The Son Represents the Father

No doctrine is more distinctly stated in the Scriptures of the Old Testament than that the Son of God manifests the will and work of his Father to the children of men. The holy character of the divine law made its transgression such an offense that the Father could not speak with man as when in his innocence he walked and talked with God in Eden.

The Son, who was equal with the Father in creation, in the institution of law, and in the government of created intelligences, leaves this glory with his Father, and becomes a mediator through whom the Father speaks. "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." Deut. 18:18.

The New Testament is equally plain and explicit upon this subject. The words of the Son himself are to the point. In all his ministry he does not once intimate that he had come to speak of himself or to establish a new system which was to supersede the old. In the plainest language he declares that he had come to represent his Father, and to proclaim his doctrine. "My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me." John 7:16.

"When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things." Chap. 8:28.

"For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak." Chap. 12:49.

"If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake." Chap, 14:7-11.

The will of the Father was the will of the Son. The mind of the Father was in his Son, who in his teachings and character represented his Father. The deep, yearning love manifested in the mission and ministry of the Son was the love of the Father. "I and my Father are one." John 10:30. The nature of the unity that exists between the Father and the Son is clearly illustrated in Christ's prayer for his disciples, and for all those also who should believe on their word to the end:—

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." Chap. 17 : 17-21.

We close with the testimony of Paul: "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." 2 Cor. 5:18-20. This is the very climax of evidence that, in the work of redemption as set forth in the sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, the mind and will of the Father were manifested in the Son.