KJV Luke 22:42, John 14:31, John 18:4: “Not My will … that the world may know that I love the Father … Jesus therefore, knowing all things … went forth”
NASB Luke 22:42, John 14:31, John 18:4: “Not My will … that the world may know that I love the Father … So Jesus, knowing all the things … went forth…”
When God formed man and breathed into him the breath of life, God set humanity apart from the rest of His creation. To man alone, He gave three very precious gifts: intelligence, a will, and the capability for deep emotion. Man was made rational, responsible, and relational. These are the very characteristics that mark out God Himself.
The first three mentions of “heart” in Scripture bear eloquent testimony to this fact. In Genesis 6:5, we learn of the “thoughts of the heart,” or man’s intelligence. In the next verse, we learn of emotion — “it grieved Him (God) at His heart.” Volition was expressed when God said, “in His heart, I will not again curse the ground …” (Gen 8:21).
All this is more than a metaphysical excursion into our non-material makeup. Here is the immaterial, the unseen elements of our humanity. We view and applaud the outward when it glorifies God, but how much more when the inward and unseen brings Him glory and pleasure!
Come with me in your thinking to the myriad of Jewish sacrifices which lay upon Jewish altars. There never was a victim that went with any measure of intelligence to the altar. It is conceivable that an ox or bullock, smelling the blood and recognizing danger, may have halted as it was being brought. However, genuine intelligence was lacking, and only creature instinct was present.
No sacrifice ever went with a will totally surrendered to God. It was being led by an owner, a priest, or a Levite to the place of sacrifice. There was no conscious decision to bow its will to live – instinctive in all creatures – to the will of God. It simply went where it was taken.
And, of course, no sacrifice ever rejoiced that it could serve in that capacity. Quietly and unsuspecting at best, reluctant and balking at worst, it moved to the place of sacrifice.
But all of this affords us some insight into the pleasure a Father received from a Son Who went to Calvary fully aware of all: “Jesus therefore knowing all .. went forth.” His intelligence was in full accord with God. Then we read of His will yielded so perfectly: “The cup … shall I not drink it?” (John 18:11).
Is it possible that there was a positive emotion linked with the awful death He would know? Can it be possible for a sacrifice to be marked by joy? “I delight to do Thy will, O My God” (Ps 40:8), and “That the world may know that I love the Father. Arise and let us go hence (to Calvary) (John 14:31).
Here, then, was the first and only sacrifice that approached an altar with the totality of His intelligence, will, and emotion in harmony with His God’s. There can be no question that a Father’s heart delighted in such a Son and that God delighted in this unique Man!
Consider
Can you think of other ways in which the self-sacrifice of Christ set Him apart from every other offering ever presented to God?