LC: The Bible – Written for One Child
LC: The Bible – Written for One Child [∞]
The Bible – Written for One Child
The Bible was written primarily for Jesus—to reveal to Him who He was and what He was meant to do.
Before the Incarnation
Before becoming a baby, Jesus was known as "The Word" or "the Son of God." John declares:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1)
John also affirms that in heaven, three bear witness: the Father, the Word, and the Spirit (1 John 5:7).
This concept was not something John invented or borrowed from Greek philosophy. Instead, he understood Scripture the way Jesus did.
By referencing Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning," John reveals a deeper understanding of creation. He interprets the Hebrew word בָּרָא (bara) not merely as "created" but as the Son who is the Word bringing creation into existence. When God spoke, it was through His Word that creation unfolded:
"Let there be light"—and there was light. (Genesis 1:3) "Let there be a firmament"—and it was so. (Genesis 1:6)
John may have also recognized something profound in Genesis 1:3, where the Hebrew word for "said" (אמר, amar) can also mean "word" and "lamb." When John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus as "the Lamb of God" (John 1:29), it may have confirmed for John that Jesus was also "the Word of God."
Before His incarnation, Jesus was fully God—omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. Yet, He knew that by taking on a human body, He would no longer be everywhere at once. More than that, He chose not to rely on His divine power or knowledge while in human form. He would not be a superhuman baby, nor would He instinctively know all things. Instead, He would experience true human limitations, growing in wisdom and understanding (Luke 2:52).
A God-Sized Amnesia
If Jesus, in His human nature, was to temporarily set aside His divine knowledge, how would He know who He was? How would He understand His mission—to make the Father known and die on the cross?
The answer: He left Himself a record.
Facing His incarnation and self-emptying (kenosis, Philippians 2:7), Jesus hid the knowledge of His identity and mission within the Scriptures. The Old Testament became His personal record—His "cheat sheets"—a collection of notes He left for Himself to rediscover.
The Mystery Hidden in History
The Scriptures contain a mystery, a hidden message written by the Word, for the Word. When Jesus became flesh (John 1:14), He closed His eyes to His divine nature—not by losing His divinity, but by choosing not to use it. Just as closing one’s eyes does not remove sight, so too His divine nature remained fully intact.
Others could not perceive this mystery due to their sin (Ezekiel 12:2), but because Jesus was sinless (1 Peter 2:22), He could understand the Scriptures in a way no one else could.
As He grew, He learned who He was from the very riddles He had hidden in Scripture. He discovered that He was:
- The Son of God (Luke 2:49)
- God Himself (John 5:39)
Even though He taught in parables, He did not fully reveal the deeper mystery to His disciples until after the cross (Matthew 13:11). Only then did He give them the keys to unlock the Scriptures (Matthew 16:19).
Now, with the apostles' teachings, the hidden riddles of the Old Testament are open to all. Jesus can be seen everywhere in the mystery.
Though the Bible was written for one child—Jesus—His "cheat sheets" are now available to all who seek Him.
Key Takeaways:
- The Bible Was Written for Jesus – The Old Testament serves as a "cheat sheet" for Christ, guiding Him to understand His identity and mission during His earthly life.
- Jesus as the Word – Before incarnation, Jesus was known as "the Word" and was fully divine. John’s Gospel emphasizes this, interpreting "bara" (ברא) in Genesis 1:1 as an active creative force, the Word.
- Incarnational Amnesia – When Jesus became human, He voluntarily set aside His divine omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence, choosing to experience life as a man.
- Riddles in Scripture – Jesus hid knowledge of Himself within Old Testament history, enabling Him to rediscover His divine identity and mission as He grew.
- Understanding the Mystery – Sin prevented others from grasping the hidden truths in Scripture. Jesus, being sinless, could perceive them.
- Revealing the Mystery – Jesus only revealed the deeper meanings after the cross, giving the apostles the keys to interpret Scripture.
