In the Christmas Season, we turn to familiar Scripture passages that remind us of the miracle: out of His great love, God fully identified with us: He became truly human. We read again the joyous accounts from Matthew and Luke of a divine baby born in Bethlehem. We delight in the wonder of shepherds and magi; in the angelic chorus announcing His birth. We turn back to the prophet Isaiah who wrote about the coming event, 700 years before Christ was born.
We don't often think to turn to the book of Hebrews. Yet the author of Hebrews believed very strongly in the incarnation. He writes:
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels ---." 2:9
"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity ---." 2:14 or again:
"For this reason He had to be made like his brothers in every way ---." 2:17
Yes, Hebrews emphasizes the reality of Christ's humanity. The emphasis of course is not upon the stage of His infancy or the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. Rather in this wonderful part of the NT, the emphasis is how Christ identified fully with our weakness, our temptations and sufferings. It emphasizes that He is the One who obtained our salvation; the One who now is our great High Priest; fully God - yet able to understand from personal experience what it feels like to be human.
Yes, the baby born in Bethlehem, now enthroned in eternal glory, is our sympathetic High Priest. (2:17, 18 and 4:14 - 16)
"Thank you Lord Jesus that you were born in Bethlehem; died on the Cross, enduring the pain and shame for our sake; and now represent us in heaven as our High Priest. On this second Sunday of Advent we rejoice in all that You are and all that You have accomplished."
We don't often think to turn to the book of Hebrews. Yet the author of Hebrews believed very strongly in the incarnation. He writes:
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels ---." 2:9
"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity ---." 2:14 or again:
"For this reason He had to be made like his brothers in every way ---." 2:17
Yes, Hebrews emphasizes the reality of Christ's humanity. The emphasis of course is not upon the stage of His infancy or the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. Rather in this wonderful part of the NT, the emphasis is how Christ identified fully with our weakness, our temptations and sufferings. It emphasizes that He is the One who obtained our salvation; the One who now is our great High Priest; fully God - yet able to understand from personal experience what it feels like to be human.
Yes, the baby born in Bethlehem, now enthroned in eternal glory, is our sympathetic High Priest. (2:17, 18 and 4:14 - 16)
"Thank you Lord Jesus that you were born in Bethlehem; died on the Cross, enduring the pain and shame for our sake; and now represent us in heaven as our High Priest. On this second Sunday of Advent we rejoice in all that You are and all that You have accomplished."
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