HIS HUMILIATION.
Christ's state of humiliation comprises His life on earth, during which He laid aside the full use of His divine glory and was content to appear among men in the form of a servant. He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, [Phil. 2:8+] in order that He might redeem us. He gave men glimpses of His divine glory: in the authority with which He taught, [Matt. 7:28-29] in the holy life which He led, [John 8:46] and in the miracles which He performed. [John 2:11] But in general He appeared like other men.
This state of humiliation includes five stages:—He was
1. CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY GHOST, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY. Christ might have appeared among men in the full splendor of His divine glory and majesty. But, in order to redeem us, He was content to be born in poverty, [Luke 2:7, II Cor. 8:9+, Matt. 8:20+] to grow up in obscurity, [Matt. 2:23] and to appear to most men as if He were simply a man.
2. SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE. The whole life of Jesus on earth was a life of suffering endured for our sakes. He bore all the trials and hardships which have come upon our race as a result of its sinfulness. He also suffered constant persecution at the hands of his enemies. [Heb. 12:3; John 1:11] But His greatest sufferings came at the end of His life, in the agony of Gethsemane, [Matt. 26:36-46] in the mock-trial before the Jewish Council, [Matt. 26:57-75] and in His sufferings under Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. [Matt. 27:1-30] He was mocked, spitefully entreated, spitted on, crowned with thorns, and scourged; and then He
3. WAS CRUCIFIED. [Luke 23:33] Though innocent and holy, He was treated as though He were a malefactor, and was put to a cruel and shameful death. He was nailed to a cross, and left suspended there till He died. So great was His agony, that He cried out, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" [Mark 15:34]
4. DEAD. After unspeakable sufferings, Jesus died on the cross. [Mark 15:37] He was really, and not seemingly, dead. [John 19:33-34] He voluntarily gave up His life for ours. [John 10:18-19+] His death was vicarious. He suffered the penalty for our sins. [I Pet. 3:18, Isa. 53:5+]
5. BURIED. His body was laid away in the grave, where our bodies shall decay. But since Christ was "the Holy One of God," His body could not "see corruption." [Ps. 16:10]
HIS EXALTATION.
After the work of redemption was completed, Christ assumed the full use of the glory and majesty which had belonged to Him as the Son of God from eternity; His human nature was exalted to a full share in the glory of His divine nature. [Phil. 2:9-11+] He had humbled Himself as a man; and He was exalted as a man. His divine nature, being unchangeable, can neither be humbled nor exalted. [Heb. 13:8]