Round the Sphere Again: Jesus

As a Human Being
The theological significance of Jesus’ humanity (D. A. Carson at For the Love of God).

Steve Hays discusses Jesus’ resurrected and ascended body, especially what we don’t know for sure. (Triablogue).

On the Cross
Jared Wilson considers what it means that Jesus was forsaken by the Father (Gospel Driven Church).

Filfilling the Old Testament
He was the perfect and final Melchizedekian priest (D. A. Carson at For the Love of God), and so much more (Kevin DeYoung). 

The Servant's Suffering Was Substitutionary

From Pierced for Our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution by Steve Jeffery, Michael Ovey, Andrew Sach, “seven noteworthy features of the text that clarify the substitutionary character of the Servant’s suffering” in Isaiah 53:

1. The Servant is explicitly said to suffer ‘for’ others (pp. 54-56).
2. The suffering of the Servant brings great benefits to those for whom he suffers (pp. 56-57).
3. The Servant suffered willingly and deliberately, not as a passive victim of the actions of others (p. 58).
4. It is God himself who acts to lay the people’s sin upon the Servant and to punish him (pp. 58-59).
5. The suffering Servant is himself sinless and righteous (p. 59).
6. The Servant suffered not for his own sin, but for the sins of others (p. 60).
7. The phrase ‘guilt offering’ is used of  the suffering Servant (p. 61).

Putting it all together:

Plainly, Isaiah 53 teaches that God’s Servant willingly took the place of his people, bearing the penalty for their sins in order that they might escape punishment.

Several years ago I had a bloggy discussion/argument with someone over whether there was penal substitution in Isaiah 53. I tried to prove that there was, but I could have done a much better job if I’d read this book first. It seemed to me, way back then, that my opponent argued around the text rather than from it to make his points. You know, lots of reasons why doesn’t have to mean what it seems to mean, but no explanation of what it really does mean and why. It pleased me, then, to read here that those who deny penal substitution in this text are “guilty of special pleading.” Yes. Exactly.

Thankful Thursday

My biggest item for thanksgiving is the news that the second oral surgery to close the bone graft I had back at the beginning of March seems to have worked. It also looks like the bone graft may be successful in spite of everything. That means that most likely I won’t have to have another surgery until it’s time for the actual implant surgery. I’m very relieved. I was getting a little tired of it all and I’m thankful that I can just relax and wait for a few months. 

And finally, a day with sunshine. I’m thankful for it. 

I’m thankful for my son’s help with the yearly yard clean up. It’s a big yard and there’s a lot of work to be done—extra work, because the leaves didn’t get raked last fall. It is a blessing to have good help. 

I’m thankful that the fall in Genesis 3 was not the end of the story. I’m thankful that God, through his Son, will make everything right in the end. 

What about you? What are you thankful for?