181223 A Man Born of a Woman

Galatians 4:4-5 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Matthew tells us that Mary, while still a virgin, was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit! Luke adds “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the most high will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy -- the son of God.” (Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:35). Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary without a human father. John adds to the discussion, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man in one person, and will be so forever. Let’s look first at his humanity.

Of course, Joseph looked at the situation as a man would. An angel appeared to Mary some several weeks before Joseph was confronted with the fact that his betrothed wife was going to have a child. He knew this child could not be his and could have had her put to death. Instead, he determined to send her away quietly. Because he was a just man and unwilling to shame her. So, God sent an angel, possibly Gabriel, to explain to him that the child Mary bore had been conceived by God himself.

As I said, Mary had been visited some weeks before that by the angel Gabriel. We don’t know how long before Joseph was informed of the situation but it was long enough for her to be seen as pregnant. So I would guess a few weeks at least. Mary would have been the most startled person in the story. Joseph thought of it all as merely human until he was confronted by the angel of God. One thing I think we should pay attention to, Mary was not asked to enter into this agreement. She was simply told, “you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus” (Luke 1:31).

All of this came about so that mankind could be delivered from the consequences of sin.

Salvation must come from the Lord. Let’s look at the first prophecy found in Genesis 3:15. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

What we see here is a future struggle between Satan and the child of the woman. This is not something that could have been done through a child of a human couple. Indwelling sin would have been transferred from his human father to Jesus. God promised in the very beginning that he would bring a child born of a woman who would crush Satan under his feet. God would bring about by his own power, not by merely human effort. The birth of Christ is a remarkable reminder that salvation can never come through human effort. Salvation must come from the Lord God!

Now let’s look at part of Luke’s account…

Luke 1:35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

The child to be delivered by Mary would be fully human through the supernatural work of God! At the right time, God sent his son, born of a woman. Not conceived by a man. This was the assurance given to Mary. Did she understand all that the words of the angel implied? Of course not! She could only know that God himself had chosen her for his own reasons and no matter the consequences she must obey. Of course, Mary did not know the song, Trust and Obey, but she certainly knew the attitude that produced the song as well as her son.

A couple of things need to be noted here. Mary was afraid when she saw the angel, as anyone would be, but she overcame her fear! She was assured that this was the work of God in her life and in her body. This child would unite humanity with the fullness of deity. We must always remember that Jesus, born of Mary, was the Son of God. To be so identified…

He had to be like his brothers. Let’s look at Hebrews 2:14-17. Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

Jesus had to become a man, not an angel because God was concerned with saving men not with saving angels. He had to be made, in every respect, like his brothers. At the same time, he remained God so that he could become our substitute turning aside the wrath of God! There are people who want God to be a gentle grandpa, meek and mild! They are in for a very big disappointment. C. S. Lewis, In the Chronicles of Narnia, when confronted by the idea of Aslan, the lion, who is a picture of God, Lucy asks, "Is He safe?" "Safe?" said Mr. Beaver. "Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you." Mr. Tumnus also says, "He's wild, you know. Not a tame lion."

Without Jesus’ death on the cross, and his resurrection, all mankind would face the wrath of God! I am so grateful to God that Jesus became a man so that he could turn aside God’s wrath!

Remember, God loves all that is right and good! God loves everything that conforms to his moral character! We should not be surprised that he would hate everything that is opposed to his character. He intensely hates all sin. In order to turn aside the wrath of God Jesus paid the penalty. In order to pay the penalty, he had to be human. He demonstrated that humanity in many ways. One way was…

He experienced emotions. Let’s look at John’s account of Jesus at the graveside of his friend Lazarus. John 11:33-35 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. ³⁴ And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Jesus wept.

Jesus had been, along with his disciples, on the east side of the Jordan River. He had been avoiding the confrontation he would soon have with the Pharisees because his time had not yet come. He knew Lazarus was sick and he knew when his friend died. Jesus only came to Bethany after Lazarus’ death. When he looked around and saw his dear friends crying he felt what they felt. The Bible does not say that we are not to grieve the Bible says we are not to grieve like those who have no hope. We see Jesus’ humanity in his tears. The letter to the Hebrews tells us about Jesus’ emotions. Let’s look at Hebrews 5:7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

Jesus was emotional as a man on earth. He often prayed with loud cries and tears. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus was sorrowful and troubled. He said, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death” (Matthew 26:38). The Bible tells us that Jesus learned obedience. He did not learn obedience the way we do. Most of what we learn during our life on earth is learned negatively! We do wrong, we may call it mistakes, and we suffer the consequences! The result of that is learning to obey. Jesus did not do wrong! Yet he was tempted in every way that we are — without sin! He could not have been tempted if he did not have a genuine human nature that could be tempted. The Bible is clear, “God cannot be tempted with evil” (James 1:13).

During his time on earth…

He appeared to only be a man. Let’s look at Matthew’s account of a visit to his hometown. Matthew 13:53-56 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, ⁵⁴ and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? ⁵⁵ Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? ⁵⁶ And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”

When Jesus came to his hometown he did what any teacher would do. He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath. As he taught, the people were astonished. They knew who he was. He had lived among them for 30 years! Apparently, Joseph had passed on since he is not mentioned in this passage. In fact, Joseph is not mentioned at all after Jesus was 12 years old. The crowd identified Jesus as the carpenter’s son. They recognized him as Mary’s son. They recognized him as part of the family even naming his brothers. They saw him as a human and could not grasp who he really was.

At the same time, he was different. Let’s look at 2 Corinthians 5:21. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

We can’t emphasize enough that Jesus had no sin of his own. Isaiah had said that the father laid on him our iniquity (Isaiah 53:6). This was done so that we would not have to pay the penalty. Our iniquity is converted into God’s righteousness! He had to be fully human in order to bear our penalty. He was…

Fully man he was also fully God. Look at Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Some 700 years before the birth of Christ we find this description of him. He was to be a child born for us! Human! His name was to be “MIGHTY God”! As a part of the Godhead is also identified as “EVERLASTING FATHER”! He became for us the “PRINCE OF PEACE”!

When Jesus walked on the water the disciples worshiped him and said, “Truly you are the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33). This was confirmed after his resurrection.

Let’s look at…

John 20:27-28. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” ²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

Thomas had been absent when Jesus first presented himself the disciples after his resurrection. When they came together the next week Thomas was there and immediately Jesus offered Thomas his hands, where the nails had gone through, and his side where the spear had entered. Jesus challenged Thomas to believe! Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!” These words were a confession of faith, not a startled outburst. Being fully man Jesus was equally fully God.

Just as…

The angels identified him. Let’s go again to the words of the angel found in Luke 2:10-11. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

The good news that the angel brought to the shepherds was that a child had been born in Bethlehem. That child was a Savior! That child was the Messiah! But beyond their expectation, that child was the Lord! The word translated “Lord” is from the Greek, “Kurios”! This is an important word. Any Greek-speaking reader at the time would have recognized that in context the word “Lord” was the name of the one who was the creator and sustainer of heaven and earth, the omnipotent God.

When the angel spoke to the shepherds, assuming he spoke in the Greek language, they would have been startled! A good paraphrase of what was said to them would have been, “Today in Bethlehem a baby has been born who is your Savior and your Messiah, and who is also God himself.” It is no surprise that all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them (Luke 2:18).

There are many other places in the New Testament where this word was used to identify Jesus as the Son of the living God! That is what Christmas is all about!

We can rejoice in the fact that Jesus came into the world to be a man. Not just a man — a man/God! Much of the world’s celebrations of Christmas hardly identifies him. Let’s be sure and proclaim the Christ in Christmas. Jesus — our Lord who came into the world at the right time to fulfill centuries of prophecies about himself and to live a perfect life. Out of that perfection he could take the sins of the world on himself and free all those who would come to him in faith. Have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? Today can be your day!

All scriptures quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.