The “Great One” of the Most High God who greatly humbled Himself

As I meditate on the words, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:32–33), I wish to draw lessons given through this passage:

(1) The angel Gabriel said to the priest Zechariah, after giving him “this good news” [“this joyful news” (Korean Living Bible)] (Luke 1:19)—namely, “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John” (v.13)—that “he will be great in the sight of the Lord” [“a great man” (KLB)] (v.15). Likewise, to Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph, Gabriel said, “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call His name Jesus” (v.31), and added, “He will be great” [“a great figure” (KLB)] (v.32).  It is interesting that the same phrase “great one” is used for both John the Baptist and Jesus. What does this “great one” mean?

(a) In John the Baptist’s case, it is said, “great in the sight of the Lord” (v.15). The Greek word for “great” is megas [as in “megachurch” (meaning a very large church, usually with more than 2,000 attending weekly services)]. It carries meanings such as “great,” “noble,” or “authoritative” (cf. Matthew 20:25; Titus 2:13).

(i) But in Jesus’ case, the phrase “in the sight of the Lord” is not added. Simply “He will be great” is stated. This shows that John is “great in the sight of the Lord” only because of Jesus, the truly Great One Himself.

• When we reflect on Jesus the “Great One,” we recall when His disciples argued among themselves about “who is the greatest” [“who is the most important” (KLB)] (Luke 9:46). Jesus placed a child among them and taught that the truly great one is the humble one (Matthew 18:4). He also emphasized servant-leadership, saying, “The greatest among you will be your servant” (Matthew 23:11).

• Therefore, the “Great One” (Luke 1:32), Jesus Himself, declared, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” [KLB: “I came not to be served, but to serve, and to give even my life as payment for the sins of many”] (Matthew 20:28). Moreover, “Though He was in very nature God, He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6–8, KLB).

→ Thus, the “Great One,” Jesus, is the humble One who lowered Himself, the Servant who came to serve, and the Obedient One who submitted to the Father even unto death on the cross. As we reflect on Him, we receive the lesson that we, too, must imitate Christ—becoming humble servants and obedient followers. Such people are indeed, like John, “great in the sight of the Lord” (Luke 1:15).

• Furthermore, the “Great One” (Luke 1:32), Jesus, when asked by a lawyer testing Him, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:35–36, KLB), responded with the double commandment: love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself (vv.36–40). After His resurrection, He also gave the Great Commission to His disciples and to all believers: to make disciples of all nations, preaching and teaching the gospel (Matthew 28:18–20).

→ Those who humbly obey Jesus’ double commandment and His Great Commission, serving the Lord, His church, and His kingdom, are truly “great in the sight of the Lord” like John the Baptist (Luke 1:15).

(2) Gabriel also told Mary regarding the son she would bear, Jesus (v.31, KLB): “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” [KLB: “He will be a great figure and will be called the Son of the Most High God”] (v.32). Here, “the Most High” (v.35) is translated in the KLB as “God.” Thus, “the Son of the Most High” means “the Son of God.”

(a) Jesus, the Son of the Most High God, “being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage. Rather, He made Himself nothing, taking the nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6–8, KLB).

(i) At that time, crucifixion was reserved only for the lowest social class. Thus, the Son of the Most High humbled Himself to the lowest possible point. Not only so, but as Jesus Himself said, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40). After dying on the cross, He descended into “the heart of the earth.”

• The reason Jesus descended even into the depths of the earth was to lift us—who deserved to remain forever in hell—into eternal life in the kingdom of heaven. The Father allowed His Son to be driven down into the depths so that sinners, once enemies of God and destined for eternal hell, might instead enter eternal heaven.

• Jesus went down, down, even to the depths of the earth so that we might be made “those who belong to heaven” (1 Corinthians 15:48). Therefore, we must believe that the Jesus who descended into the depths is “the Christ, the Son of God,” and by believing we may “have life in His name” (John 20:31). And remembering that because of Him we now enjoy eternal life in heaven, we ought to offer deep thanksgiving, praise, and worship to our Lord.

(3) Gabriel further told Mary: “The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:32–33, KLB). This means that God’s covenant promise to David is fulfilled in Christ Jesus, who as Messiah has become the eternal King of God’s kingdom (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:25; Revelation 11:15).

(a) God “exalted Christ Jesus, who became obedient to death—even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8, KLB), to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (vv.9–11).

(i) The “Most High” (Luke 1:32) exalted Christ Jesus, who had humbled Himself even to death (Philippians 2:8). God raised Him to the highest place (v.9) and seated Him on “the throne of the Lamb” (Revelation 22:3). And “every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them” gives “praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever, to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb” (Revelation 5:13).

*  Gospel Song “Jesus Is King”

*  Gospel Song “We Gather Before the Throne” (Vision)