Why God needs to become man is well explained by Lao Zi.
The most famous quote from Lao Zi is the first 6 words of Dao De Jing --- 道可道非常道。
The WAY that can be described is not the eternal WAY.
Our first reactions could be:
1. Very deep ... very powerful ...It gets my attention, but what is it saying?
2. Pure rubbish. Lao Zi is just trying to catch our attention by twisting words.
3. If the Eternal WAY cannot be described, then how can we know it?
1. Very deep ... very powerful ...It gets my attention, but what is it saying?
2. Pure rubbish. Lao Zi is just trying to catch our attention by twisting words.
3. If the Eternal WAY cannot be described, then how can we know it?
The answer to point 1 will do away with point 2. Lao Zi is just trying to tell us that our language and our mind are too limited to understand the unlimited great WAY well. He further explains it by saying 名可名非常名 The Name that is Named is not the Name. A name is just a representation of the thing and it not the thing itself. It is a convenient way of reference but the name is surely not exactly as the named thing.
The answer to point 3 explains the need of God to some in the person of Jesus to explain the unlimited and eternal God to us. We could, as Lao Zi did, to explain what the WAY is like. Lao Zi wrote another 80 chapters/paragraphs to try to explain to us the attributes of the WAY through the universe, nature, and living things that are created by the WAY. The best way to the WAY is for the WAY to come to us in man form and tell us. It is like we becoming a cat so that we can fully communicate with the cat. So, we have this in
John 1 The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life,and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
.....
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own,[b] and his own people[c] did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life,and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
.....
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own,[b] and his own people[c] did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Lim Liat (c) 15 Sep 16
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