The Condescension of God
In a vision, the prophet Nephi sees an angel of the Lord that says to him, “Nephi, what beholdest thou?” Nephi responded, “A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.” Then the angel asked, “Knowest thou the condescension of God?”
This vision was given to Nephi when he wanted to know the meaning of a vision his father Lehi had received in which he had seen a tree of pure whiteness and whose fruit was most desirable. This tree represents God’s love, which spreads in the hearts of all humanity and brings joy to the world. The vision included the spiritual conception, birth, life, ministry, and crucifixion of the Savior and Redeemer of the world.
The dictionary definition of condescension and condescending includes terms such as “patronizing superiority and disdain.” In the case of the Savior’s condescension, this definition does not fit. When he left the realms of glory, love was his motivation.
He didn’t come with special privileges or superpowers. The knowledge and wisdom he gained were learned and earned by obedience and focus. He utilized the same processes of prayer, meditation, and practicing faith. He established and honed spiritual communications with his Father. He learned how to feel and act upon small intuitions and prompting. It was not trial and error for him; it was listening, feeling, and obeying.
Jesus was not sheltered by affluence or social status. His loving parents cared for and protected him, and they had to constantly guard against threats coming from influential leaders. I am sure that Mary and Joseph raised the boy in a way that did not draw undue attention. Jesus was relatively unremarkable to his community, as evidenced by the statement, “Is not this the carpenter’s son?”
Given the ordinary circumstances of his youth, how did Jesus become the Savior and Redeemer of the whole world for everyone at every age? I believe it was his single-mindedness. To understand how he never sinned, we must understand the nature of sin. The translations from both Hebrew and Greek mean to miss the mark. Because Jesus focused only on doing the will of his Father in Heaven and keeping his heart, mind, and actions consistent with that goal, he was sinless.
Nothing the Savior did was meaningless. Everything he suffered and loved had a purpose. Because he knew who he and his Father were, he understood human nature and was able to teach others in ways that opened vast new ideas in the minds of his followers. This ability was and is the single most influential part of his ministry. The hope he offered was not false. Every teaching sheds new light on the very nature of being. Along with light and truth comes life, enduring and eternal life.
His great atoning sacrifice culminated in his journey of condescension. He was able to suffer for each of us individually because he loved and understood us. This universal atonement happens when we come to know him as he knows us.
Everything Jesus did, we can do. When he said, “Follow me and do the things you see me do.” it was not a condescending suggestion. We can pray and live by faith. We can learn to follow the intuitions and spiritual promptings we receive. We can act in faith. We can discover our divine nature and help others to do the same. We can perform miracles.
So what makes Christmas special? It is a gift, but not one we expect to find. The gift Jesus gives you is YOU. Not the old tattered, and torn you; the new and improving you.
Jesus condescended by blazing a trail that extended from Heaven to Earth. It is not a one-way road. Just like Jesus came from Heaven to earth and back again, we can get on the same path and return to our heavenly home.
I want to end with a quote from a talk entitled The Way by Lawrence Corbridge.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. …
“In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”
He said, “I am Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord; yea, even I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world.”
He said, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
He said, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”
He said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
He said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
“And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”
He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
Jesus Christ is the Way. He is Light and Life, Bread and Water, the Beginning and the End, the Resurrection and the Life, the Savior of the world, the Truth, and the Way.
There is only one way to happiness and fulfillment. He is the Way. Every other way, any other way, whatever other way, is foolishness.
He offers a well of living water. Either we drink and never thirst more, or we don’t and foolishly remain thirsty still.
He is the Bread of Life. Either we eat and hunger no more, or we don’t and foolishly remain weak and hungry still.
He is the Light of the World. Either we follow Him and see clearly, or we don’t and foolishly remain blind and in darkness still.
He is the Resurrection and the Life. He said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” Either we learn of Him and have life more abundantly, or we don’t and foolishly remain dead still.
He is the Savior of the world. Either we accept the blessings of His Atonement and are made clean and pure, worthy to have His Spirit, or we don’t and foolishly remain alone and filthy still.
He is the Way.”
I testify that Jesus Christ lives, that he is our Savior, and that he came from Heaven to take us back to his Father and our Father, to his God and our God.
Merry Christmas!