L31.⑵永恒之主，或耶和华为拯救世人取了人身。这一点从前几章的圣言得到了证实；在别处将说明，世人无法以其它任何方式得救。祂取了人身，这一点也可从圣言中提到说祂从神出来，祂天上降下来，祂被差到世界上来的经文明显看出来；如以下经文，约翰福音：
我从父出来，到了世界。（约翰福音16:28）
又：
我本是出于神，也是从神而来，并不是由着自己来，乃是祂差我来。（约翰福音8:42）
又：
父爱你们，因为你们已经信我是从神出来的。（约翰福音16:27）
又：
除了那从天降下的，没有人升过天。（约翰福音3:13）
又：
神的粮，就是那从天上降下来赐生命给世界的。（约翰福音6:33，35，41，50，51）
又：
那从上头来的是在万有之上；从天上来的，是在万有之上。（约翰福音3:31）
又：
我却认识父，因为我是从祂来的，祂也是差了我来。（约翰福音7:29）
被父差到世界上来表示取了一个人身（参看20节）。
31. 2. The Lord from eternity, or Jehovah, took on a human nature for the purpose of saving us. There is support for this from the Word in the preceding parts of this book. It will be said elsewhere that otherwise we could not have been saved.
There are many passages in the Word that show that he took on a human nature, places where it says that he came forth from God, came down from heaven, and was sent into the world. See the following, for example:
I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. (John 16:28)
I proceeded forth and came from God. I have not come of myself; he sent me. (John 8:42)
The Father loves you because you have believed that I came forth from God. (John 16:27)
No one has ascended to heaven except the one who came down from heaven. (John 3:13)
The bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. (John 6:33, 35, 41, 50-51)
The one who comes down from above is above all. The one who comes down from heaven is above all. (John 3:31)
I know the Father because I am from him and he sent me. (John 7:29)
You may see in 20 above that being sent into the world by the Father means taking on a human nature.
31. The Lord from eternity, or Jehovah, assumed a humanity in order to save mankind. We have established this from the Word in preceding sections. We will explain elsewhere that mankind could not be saved in any other way.
That the Lord assumed a humanity is clear also from passages in the Word where we are told that He came forth from God, descended from heaven, and was sent into the world. For example, from the following:
I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. (John 16:28)
...I proceeded and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. (John 8:42)
...the Father...loves you, because you...have believed that I came forth from God. (John 16:27)
No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven.... (John 3:13)
...the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. (John 6:33, cf. 6:35, 41, 50-51)
He who comes from above is above all.... He who comes from heaven is above all. (John 3:31)
I know (the Father), for I am from Him, and He sent Me. (John 7:29)
To be sent by the Father into the world means to assume a humanity, as may be seen in no. 20 above.
31. 2. THE LORD FROM ETERNITY, OR JEHOVAH, ASSUMED THE HUMAN TO SAVE MEN. This was confirmed from the Word in the preceding chapters; and it will be shown elsewhere that man could not have been saved in any other manner. That He assumed the Human appears also from those passages in the Word where it is said that He came forth from God, that He came down from heaven and that He was sent into the world; as from the following:
I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world. John 16:28.
I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but He sent me. 8:42.
The Father Himself loveth you because ... ye have believed that I came out from God. 16:27.
No man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven. 3:13.
The bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 6:33, 35, 41, 50-51.
He that cometh from above is above all ... He that cometh from heaven is above all. John 3:31.
I know the Father: For I am from Him, and He hath sent me. 7:29.
It may be seen above, No. 20, that by being sent by the Father into the world is meant the assuming of the Human.
31. ii. That the Lord from eternity, or Jehovah, assumed the Human to save men, has been confirmed from the Word in preceding chapters; and that man could not have been saved in any other way, will be shown elsewhere. That He assumed a Human, is evident from the passages in the Word where it is said that He went forth from the Father, descended from heaven, and was sent into the world. As from these:
I went out from the Father, and am come into the world (John 16:28).
I went out and am come from God; neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me (John 8:42).
The Father loveth you, because ye have believed that I came out from God (John 16:27).
No one hath ascended into heaven, but He that came down from heaven (John 3:13).
The bread of God is He that cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world (John 6:33, 35, 41, 50, 51).
He that cometh from above is above all; He that cometh from heaven is above all (John 3:31).
I know the Father because I am from Him, and He hath sent Me (John 7:29).
(That to be "sent by the Father into the world" means to assume a Human, may be seen above, at 20.)
31. (ii.) Quod Dominus ab aeterno, seu Jehovah, susceperit Humanum ad salvandum homines, confirmatum est ex Verbo in antecedentibus articulis: quod homo non aliter salvari potuerit, alibi dicetur. Quod susceperit Humanum, constat etiam ex locis in Verbo, ubi dicitur quod "exiverit ex Deo," "descenderit e caelo," et quod "missus sit in mundum." Ut ex his:-
"Exivi a Patre, et veni in mundum" (Johannem 16:28);
"Ego... a Deo exivi et venio, neque... a Me Ipso veni, sed Ille Me misit" (Johannem 8:42);
"Pater... vos amat, quia... credidistis quod Ego a Deo exiverim" (Johannem 16:26-27);
"Nemo ascendit in caelum 1nisi qui e caelo descendit" (Johannem 3:13)
"Panis... Dei est, qui descendit e caelo, et vitam dat mundo" (Johannem 6:33, 35, 41, 50-51);
"Qui desuper venit, supra omnes est;... qui e caelo venit, supra omnes est" (Johannem 3:31);
"Ego novi" Patrem, "quia ab Illo sum, et Ille misit Me" (Johannem 7:29 2):
Quod per "mitti a Patre in mundum" intelligatur suscipere Humanum, videatur supra (20).
Footnotes:
1. in caelum pro "a caelo"
2. 29 pro "27"