In this sermon on John 4, Martin Luther (1483–1546) draws on Philippians 2 to emphasize the frailties Christ accepted for our sake.
The God who assumed flesh and blood assumed also human weakness for our benefit, righting a world turned upside down through sin and death.
Thus Saint Paul declares in the second chapter of Philippians: “He took the form of a servant.” He became frail, he ate and drank, so that it was evident that he was a true and natural man. All this he did for the purpose of drawing us to himself. He wants us to recognize that this poor, weak, and humble man is the almighty and eternal God. Therefore since we could not bear to hear God in his majesty, he humbly adopted flesh and blood, assuming not only our nature, that is, flesh and blood, but also all the frailties with which body and soul are afflicted, as, for example, fear, sadness, anger, and hatred. This is really burying and concealing his divine majesty!
Now this is preached to us. We are told that he was weak, that he was like any other man in body and soul, that he made himself subject to all human infirmities, that he hungered and thirsted, that he experienced all the wants of flesh and blood. In this weakness the true and eternal God shows himself. For me he humbles himself; and for me he is finally crucified, although he is at the same time very God, who redeems me from sin and death.
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