Kiss the Son.. He Who Honors the Son Honors the Father

Hello and Happy Spring to You All!

Spring this year has come to the desert in a wonderful way. I was outside enjoying the sunshine and a gentle breeze caressed my cheeks. It felt much like when my finger would touch the cheek of my sleeping young son. I felt the kiss of God as He whispered in my ear: At the cross Grace Kissed Law and said "It is finished!" Christ Jesus poured out His life blood as an atoning sacrifice that we might be fully satisfied in God the Father alone. Mercy opened the door to reconciliation between a Holy God and sinful man.

My mind remembered the words: Kiss the Son.. so I have been reading Psalm 2. Please take a few minutes and read all of this Psalm. I am using NIV and study notes from NIV. Peter and John in Acts 4:25 attribute this Psalm to David and it is known to originally be used for the coronation of Davidic kings. Some interesting insights that those from Western or European roots may not understand are found in v. 7-9. This section details the coronation of the Lord's Anointed One, the King. "You are my Son; today I have become your Father." NIV. The study notes shed some light on this. In the Near East the relationship between a great king and one of his subject kings who ruled by his authority and owed him allegiance was expressed not only by the words 'lord' and 'servant', but 'son' and 'father'. Read what God said about David in 2 Samuel 7:5, 14. God calls David both His son and His servant. At this point if you turn to Acts 13:33 and surrounding verses, you will gain some important insights of how Psalm 2:7-9 applies to Jesus' resurrection and future return to rule as King of kings. Of course Jesus is the eternal Son, but the actual change from the shadow of the Old Covenant to the reality of the New Covenant was accomplished by the sinless life, death on the cross and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. Resurrection simply is proof that what Jesus had prophesied about His mission was true. He came to save sinners from the wrath of God by offering Himself upon the altar of the cross as the Perfect Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world. Salvation has always been from faith, not from keeping the Law. The Old simply points to the New. At the cross Grace Kissed Law and provision was made for Christ's righteousness to be transferred or imputed to all who would by faith come and repent of their sins and cast themselves on the mercy of God. By faith they would then enter into a new life. Does this mean that Jesus is NOT God? Does this mean that Jesus is some second, lesser God than the Father? No. But to fulfill the plan of God Jesus would enter time, incarnate as a perfect, sinless man and willingly lay aside some of His deity to live as a man, die as a man and then by His own power be raised from the dead. Jesus said that no one took His life-- He willingly laid it down and would by His own power take it up again. No other prophet made such a claim. With the exception of the Old Testament prophets Enoch and Elijah, all men have died or will die. [One future day these men will return and die on earth also.]

Let's move on to v. 12. "Kiss the Son..do Him homage.. Another text note says that the conquering Assyrian kings required that subjects submit to their authority and demonstrate this symbolically by kissing the feet of the king. Kissing of one's feet? But how about Jesus? Did anyone ever do homage to Him by kissing His feet? Does Psalm 2 prophetically point to Him? We will discuss two times Jesus was kissed. The first is found in Luke 7:36-50. NASB.

"Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined {at the table.} And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining {at the table} in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind {Him} at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner." And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher." "A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly." Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven." Those who were reclining {at the table} with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this {man} who even forgives sins?" And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

What can we learn from this story? First who are the main characters? Simon, a Pharisee, who had invited Jesus for a meal. Jesus. Unidentified other guests. An unexpected stranger.. or we assume she is not known by the others. A woman 'of the streets'.. but a wealthy one. What happens? This woman had somehow heard about Jesus coming.. but she most certainly was NOT invited to this meal. However, we find her weeping, kneeling at Jesus' feet, and pouring an expensive bottle of perfume over His feet, kissing His feet, weeping uncontrollably. Wow. Quite a scene, huh? Responses noted? Simon seems quite uncomfortable with all of this. Embarrassed no doubt. Annoyed with Jesus for allowing such a scene in front of His guests. But Simon considers only the woman's sinful condition--not his own spiritual condition. Now Jesus, who being God, can see into the heart condition of all persons and even know our thoughts.. he perceived what Simon was thinking but not saying.. Hey if this Jesus knew what KIND OF WOMAN this is.. if He were a prophet--He would never allow her to even touch Him! Yuk.. dirty sinner! I mean she is just a common slut of the streets. Jesus: Note His response.. don't you love it? He did not even reveal He knew what Simon was thinking. Instead Jesus posed a hypothetical situation. At the end He asked Simon.. who do you think would be more grateful? Who would love the moneylender more? Simon was no doubt a shrew businessman. He realized the truth, the one who was forgiven more loved more. Then Jesus drops the bombshell. Hey Simon, you did not even extend the normal and customary hospitality of our culture that is offered even to our enemies! I was travel weary and got no chance to clean up before the meal. But this 'woman'.. she has washed my feet with her tears, anointed them with an expensive perfume, and demonstrated a penitent and contrite heart about her own sins. Kissing my feet is her sign of submission to my authority over her as her King. Her love as expressed in repentance and faith [she truly believed that Jesus had authority as God's Anointed One to forgive sins] results in her sins being paid for.. wiped out. The woman has said nothing in her own defense. She never once said that she had been doing some good things lately.. to try and make up for her 'mistakes'. She saw herself as a HELPLESS SINNER IN NEED OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS.

The Kiss of Contrition and Repentance and Faith.

Verse 50 makes it clear that it was her FAITH that saved her from God's wrath for her sins, not the act of coming and kissing Jesus' feet. No amount of external religious acts of washings or kneeling or prostrating ourselves can ever take care of our sin debt. This woman upon receiving the Word of God: Your sins are forgiven, go in peace-- could indeed depart in peace. Her peace came through the mercy of God in response to her repentance and faith. The response of the other guests: Who is this that even forgives sins? That is my question for you, dear reader. Who indeed is Jesus? How can he claim to forgive sins? Jesus did NOT put the woman under any burden of rules or laws to keep. God is just and all sin must be punished. God made it clear from the time of Adam that sin brings death. Jesus did NOT just say, well such is life. Women mess up sometimes.. Think on these things. Right with God? Is it Earned or Imputed?

Here is an excellent John Piper Message called "Jesus: Equal with God". This explains the second part of the Title of this blog. It will tie in nicely with "Kiss the Son".



Let's take time to look into a contrasting "kiss" that Jesus received. I think most people have heard this story because I have yet to meet someone who has named their son after the main character in this story. This story is recorded in all four Gospels. We will use Mark 14:43-46. NASB "Immediately while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, *came up accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs, {who were} from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now he who was betraying Him had given them a signal, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away under guard." After coming, Judas immediately went to Him, saying, "Rabbi!" and kissed Him. They laid hands on Him and seized Him." Luke's account has Jesus asking Judas: Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?

The Kiss of Betrayal.

Jesus clearly identifies His mission and His identity. The Son of Man, a clear reference to the prophetic word of Daniel chapter 7 which foretells the coming Messiah as the God/Man mediator between sinful man and holy God. This is the Kingdom of God Jesus brings! Reconciliation to God and restoration of fellowship between a Holy God and sinful man. Of course Judas Iscariot did not see the Messiah in such a role. Rather, the thief Judas thought only of an earthly Kingdom, an overthrow of the Roman Kingdom and no doubt a good position for himself in this new kingdom. [You may wish to read online the commentary of Matthew Henry about Daniel chapter 7. "Son of Man" is a key identification of Jesus as who He claimed to be, i.e, God's Anointed One.]

How about you dear reader? Which type of "kiss" will you greet Jesus with?

The Kiss of Contrition and Repentance and Faith.

The Kiss of Betrayal.

Will you experience God's mercy, forgiveness and life? Or God's wrath and judgment and eternal separation from God in the place of torment and suffering?
The Father's heart of Love is both just and merciful.
I love you all,
Auntie Ann