0912. The Master's Answer–Born by the Cross of Christ

The Master's Answer–Born by the Cross of Christ

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up" (Joh_3:14).

After Christ had told Nicodemus of His Deity and of His oneness with the Father He gave another answer to the query: "How can these things be?" Christ said: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up."

The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and many of Israel died. Then the people cried unto Moses and said: "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that He take away the serpents from us." In answer to Moses' prayer he was instructed to make a fiery serpent of brass, and to put it upon a pole. "And it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived."

Nicodemus had long known the story of the serpent. Christ wanted him to see in that serpent, a picture of the Son of Man "lifted up"–lifted up, the Just for the unjust that He might bring us to God. This is the way we are born again.

It is worthy of note that the "must" of Joh_3:14, the "must" of Christ's crucifixion, is just as emphatic as the "must" of Joh_3:7, the "must" of regeneration.

In later years Christ said again that the Son of Man must be killed (see Mat_16:21).

Neither in Joh_3:14 nor in Mat_16:21, did Jesus Christ mean that He was the helpless martyr of men's malice. What was the must that put Christ to the Cross? It was not the must of a maddened populace. It was not the must of the scribes and elders. It was not the must of the Roman soldiers. It was not the must of Pilate's decree. None of these had power to nail Christ to the Cross.

The populace, and the Jewish people, when they were in the Garden of Gethsemane fell back as dead men at Christ's approach. Pilate and the Roman soldiers could have done nothing against Him, except it was given them of God.

It was not satanic powers that overwhelmed Christ. Christ had met satan in the wilderness and vanquished him. It was not the "elements" which slew Christ for He had calmed the sea and quieted the winds; in fact, all nature lay passive in His hands. The must that drove Christ to the Cross, was the MUST of man's need and of God's love.

Nicodemus wanted to know how a man could be born again, and Christ said, "The Son of Man must be lifted up." Since the sinner must be born again, the Saviour must be lifted up.

Salvation from sin, and the new birth is linked inseparably to the Cross. "There is none other name given under Heaven among men whereby we must be saved."

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR