He was the Forerunner of His entire Church in His betrothing love. He betrothed her, and therefore He says to the Church, by the prophet Hosea, "I have betrothed thee to me," long before you would receive His betrothing love. "I have betrothed thee to me in loving-kindness and in tender mercies, and in faithfulness; yea, I have betrothed thee to me for ever, and thou art mine." (Hosea. 2:19; Isa. 43:1) (Joseph Irons)
A suffering Saviour! an agonized Christ! and all this for his Church, his sheep, his people! "My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me." (J. J. WEST)
The poor among men," rejoice in a finished salvation, all of grace; not a salvation partly accomplished by Christ and the rest made up by the sinner. A gospel of this kind will not save, "the poor among men.(John Kershaw)
Look at this precious word, "accepted," in its fullness of grace and truth. The simple meaning of the word is, "graced in the Beloved." Every grace treasured up in a precious Christ for us. The grace of election, redemption, regeneration, faith, repentance, introduction, and presentation, all in the Beloved. Do I say, "I am black?" He says, "Thou art comely." (Songs 1:5) Do I confess my vileness? He says, "Thou art all fair, My love, there is no spot in thee." (Songs 4:7) Do I mourn my imperfections? He says, "Thou art perfect in Christ Jesus." Do I weep over my faults? He says, "Without fault before the throne of God." (Rev. 14:5) (Thomas Bradbury)
"Altogether lovely" in His work; lovely on the cross: the glory of God, as one speaks, is in a blaze there. See His glory in a blaze; justice, truth, righteousness, mercy, love, wisdom, and power, all, all meet there. O that wondrous cross by which Christ made peace! How wonderful it is to look on this cross, the Lord Jesus Christ crucified! If we get a glimpse of it, we shall not wonder at the apostle Paul saying, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Gal. 6:14)(J. K. Popham)
Negatively; there is not any righteousness of a believer which he acts, which can possibly have any force in plea with the Father for his discharge that hath committed sin; I mention that righteousness which he acts, because the very righteousness of Christ itself, is indeed the righteousness of a believer. (Tobias Crisp)
While Christ's responsibility is the salvation of His Church--and she can have no salvation without it--His glory is the business of her life. (Joseph Irons)
"Not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God." (Col. 2:19) Here the blessed Lord is represented as the Head, and his people as the members of his mystical body. Now we know what an intimate union the members of our body have with the head and with each other, and that, as I pointed out in the case of the vine, our bodily members never had an independent existence; they never subsisted out of union with the head and with each other. So it is in grace: the saints of God, viewed as saints of God, never had any subsistence except in union with the Son of God. In him they were chosen, as the apostle declares, "According as he hath chosen us in him." In him they are "accepted;" (Eph. 1:6) in him they obtained their inheritance. (Eph. 1:11) (J.C. Philpot)
3. It is the righteousness of God, and so serves for many; if it had been only by the righteousness of a creatures, it could have been of no use and service, but to the creature who was the author of it; but it being the righteousness of God, it is to all and upon all that believe; many are made righteous by it, even all the elect of God and seed of Christ. For in him shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory. It is a garment down to the foot, and covers every member, even the meanest and lowest in Christ's mystical body.
4. It is an everlasting righteousness. Our righteousness is both imperfect and of a short continuance. Like Ephraim's goodness, it is as the morning cloud and the early dew. But Christ's righteousness will abide for ever, it is a garment that will never wear out, or wax old, it is a righteousness that will last our lives, be of service at death, appear fresh at judgement, and will answer for us in a time to come, and give us an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. (John Gill)
And the second way I would speak of as to this union is, that it is union of life, a lifelong union because it is a union of life. I give unto My sheep eternal life and they shall never perish. (John 10:28) This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in His Son. (1 John 5:11) If then you have this eternal life you have union with Christ. It is not another life different from the one He has, it is Himself. I am the life, is His own word. I am the life of this people. He is in them in His life, spiritual life, spiritual union, oneness with Christ. O to have this is a blessing! (J. K. Popham)
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." God has blessed his people from the beginning with every needful new covenant blessing, treasured up in Christ Jesus their covenant Head. There is not a single blessing of grace and salvation which is not secured and deposited in him. (John Kershaw)
Because we are tempted to seek for that out of Jesus Christ which can only be found in Him. Thousands are seeking for a standing before God--for a sense of acceptance with Him--the enjoyment of forgiveness, and the experience of justification, not on the ground of what Jesus Christ has done and suffered--not through His blood and obedience; but on the ground of their comfortable frames and feelings, which are evanescent, intermittent and fleeting. I may be comfortable with a happy sense of my acceptance with God, but my comfort may depart with the very enjoyment of it. We must be brought to the spot of covenant certainty indicated in the language of the text, and beautifully expressed in the scriptural words of the hymn we love, "My hope is built on nothing less; Than Jesus' blood and righteousness; (Thomas Bradbury)
LAST Wednesday evening I made some few remarks in regard to this verse, and this morning again spoke, as far as the Lord gave me some measure of understanding, of this profound, glorious mystery and covenant of grace as it is in Christ. It was made with Him, and in it He by covenant agreement stands as the Head of His elect, chosen in eternity by His Father and given to Him, and as their Mediator, Surety and Testator. The Lord Jesus Christ is all this and much more beside in the covenant of electing grace. The covenant of grace is the main bulwark of the gospel, so to speak (Jesse Delves)
First of all, let us say a few words about the title here given to Christ. It is a very important one--"the Prince of Life." So that there is about Jesus something princely; and His princely bounty bestows all the life that His elect family need who lie "dead in trespasses and sins." Moreover, the very fruition of life is with Him, as well as its fountain; (Joseph Irons)
(4.) Christ has a Right to demand Grace and Glory of the Father, in Behalf of all those Persons, for whom he obeyed and died. This Right arises from his punctual Performance of what was required of him to do, on Condition of which, the Father promised him, that he should see his Seed, prolong his Days, and that his Pleasure should prosper in his Hand. The fulfilling of the Conditions, whereon Benefits are promised, gives Right to those Benefits (John Brine)
