1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

y exalting Him far above angels, principalities andpowers as an acknowledgment of the Son's obedienceR5086 page 263even unto death. The earthly life-rights are still ourLord's. The fact that He is to give human life to mankindis evidence that He has the right to that earthly life.We do not understand that our Lord Jesus agreedwith the Father merely to lay down His life. So greatwas His love for and His confidence in Jehovah, that Hewas eager to carry out the Father's plan for the blessingof mankind, whatever the cost might be to Himself. TheScriptures set forth His position at consecration, in thewords, "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God." How muchof God's will did this assertion involve? "In the volume[the roll] of the Book it is written of Me," I come preparedto do everything that is written in the Book. Notonly had He come with God's Law written in His heart,but He had offered to do everything written in the scrollof the Book.How could Jesus know what was written in the Book?There is every reason to believe that He did not, at thetime of His consecration, know all that was therein written.The things written in the Book, written in the typesand shadows of the Old Testament, were understood bynone of the Jews. Many of them, doubtless, our Lord didnot fully understand before His baptism. God's will isexpressed in the types of the Law Covenant. Our Lordhad said, "Everything written in the Book." But whowill say that at that time He knew how much was involved?As a matter of fact, He did not know until afterHis baptism, when the higher things were opened to Himand made known to Him; and following this enlightenmentHe went into the wilderness to study and meditateupon them.DEAD TO EVERYTHING BUT THE WILL OF GODAlthough prior to His consecration, Jesus did notknow everything written in the Book about Himself, yetHis consecration was complete. He had pledged Hiswhole life to the doing of God's will. His own will wasdead to all else. Later, He realized that His Covenantmeant also actual death as a malefactor.The question has been asked, Did Jesus after His resurrectionhave human life-rights by reason of the factthat they were not relinquished in death, or by virtue ofthe fact that He had been appointed "Heir of all things"?--Heb. 12.This, like many other subjects, is capable of variousshades of thought and expression. Our Lord possesseda right to human life and to all earthly things. This rightto life and all its blessings Adam had forfeited by disobedience,but Jesus had secured it by obedience and heldit absolutely free from risk of loss. Then, if some one,