1885 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

to-day think of it--as "the angel God hath sent." No, Jesus knewof DEATH as the great enemy of the race, which had laid lowAdam and all his posterity, because permitted on account of sin.He knew that none thus far had ever gotten free entirely fromdeath who ever passed under its dominion. Now he was here, aman to die for men, to give his life a ransom price for all whodied through Adam's sin. The question then in Jesus' mind was,Can I become man's substitute and ransom price and then begiven existence on a higher plane of being than that I surrenderfor men? Is God indeed able to do this greatest of all things? IsHe able to do this which has never yet been done and bring backthe same conscious existence which became extinct in death?Faith questioned but for a moment, when his knowledge and pastexperience triumphed and he answers, Father, do as seemeth toThee best. I will drink the cup. I will be obedient to thy will andplan, even unto death--"Father, glorify thy name" and carry outthy great plan I am ready to do the part assigned to me. ForJesus to have gone so far as he had gone and then to draw backand refuse to complete the covenant of sacrifice symbolized inhis immersion, would have been sin and would have beenforfeiting every right and promise. Jesus so expresses the matterin the succeeding verse (25). "He that loveth his life [that lovesto keep it after having consecrated it to sacrifice] shall lose it;and he that hateth [is willing to sacrifice] his life in this worldshall keep [have] it unto life eternal." And is not this doctrine asapplicable to all the members of the consecrated priesthood as tothe chief priest? The covenant of sacrifice must be actuallyfulfilled or all is lost.The grain of wheat dies; it is no longer a grain of wheat. Theother grains which partaking of its life become perfect grains, arenone of them the grain which died. It is gone--gone forever as agrain of wheat. So Jesus was made FLESH in order that byGod's favor he might taste death for mankind--that through or bymeans of His death the Adamic race might live. This teachestwo things clearly and forcibly. First: as the grain that will growup will be of the same kind as that which is planted and dies, sothe being or existence secured to mankind by Jesus' sacrificemust be of the same kind as that which Jesus GAVE UP. Hegave up himself-- a man; all his previous work had beenpreparatory to this, "For this cause [or purpose--sacrifice] came Iunto this hour." Not only so, but as he was a PERFECT MANthe seeds which come as a result of his death, will, if they reachmaturity be PERFECT also.Secondly: as the grain which dies becomes forever extinct andnever again has an existence as a grain, having wholly givenitself to produce others of the same kind, so with Jesus whom thegrain of wheat is used to illustrate: The man Christ Jesus--havingbecome flesh for that very purpose, gave himself wholly--"gaveall that he had" (Matt. 13:44) in order to produce others--in order