“For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground, He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” Isaiah 53:2
When Christ came into this world, and was born in Bethlehem, apparently the only ones who knew who He truly was, were his parents, Joseph and Mary, and Mary’s cousin Elizabeth and her husband, Zacharias. So humble were Jesus’ beginnings, that only those to whom God would reveal His identity would notice and respond worshipfully. From Simeon’s testimony in the temple on the eighth day after Jesus was born, and the affirmation by Anna, the aged, faithful servant of the Lord, there were very few who would know who Jesus was. At twelve years of age, when in Jerusalem, in the temple, we see him in the presence of the teachers, men of great knowledge of the Scriptures. Jesus would distinguish Himself as different from other children, and this by His understanding, questions, and answers. For a brief moment, when Jesus was twelve years old, there was the particular manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s working in Jesus. When His parents, after three days of seeking for Him found Him, He would declare to them something so fundamentally dominant in His life, that they could not grasp the significance of it. He would say to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
Time would pass, and Jesus would grow into manhood, following in the steps of his earthly father, becoming a carpenter in the city of Nazareth. Again, apparently nothing would distinguish Jesus as the Christ except that He was a man of wisdom and stature, in favor with God and man. But again, His identity would be hidden under the cover of His humility and lowliness, and this, also revealed by His appearance that was described by Isaiah the prophet so long before: “…as a root out of dry ground, He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” It will not be until the day of His baptism by John the Baptist, the one sent by God to prepare the way for Him, that Christ’s identity will be increasingly declared. That day at the Jordan, the testimony of the Spirit of God coming “…in bodily form like a dove upon Him,” would confirm to John that this was the Christ, the Messiah, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This was confirmed by the Father’s own words spoken when Jesus came up out of the waters of the Jordan River: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22)
From the Jordan River to the cross of Calvary, the revelation of Christ would not only be increasingly revealed to religious men of his day who knew the Scriptures, but to all who would hear and see Him, for no man ever spoke like this man. Not only would He speak with power and authority, but cast out demons, and heal the people of their diseases. His ministry of power extended over the multitudes by the words of life that He spoke. Yet, He at that time, had “no house, no home.” The Scriptures tells us that He had nowhere to lay His head. His great credentials were not found in His appearance as a man, nor by the lowliness which He showed in ministering to men, women, and children from all walks of life. The proof that that this One who had come to live among us, full of grace and truth, was confirmed by His faithfulness to the Father, His utter reliance upon the Spirit of God, and His commitment to not be turned aside from accomplishing the perfect work of salvation for all men. He would be crucified with criminals, yet there was no fault or deceit in His mouth. His humility would be changed to glory.
Dear Father, Make us see Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen.