Man of Sorrows, King of Glory: What the Humiliation and Exaltation of Jesus Mean for Us

by Jonty Rhodes

What the Person and Work of Jesus Really Means Christians, rightly called “people of the cross,” look to Jesus’s death and resurrection as the central points of his earthly mission. But in order to understand more fully the person and work of Christ, it’s important for believers to fix their minds on his entire ministry―his life, death, resurrection, and ongoing ministry today―and not solely on his work on the cross. In Man of Sorrows, King of Glory , Jonty Rhodes uses the traditional roles of Jesus as prophet, priest, and king (often referred to as his “threefold office”) to show how his whole life―in humiliation on earth and now exaltation in glory―is lived for us. As believers explore Jesus’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension, they will develop a holistic portrait of the Messiah and a deeper appreciation for God’s plan to reclaim sinners.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Faith, Christianity, Devotional, Nonfiction

160 pages, Paperback

Published June 15, 2021

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: What has Jesus done for you? Ask that question in any Bible-honoring church, and you'll likely hear the same answer, "He died for me." Christians are known as the people of the cross, and rightly so. The cross stands at the center of the good news of the salvation for sinners.

The title and subtitle really tell potential readers all they need to know about to expect. I don't know if my attempt at a summary is even necessary.

Essentially this book focuses on the person and work of Jesus Christ the Son of God examining what he planned to do from before creation, what he has done, what he is doing, and what he will do for us who are united to Him. This book touches on every aspect--not just the cross, not just the resurrection, but everything.

It is saturated in Scripture. It was LOVELY to see. Rhodes uses Scripture throughout and uses it liberally--and by liberally I mean generously and lavishly. We see from Scripture itself--along with Rhodes own conclusions--just how marvelous and FULL the gospel is.

There are three sections.

Part 1: The Journey of the Son of God
Part 2: To The Far Country
Part 3: To the Father's Right Hand

I found the book informative and encouraging. It was not an intimidating read. It would be a good book for those new to theology or a great basic refresher for those more experienced in their reading.

Quotes:

To say the cross is at the center of Christ's work immediately implies that there's a wider picture; a broader canvas that has to be center.
The cross must not become detached from the resurrection, the ascension, or any other event in Christ's life. We may be able to answer the question "Why did Jesus die for you?" But why did he rise? Why was he buried? Why was he circumcised? Does it even matter? Yes, I suggest it does. God has spoken about all these things in his word, and God doesn't waste his breath. All the events of Christ's life are part of his saving work: he was buried for us, he was circumcised for us, he was baptized for us. Each has something to teach us. The cross connects not just to every other event in Christ's life but to every aspect of his ministry. Historically, this ministry has been viewed through the lens of Christ's threefold office. Jesus is our prophet, priest, and king.
The tomb of Christ was the womb of a whole new world.

[Cameron McCartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this excellent book looking at the humiliation and exaltation of Christ through his threefold role of prophet, priest and king. What is most surprising about this readable and short book is its generous seasoning of reformed theological richness. I did prefer the “humiliation” section over the “exaltation” section, but this book is still outstanding as a whole piece. I think this book takes younger Christians from a 2 or 3 to an 8 or 9 very quickly when it comes to forming a personal understanding of Christology. We often think, don’t we, that we already understand Christ’s work, and so “move on” from it, spending too much time thinking about highly specific, even secondary, theological issues instead. However in “Man of Sorrows, King of Glory”, Jonty Rhodes threads us right to the heart of the person and work of Christ and gives us a great devotion for dwelling on how he really is deserving of all our love, glory, and strength. A perfect book for Christians of pretty much all ages and stages!

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had low expectations of this book--never heard of the author, pretty short, etc. But it is excellent! Consistently insightful theology rooted in the best reformed thinkers of the last 500 years. Every could of pages I found myself nodding my head and thinking, "That was well said."

The outline is very simple, following upon the Westminster standards. Jesus served as prophet, priest, and king in his state of humiliation, and now continues to serve as prophet, priest, and king in his state of exultation. Rhodes fleshes out these six categories in deeper and better way than, say, Belcher Prophet, Priest, and King: The Roles of Christ in the Bible and Our Roles Today.

Now that I am familiar with this author, I hope Crossway publishes more from him!

[KateP · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes each line of the hymn ‘Man of sorrows! What a Name’ as a chapter heading and then explains the theology of the journey of Jesus, his humiliation and exaltation. Both easy to read and yet really made me think and savour on cross of Christ and glory of Christ. Would like to read again. And I feel this is one of those books everyone should read now and again to marvel anew at Jesus.

[Kali · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite thought from the book is how on Sunday mornings we are being led in worship by Christ our exalted priest.

[Jeanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So central is the cross to our understanding of salvation that we'll have cause to consider it at almost every point of our exploration of the work of Christ. It stands at the heart of his priestly work, cleansing us from sin. It preaches to us of his love and grace, of the justice and mercy of God, and is therefore part of his prophetic work. It's at the cross that Christ conquers sin, death, and Satan, establishing his kingdom. The cross is Christ's pulpit, altar and throne. That's one of the reasons why theologians have tended to refer to Christ's threefold office, rather than his three offices. Prophet, priest and king.

The Man of Sorrows is a great hymn that is sung at church with much biblical implications that are brought to this text. A contrast of humiliation and exaltation that is the gospel. A short study that is easy to follow with a deep depth of the work of Christ. Why did Jesus have to be found guilty in a court of law? Why did Jesus have to give his life on the cross? What makes Christianity and knowing Jesus is all these answers connect the dots to our heart. The very nature of sin that keeps us from God by the grace of God brings us to the foot of the cross.

The books answers the question of why we need Jesus. Highly recommend.

A special thank you to Crossway Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Rachel Hillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. All I can say is that you will walk away from this read loving your Savior more! Hallelujah, what a Savior!

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Johnny Rhodes, thank you sir, for this jewel of a book. I don’t know how, in under 200 pages Rhodes so succinctly fleshes out the person of Christ, his two natures and three fold office of prophet, priest and king and our mirrored calling as Christian’s. This was an absolute delight to read and ponder. I’ll be buying copies to give away. 🫡

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for reading around Easter. I loved going in depth theologically and learned a lot about the hypostatic union in particular. This book led me to worship in part because of the intricacies of Christ’s fulfillment of prophecies. There are so many facets of Christ’s incarnation, death, and resurrection that when we pause to consider them, we can’t help but be in awe. This book helps us do that.

[Jonathan Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a superb book, looking at the Lord Jesus Christ in both his humiliation and exaltation through the lens of Prophet, priest and King.

Typically of Rhodes, it is excellently written, theologically robust, and filled with heartwarming applications.

[Chola Mukanga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jonty Rhodes is concerned that in much of evangelical teaching and life, the death of our Lord Jesus has become detached from the other events in his life. The result is that many Christians can explain how the death of Jesus saves us, but they cannot explain how other events in the life of Jesus, for example his incarnation or ascension, saves us.

This dislocation of the cross from the rest of the life of Jesus is a problem because it cheapens our understanding of the saving work of Christ. Not only does it diminish our worship of Christ, it also means that we are not able to enjoy the joy and peace that comes from glorying in His saving work.

Rhodes wants us to have a renewed appreciation of the saving work of Christ by exploring how the life events display Christ ministering to us as our prophet, priest and King. He does this by exploring the key life events of Christ, as separated in two movements – the events related to his humiliation (from incarnation to burial) and the events related to his exaltation (resurrection to second coming).

In His humiliation, Christ fulfilled the role of Prophet as the God-Man who brings God to us and us to God. The Cross is His pulpit. It proclaims the heart of God and what our response to God should be. Christ fulfils the role of Priest, by His death on the cross where He offered himself in our place as our sacrifice that appeases the wrath of God. Christ our Priest suffered the penalty of God’s wrath toward sin in our place. Christ fulfills the role of King by coming defeating our enemies as one of us. The incarnation was an invasion, “the beginning of a heavenly incursion to restore harmony by defeating sin, death, and Satan”. On the cross Jesus destroyed the works of the devil and robbed Satan of the weapon of death by rising from death.

In discussing the exaltation of Christ, Rhodes focuses on how each element of Christ’s exaltation continues the ministry of Christ to us today. He helpfully explains that Christ is still active today in his prophetic ministry because He speaks to us through His word, the Bible. And just as important is that as the Word of God is preached, it is Christ preaching through his servants to us. The preacher is the vessel through whom Christ continues His prophetic work. Christ is in Heaven as our High Priest. He stands there as our advocate before God. As King, Christ continues to rule his church, both outwardly through church officers and inwardly as He brings men and women to life through his Spirit and word.

What did I make of the book? I think the book is sufficiently comprehensive without being too overbearing, although it does not give a clear rationale up front why certain life events are chosen. For example, why is incarnation discussed, but not His circumcision? Why is session of Christ chosen but nothing about the events of His earthly ministry? But what it lacks in analytical precision, it more than makes us with many wonderful theological insights. For example, I liked the discussion of how Adam failed as a prophet, priest and King. Rhodes notes that:
“As prophet, Adam should have spoken up and led Eve to the truth when Satan started to cast doubt on God’s word. As king, Adam should have exercised his rule over all creatures and conquered the snake. As priest, Adam ought to have crushed the serpent’s head and protected the holiness of both his bride and his garden-temple. But instead—standing by Eve’s side…he watched as she reached out and plucked sin and misery from the tree. Indeed, he joined her in rebellion, a false prophet, a defeated king, an unclean priest”

Equally helpful is the discussion of how death and sleep are closely linked in the Bible. Rhodes notes that every time we go to sleep, we entrust ourselves to God, confident that he has the power to raise us again the next day, whether back into this world or safely into the next. Each night, in other words, is practice for our deathbed.

Sadly, this strength is also part of a bigger unfortunate problem with the book. The fascinating theological insights often serves to distract the reader from focusing on the topic at hand. RhodesHe often gets side tracked into unnecessarily theological detail. You feel like you are reading a well written literature review about the saving work of Christ rather than a work designed to get you to know and adore Jesus more. This in a nutshell is my main concern with it.

There is nothing in the book that is erroneous or unwelcome. The problem is that it is not clear who this book is for and what it meant to add to what is already out in print, aside from an interesting hymnal based outline. I am guessing this is the sort of book I would give someone who wants a quick understanding of the saving work of Jesus. But to what end?

The whole point of knowing Christ is to worship him. Sadly, I found this book strangely deficient in evoking me to worship Him. This is no Octavius Winslow or Mark Jones. It is brilliantly factual, but the writing style did not have sufficient moments us to bow down and worship. I am afraid to say, that I found it disappointing because for me it reduced a devotionally rich topic to a dry intellectual discussion.

Now, I am not sure whether that is how the book really is or it is just me. I read a lot of works on the person of Christ, which why I decided to read this book. Now most of what I read is Puritan works. I am always moved in worship by the way the Puritans write about the Lord. So I may have judged Rhodes too harshly because of my reading style preference. But for what’s it worth, the above is my opinion. The opinion of a sinner saved grace. Who is bound to judge poorly this side of eternity.

[Ben Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Struggling to decide between 4 or 5 stars.

I’ve gone for 5 because it does what it sets out to do with such clarity and accessibility. A really solid intro to the person and work of Christ that I really feel I could give to anyone in my church - at least every small group leader/Bible teacher. Helpful for my tribe of pastors, too, to give us confidence to preach Christ more broadly than just making a beeline for PSA.

As other reviews have mentioned, it’s littered with really helpful theological insights. Some highlights:
- intro to Adam’s threefold office
- careful treatment of “why have you forsaken me?”
- Jesus exercising prophetic office through preaching in the church

[Michael Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful guide into a Reformed understanding of the role of Christ as prophet, priest, and king. As the title suggests, Rhodes addresses both the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus. He does this by looking at each of three offices of Christ, first as to his humiliation and then as to his exaltation.

The author includes quotes from Puritans and Reformed theologians. The work does not feature a lot of technical Christological terms, yet it does introduce the reader to some of the more intricate discussions surrounding the person of Christ and his two natures.

This is a great introductory level book for anyone interested in Reformed Christology.

[Chris McBurney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that makes for perfect reading around Easter. I read almost more devotionally as I rested in the truths Rhodes draws out.

Aiming to not so much shift focus from Jesus death and resurrection, but to add emphasis to it through His life and ongoing ministry, now Rhodes opens up the ministry of Prophet, Priest and King.

It’s a book that although deep and rich is highly accessible. I’d like to see some parts expanded on but you see why he’s kept it at the length he has. I’d suggest a great read for anyone in any context but as someone who works with young adults, a great Small Group read.

[Ethan Moehn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t read every chapter, so it’s possible there’s something bad in here. With that qualification in place, this book is phenomenal. Rhodes is elite in his ability to write about deep truths in approachable ways.

For example, on the ascension of Christ it’s implication for new creation:

“The tomb of Christ was the womb of the new world”

[Charles Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book of 2021, in my opinion. This is the book I plan to give to any new Christian, a book to use with inquirers, as well as one to read with my congregants. Thoughtful, clear, and accessible. I already plan to read it again, and soon.

[Mary Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t been this engrossed in a book about Jesus…ever. Normally I love the more topical teaching. Every Christian should read this, wonderful, engaging and encouraging teaching! A great reminder of what Jesus has done.

[Reily Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A newer name to me in the world of theology, Jonty Rhodes, gave me a refreshed view of the trinity but specifically the person of Jesus.

How was Jesus both God & man? This book does a great job unpacking these seemingly opposed truths.

[Zach Barnhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really helpful resource on some important theological points. Especially appreciated his explanations of the two natures of Christ.

[J.T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was quite good. A concise summary on the person of Jesus. Stott would approve.

[Gibbs Bedenbaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took me a while to get through, but I really enjoyed it. Great explanation of the three offices of Christ

[Lawson Hembree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using the hymn “Man of Sorrows” as a guide, Jonty Rhodes writes to help Christians more completely understand and more fully appreciate the threefold office of Jesus as prophet, priest, and king in relation to His two states of humiliation (condescending to take on flesh for His earthly mission) and exhalation (ascending victoriously to heaven to continue His spiritual ministry).

Rhodes begins by describing the nature of Christ as fully God and fully man, emphasizing the importance of a proper understanding of each on their own and in relation to each other. This is immensely important as church history is marked by multiple heresies flowing from misunderstanding the nature and person of Christ.

The author goes on to explore how each aspect of Jesus’s office is displayed in first His humiliation and then His subsequent exhalation, carefully explaining not only the theological concepts but pointing to the practical implications for the church and individual Christians today.

As you read this book, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation of Christ’s work on your behalf and be drawn to worship in awe at God’s merciful plan to redeem His people. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

[Sigourney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rhodes opens the “Man of Sorrows, King of Glory” with a question: What has Jesus done for you? If you ask any Bible-believing Christian, you will hear “Jesus died for my sins.” Rhodes cautions us that we need to “connect the cross to Christ’s prophetic and kingly work too” (Rhodes, Chapter 1). In this short book, Rhodes explores the work of Christ through the threefold office as prophet, priest, and king in the twofold state of humiliation and exaltation.

First, Rhodes explores the humiliation of Christ. Christ’s humiliation starts with His birth and ends with His death. How did Jesus fulfill the threefold office as prophet, priest, and king during His earthly ministry? As Prophet, Jesus revealed the nature, plan, will, and character of God the Father. Not just in Word, but in His person as well. Even before His incarnation, the Spirit of Christ inspired the words of the Old Testament prophets. As Priest, Christ’s death on the cross satisfies God’s wrath against sin. Sin leads to death, wrath, and hell. Christ bore this curse for us. As King, Christ comes to earth to conquer his–and our–enemies.

Christ’s exaltation follows His journey from grave (His resurrection) to glory (His ascension). How does he continue to work through his threefold office as prophet, priest, and king? As Prophet, He meets His people by His Spirit, through His Word, and through His appointed signs, the sacraments. He continues His role as Priest through praying and interceding on the behalf of the saints. He rules, as King, over all creation through three spheres: the church, the government, and the family. Jesus exercises his heavenly authority through earthly vessels. Christ builds His church through the preaching of the gospel and church discipline by churchmen called to pastoral ministry. Christ rules his church through pastors and through His Spirit and Word. Christ appointed husbands to govern the family. Christ appointed government officials to oversee state affairs.

“So we’ve traced Jesus’s journey from humiliation to exaltation, from heaven to earth and back again. All was done out of love for his church.” (Rhodes, Chapter 10). I loved Rhode's discussion of Christ’s exaltation. I read that section a few times. We need to embrace the Whole Christ. Rhodes seeks to do just that in this book. He explains the work of Christ in accessible terms. He helps you to see Christ at work still today in our world and not just two thousand years ago.

I received a copy of the book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.

[Kimberly Van · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book so much. The title was gripping; it seemed an in-depth look at Christ in his 3 offices of Prophet, Priest, and King. In the end, I rate it 2.7 stars, rounded up to 3.

First, I was listening to the audio book, which I have to expect impacted me somewhat.
Second, I believe the author is British, and his argumentation didn't often make sense to my American mind.
Third, I lean reformed in some matters of theology, but not all. If you don't know what "reformed theology" is, I would highly recommend you not read this book. Just read the book of Hebrews.

In talking through the meat of the book, there were several times that supporting arguments were made using material that seemed entirely unconnected to the main point. This material caused me to lean on my theologically-trained husband quite a bit to figure out what author meant to say, or rather, what me meant me to gain from the arguments. For example, in one of the chapters, there is a lot of talk about the church. However, it is difficult to ascertain if the author means the believers in a local church body, believers all over the world, the historical church, all believers who have ever existed. While this may seem a small point, how the word is used determines the truth of what is said. These comments about the church reflect on Christ's exaltation in Heaven, where he heads the church and mediates for the church. There is also one chapter that seemed to heavily rely on the incarnation. The incarnation is a tenet of Christianity, and of extreme importance. However, some of what he said about it was really confusing to me and gave me more questions than answers. The incarnation was used as argumentation for Christ's humiliation. I believe what he put forth was meant to indicate just how severe Christ's humiliation was, however, I had never once thought about when exactly it would have been that Jesus Christ realized that He was God or what that meant for his humiliation. In my opinion, it was just unnecessarily complex.

The book was beneficial as a great exercise in mental gymnastics and made me think a lot about theological points that I had previously overlooked. However, I don't think it's the necessary addition to my library that I thought it was.

[Renae Stahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

"As king, Adam should have exercised his rule over all creatures and conquered the snake. As priest, Adam ought to have crushed the serpent’s head and protected the holiness of both his bride and his garden-temple.
"But instead— standing by Eve’s side (Gen. 3: 6)—he watched as she reached out and plucked sin and misery from the tree. Indeed, he joined her in rebellion, a false prophet, a defeated king, an unclean priest."

"Man of Sorrows, King of Glory" by Jonty Rhodes is a thought-provoking study of how Jesus' role as Messiah perfectly fulfills what Adam failed at.

It effectively and beautifully deepened my understanding, not only of the impact of the creation story and threefold office of Jesus, but also, the threefold nature of our God and how each aspect of God relates to the other.

I found myself applying the concepts and insights to other things I was readings even before I had gotten to the halfway point of this book. I did find the first part somehow more impactful and engaging than some of the later chapters but still enjoyed the insights and it is a book I can definitely see myself returning to, time and again.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book so is extremely accessible but deals with some of the weightiest stuff—the dual nature of Christ (God-man), his humiliation (incarnation, life, death and burial), and his exaltation according to His threefold office. I find myself wanting to call it “the three offices,” but Rhodes gently corrects why that isn’t the most precise way to word it.
The writing is simple, and the framing is lovely. I had never considered the song “Hallelujah, What a Savior” as an homage through humiliation into exaltation intentionally, though I knew it intuitively. I think this book doesn’t give so much new information as much as it frames previously learned knowledge of Christ in a different way that congently shows how thorough God is in His amazing wisdom. Prophet, priest, and King. I had never considered how Jesus’ fulfillment as the second Adam also completely has Jesus perfecting these strokes splintered by the first Adam. It is a great book, and I’m so grateful I have read it.

[Rudy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love theology. I love books on theology. I love conversations about theology. But I realized something as I read this book: I've read nearly all of its contents many, many times before, and often with greater depth.

Before I say anything else, let's get one thing straight: this is a solid book, and I am grateful for having read it. Author Jonty Rhodes does an excellent job of referencing scripture for every point he makes, which gives this book a very authoritative presentation. Well done. On the flip side, I've read nearly all of it before elsewhere. None of the contents here will be very novel for those who keep their noses in the Bible and read many of the great theologians of the past. That's not to say you shouldn't read this book—not at all! In fact, it's a great refresher for all. That said, it is also often very repetitive and similar to theological expositions of the past. Just keep that in mind as you delve into chapter one.

[Richard Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I listened to the audio book but goodreads doesn't currently have an entry for the audio edition)

A great primer on the person and work of Christ and the implications different aspects of his work have for us today. Detailed enough to be valuable but accessible enough to be beneficial to laymen.

A great primer for a christian who has not studied the topic deeply. Or a good semi-devotional recap for an older/more studied christian.

I recommend this highly with a couple of minor caveats:

1. There are couple of places the hint towards paedobaptist understanding (which makes sense as the author is presbyterian) though no argument is made for paedobaptism.
2. More could have been said on implications of the deity of Christ (nothing wrong was said just felt like an extra half chapter could have been added to improve the book)

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book as a tool to help me articulate a theology of Jesus' threefold offices of prophet, priest, and king (for teaching purposes). This book accomplished that and much more, showing how these offices are ones we see from Eden to the new Jerusalem in the story of the Bible. I wish more time and attention were given to Jesus' fulfillment of the office of "priest" specifically beyond the crucifixion, but this book suited my purposes quite well. Anyone looking to read about Christ's exaltation and humiliation coupled with these three offices would do well to read this book. It will show you with even more clarity the greatness of our Savior and the Gospel He brings to our weary world.

[Matt Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man of sorrows : king of glory wavers between the two. I thought there would be a heavier reliance on Isaiah 53. That aside, this is a great reminder of the foundation of the Christian faith. Written from a reformed specifically Presbyterian perspective, it is a reminder of what the Christian means when they say “Christos kurios “ Christ is king! There are a number of topics that I wish he had gone deeper into. I wish but that’s just not this book. He is wetting the appetite for you to pray to God to show you the Son. This is a great volume to introduce the founding doctrines of the Christian faith.