1885 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

gave for the life of the world. If on thecontrary we take the more Scripturalview of death, viz., extinction, and applyit to spiritual (?) "flesh and blood,""given for the life of the world," the casewould stand thus: Jesus gave [henceceased to possess] life as a spiritual being,[became extinct] in order to procurelife for man. To this we answer that ifhis spiritual existence were given forman's he could not now possess a spiritualexistence, having forfeited or "given"it for mankind. The fact that ChristJesus does live--a spiritual being--isclear proof that it was not his spiritualexistence that was "given for the life ofthe world," and hence proves that the"flesh and blood" given, in no sense representsa sacrifice of spiritual being.Is it asked, Could not Jesus have"given" a part of his spiritual being andR720 : page 8retained part? We answer, No, not ifhe is to be believed; for he says, thatwhen he was a man, he gave ALL THATHE HAD to effect the purchase.(Matt. 13:44.)On the contrary how simple the argumentand how logical and scriptural, thatHe who was in the form of God (spiritual)became or was "made flesh" [human]in order that he might give "a correspondingprice," substitute or ransomfor the condemned fleshly race. (Seethe definition of RANSOM--Greek, antilutron,1 Tim. 2:6, in Young's An. Concordance.)Yes, the man Christ Jesusgave himself--all that he had, a ransomfor all, for "as by man came death byman also came the resurrection of thedead." (1 Cor. 15:21.) And to thisdefinition the facts all agree, for he nevertook back the "flesh and blood," henever will take back our ransom price.Though put to death in the flesh, he was