The earthly life and acts of the Lord, in Himself and in the Church of His disciples, are divided according to His own express teaching into two parts. Before the discourse of the Last Supper reaches its close, He opposes them to each other in sharp contrast. “I came out from the Father and am come into the world: again I leave the world and go unto the Father.” When these two words of His are received in their distinctness and their mutual necessity, as setting forth at once historical fact and eternal truth, then the Gospel is embraced. To refuse both is to fall back into heathenism. To receive the first but let go the second, or to confuse the second with the first, is to retrace our steps and become once more believing Jews. To hold fast both together is to stand and move in the faith of Christ.

The first period is in its origin a coming forth, in its progress a descent. The Father or the Father's presence is the beginning. The Son is sent forth and Himself comes forth into the world which He is to redeem. The weight of the world's sin and misery lies on Him more and more. Each step in His ministry brings Him into deadlier conflict with the world; and as He goes steadily forward, the conflict ends in His death. The Death belongs to both periods.