Considering Jesus
Jay Horsley
Let us continue to “consider Jesus.” (Heb. 3:1) Though He came humbly among men, He is the center of all things to those who recognize His true importance.
John the Baptist, who came as the forerunner of Christ, knew his place. Some of his disciples reported to him that Jesus was making more disciples and baptizing many more people than he was – and man who was named for the teaching the he introduced. John's disciples seem to think that their master should be afforded more honor than he was currently receiving. But John knew his place. He was not the center of attention – Jesus was.
John was like the best man at a wedding. The best man has an important role to play, but soon fades to background. John tried to get his disciples to consider the importance of Jesus.
The leaders of the Jews did not recognize the importance of Jesus either. They tried to force on Jesus' disciples their ritualistic practices that were supposedly expressions of contemplation and sorrow. (These are good things to be sure, but not in the traditional, artificial ways that the Jews demanded that they be observed.) Jesus said that when the groom is with the wedding party it is not time to show sorrow, but to rejoice. The Jews did not consider the importance of Jesus being with them.
Heb. 2:10 “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author [captain – KJV, NKJV, pioneer – NRSV] of their salvation through sufferings.”
The word that is translated in most versions as “author” or “captain” is defined as “one that takes the lead in any thing and thus affords an example, a predecessor in a matter, pioneer.” (Thayer)
The word “author” carries the idea of being the originator or source of a thing. The word “captain” carries the idea of a leader or commander. We should notice that although captain is a high office, in military usage it is a field officer, one who is out with the troops. When we combine the ideas of both author and leader, we find the idea of “pioneer,” as the New Revised Standard translates it. Think of Daniel Boone who blazed the trial way west by going himself through the wilderness and leaving a path for other to follow. He both led and showed the way. This is exactly what Christ did in respect to salvation. He both originated and led the way. We must give careful consideration to Him if we wish to go in that same way.
The Messiah did not come in the way that the Jews expected. He did not come from a palace, or from among the priests in the Temple, or from the rabbinical schools. He came from a common family in a common trade and from a nowhere place.
The Jews should have learned that His power was from God since there was no earthly explanation for these things. A second lesson to draw from this is the dignity of labor. It was to a tradesman that God entrusted the Savior of us all when He was a babe, and before our Lord began His public ministry He was trained and employed in the same trade as His earthly father.
We rightly consider the humility and lowliness of Jesus in His earthly life, but we must also consider the great prominence that Jesus attained. The Jews rejected the lowly Messiah, but Jesus said that they were rejecting what God had intended to make the very centerpiece of the coming order. The prophecy of Ps. 118:22 is also directly quoted in Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 2 Pet. 2:6,7 and is alluded to in Eph. 2:20. The very fact that this scripture is so repeatedly used should cause us to consider it carefully.
Jesus was not what men were looking for, but He is what we needed. He was not recognized by men, but was honored by God. He was not esteemed by many of those around Him, but is the center all of things to those who have gathered around Him.
Let us consider Him who came so humbly, but who is to be the center of our attention as groom, leader and center and foundation of all things in the church.