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| Chapter XI. The mystery of the Lord's Incarnation clearly implies the Divinity of Christ.
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Chapter XI.
The mystery of the Lord’s Incarnation clearly
implies the Divinity of Christ.
And so to every man who
breaks out into this mad blasphemy, the Lord Jesus in the gospel
Himself repeats what He said to the Pharisees, and declares:
“What God hath joined together, let not man put
asunder.”2529
For although
where it was originally spoken by God it seems to be in answer to
another matter, yet the deep wisdom of God which was speaking not more
of carnal than of spiritual things, would have this to be taken of that
subject indeed, but even more of this: for when the Jews of that day
believed with you that Jesus was only a man without Divinity, and the
Lord was asked a question about the union in marriage, in His teaching
He not only referred to it, but to this also: though consulted about
matters of less importance His answer applied to greater and deeper
matters, when he said, “What God hath joined together, let not
man put asunder,” i.e., Do not sever what God hath joined
together in My Person. Let not human wickedness sever that which the
Divine Glory hath united in Me. But if you want to be told more fully
that this is so, hear the Apostle talking about these very subjects of
which the Saviour was then teaching, for he, as a teacher sent from God
that his weak-minded hearers might be able to take in his teaching,
expounded those very subjects which God had proclaimed in a mystery.
For when he was discussing the subject of carnal union, on which the
Saviour had been asked a question in the gospel, he repeated those very
passages from the old Law on which He had dwelt, on purpose that they
might see that as he was using the same authorities he was expounding
the same subject: besides which, that nothing may seem to be wanting to
his case, he adds the mention of carnal union, and puts in the names of
husband and wife whom he exhorts to love one another: “Husbands,
love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church.” And again:
“So also ought men to love their wives even as their own bodies.
He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever hated his own
flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, as Christ also doth the
Church, for we are members of His body.”2530
You see how by adding to the mention of man and wife the mention of
Christ and the Church, he leads all from taking it carnally to
understand it in a spiritual sense. For when he had said all this, he
added those passages which the Lord had applied in the Gospel, saying:
“For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother, and
shall cleave unto his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh.”
And after this with special emphasis he adds: “This is a great
mystery.” He certainly altogether cuts off and gets rid of any
carnal interpretation, by saying that it is a Divine mystery. And what
did he add after this? “But I am speaking of Christ and the
Church.” That is to say: “But that is a great mystery. But
I am speaking of Christ and the Church,” i.e., since perhaps at
the present time all cannot grasp that, they may at least grasp this,
which is not at variance with it, nor different from it,
because both refer to Christ. But
because they cannot grasp those more profound truths let them at least
take in these easier ones that by making a commencement by grasping
what lies on the surface, they may come to the deeper truths, and that
the acquisition of a somewhat simple matter may open the way in time to
what is more profound.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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