Bread and wine: the mystery of Jesus' human / divine nature

As always, Brad (Broken Messenger) has a very interesting post on his bog. If you are a Bible study enthusiast (you should be!) you just have to visit Brad's site every now and then!

Again Brad poses a thought-provoking question: DID JESUS KNOW EVERYTHING?

I agree with Brad: Jesus laid down his equality with God - temporarily! - in order to become one of us. He humbled himself, as Paul writes to the Philippians:

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, 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! Source

Christ’s divine / human nature is just too big a mystery for us to understand!

Some time ago I read in Blaise Pascal’s Pensées (i.e. the Dutch translation of his thoughts, because my French is miserable) about Joseph and Jesus ‘between two criminals’. This really was an eye-opener for me! I found this English translation on the internet:

Jesus Christ typified by Joseph, the beloved of his father, sent by his father to see his brethren, innocent, sold by his brethren for twenty pieces of silver, and thereby becoming their lord, their saviour, the saviour of strangers, and the saviour of the world; which had not been but for their plot to destroy him, their sale and their rejection of him.

In prison Joseph innocent between two criminals; Jesus Christ on the cross between two thieves. Joseph foretells freedom to the one, and death to the other, from the same omens. Jesus Christ saves the elect, and condemns the outcast for the same sins. Joseph foretells only; Jesus Christ acts. Joseph asks him who will be saved to remember him, when he comes into his glory; and he whom Jesus Christ saves asks that He will remember him, when He comes into His kingdom.
Source

I had to think about this after reading this line in Brad's posting: “So while it is true that Jesus’ body is perishable, it is also true that his divine nature is imperishable.” Bread = perishable, the body. Wine = everlasting, the spirit. Jesus gave his Spirit to the Father, while his body was broken on the cross. A baker, a cup bearer, a forgiven criminal on one side and a lost sinner on the other side – it all makes sense! I am impressed by the similarities, but even more by the differences between Joseph and Jesus! Jesus didn’t have to ask for mercy – because of His divine nature Jesus was able to tell the remorseful sinner: "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43 WOW!