Why did Jesus need a body?

It's such a foundational question, but it's also when we typically don't dwell on, except

maybe around Christmas.

It's a question we need to dwell on.

We need to linger here for a moment.

In 1995, John Piper expanded on this question at the end of a sermon on Ephesians 4 verses

32 to chapter 5 verse 2.

Here's what he said in explaining why Jesus needed a body.

Now turn your attention for just one last minute or two, away from the life to the sacrifice,

the sacrifice, the costliness of this life being laid down.

You know, one of the differences between the 19 year old boy and Jesus is that in order

for Jesus to suffer and die, he had to plan it way ahead of time because as the logos

who existed before creation, he couldn't die immortal, didn't anybody, he could not

die, and yet he wanted to die for you.

So he planned the whole thing by clothing himself with a body so that he could get hungry

and get weary and get sore feet.

The incarnation is the preparation of nerve endings for the nail, that's the incarnation.

The incarnation is the preparation of a brow for horns to press through.

He needed to have a broad back so that there was a place for the whip.

He needed to have feet so that there was a place for spiked.

He needed to have a side so that there was a place for the sword to go in.

He needed cheeks, fleshy cheeks so that Judas would have a place to kiss and there

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