The Great Parabola of Scripture
Barbaranne Kelly, Guest Writer
TODAY’S TREASURE
[Christ Jesus], though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:6–11).
Yesterday we considered Philippians 2:5–8 in light of the implications of Christ’s humility for our own call to follow in His steps and to think of others with the mind of Christ. But I don’t want to leave these verses just yet, for they are part of one of the greatest doctrinal passages about our Lord Jesus Christ in the entire Bible. James Boice wrote:
These verses have been called the great parabola of Scripture, for they picture the descent of the Lord Jesus Christ from the highest position in the universe down to his death on the cross and then carry the mind of the reader up again to see him seated once more on the throne of his glory before which every knee shall bow. . . . In these few verses, we see the great sweep of Christ’s life from eternity past to eternity future, and we are admitted to the breathtaking purposes of God in salvation.[1]
Try as I might, I cannot find my own words sufficient to comment on this passage of Scripture and all that it reveals about our great salvation and our Great Savior. So I will take up the Scriptures themselves, and together we can trace the great parabola and meditate upon the words of God as through them the Holy Spirit sheds light on the magnificence of Christ in the Gospel.
In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1–3, 14).
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him (John 13:3–5).
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities (Isaiah 53:3–11).
I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do (John 17:4).
I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed (Daniel 7:13–14).
And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain… And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood, you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth. Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” (Revelation 5:6–13).
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10).
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:13–14).
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
[You] were taught in [Christ], as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:21–24).
The Holy Spirit inspired the human authors of the Scriptures not to give us an intellectual exercise in Christian theology but to share the power of God in the gospel of Christ. Through this gospel, wretched sinners are made into saints who live transformed lives in obedience to God. The truth of these words isn’t to be reserved only for moments of thoughtful contemplation—through meditation upon God’s ways is soul-feeding and should be practiced often—but they are to undergird our joyful obedience every day. As believers in the risen and exalted Christ Jesus, we live no longer for ourselves and our own glory, but in and for Christ, to the glory of God.
PRAYER
Continuing in the words of Scripture, today’s prayer is taken directly from a portion of Psalm 77 and a paraphrase of Colossians 1:9–12.
I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples. You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph (Psalm 77:11–15).
Father, please fill me with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so I may walk in a manner worthy of Christ, fully pleasing to You; bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of You; being strengthened with all power, according to Your glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving You thanks, for You have qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Amen.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Barbaranne Kelly and her husband Jim are the parents of five of the neatest people they know, and now Barbaranne is the Grandmommy to THREE grand boys! In October that will change to FOUR! Barbaranne and Jim are members of Christ Presbyterian Church in New Braunfels, Texas, where she leads a Bible study for women in the hope that she and they may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge Enjoy and be inspired by more of Barbaranne’s writing at her blog.
[1] James Montgomery Boice, Philippians, An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1971),109
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Originally published Wednesday, 10 May 2023.
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