richly poor

"There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches."

Proverbs 13:7

The scene is Jerusalem, at the height of Jesus' ministry. Days ago He raised Lazarus from the dead. Hours ago He rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey and was hailed by the people as King. "Hosanna!" they cried. "Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord."

Jesus' fame was at a fever pitch. So was the anger and fear of His enemies. In the midst of all this, John writes that some Greeks, who were in Jerusalem for the Passover, came to the disciple Philip and asked to see Jesus. (The whole story is found in John 12:20-26.)

This was unusual. These were Gentile converts from a distant land. Apparently they had also heard of Jesus' fame and the incredible miracles He had done. Here, in this gloriously Jewish setting, a few Greeks dared approach.

Jesus responded, "The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified."

What did Greeks have to do with the Son's being glorified? The key is in the name Jesus gives Himself: "Son of man." He didn't think this up Himself. It has a clear Old Testament precedent in the incredible visions of Daniel. In fact, Daniel describes the Son of man rising to heaven on the clouds, there to be fully glorified. He writes,

"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

"And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."

Daniel 7:13-14

As these first few Gentiles approached, timidly, wanting only to see Jesus, the kingdom to come was foreshadowed. Jesus knew the glory that would be His: the glory of welcoming us all, Jew and Gentile, Greek and barbarian, into the fold of God.

It is staggering that Jesus should count us as riches--as a reward. Yet He does. All that He did was for this purpose, that He might redeem mankind and make us His own. So great is this love that makes so much of us! But Jesus did not gain riches the American way--the human way--the natural way. He is the epitome of Solomon's long-ago words: "There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches."

Jesus gave up His position on the Father's right hand. He gave up the invincibility of Heaven, the wideness of life outside of this world. He came into our narrow sphere and impoverished Himself, making Himself poor even by earthly standards. Yet great riches were His, even here. He had the riches of the Father's love. He had the riches of doing God's will. And He had the riches of salvation in His hands: His privilege, and His unspeakable gift to us.

Jesus' next words to Philip were, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."

Jesus alone had the untainted friendship and favour of God. Jesus alone had eternal life. Jesus alone had the joys and riches of fellowship with the Highest. But He was not content to abide alone. He suffered, died, and rose again, that He might forth fruit in us. All of His riches, He gives us freely.

I leave you with Jesus' next few words. They are a challenge to us. How will we respond to them?

"He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour."