Instead of the sufferings of Christ, we find His poverty (v. 9), to which the ministry now conforms us, our place in the world. It is not a question of what a man possessed, but what he was himself (v. 2). It is an extraordinary thing to give beyond one’s power. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”—that is the ground of all appeal.
There is always something in the soul of the Christian that answers to Christ, which we need to get hold of. His poverty was needed to make good the righteous government of God; it was the only place in accord with it. He entered into the place of man upon earth, but if man, in the place in which righteous government had put man—outside Eden and riches—He had not where to lay His head. He vindicates the government that had driven men there, but He only could do it who had no business to be there Himself. He has a title to sit upon the throne, because He had vindicated the throne.
“Out of Egypt have I called my Son;” it is not for our salvation, but again in connection with government. He accepts the place as man of man under God’s government, and founds on His own perfectness the title to the way out of it, and lays the ground for God coming back again in righteous government to bless. He traverses the whole path where man and Israel had failed—Egypt, the wilderness, Jordan, the Mount of Transfiguration. Compare the Jordan of Joshua with that of Matt. 3. Then it was triumphant progress; now after the defeat and collapse of everything.
Fulfilling righteousness, He identifies Himself with a repentant, confessing, and expectant remnant. Heaven opens over the scene, expressing God’s perfect delight in it. The voice rouses Satan, who comes out to challenge this new Man. So he may! He goes into all the circumstances of man with God, and stands where man fell.
The Mount of Transfiguration prefigures the kingdom of glory. There was nothing in the history of Israel beyond it. It was with Israel forfeiture all the way up to Solomon. Now He receives from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. He gets many things meanwhile—a bride, &c.
But He must not only be the perfect Man—proved in all the circumstances in which the first man’s imperfection came out, but He must go down into the imperfection in which man was sunk under judgment, to extricate man as man out of it.
The heart was only to be linked with Christ, to make these people willing beyond their power. Grace draws us within its own circle, out of our own selfishness. He goes in for the grace, and brings it out in glory.