[God]… in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high … (Hebrews 1:2–3)

In Christ, we see God magnified perfectly and accurately. He is the Son, and by that we mean He is of the same nature as God Himself. He is the Creator as we see also in John 1:1-2. He is the radiance of God’s glory. And He is the exact representation of God’s nature. We conclude that if we want to grow in our knowledge and understanding of God, we need to study the representation of Himself that He has given to us, namely the Lord Jesus Christ.

The world’s artists, poets and orators craft God in various images and depictions. Huge murals, frescoes, church architectures, literary tomes and grand sermons have been created. But nothing can improve on the picture God has given us in Scripture. That is why Peter says in his final writing, “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

How do we see God’s character in Christ? We can study the gospel accounts of what Jesus taught about God, the miracles He performed and His compassion for the sick, poor and outcast. We can read descriptions in the apostles’ letters of what they saw or what was revealed to them for us. But the greatest magnifying glass that helps us see God’s character best is the person of Jesus Christ on the cross, bar none! Like a perfect telescope or microscope, Christ shows us God in both His largeness and His detail.

Think of any characteristic of God, and you will see it in amplified form on the cross. Certainly we see his love: “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). The greatest demonstration of God’s ability to love His creation is giving us that which was most dear to Him, His Son “in whom [He is] well-pleased” (Mark 1:11). On the other end of the character spectrum, we see God’s severe anger and justice in pouring out his judgment for our sin on Christ. We say “severe anger and justice,” for why else would Christ plead with His Father three times (Matt 26:39, see also Jer 25:25)? He alone would know the horror of His father’s judgment. On the cross, we see the patience of God, for He is “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). We see God’s reconciliation, forgiveness, redemption, grace, mercy, longsuffering and the list goes on. In His agony He provided for His mother to be looked after by John (John 19:26). Everything about God is seen and magnified in Christ on the cross.

“O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.” (Ps 34:3)