John Piper "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ" Chapter Two

“Truly, truly, I say to you,

before Abraham was, I am.”

JOHN 8 : 5 8

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

JOHN 1 : 1

For in [Christ] the whole fullness

of deity dwells bodily.

CO L O S S I A N S 2 : 9

JESUS IS THE GLORY OF GOD

The Deity of Jesus Christ

Excerpts from the Chapter:
“Christ does not exist in order to make much of us. We exist in order to enjoy making much of him. The assumption of this book is that to know the glories of Christ is an end, not a means. Christ is not glorious so that we get wealthy or healthy. Christ is glorious so that rich or poor, sick or sound, we might be satisfied in him.”

“… The apostle John, who wrote the last book of the Bible, received the decisive revelation. He quotes God: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty’” (Revelation 1:8). This is not Christ talking. This is the Almighty God. He calls himself “Alpha and Omega”—the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. In the alphabet, one cannot speak of anything (or nothing) before alpha. There is no “before” alpha in the alphabet. Nor can one speak of anything (or nothing) after omega. There is no “after” omega in the alphabet.”

“… the essential meaning of his Old Testament name Yahweh (or Jehovah). It is built on the verb “to be.” When Moses asked God his name, “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. . . . Say this to the people of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you”’” (Exodus 3:14). This “I am” is unfolded by God in Isaiah as implying absolute, eternal Reality—past and future. “‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the LORD . . . ‘that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no God was formed, nor shall there be any after me’” (Isaiah 43:10). To be “I am” is to be absolutely the first and the last. No “before” and no “after.” Simply “I am.””

“What, then, does this have to do with Christ, whom we know as Jesus of Nazareth? Everything. The apostle John quoted Christ near the end of his Revelation: “Behold, I am coming soon. . . . I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. . . . I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches” (Revelation 22:12-13, 16). This is Christ talking, not God the Father. Now, two cannot be “Alpha and Omega” unless they are one. Two cannot be absolutely “first and last” unless they are one.”

“… Therefore, “in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9; see 1:19). And we Christians are now waiting not for a mere man, but for “the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13; see also 2 Peter 1:1).”

“Jesus Christ is the Creator of the universe. Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. Jesus Christ, the Person, never had a beginning. He is absolute Reality. He has the unparalleled honor and unique glory of being there first and always. He never came into being. He was eternally begotten. The Father has eternally enjoyed “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3) in the Person of his Son. Seeing and savoring this glory is the goal of our salvation. “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me” (John 17:24). To feast on this forever is the aim of our being created and our being redeemed.”

A P R A Y E R

Eternal Father, you never had a beginning.

You will never have an ending.

You are the Alpha and the Omega.

This we believe, because you have revealed it to us.

Our hearts leap up with gratitude that you have opened our eyes to see and know that Jesus Christ is your eternal, divine Son, begotten, not made, and that you, O Father, and he, your Son, are one God.

We tremble even to take such glorious truths on our lips for fear of dishonoring you with withering and inadequate words.

But we must speak, because we must praise you.

Silence would shame us, and the rocks themselves would cry out.

You must be praised for who you are in the world you have made.

And we must thank you because you have made us taste and see the glory of Jesus Christ, your Son.

Oh, to know him!

Father, we long to know him.

Banish from our minds low thoughts of Christ.

Saturate our souls with the Spirit of Christ and all his greatness.

Enlarge our capacities to be satisfied in all that you are for us in him.

Where flesh and blood are impotent, reveal to us the Christ, and rivet our attention and our affections on the truth and beauty of your all-glorious Son.

And grant that whether rich or poor, sick or sound, we might be transformed by him and become an echo of his excellence in the world.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

amen.