The Purposes of the Incarnation. 347 tion, as declared, may be more powerfully and better under stood, let us reverently turn to the indication of the process which we have in this particular text, “He was manifested to take away sins”. Who was the Person? It is perfectly evi dent that John here, as always, has his eye fixed upon the Man of Nazareth; and yet it is equally evident that he is look ing through Jesus of Nazareth to God. That is the meaning of his word “manifested” here. He is the Word made flesh. He is flesh, but He is the Word. He is Someone that John had appreciated by the senses, and yet He is Someone Whom John knew pre-eminently by the Spirit. Notice, that after he makes the affirmation, “He was mani fested to take away sins,” he adds this great word, “In Him is no sin” ; or, “Missing of the mark was not in Him”. The One in Whom there was no missing of the mark was mani fested for the express purpose of lifting, bearing away, making not to be, the missings of the mark of others. “He was manifested”—and in the name of God let us not read into the “He” anything small or narrow. If we do, we shall at once be driven into the place of having to deny the declaration that He can take away sins. If He was man as I am man merely, then though He be perfect and sinless, He can not take away sins. I f into the “He” we will read all that John evidently meant according to the testimony of his own writing, we shall begin to see something of the stupendous idea, and something of the possibility at least of believing the dec laration that “He was manifested to take away sins.” Consider the manifestation and sins, as to man. The terms of the final promise of the Incarnation were, “Thou shalt call His name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins.” When the songs to which the shepherds listened were heard, what said they ? “There is born to you this day • • • a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” The promise of the Incarnation was that of the coming of One to lift sins.
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