Sermons Vander Kam on HC Lord's Day 16
Q&A 40, 41 & 44 Sermons Vander Kam on HC Lord's Day 16
Q&A 40, 41 & 4440 Q. Why was it necessary for Christ to humble Himself even unto death?
A. Because, by reason of the justice and truth of God, satisfaction for our sins could be made no otherwise than by the death of the Son of God.
41 Q. Why was He buried?
A. To prove thereby that He was really dead.
44 Q. Why is there added, He descended into hell?
A. That in my greatest temptations I may be assured, and wholly comfort myself with this, that my Lord Jesus Christ, by His inexpressible anguish, pains, terrors, and hellish agony in which He was plunged during all His sufferings, but especially on the cross, has delivered me from the anguish and torment of hell.
Beloved in the Lord, it is already about 50-60 years ago that Albert Schwietzer wrote his famous work, "The Quest of the Historical Jesus." And that also began a spate of various books that were written at that time, and since that time, concerning Jesus of Nazareth. To try to find out who was this man, who was this Jesus of Nazareth, this Galilean. Who was He? What is the reason why He has had such a tremendous influence upon this world's history? And as a result of that, ever so many books have been written and seeking to find out just who is the historical Jesus. And of course, there is not so much to go on because of the fact that there is very little in secular history that deals with it. It is also very true that there are very few of the ancient church fathers that even speak of the person of Jesus. And as a result of that, you have to go back to the Bible and there find out what it is, that is said concerning Him. And then they began already with the idea that the virgin birth was a myth. They also did not consider that the crucifixion, the death, and burial and things like that concerning the Christ had any effect. But they were going to look upon Him, what is it that made Him so famous in the days in which He was here in the flesh. What was the thing that made Him so famous that He is now still very influential, even to the present day.
And as a result of that beloved, that quest for the historical Jesus has never really taken off. It has never really given any pleasure to anyone, has given no comfort to anyone because of the fact that they ran stuck. They ran stuck because of the fact that they began in the wrong place and they ended up in the wrong place, and as the result of that they didn't understand anything concerning this Jesus anyway. When you look upon Jesus Christ then you will have to begin with that which the Scriptures say, and then you will also have to believe it. And then you will have to believe that He is the one who was virgin born, and otherwise you don't understand Him. And then you will also have to realize that He is the one who went to the cross, and that He did so Himself. "That I have the power to lay it down, lay down my life, and to take it up again." That is the only One who has ever said that and is the only One who has ever said that truthfully, that He is the only One who has the power to lay down His life and to take it up again.
That He was buried, that all the various miracles that took place at that time actually are true, and that all these things were there in order to make that kind of an impression; when the Son of God passed away, when He died, when He was laid in the earth, when He suffered the torments of hell.
Now the Heidelberg Catechism comes back to that and gives us the beautiful Gospel concerning it. And says concerning it, that it is indeed this, that we have to see in Jesus Christ, that He has come for this purpose. He has not come in order that He may here live a pleasant life. He has not come in order that He may here teach. He has not come in order that He may do great deeds. But He has come in order to die; that we may have life.
We speak to you this morning on, Christ's Deepest Humiliation, His Deepest Humiliation. Also spoke about that humiliation last week. But these are the steps that go much deeper. And we notice in the first place, His death; secondly, His burial; and finally, His descent into hell.
When we deal with the death of Jesus Christ beloved, we are of course, in a realm that we know something about, and that is death. When we are dealing later on with the matter of the descent into Hades, we don't know anything about that. But when we are dealing with the matter of death, yeh, we are standing before that again every day. Every day and every week we are dealing with the matter of death. We see it all around us and we feel already the ravages of it within us. We realize that that death is something that is going to come to all sooner or later, and that "it is given to man once to die and after that the judgment." That is the thing that still awaits us, we who are still in the flesh. These are the things that we know something about, and we also know that that death can be a great struggle, and we also know that sometimes it is so peaceful. So that one said not so many years ago, "does it go that easy?" Is it so easy to leave this life; with some it is, it goes real easy. With others it is a tremendous struggle, it is suffering of years. And all these things, all these differences enter into it, but we can understand that.
We also understand something about the burial, as we will see later. But when we come to the descent into hell, no, then we are in an entirely different world, something that we don't understand and therefore we are dependent upon the Scriptures. But so it is also already in regard to death, is it not. Because the man of this world also is faced with it and is surrounded by death, and he doesn't understand anything about it. And he is also going to do everything in his power to escape it, and finally realizing that he can't, but nevertheless he is going to do everything to postpone it, and postponing it, in that he has even been somewhat successful. But finally it comes, and then what! And that is precisely the question that stands before the man of this world; then what? What is going to happen then when I die? I hope that it is going to be oblivion; annihilation; that there won't be anything left; everything gone.
And that now there is again coming a movement of the New Age that says, that there is reincarnation. That we are going to come back in a different form. And of course the Bible knows nothing of that whatsoever. So that when we go to the Scriptures then we realize that we are dealing with something there that is totally new, and that is totally different. And yet at the same time, that we are there dealing with it in such a way so that we know that this is the truth. And that that death that comes is something to be feared because man was not to die. I was not born to die; I was born to live. But sin has slain me, and as a result of that, we are all going to die. Unless the Lord comes very soon, all of us will see death. And those are the things that do not make for a happy picture.
And then we begin to realize how short this life is. Oh, our young people think, you know, 60, 70, 80 years; it's almost endless, almost eternal. No! "It is a vapor," says the Psalmist. It is as nothing; it is as a day; it is gone by so quickly. And one labors, and labors diligently and then, all of a sudden, it's all gone. What is there really to this life?
Now here there is given to us the death of Jesus Christ, in order that we may also have somewhat of an understanding of what death really is. And then we ask in the first place, concerning Him, why did He have to die? Is it that bad, that He has to go all the way? Isn't it enough that He is going to set us an example, that He is going to able to teach us, that He is going to show us the way in various ways, and show us the way of life, and that we are going to do to others as we would have them do to us? And then with all these things we are finally going to be able to attain unto that kind of a life that we seek. And then it is this, that He died! Now that is of course, a stumbling block to the Jew; that He cannot understand. That that Savior, that Messiah; that Messiah that was to come, that Isaiah says that He is a suffering one. Naw, that's the last thing that he had expected. That He dies; well, that's the end of it. That's what we say with every death; that's the end of it. There is no more; then we lay him aside in the earth, and that's the end.
But no, this is merely a step in the work of Jesus Christ. This is the step that He is going to take in order that life may be established, in order that life may be assured, that He has given Himself into death. And was that death necessary? Absolutely! Why? Because of your and my sin; that's how bad it was. It could not be papered over merely by showing us the way that we ought to live. It could not be papered over merely by having more information. Or rising to a higher level of life. It can't be done. Now He had to die, and this is the thing before which we stand in awe, in wonder; and we may never lose that. We must stand in awe before that, that God demanded that His own Son would die for the sins of His people. That's what it cost.
And as I mentioned last week, we have just a little indication of how great our sin and misery is in various places, but we see it especially in the Law, but then we see it more yet, in the Law we hear about it, but on Calvary, on Golgotha we see how great our sin and misery is. Jesus Christ, who was born to live, had to die, because of my sin, so great. How great is your sin and misery? Enough that it took the life of the sinless One. How great it must have been had He not come.
And then again I ask why is it that He has to die, and then the Catechism says, because of the justice and the truth of God. The justice of God is going to be satisfied even though it cost the life of His Son. That justice of God is going to be satisfied completely because He is not going to skip it. He is not going to overthrow it; that justice is going to stand, and that justice is going to be satisfied only if the Son of God dies. Ah there, before that justice beloved, we tremble. That justice of God is severe; that justice of God goes so far. It goes so far so that I tremble for it, that I will have to face it; unless he does it for me. If I would have to face that justice of God, then you realize nobody would be able to stand, no one. But He is the One who went through it, and though He is His Son, His love was not sufficient enough to paper it over, so that He would not have to die. No! The justice still demands though that love is so great, it still demands the death of His own Son.
The truth of God; that truth of God that He has spoken from the beginning; "in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." Now to many people that has not come about, we're still here. So that in that day that he sinned, that Adam and Eve sinned in Paradise, they did not die. They don't know what they're talking about, because the Bible speaks of death in various ways; and that we're still here physically of course, it is true. And physically he has not died on that day, that Adam lived nine hundred and some years. But nevertheless, that he is immediately dead, in sin. He has died in sin. That was the death that overcame him immediately and that truth of God stands, "in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die," and he did. He died. And that is the death beloved, that we still see that is working itself out and finally also ends in our physical death. And finally our bodies have to be laid in the dust.
There's one other way in which it could have been done, perhaps. For we are always speculating you know, how things could have been done. Because the wages of sin is death, therefore, all men could have died; lost everything right there. But no, see when we speak of the justice and the truth of God, it is never cancelled. But at the same time, His love also still stands, and He will not allow that all of His creation dies, then He would rather give His own Son. That's it; that's the heart of what we have in the death of Jesus Christ. He could have demanded the death of all of us, but He didn't. So that we may now rejoice and look ahead with the apostle unto that day "when our faith shall be sight, when we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." All these things are still possible. And we meet together this morning for worship. We meet together as His people, who are heirs of eternal life, because Jesus went into death. That's it.
Secondly; He was buried. Now if there is one question and answer in the Heidelberg Catechism that has received a lot of criticism over the years it is this one. Because you notice what it says, "Why was He buried? To prove thereby that He was really dead." That's it. Now then we would say, that is the kind of a question and answer that could well have been left out. That is the kind of a question and answer that gives me nothing. That virtually closes the door to any kind of thinking, that closes the door to anything. After all, what is this, to prove thereby that He was really dead.
No, if you want to look at that, then we see already that it is on the cross that it was already proven that He was really dead. Not scientifically, but for the laymen. Then it is this, says John, that some soldier took a spear and stabbed it into His side and there came out blood and water. It had already separated, and that is the sign of death. That is the sign of death to the layman, that makes it clear already that He is dead. But this a matter beloved, that is so important, because to us today, that is not so important anymore, but at the time, at the time of the death of Jesus Christ, it was tremendously important. It is not one hundred years after that, that there was a huge group that had formed who denied the death of Jesus Christ. He did die, He was perhaps in somewhat of a coma. He had perhaps fainted, and as a result of that, they took Him down from the cross, and then the doctor, Saint Luke, ministered to Him and brought Him back. And then He was with His disciples yet for many years.
Now this is the kind of thing that is propagated throughout the world. They said to the disciples, the disciples came by night and stole His body, and that is now the report that went throughout all Jerusalem, says the evangelist, and was also believed by ever so many. That He is not risen from the dead, but there are those who came and stole His body. And so are these the themes of that time. Who said, no, He was not really dead, but He had fainted, fainted on the cross. You remember, that He was taken down very quick, as Pilate was also surprised that He was already dead. All these things fit together, you know. Surprised that He was already dead. So that there is that warning, was He dead? Well, says the Catechism, if you want to know for sure whether He was dead, then it is this; He was buried. And neither Rome nor the Jewish nation would ever stand for this, to bury one who was not truly dead. This is the proof coming from Rome and from Jerusalem that He is indeed dead. And that is necessary.
That was necessary for the Essenes of that first century so that they might know it. But that is also necessary for the Gospel proclamation throughout all the years, that we will realize that Jesus Christ has indeed given His life. That it was not some mockery. That it was not apparent, but that it was this, that it was real, that He has indeed died for my sins. That He went into death, that He has given up His life, has given it up completely, and if you want proof of that; He was buried. And therefore He was laid into the earth. And Rome had put its seal on that, and so did the Jewish nation.
There are ever so many things in connection with that, we don't have time for it all this morning, but there are ever so many things with that, you have it already in the prophets; I called your attention to it in the study of Amos; that those who burned the bones of the king of Moab are cursed, because they dealt in cremation. And that body is to have a decent, decent burial. Among the kings of Israel and Judah, there it is heard time and time again, that this one was such a sinner that there was not even a decent burial given to him. And that the descendants of Jezebel; those that died in the city were eaten by the dogs, and those that died in the country were eaten by the birds. They did not have a decent burial, and that is the curse that rests upon that whole generation.
And now we say concerning Jesus Christ; He was buried. He died, He was buried. Is that something that is to be looked at as a high state of affairs, as really something that is blessed. No! Even though not to be buried is a curse; as with that generation of Jezebel. Nevertheless, every burial is a humiliation; is the final humiliation that we can bestow upon any person. That body cannot remain on this earth, but man was given the power, and the office to rule over this earth, to rule over all things in it, to be the vicegerent of God, that was his place. And now He is laid in the dust. So that the dust again claims the one who was to be its king, its vicegerent. So it is also with Christ. He is the one who is the King of the ages, He is the one who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, He is the one who is going to sit upon the throne later on, judging all of the world. They shall all stand before Him and be judged. And that is the One who is laid in the dust; the final humiliation.
These are steps, you realize, in the humiliation of Christ. That is the state that we are dealing with, with the Lord's Days 15 and 16, with the state of humiliation. He was humbled; humbled how? By death. Humbled how? By burial. It goes from step to step, but these are steps in His humiliation. He was humbled to the dust, for the sins of my people; to whom the stroke was due. It was due them, but He bore it. This substitute, substitutionary atonement is the greatest thing that has ever been made known. That there is a substitute, Jesus Christ, who has taken my sin and carried it to death, and carried it to the tomb. So that at death, we are not able to say that it is now the final thing. But that we are even able to rejoice at a time like that. We were at a funeral this past week, a very good friend had passed away; and at the close they sang the Hallelujah Chorus. The world cannot understand that, the Hallelujah Chorus at a funeral.
And then He was buried, so that the grave is also hallowed. Oh, there are such strange things; that He was with the rich in His death. Isaiah had already prophesied that. And Joseph of Arimathea comes in order that he may now cause that prophecy of Isaiah to go into effect. That rich man, Joseph of Arimathea, says, "Put Him in the tomb where nobody has ever laid." And He was with the rich in His death. But that does not take away the humiliation, the humiliation is severe. But thereby He has also given to us this, that the grave is not the end, but that the grave must give up whatever it has taken to itself. Must give up the corpse, must give up that life; and the grave is not the end as we stand before it. That is the second step in this deepest humiliation of Jesus Christ.
And finally, notice also His descent into hell. Now this is the kind of a thing beloved, and the kind of a statement in the Apostolic Confession that was not there at the beginning. And that is the reason also why it is in such a very strange spot today, because it was added to an article that was already there. They do not intend to put it in between the various things that were already there, but they took that Apostolic Confession and they added it to one of the articles, and that is this, that "I believe in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, buried; He descended into hell." As though it is now this way, that He was buried first and then descended into hell. And indeed, there are ever so many people who still believe that today. That is the order, isn't it, that is the order that is given us in the Apostolic Confession. That is the order in which it comes; He died, He was buried, He descended into hell. And then the Catechism says, naw, but that's not so.
Why is there added; He descended into hell? That in my greatest temptation I may be assured and wholly comfort myself with this, that my Lord Jesus Christ, by His inexpressible anguish, pains, terrors, and hellish agony, in which He was plunged during all His sufferings, but especially on the cross; has delivered me from the anguish and torment of hell. So that it was not afterwards, but it was before. And as I say, this is a phrase that was added to the Apostolic Confession later. And rightly so; it should have been there from the beginning. This is the ultimate, the last step in the state of humiliation; He descended into hell. Now, there are all kinds of things of course, that have been said about it over the years, especially in the realm of theology and ecclesiology. Where they have talked about hell, because the world doesn't; the world doesn't believe that there is such a thing. They don't believe that there is a heaven, they don't believe that there is a hell. And as a result of that of course, they are also very little worried about what is the final state of the individual. They are sorry that the individual has left this life, and they will tell you that, that they're sorry. And that is the only thing that the unbeliever ever says, he's sorry.
But as far as the future is concerned; they don't know - they have no idea that somehow or other he's up there and he's looking down at us now and this is what he would want, and that's what he would want. They know all those things, but they don't know where he is, except for this, that everyone who dies is now in a state of glory. And the Bible says that's not so. No, it is this, that there are those who are going to be taken up into inexpressible glory. "That which eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor has even entered into the heart of man, shall then be given to those who are in Christ Jesus."
But on the other hand, there is also such torment as the world has never seen, as they did not see during the days of the holocaust, as they have never seen, not in the days of Nero, nor anywhere else. The torment that is going to come upon those who are disobedient. That's the Scriptural teaching, and that He suffered. So that He suffered the torments of hell, and then man has even, because of the fact that it is spoken of in the church, that is, in part of the church; speaks still of hell, but now the world has this idea, that it is flames. And you don't see any flames at Golgotha.
So has He descended into hell, and if so, when. And now we are led by our Confession also to this beloved, that it is especially at that time when He is hanging on the cross, and it is made so vividly clear by the Gospel writers, that from mid-day until three o'clock in the afternoon there was darkness. At that time when it is such burning heat in Palestine, and that there was darkness over the earth, and that at the close of that, Christ cries out, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me!" That's it; hellish agony. That's something you and I will never have to say, why hast Thou forsaken me! Because He never will. But He forsook Christ. "Who of you being a father," says Jesus, "if his son ask for bread, will give him a stone?" The Father did, to Christ. "Who, if his son ask for an egg, will give him a scorpion?" The Father did, to Christ.
And that's precisely it, "why hast Thou forsaken me!" He cries out for communion, the condemned don't; but He does. He cannot live without that communion, and therefore that "Why." And then you have this spectacle that they cry out and say, because He has said, "Eli, Eli, Lama, Sabachthani." Hey, He calls for Elijah; they know better. This is in the Aramaic, this isn't even in Greek, this is in Aramaic; that was their vernacular; that was the language they spoke every day. And then He says, "Eli, Eli." Why! Why! And they say, He calls Elijah. Mockery! Let's see whether Elijah comes. No, Elijah isn't coming. But He is forsaken, forsaken by His God.
Now what more can be done? Nothing! He died; He was buried; He descended into hell -- for me. So that I will still go through death. And those other two questions that we will come back to next week; those are the questions that deal with that. I will still be buried, I will not descend into hell. The hellish agonies have been taken away, and there is now guaranteed to the people of God the glory that He has bought for you and me. That is the beauty of this humiliation of Jesus Christ. He has suffered it for us in order that we might not, that we might have life, that we may still look forward, and that even though death comes; so what! We have life forevermore, we have life abundantly, we have life completely, with Him. Because He bought it, and He has given it to us. That is the Gospel of the suffering and humiliation of Jesus Christ. Amen....
We thank Thee Lord our God, for Thy goodness to us. We thank Thee for the glorious Gospel of salvation Thou hast shown us. We thank Thee that Christ Jesus has gone into death and burial and descent into hell in order that to us there may be given the life that is forever. Apply Thou this Word unto our hearts by Thy Holy Spirit. Bless us further, bless the Catechism and Sunday School as they meet. Bless us in all that we do. Bring us again into Thy house this evening. Forgive our sins, and hear us, in Jesus Name. Amen..
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