The Mission of the Impeccable Christ Illustrated

Last week I highlighted the scandalous nature of the gospel. There, we saw that the gospel is scandalous in that not only is righteous, innocent Jesus condemned to die, but also, via his cross and his resurrection, Jesus sets the guilty free and makes the guilty righteous. We see this scandalous gospel live and in living color in a familiar narrative: when Jesus is condemned and Barabbas is set free. To draw out the scandal, we will follow Matthew and consider Barabbas’ notorious or well-known reputation (Matthew 27:16) over against Jesus’ reputation. Then we will consider the great exchange of the notorious sinner and the impeccably righteous Jesus. And finally, we will revel in the hope this offers us.

 

Barabbas Is Notorious for Sin

Mark notes that Barabbas, is imprisoned, “among the rebels…who had committed murder in the insurrection” (Mark 15:6–7). Luke observes that Barabbas “had been thrown in prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder” (Luke 23:19). John says he was a robber (John 18:40). This term robber in the biblical context, is often associated violence. In the OT, it is associated with raiding bandits or highwaymen and with all manner of sin, including murder (Hosea 7:1; Obadiah 5; Jeremiah 7:8–11). So what is Barabbas notorious for? Barabbas is notorious for being a violent rebel against authority. Indeed, he could even be notorious for instigating or fomenting violent insurrection (Luke 23:19). Barabbas is notorious for murder. Barabbas is notorious for robbery. In short, Barabbas is notorious for sin—sin against God and sin against his fellowman.

Now consider Jesus.

 

Jesus Is Notorious for Righteousness

A survey of the gospels make clear what Jesus is well-known or notorious for in his context. Jesus is notorious for healing the sick. Jesus is notorious for making the lame walk. Jesus is notorious for opening blind eyes and deaf ears. Jesus is notorious for exercising divine, miraculous, physics-defying authority over nature. Jesus is notorious for feeding the hungry. Jesus is notorious for casting out demons. Jesus is notorious for raising the dead. Jesus is notorious for exposing and confronting injustice and sin. Jesus is notorious for forgiving sin. In short, Jesus is notorious for his righteousness.

 

The Great Exchange

Here in this prisoner swap of Barabbas and Jesus, we see the gospel. The notoriously sinful Barabbas goes free. And the notoriously righteous Jesus is condemned. Barabbas is guilty. Barabbas should have died on that cross. But Barabbas’ sentence is commuted. Barabbas goes free. Barabbas is considered not guilty and treated as such. On the other hand, Jesus is innocent. Jesus should have gone free and lived. But Jesus’ perfectly righteous, innocent life is condemned. Jesus is considered guilty and is treated as such. This picture of the gospel ultimately breaks down, though. And this is where the scandalous nature of the gospel that we highlighted last week bursts forth even more.

 

The Even More Scandalous Gospel: The Impeccable Jesus Becomes Sin and You Become Impeccably Righteous

In this scene of Barabbas being set free, we only get a picture of the true gospel reality. Why? How? Well, what does everyone else recognize about Barabbas when he goes free? What is still true of him? He is still guilty. His guilt remains. Barabbas is only being considered and treated as not guilty. But he is inherently guilty. That is where this picture breaks down. Because what does the gospel say? The gospel of Jesus Christ says this, “Not only are you free, but you are righteous!” And we are tempted to say, “No I am guilty! Look at what I’ve done!” The gospel’s responds, “Righteous!” In the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are not only free, our sentence is not simply commuted, but we are declared righteous and transformed into the very righteousness of God: For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). And there is more.

Jesus worked righteousness but he also never sinned. And not only did Jesus always overcome temptation and sin, but Jesus was also incapable of sinning. Jesus was impeccable. Theologian William Shedd describes Jesus’ impeccability as his being able to not only overcome temptation, but also his being unable to be overcome by temptation.[1] And through his substitutionary atonement, by becoming the curse for us (Galatians 3:13), by becoming our sin on the cross, Jesus completely paid our debt (Colossians 3:14). Jesus gave his life as a ransom so that we might become the righteousness of God (Mark 10:45; 2 Corinthians 5:21). So because of Jesus’ work, we are like, are becoming like, and will become like him (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 3:2). This is a monumental promise and unfading hope for those in Jesus. The sin that we continue to struggle with, even in our divinely declared righteous state, will end. We will one day be free from all remnants of our sinful flesh. Sin will no longer exist, and we will be unable to sin. Impeccable Jesus’ mission was and is to make us impeccable.

 

Enduring Hope

When we see notoriously sinful Barabbas walking free and notoriously righteous, impeccable Jesus condemned to die, we see the gospel. But we also know that the gospel is even better than what that limited scene communicates. We were like Barabbas in that scene. But where Barabbas remained guilty, we in Jesus are being made impeccably righteous. Impeccable Jesus’ mission was to make you and me impeccable. Mission accomplished. We walk in that reality imperfectly now, but we will see that reality perfectly fulfilled when he returns. For this reason we cry, “Come, Lord Jesus.”

[1] William G.T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, ed. Alan W. Gomes, Third Edition. (Phillipsburg, N.J.: P&R Publishing, 2005), 659, https://heritagebooks.org/products/dogmatic-theology-third-edition-shedd.html.

You are My God – I Cannot Be My Own Master: Augustine on Psalm 143

[In the February 21 sermon on Psalms 142 and 143, I quoted from Augustine’s commentary on 143:10. As mentioned in a December blog post, we do well to interact with believers who are not our contemporaries, for they will often see in Scripture what we miss. I commend to you, therefore, these excerpts from Augustine’s comments on Psalm 143:5-11, based on this 19th century English translation. I have made some edits, updating the verb forms, generally replacing the cited Scriptures with the ESV, adding Scripture references, and clarifying some sentences. So I pray that you may profit from this 1600-year-old exposition! – Coty]

[Verse 5] In all the works of God then, and in meditation on all the works of God, [David] introduces grace, he commends grace, he boasts that he has found grace, the grace whereby we are saved without price…. Why do you boast of your own righteousness? Why lift yourself up, being ignorant of the righteousness of God? Because you contributed to your salvation? What did you contribute to being made a man? Look back then upon the Framer of your life, the Author of your substance, of your righteousness, and of your salvation: meditate upon the works of His hands, for even the righteousness in you, you will find, is the work of His hands [Ephesians 2:9-10]…. Turn from your own work, to His work Who made you; He fashioned you, and let Him refashion what He fashioned and you destroyed. For you exist because He made you; you are good – if you are – because He made you good.…

[Verse 6] And what did I do when I saw that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning [James 1:17]? When I saw this, I turned from the evil work which I had wrought in myself, and I stretched forth my hands unto You…. Indeed, my soul is as a land without water to You. Rain upon me to bring forth from me good fruit…. I can thirst for You; I cannot water myself. My soul thirsts for the living God. When shall I come to Him [Psalm 42:2], save when He has come to me?

[Verse 7a] “Answer me quickly, O Lord!” For what need of delay to inflame my thirst, when already I thirst so eagerly? You delayed the rain, that I might drink Your flow. If then You delayed for this cause, now give, for my soul is as a land without water to You…. Let Your Spirit fill me, for my spirit has failed me. This is the reason why You should quickly hear me…. I am now poor in spirit; make me blessed in the kingdom of heaven [Matthew 5:3]…. But quickly hear me, O God, rain on me, strengthen me, that I be not dust which the wind drives away from the face of the earth [Psalm 1:4]. Quickly hear me, O God; my spirit has failed: let not my need suffer longer delay…. “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” [2 Corinthians 5:17]. Old things pass away in our own spirit, they are made new in Your Spirit.

[Verse 7b] “Hide not Your face from me.” You hid it from me when I was proud. For once I was full, and in my fulness I was puffed up. Once in my fulness I said, … “I shall not be moved.” I knew not Your Righteousness, and tried to establish my own; … but from You came whatever fulness I had. And to prove to me that it was from You, You hid Your Face from me, and I was troubled. After this trouble, … then I became like a land without water to You: hide not Your Face! … Hide not Your Face from me, because, if You hide it, I shall “be like them that go down into the pit.” What does “go down into the pit” mean? … He no longer believes in Providence, or if he does believe, he thinks that he has no longer anything to do with it. He sets before himself license to sin, the reins of iniquity being let loose now that he has no hope of pardon. He does not confess his sin…. “Hide not Your face from me or I shall be like them that go down into the pit.”

[Verse 8a] “Let me hear in the morning of Your steadfast love, for in you I trust.” Behold, I am in the night, yet I have trusted in You, until the iniquity of the night passes away. For we have, as Peter says, “the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” [2 Peter 1:19]. He calls “morning” the time after the end of the world…. “If we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience [Romans 8:25] The night requires patience, the day will give joy.

[Verse 8b] But what do we do until the morning comes? For it is not enough to hope for the morning; we must … seek Him…. Since then we must thus hope for the morning, and bear this night, and persevere in this patience until the day dawn, what meanwhile must we do here? So that you will not think you should do anything of yourself to earn your being brought to the morning, he says, “Make me know the way I should go.” That is why God lit the lamp of prophecy, that is why He sent Jesus in the vessel, as it were, of the flesh…. Walk by prophecy, … walk by the word of God. As yet you do not see the Word as He was in the beginning, God with God [John 1:1]: walk by the Form of [the Word as] a servant, and you shall be conformed to the Form of God. “For to You I lift unto up my soul.” I have lifted it up to You, not against You. With You is the Fountain of life: to You have I lifted up my soul. I have brought my soul as a vessel to the Fountain: fill me, therefore, for unto You have I lifted up my soul.

[Verse 9] “Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, for I have fled for refuge to You.” I who once fled from You, now flee to You…. I think not here of human enemies. We wrestle not against flesh and blood. But against whom?… The rulers of this world, of this darkness, the rulers of the wicked [Ephesians 6:12]; against these you wrestle. Great is your conflict, not to see your enemies, and yet to conquer. Against the rulers of this world, of this darkness, the devil, that is, and his angels….

[Verse 10a] “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God.” Glorious confession! glorious rule! “For You are my God.” To another I would hasten to be re-made, if by another I was made. You are my all, for You are my God. Shall I seek a father to get an inheritance? You are my God, not only the Giver of my inheritance, but my Inheritance itself [Psalm 142:5]…. Shall I seek a patron, to obtain redemption? You are my God. Lastly, having been created, do I desire to be re-created? You are my God, my Creator, Who created me by Your Word, and re-created me by Your Word. But You created me by Your Word [the Son], Who was with You: You re-created me by Your Word, made Flesh for our sakes. Teach me then to do Your will, for You are my God. If You do not teach, I shall do my own will, and my God will abandon me. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Teach me: for it cannot be that You are my God, and yet I am to be my own master. See how grace is commended to us. This hold fast, this drink in, this let none drive out of your hearts, lest you have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge [Romans 10:2]; lest, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to establish your own righteousness, you submit not yourselves to the righteousness of God [Romans 10:3]….

[Verse 10b-11] Your good Spirit, not my bad one, … shall lead me into the right land. For my bad spirit has led me into a crooked land. And what have I deserved? What can be reckoned as my good works without Your aid, through which I might … be worthy to be led by Your Spirit into the right land? What are my works? … Listen, then, with all your power, to the commendation of Grace, whereby you are saved without price. “For Your Name’s sake, O Lord, You shall make me live.” You shall make me live. “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory” [Psalm 115:1]. “For Your Name’s sake, O Lord, You shall make me live in Your righteousness;” not in my own righteousness. Not because I have deserved to live, but because You have mercy. For I deserve nothing of you except punishment. You have pruned from me my own merits; You have grafted in Your own gifts.