The more I learn about Jesus and his relationship with God I am surprised that I ever had an idea that they were so different.

Jesus was with God in the very beginning and through him all things were created. But Jesus was humble enough to willingly set aside his divinity in order to be born as a man. In his human-ness he was able to live and identify all the aspects of the human condition, yet he remained without sin. How was he able to live without sinning? He maintained a relationship with God. As a young man he grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with both people and with God.

Jesus matured into manhood living a life of perfect relationship with God. His relationship with God was so close that he repeatedly told people “If you have seen me you have seen the Father” and ” I and the Father are one”. But this didn’t just come from Jesus. On three different occasions God spoke in a voice that others could hear, telling people that he was proud of his son, Jesus (Mt 3.17, 17.5; Jn 12.28).

Jesus wanted so much to retain his relationship with God that he would often spend long blocks of time away from other people so he could pray and spend time alone with his Father. Through that close-knit bond between them, Jesus knew the heart of God and wanted only to please him. He said that his ‘food’ is to do the will of the one who sent him (Jn 4.34). As a result God honoured Jesus and “was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” (Col 1.19; 2.9).

So, when we talk about Jesus being the exact representation of God, it is because Jesus – as a man – was more interested in living to please God than to please himself. His desire to please God and to mirror the heart of God to people, meant that he only did what he saw the Father do, and said what he heard the Father say (Jn 5.19). This perfect obedience in a relationship of love is what made it possible for him to exactly (link to post) and precisely reflect and represent the heart, nature and character of God.