
We all have our own unique picture of Jesus. As followers of Christ we affirm that He was and is the Only Begotten Son of God, fully God and fully man.
Easily said. But holding those two truths in their proper balance is a challenge. Usually we err on one side or the other, like Jesus is more God than Man, which leaves Him distant, untouched and untouchable. Or He is more Man, which robs Him of the honor, respect, reverence He is owed.
Fortunately, the Word of God helps us keep those two truths in proper relationship. One example is Mark chapter seven. There, in verses 31 thru 37 we see two remarkable things. First we see Jesus the man. In verse 34 our Lord, called upon to heal a man both deaf and difficult of speech. Jesus is exhausted. He has been trying to find some “down time” to focus His efforts on the disciples. But everywhere He goes He is confronted by the demands of ministry. So here His attention is drawn to a soul in need.
The passage is full of really amazing stuff, but two things stand out. First Jesus, taking the man aside, looks to heaven and sighs heavily. Jesus sighed, heavily. Jesus gave out a deep, from the gut, groan. The word Mark used to describe this indicates someone caught between two forces, two realities pressing in, one from each side. Exhausted, frustrated, disappointed, Jesus expresses that utterly human experience, frustration. It is the essence of our humanity, to be at the point where all resources are spent, all options have been tried, and resignation is all that’s left.
Then Jesus heals the man. Puts His fingers in the man ears and commands him to “be opened,” to hear and to speak. And the man both heard and spoke clearly. An act of unprecedented healing. God stuff. Only God stuff.
So here is the balance, Jesus, both fully God and fully man at the exact same moment. This is God News. This is the One touched with the likeness of our Infirmities and could also say, If you have seen Me you have seen the Father.
Both are essential to our faith. We can call upon His Name without fear in our hour of need because He has been touched with our weakness and infirmities. We call upon His Name in our hour of need because we are confident He spoke the world into order and the world itself was made through Him.
This is why He is the Prince of Peace. This is why He is our Hope. This is why we call Him Savior.
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