This is such a strange part of the Bible. Don’t be frustrated by how odd it is, or how it’s difficult to grasp fully. The ideas themselves are so high above us, and they should be. God told us we aren’t going to understand Him, but the one thing that’s clear is this: Jesus – codename “word’ in these verses – bursts into our world from the outside, way outside of the furthest reach of space and time. He is the ultimate outsider that is coming into a universe He created separately from Himself. The attractive idea here is that an “outsider” has the chance to be objective. He has a unique perspective and is the one true privileged observer – what He observes does not affect Him or His observation. New politicians love to leverage this idea in our day, touting themselves as untainted by the political structures of Washington. They sell this idea to voters – being an outsider gives them independence and a fresh start. Perhaps it’s true, or perhaps it isn’t, but we understand what they’re saying. “I’m above all that. My loyalty is only to the voter and not to any lobbyists or special interests.” What they’re selling, Jesus is giving away for free. He has a love that begins in eternity. His advent begins in a plan from beyond time. His coming to save us was for His reasons and not ours. So, what is the trajectory of His advent, of Jesus’ coming? Where does it go, and where does it end up? This is where it becomes more and more marvelous to us because we can plot that trajectory. It goes from eternal love to our hearts and then back to Him, saving us and transforming us and taking us along for a ride – on a parabola (chariot?!) that dips into death itself and catapults us into eternal life. As you read this chapter, think about your experience of being an outsider yourself. We have all been there. Perhaps, in the end, we will come to see that our hunger to be an “insider” is merely an idol that doesn’t look at all like Jesus.
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