Christmas Questions

Galatians 4:4-5 answers questions about the when, who, and why of the first Christmas. We normally do not think of Galatians as speaking about Christmas, but it does. It says, “When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

THE WHEN

“when the time came to completion” (verse 4a)

  1. The time of Christ’s birth was “complete” religiously. The Old Testament Law had accomplished its purpose, showing man his utter sinfulness and inability to be good enough on his own to be saved. Also, with the writing of Ezra, the Old Testament was “complete”.
  2. The time of Christ’s birth was “complete” prophetically. With the fulfillment of 38 prophecies about Christ from to Genesis to Zechariah, the table was set for Jesus to be born. The mysterious foretelling of the Prince’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem in Daniel 9:25-26, five-and-a-half centuries before Christ would do it, is one of the most undeniable proofs that everything had been prophetically completed for Christ to be born.
  3. This time was “complete” culturally. When Alexander the Great conquered the world, he left a tremendous Greek influence in his wake. Greek became the common language of the world. It was the same dialect used for the writing of the New Testament and propagating the gospel, making it accessible to the world.
  4. The time of Christ’s birth was “complete” politically. The Roman historian, Suetonius, speaking of time around Christ’s birth, said, “There had spread over all the Orient that it was fated at that time for men coming from Judea to rule the world”. Tacitus, also a Roman historian, was under the firm conviction that at this very time a ruler coming from Judea would acquire a Universal Empire.

By the way, isn’t there an expectation longing for such a leader to take the world stage, today? Christ’s coming could be at any day.

THE WHO

“God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (verse 4b)

  1. Verse 4 tells us about Christ’s Sending. God sent Jesus on a mission to our world. He was born to die for you and me so that we might be saved from sin and given eternal life in heaven with Him (John 3:16 and Luke 4:18-19).
  2. Verse 4 tells us about Christ’s Sonship. Isaiah 9:6 prophesies about Jesus birth, saying, “a Son is given”. This shows preexistent honor and intimate relationship Christ had with the Father.  Because of this, He was and always will be divine.
  3. Verse 4 tells us about Christ’s Supernature when it emphasizes He was “born of a woman”. This exclusive statement emphasizes the absence of a man’s involvement. Jesus was supernaturally born of a virgin. This is a fundamental of the Christian faith (Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 7:14).
  4. Verse 4 tells us about Christ’s Submission when it says He was “born under the law”. He voluntarily put himself under the law. He submitted to it, so that we who were “under the law” by nature, might be redeemed. Jesus was born subject to the law (circumcision, education, etc.) and met all the conditions of the law so that he might save us from the law  He is the end of (Romans 10:14 and Matthew 5:17).

THE WHY

“to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (verse 5)

The why of the first Christmas is twofold:

  1. Christ came to “redeem” The word, “redeem” means to buy back something that once belonged to you. If a thief stole something you own and sold it to a pawn shop, and you went to the pawn shop and saw it, the only way to get it back would be to buy it, even though it is yours. That is what Christ does for us.
  2. Christ came to “adopt” Two things happen in the life of an adopted child:
  • New Relationship (verses 6-7a) As it has been said, “The Son of God became the Son of Man so that the sons of men might become the sons of God”.
  • New Rights (verse 7b) Through Christ, we become “heirs” to the kingdom of God.

All this happened at the first Christmas, answering the long-awaited questions of man’s heart. I hope it answers your questions, this Christmas.

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