bestowed of old on the
Messiah. The writers of the New Testament say expressly that "Jesus is
the Lord," [195:2] and "God blessed for ever;" [195:3] they describe
believers as trusting in Him, [195:4] as serving Him, [195:5] and as
calling upon His name; [195:6] and they tell of saints and angels,
uniting in the celebration of His praise. [195:7] Such testimonies leave
no doubt as to their ideas of His dignity. Divine incarnations were
recognised in the heathen mythology, so that the Gentiles could not well
object to the doctrine of the assumption of our nature by the Son of
God; but Christianity asserts its immense superiority to paganism in its
account of the design of the union of humanity and Deity in the person
of the Redeemer. According to the poets of Greece and Rome, the gods
often adopted material forms for the vilest of purposes; but the Lord of
glory was made partaker of our flesh and blood, [196:1] that He might
satisfy the claims of eternal justice, and purchase for us a happy and
immortal inheritance. In the cross of Christ sin appears "exceedingly
sinful," and the divine law has been more signally honoured by His
sufferings than if all men of all generations had for ever groaned under
its chastisements. The Jewish ritua