"According to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God. 1 Timothy 1:11
THERE are two New Testament adjectives which are rendered "blessed" in our English versions. One involves highest praise and is never used of men, but is reserved for God Himself (e.g. Mark 14:61). The other is the familiar word, found in the Beatitudes and in a multitude of other places and often translated as "happy". This, of course, refers to people who enjoy God's blessing, but twice in 1 Timothy, Paul employs it to describe God Himself, so our verse can correctly be rendered: "according to the gospel of the glory of the happy God". This use of the word is not only unusual but it is most heart-warming, for it does us good to think of God's happiness.
If we were able to ask Peter or John or Mary, or others of the early disciples what was their happiest day, their immediate and united reply would be, 'The resurrection day; that first day of the week when Jesus rose from the dead'. I hope that I may not be thought irreverent if I suggest that this was also God's happiest day. Very early on that day the glory of the Father descended to the garden and entered that dark and silent burial cave and raised the Son from the dead (Romans 6:4). What had hitherto only been a plan and a promise became a fact: the gospel day had arrived, and its arrival filled the Father's heart with heavenly happiness.
We may rightly ask why the resurrection meant so much to Him, although we hardly need to do so. I make three suggestions.
In his Pentecostal sermon, Peter made the categorical claim concerning Jesus that "It was impossible for death to keep its hold on him" [96/97] (Acts 2:24). This is a remarkable statement. As a true man Jesus could and did die, but as a perfect Man He could not be overcome by death -- the Father was obliged to loose Him from its grip. Not that there was any reluctance on God's part -- far from it -- for in this way He was able to give His final attestation concerning the perfection of Christ's human life.
Twice before, the Father had spoken from heaven to voice His deepest satisfaction with His Son, and on this third day He gave His third affirmation, and He did so in an emphatic way, by deeds as well as words, in His action of raising Him up from the dead. Paul explained this in his preaching by saying: "He raised up Jesus; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten thee" (Acts 13:33).
The Lord Jesus had been perfect in His daily life at Nazareth. After thirty years of simple living in what are often called "the hidden years", He went out to Jordan and, after He was baptized, heard the Father's glad acclamation: "Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased" (Luke 3:22). He had also been perfect in the few years of His public ministry. Not long before the crucifixion, He took three disciples with Him up into the Mount of Transfiguration where they heard the second utterance of this kind: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 17:5). He had emerged from all the exposure and peculiar tests of public life and service to God with His full perfection untarnished. Then came the biggest test of all, the challenge of obedience unto death, even the death of the cross. The Lord Jesus did not fail. He maintained His perfection of character right through to the cross.
It was now up to the Father to give His final expression of satisfaction, and on the third day He did so by the miracle of resurrection. God is not impulsive. He is strong enough to wait. For His own wise reason He did wait, but on the third day He "declared Jesus to be the Son of God with power, by the resurrection of the dead" (Romans 1:4). May I not rightly suggest, then, that this was God's happiest day.
He who is Father as well as Creator, had longed from all eternity to have this kind of son, but He had never found perfection, not even in the most outstanding of His servants. Let there be no doubt about this; perfection could never be found in the human race until Jesus came. The psalmist describes how God Himself looked down from heaven to see if there were any who could bring Him this kind of gratification, with the sad verdict that there was none, "No, not one" (Psalm 14:3). There were many whom He loved, but not one who could measure up to His holy desires.
Then Jesus came! Truly Son of Man as well as Son of God, He passed every test, even the supreme test of Calvary. The centurion who was on duty at the cross was so overwhelmed by the majesty of His dying that he was forced to exclaim: "Truly this man was God's Son" (Mark 15:39). That day of the crucifixion was followed by the remarkable "high sabbath" of the second day. There was silence in heaven and silence one earth. Was this perhaps the silence of God's satisfaction? We do not know. All we know is that early on the morning of the third day the Father made known His decision by the greatest thing that even He could do -- He raised Jesus by His glory and to His glory. The Son of Man is now at His Father's right hand in the place of supreme honour. This is the glory of the gospel, and it is this which makes it the gospel of our happy God.
Before we begin to think of man's benefits or our own blessings, can we not pause to marvel and rejoice that the God with whom we have to do, is a Being who crowns His satisfaction with His whole creation with the supreme joy of a perfect human Son. May I again not be thought irreverent if I say concerning our heavenly Father that His cup runneth over. What is the Christian's joy but a sharing in the overflow of divine delight? Our gospel is indeed the Good News of a happy God, and that is most glorious.
