In his flesh - ע
The ayin ע simply represents the flesh of Christ, but the doctrine surrounding it is complex and important.
Jesus was holy and love
Holiness demands separation, but the nature of love is to bring together. Jesus could not do both effectively while in the flesh. His message of love drew people to him, but his message of holiness pushed them away.
All of the letters are formed around a square. The upper line represents heavenly things, the lower; earthly. The left side is holiness, the right; grace. The letters are drawn clockwise around the square. The first thing received by men is grace. [1]
With ayin the holiness from the left is mixed with the love from the right. But it misses the right lower corner, unlike the tsadi צ which also joins holiness and grace, but does so at the cross; that point where heaven and earth connect.
During his life he was holy. [2]
And he did not come to judge, and in his interactions with men he gave grace. [3] [4]
But this mixing of holiness and love without the cross is not complete. In fact, it is confusing. All of his followers left him and he died alone on the cross. In fact, the cross is so central to the Gospel, that Paul says that anyone who preaches a gospel without the cross should be accursed. [5] [6]
Jesus was made to be sin
This will sound like heresy, but hear it closely. Jesus was made to be sin. [7] He did not commit any sin, but he became culpable of the law by it's words. The letters of the law kill. [8]
The letter of the law is what makes the prophetic riddle:
By the letter of the law, Jesus committed murder. He laid down his own life. [9] He did not commit murder, but he violated the letter of the law.
By the letter of the law, Jesus committed adultery. He took back a wife he had divorced. Israel was his bride who committed adultery. He divorced her [10], and then took her back committing adultery in the letters of the law concerning marriage. [11] He was not a literal adulterer, but became guilty by the letter.
If preaching a gospel without the cross makes one accursed, how much more does living that gospel without the cross, make one accursed? The ayin ע symbolizes that accursedness.
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References
- ↑ 1Jo 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
- ↑ Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.
- ↑ Lu 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
- ↑ Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
- ↑ Ga 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
- ↑ Ga 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
- ↑ 2Co 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
- ↑ 2Co 3:6 ¶ Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
- ↑ 1Jo 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.
- ↑ Jer 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
- ↑ De 24:4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that [is] abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee [for] an inheritance.
