More than Extraordinary

Those who would say that Jesus was an extraordinary man speak truth, but their truth simply does not go far enough.  What is also true is that those who speak of Him as being an extraordinary man are content with such a description.  If we take the Word seriously, we cannot simply stop at the point of putting Him in a singular human category that has been un-reached by any other.  To say so is to open up the possibility of someone coming along who would surpass Him with their extraordinary qualities.    

Instead the Word makes it clear that Jesus goes beyond extraordinary.  The gospel writer John uses the title "the Word" to speak of Him and so we read in verse 14 of the first chapter of John, "And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen His glory, the glory as of a father's only Son..."   The Apostle Paul added to our understanding of Jesus as he wrote to the Philippian Christians, "...who (Jesus) though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness..."  (Philippians 2:6-7)  Any words which speak of the identity of Jesus apart from Him being the One who makes God present with us stops far too short.    

Jesus can never be understood as a friend, or a brother, or an equal, but One who enables us to know the essence of God present on the earth among human flesh.  And, furthermore, His purpose goes beyond anything within the boundaries of extraordinary for this holy presence made known to us in the form of man and Son of God came not just to hobnob and teach, but to die a death which would make it possible for us to know an undeserved forgiveness and to have a hope of an unthinkable eternal home.