Certainly, much of what Christ did was miraculous, but it is the underlying compassion, mercy, beneficence, and obedience to the Father that accompany them for which we are called to have as the underlying motivation in our own good works.

The humanity of Christ is essential to our salvation. That may seem like a given. After all, how could we be redeemed and then represented by One who doesn’t share our nature? Besides, it’s “obvious” in our time that Jesus was human. Everyone, apart from the ignorant or intellectually dishonest, agrees that Jesus was a human who lived some 2000 years ago in the Roman province of Palestine.

Matthew’s construction of events in his Gospel unveil the astounding parallels between Moses’ giving of the Law on Sinai and Jesus’ teaching of the Law on Mount Eremos. Matthew begins unfolding these parallels in Matthew 2:19-21, when Jesus came out of Egypt (see Moses coming out of Egypt in Exodus 12:33-14:22).

The work of Christ is something that, frankly, boggles the mind; if indeed, one ponders upon it with sincerity. Grasp with me for a moment the unthinkable nature of what our Savior did for his elect. The very God who set all things as they are, with perfect purpose and power, designed to save his people.