Kenosis is key to understanding. He emptied himself of deity to be found in the form of man. Though he was rightly God, he suppressed the attributes of God in order to be a man. Why? In order to be tempted in every way as we are. If he had supernatural knowledge of who he was, he was not tempted like us. All his temptation was a facade.
But he was really tempted and did not sin. It is this perfect life in the face of the same temptations that removes our excuses and condemns us.
How then did he know? Before he left his high station to become the child of Mary, he wrote notes to himself as to who he was and what he was to do. These notes were hidden in childish riddle, so that as a child he could discover them in the scriptures.
Hidden in Gen 1.1 “In Christ, the not dark separated the eternal dual -natured Christ”
Hidden in Gen 2.21 “And God caused Christ to die and he died, and he married a certain limping side and delivered mankind”
All of the Old Testament is filled with such riddles revealing who he was and what he was to do.
He knew he could walk on water because he was the firmament between the waters of law and grace.
The Old Testament prophets were commanded to live out dinner theater as a form of prophecy. One married a prostitute, One made sand castles and destroyed them. One ate dung, etc. All of these were prophecies of Christ and his work.
Jesus saw that the Father had prepared dinner theater for him to walk in and he willingly participated to show that he understood who he was and what he was to do.
When he saw Zachhaeus in the tree. He saw a man whose name means pure but who was the chief representative of mammon. It was a picture of Christ bearing our sin on the cross. He invited himself to dinner because when Christ came off the cross he went to the banquet at the marriage of the Lamb.
When he saw Lazarus ( a name for Eliezer the high priest) who was sickly, he saw himself as the high priest who could not be a priest because he was from the wrong tribe. He would have to die first to become the high priest. So he lets Lazarus die.
As a dinner theater of his own death he is faced with the old temptation to run from the cross, which is why he groans deeply. But showing his understanding and faith he command Lazarus to come forth from the grave. The Father rewards him with the miracle of the resurrection to complete the dinner theater.
Each miracle is a conversation between Father and Son, where the Son shows he understands his mission by a step of obedience, and is rewarded with a miracle to encourage his faith to face death on the cross.
He stayed in the temple at age 12 because it was prophesied the he would serve a handful of sheaves for 12 years then ‘rebel’.
It was not yet his time at the Wedding of Cana which is why he took instruction from his mother, but he was ‘weaned’ from her there. When he return to Jerusalem ‘he knew he was God’ as it was prophesied in the history of Manasseh.
He knew the terrible tribulation of the cross from the prophesy hidden in the story of Eli’s Son. He knew the account of his own birth not only from his mother, but from the prophesy hidden in the story of Judah and Tamar.
He knew he would be resurrected after the cross because of the shine on Moses face after he hid in the cleft of the rock. He knew he would bring life to a fallen world because when Moses spilled water (the word) on the ground it became blood (life is in the blood).
Silly childish riddles scorned and mocked by the learned theologians but understood by the innocent child Jesus gave him a doctorate in theology before he was twelve. We can still see them if we are willing to become as little children.
On the road to Emmaus he said that all the scriptures spoke of Him. Here the Father speak to Jesus at Gethsemane in the words said to Cain “If you do right, won’t you be lifted up?” Each odd story of a judge contains riddles revealing Christ. Each king a picture of Christ.
Uzziah did all things according to his father. Jesus was perfectly obedient to his.
Then he offer incense in the temple as Jesus offered the sweet savor of perfect obedience in the temple of his own body.
Uzziah was made leperous as Jesus was made to be sin.
Uzziah was cast out as Jesus was taken outside the city.
Uzziah was then known as Azzariah… the name of the high priest, just as Jesus was made out high priest.
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, a shadow of the Father Son and Holy Ghost. Isaac the Son who had to die, Jacob the resurrected Christ with the Holy Ghost who is fruitful and multiplying.
All the laws shadows of Christ.
Leprosy a shadow of sin.
The leper must shave his head, as Jesus lost his covering when the Father left him on the cross.
The leper covers his lip, an action taken when your prayer is not heard, and Jesus prayer “Remove this cup”
The leper is outside the camp as Jesus was cast out.
When the leper is covered from toe to head with leprosy he is declared clean, just as Jesus, after he bore our in totally was Holy White in resurrection.
Then the leper goes through a ritual the same as the priest initiation, just as Christ became our high priest.
He was the clean animal who ruminates on the law and it produces a split (separated Holy) walk.
He was the tree of Life and the tree of death depending whether we approach him in obedience or rebellion. He was the water of life and the water of judgement.
All silly riddles which revealed Christ to Christ. David said “The Lord said to my Lord…”
because Christ taught Christ through the silly riddles.
