Nearly 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, the prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of a child who would be called Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6). And in Jesus Christ, we see the beautiful fulfillment of that promise.
And in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, written around AD 60–62, we encounter what many scholars recognize as an early Christian hymn or confession, traditionally called the Carmen Christi (Hymn of Christ). It proclaims the One who existed in the form of God, humbled Himself by taking the form of a servant, became obedient to death on a cross, and was exalted as Lord.
The Son who was given did not begin to exist in Bethlehem. He entered His own creation (Gen. 1:1–3; John 1:1–3; Col. 1:16–17), assuming our human nature without ceasing to be God.
Centuries later, on Christmas Day in 1859, English preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon reflected on this very distinction between the child who was born and the eternal Son who was given:
“‘Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given.’ As Jesus Christ is a child in his human nature, he is born, begotten of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. He is as truly-born, as certainly a child, as any other man that ever lived upon the face of the earth. He is thus in his humanity a child born. But as Jesus Christ is God’s Son, he is not born; but given, begotten of his Father from before all worlds, begotten- not made, being of the same substance with the Father.”
— Charles H. Spurgeon, A Christmas Question, December 25, 1859.
Friends, the wonder of God the Son taking on human nature is something we rightly celebrate with joy at Christmas. But this extraordinary truth is far too wonderful to be confined to one season. The promised Son has come, and the Creator has entered His creation for our salvation. What a glorious reason to rejoice, worship, and give thanks every day of the year!
For Further Reading
For those who would like to explore the wonder of the Incarnation more deeply, I recommend these two excellent resources by theologian Dr. Stephen J. Wellum, published by The Gospel Coalition.
The Incarnation and Two Natures of Christ — A thorough biblical explanation of how Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man.
10 Things You Should Know About the Incarnation — An accessible overview of ten important truths about the Incarnation.
