Why Did Jesus Come

The most common answer to this question is probably Luke 19:10 … "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

Who was lost? All of mankind from Adam and Eve on. Romans 3:23 … "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God …" That pretty much covers all of us.

The second most quoted answer for why Jesus came is most likely found in 1st John 3:8 … "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."

What a wonderful purpose for God to send Jesus … to take care of our arch enemy … the devil. And He did just that according to Hebrews 2:14-15 … "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

A big part of Jesus seeking and saving the lost, as well as destroying the works of the devil … had to do with the fact that Jesus was the Word of God made flesh. That's how Jesus was able to walk among men without sin in His life. I have covered this subject in depth in many of my past articles.

But there is another reason as to why Jesus came that I want to pursue today. In fact Jesus said it was the reason He was born. It has to do with perhaps the most important quality and nature God has other than love.

Jesus tells us why He was born when He speaks to Pilate during His trial in John 18:37 …

"To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth."

To bear witness to the truth. So what's Jesus talking about? Let me present to you another question that Pilate asks in response to what Jesus just said to him. Pilate then asks … "What is truth?"

Truth is a representation of things as they are. The life and teaching of Jesus were the most complete and perfect representation of things in God's kingdom that can be presented to man. All of the ceremonies and feasts of the Jews were just shadows compared to the truth in the life of Jesus.

This is one of those facts … He is not only true, but He is truth itself.

I like the way John Gill puts it in his Bible commentary speaking of Jesus as truth …

"This may regard his person and character; he is the true God, and eternal life; truly and really man; as a prophet he taught the way of God in truth; as a priest, he is a faithful, as well as a merciful one; true and faithful to him that appointed him; and as a King, just and true are all his ways and administrations: he is the sum and substance of all the truths of the Gospel; they are all full of him, and centre in him; and he is the truth of all the types and shadows, promises and prophecies of the Old Testament; they have all their accomplishment in him; and he is the true way, in opposition to all false ones of man's devising."

Jesus is the source of truth ...

John 1:17 … "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

John 8:32 … "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

The last five words of this verse have been placed over the gated entrance of a major university in California. It reads … Truth Shall Make You Free. I have a problem with that. Truth in and of itself is fine and good but must be factually accurate. Here's an example … Mt. Hood usually has snow on its peak during the winter. That's true … but that knowledge won't make you free.

The quote over that university gate left off the most important word in that entire phrase taken from the Bible … "The" … Truth. It's what the whole of the Christian faith is based upon. The truth … that Jesus is … the Son of God.

John 14:6 … "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Whatever God declares becomes truth; it becomes reality. Why? He makes the rules. He is the judge of all things including what is or isn't true. It's just that simple. Only God's word is truth … and Jesus is The Word of God.

Do you want to see what truth looks like? Then look at Jesus and all He did. Jesus said that He was born to … "bear witness unto the truth."

The Apostle Paul's words in Colossians 1:15 (if I understand them right) is saying that Jesus is … "the image of the invisible God."

Hebrews 1:1-3 also states … "God … hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son … Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person … when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high …"

Is there anything else that needs to be added to what Jesus said or did to … "bear witness unto the truth?" No, I don't think so. The truth is … God so loved the world … through Jesus.


Comments welcome.