The Lord Jesus became a real man, just as we are, except that He was “without sin” (Heb. 4:1515For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)). Also, like every true believer, He was anointed with the Spirit of God, for the Word of God records that the Spirit descended upon Him like a dove (Matt. 3:1616And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: (Matthew 3:16)). Thus every action in His life was that of a perfect, dependent man, and those actions were by the power of the Spirit of God. His display of “the fruit of the Spirit” was perfect in every way.
The fruit of the Spirit, as brought before us in Galatians 5:22-23,22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22‑23) is given to us in an order that is significant. First of all, there is that which was Godward, in entities like love, joy and peace. These qualities also flowed over into blessing for man, although displayed first of all for God. Then we have the more practical aspects of the fruit — things that largely affect us, and affect others too. All were perfect and blended together by the Spirit of God.
Love, Joy and Peace
The first quality is love, and without this nothing else can exist. Without love, all other aspects of the fruit cease to exist, for love ought to be the motive for all in our lives. With the Lord Jesus, He could confidently say to His Father, “Thou lovest Me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:2424Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24)). The Lord Jesus perfectly enjoyed that love and returned it. He could say, “That the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do” (John 14:3131But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. (John 14:31)). His perfect obedience flowed from His love to His Father.
This brings us to joy, and, again, it is connected with obedience. It was the supreme joy of our blessed Master to do the Father’s will. We read in Hebrews 12:2,2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) “Looking unto Jesus ... who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross.” The joy here is His joy in doing the will of the Father and then being confidently able to say, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do” (John 17:44I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. (John 17:4)). While His pathway was, in many ways, a path of sorrow, yet He had an inner joy that made it all worthwhile. He wished that same joy for His own, for He could pray at the end of His time down here, “That they might have My joy fulfilled in themselves” (John 17:1313And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. (John 17:13)). If we are faithful to the Lord, our experience in this world will be one of sorrow, but we can have His joy in our hearts — the joy of obedience.
Next we have peace, and His peace is mentioned in John 14:27: “My peace I give unto you.” This must be distinguished from the peace that is ours as to our sins being forgiven; that is mentioned first in the verse: “Peace I leave with you.” That peace is the result of His work for us on the cross. But His peace was that peace that accepts every circumstance from God, and then takes all its difficulties to God. While He surely felt them, difficult circumstances never ruffled the Lord Jesus; He accepted them from His Father and spent much time in prayer. That same peace is left to us as a legacy, but it depends on our walking “even as He walked” (1 John 2:66He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1 John 2:6)).
Long-Suffering, Gentleness and Goodness
Long-suffering is one of the most difficult fruits to display, for most of us are naturally impatient and do not want to bear with things that trouble us. This is especially true when we see the activity of the flesh in others. Our Lord Jesus never lost His temper or spoke an unkind word, in spite of the dullness of His disciples and the demands of the crowds that followed Him everywhere. When He and His disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee to take a much-needed rest and the crowds followed Him, how long-suffering He was! Like a Shepherd, He preached to them, and then fed them. Even when the disciples were perhaps impatient in it all, how long-suffering he was to them! He was a perfect example for us.
Gentleness, or kindness, is next. How needful! The original word in Greek is used a number of times in the New Testament, and it is sometimes translated “goodness.” It is also translated “kindness,” as in Ephesians 2:7: “His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” It is that excellence of character that thinks of others and acts in gentleness and kindness toward them. The kindness of the Lord Jesus surpasses all that we can think of, for His kindness was not only in natural things. His kindness took Him all the way to Calvary’s cross, to bear our sins. That same kindness in God and in the Lord Jesus will be displayed for all eternity, as we are shown “the exceeding riches of His grace.”
Next we have goodness, and we might think that this quality has already been covered in the word “kindness,” for it also means goodness. However, this word in Greek is different, and it is used only four times in the New Testament. It has the thought of virtue, or being beneficial to others. It is the spirit of giving rather than receiving. When the Lord Jesus came into this world, God had been looking for something from fallen man for 4,000 years. Since He had received nothing, God became a Giver, and all through His ministry in this world, our Lord was a Giver. He never did anything to please Himself; His heart always looked toward others and was ready to give whatever was needed to them, according to the will of God.
Faith, Meekness and Temperance
The next word is “faith,” but it can also be rendered “fidelity,” or faithfulness. It certainly includes a firm belief in what God has given, but also that constancy and steady continuance in it, not only towards God, but also in relationship to others. We speak with all reverence that the Lord Jesus, as the perfect, dependent Man, had no question of the faithfulness of God. He could say, “Thou wilt not leave My soul to Sheol, neither wilt Thou allow Thy Holy One to see corruption” (Psa. 16:1010For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Psalm 16:10) JND). He could also pray with confidence, “O My God, take Me not away in the midst of My days” (Psa. 102:2424I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. (Psalm 102:24)). Likewise, others could totally depend on Him to carry out what He said He would do. When He said, “Behold, I am with you all the days, until the completion of the age” (Matt. 28:2020Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:20) JND), His own knew that He would be there for them.
Meekness is mentioned many times in the Word of God, and especially in connection with Moses — see Numbers 12:33(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) (Numbers 12:3). But meekness is not weakness, for although our Lord manifested meekness as none other ever did, He was not weak. But His meekness showed itself in never taking offence. Yes, He defended His Father’s glory and insisted upon His own person as the Son of God. Yet, when personal insults were hurled at Him, He ignored them. At one point He was called a Samaritan; at another time the Jewish leaders said, “We be not born of fornication,” implying that the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus was actually the result of fornication on Mary’s part. In His meekness, the Lord Jesus did not answer these slurs.
Finally, all this leads us to temperance, or self-control. At times we say of someone who speaks or acts in an untoward way, “He was (or is) out of control,” meaning that his words and body language are controlled by wild emotions rather than calm reason. But never did the Lord Jesus allow Himself to act that way, for His actions were always in the power of the Spirit of God. On occasion, He could display righteous anger, but never did He “let the sun go down” upon His wrath (Eph. 4:2626Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: (Ephesians 4:26)). It was always measured out in just the right amount and in the right way. He could call out the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy (Matt. 23), and He could drive the moneychangers and animals out of the temple on two occasions. Yet all was done in perfect self-control.
We too, as believers, are indwelt by the Spirit of God and can exhibit those same fruits of the Spirit, for we read in John 3:3434For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. (John 3:34) JND that “God gives not the Spirit by measure.” If we walked more in the power of that Spirit, we too would be able to exhibit more of the fruit of the Spirit, as did our blessed Master. He did it perfectly; perfection with us will not come until we are at home with Him, yet it is the standard for us now.
W. J. Prost