Day by Day with Martin Luther

Read: Zechariah 12:1-13:9 Revelation 19:1-21 Proverbs 31:1-7

“The Promised Savior”

“Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world, taken up in glory.”
1st Timothy 3:16]

He paints His person in this way: He is the promised Savior come from heaven – that is, the true Son of God from eternity, for if He comes from heaven, then He must have been with God eternally. However, He descended, or came down from heaven not as angel descends or appears, and then vanishes and goes away. Rather, He has taken our human nature onto Himself and “has dwelt among us” on earth, etc. That is why He calls Himself here “Son of Man”, that is, true man who has flesh and blood just like us. However, this descent of the Son of God properly means that He has subjected Himself to our misery and distress; that is, He has taken on Himself God’s eternal wrath merited by our sins, and become a sacrifice for them, as He here says that “He must be lifted up” [John 3:14].