With Christmas right upon us, Christians tend to think a bit more about the baby Jesus, born in a stable in Bethlehem. However, there are some in this world who doubt whether Jesus ever really existed, or if He did, that He was just a plain, ordinary man like everyone else, just a religious philosopher with His head in the clouds. In our brief passage of Scripture today, from the opening to Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome, he tells us that Jesus, the Baby born in Bethlehem, was both human and divine. Let’s look at what God’s Word tells us today.
The Apostle Paul begins by telling us that the Lord Jesus Christ was the One promised by the prophets all throughout the Old Testament (vs. 2). Beginning at the time when Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden, when God put a curse on the serpent, He promised that there would arise a Seed from the woman, who would bruise his head (Genesis 3:14-15). Satan had spoken and tempted the woman through the serpent, and through a descendent of hers, One would come who would destroy Satan. This was the first prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. Then through Abraham, through Moses, through so many of the Old Testament prophets we read of God’s promises of a Redeemer.
Paul continues by testifying that Jesus was born of the seed or lineage of King David, as a human (vs. 3). Both the Gospels of Matthew and Luke give genealogies of Jesus, which show that He was a descendent of David. As Paul states, Jesus came in the flesh, called the Incarnation, that God became flesh, that He assumed a human nature and became a man in the form of Jesus Christ. He was not just a spirit, as some heretical cults started to teach in the days of the early church, but had a body of flesh just like you and I do.
Jesus was an actual, historical figure, unlike what some enemies of the Faith have asserted. The Roman historian Tacitus, who lived from around 56 - 120 AD, spoke about Jesus, about His execution by Pontius Pilate, and about the early Christian church. Also the Jewish historian Josephus (37 - 100 AD), mentioned both Jesus and John the Baptist, along with the Roman Imperial magistrate and lawyer, Pliny the Younger (61-113 AD, who also mentioned Him and the early church. These three men’s writings have been held to be accurate, and since none of them were Christians, what they have said would be considered to be unbiased as they verify Jesus’ historicity.
Paul then declares that Jesus was shown to be the Son of God by the power of the Holy Spirit, when God raised Him from the dead (vs. 4). Jesus was the Son of David regarding His humanity, and the Son of God regarding His divinity. Because Jesus is fully human, as well as fully divine, He can serve as man’s substitute and as sympathetic High Priest. The resurrection was one proof of His deity. Jesus’ victory over death was the supreme demonstration, and most conclusive evidence that He is the Son of God. The Jews crucified Jesus because He claimed to be the Son of God. God resurrected Him because He was the Son of God!
In closing Paul speaks of two additional gifts that God gives us, in addition to the most supreme gift He gave us, that being His Son, Jesus Christ. Those two gifts are His grace and His peace (vs. 7). Grace is what God gives us that we do not deserve. It is His love, His beauty, His work in our life. The peace He gives us brings us freedom from anxiety, fear, and worry.
At this Christmastime, let us thank our Heavenly Father for His grace and peace, and especially for the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, born as a human baby, yet remaining fully divine.
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