Word of Encouragement (4/21/2021)

We are reflecting on Paul’s prayer in 2 Cor. 1:3-4: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” We talked about the significance of God’s title as “the God… of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Today, let’s talk about another element.

Paul addresses God also as “[the] Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This, of course, points to Jesus’ divine sonship to God. This is shown not only by God’s title as “the Father” to Jesus but also by Jesus’ title as “our Lord.” Even though the Greek word for “lord” (kyrios) could be used for human masters (including the Roman emperors), when this word is used of Jesus, it signified Jesus’ divinity. This stems from the Jewish practice of replacing the proper name of God (YHWH) with “adonai,” which means “my Lord,” when they read the Scriptures. This they did as a precaution not to break the Third Commandment (“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain”). They were afraid that they would pronounce God’s name with less reverence than what it truly deserved. (The English translations adopted this tradition. So, when you read the Old Testament and come across “LORD” [all in capital letters], know that that is the translation of the Hebrew Word, YHWH.) Jesus’ New Testament title, “Lord,” reflects this Jewish tradition.

Think also of the trinitarian benediction at the end of this letter: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Cor. 13:14). The three Persons of the Trinity are mentioned as equals. Also, it was unthinkable for a Jew to pronounce benediction in the name and authority of any being other than God Himself. In the New Testament, God has revealed Himself as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

One of the reasons that Paul referred to God as “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” was to present God also as “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.” We will talk about this more in depth tomorrow. But let us pause a moment and think about the significance of God’s title as the Father of our Lord Jesus. The intimacy Jesus enjoyed with God in a far greater measure than that of the Patriarchs (i.e., Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) was because He was the Son of God. He and the Father (along with the Holy Spirit) were one in divine essence, purpose, and will. They loved one another with perfect and infinite love, which only God is capable of. God the Father delighted in His Son as God the Son joyfully and perfectly obeyed His Father in all things, even to the point of death, death on a cross.

This is the basis, on which Jesus taught us to call God “our Father” as well. If we can call “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” “our Father,” it is because we are united with Jesus the Son of God through faith. This union could not happen without the problem of our sin resolved through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ: “when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Gal. 4:4-5). The Holy Spirit the Consuming Fire, which destroys all that is impure and sinful (Isa. 33:14 “The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless: ‘Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?’”). We could not have Him as the Spirit of adoption if we were still under sin.

Because of the Son of God, who paid the penalty of our sin completely and united us to Himself, God is no longer our Judge but our heavenly Father. Through our union with Him, we do not become divine like Him. But we have received the right to be called the children of God and we can call Him “Abba! Father!” With His wrath against sinners all spent on Jesus when He died on the cross for us, God has nothing but love for us. This love He has for us is the love, with which He loves Jesus, His only begotten Son. We receive this love because He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom we are eternally, inseparably joined by faith through the bond of the Holy Spirit. Praise God! Let us draw near to Him as His children and enjoy His love more and more!