In our first part of this series on Christmas according to Paul, we learn that, for the Apostle, Jesus is the Son who has always waited and was born of a woman. In the second part of our series, we will learn two more truths about Paul’s Christmas than he writes in Galatians 4. 4-5.
The Apostle’s statement in Galatians 4. 4 gives us a third perspective to answer the question: “What child is he?”Paul says: Is the Son “born under the law. ” In addition to the phrase “born of a woman”, this phrase refers to a second circumstance that marks her birth, a characteristic that again indicates her humiliation. What does the Apostle mean by this phrase? It means that the Son was born as a servant, that is, born Jewish under Moses, the Son of the Father was born servant of the Lord, his God, to whom he owed perfect, personal and permanent obedience, both active and passive. .
- From his circumcision.
- Eight days after his birth.
- To the celebration of Passover with his disciples just before his death.
- Every detail of Jesus’ life was under the direction of the law.
- As the son of Abraham.
- The Servant Son lived under the pedagogy of ceremonial law; thanks to him the ritual precepts and shadows of the law were instituted.
- And there was his ultimate end and fulfillment.
The Son was also born under moral law and civil law; As the Lord’s servant, he was subject to all the precepts of the law, as well as to his rewards and punishments; and the law demanded a righteous man, a man who wanted to keep the commandments of his God and Father The Son, said Paul, who was born of a woman, was precisely that man; he was born under the law, as a man and as guarantor of his people. Surprising that the author of Hebrews says of Christ:? Therefore, as he entered the world, he said, [?] Here I am (on the roll of the book, it’s written on me), do, oh God, your will?(10. 5. 7).
So, what kid’s in day care? She is not only the Son who waited all the time and was born of a woman, she is also the Son born under the law.
As he continues to speak of Jesus’ first coming, the Apostle offers a quarter of his answer to the question before us: the baby in daycare, he tells us, is the child who was born, to save those who were under the law. ? (Galatians 4. 5). Here, our attention shifts from the circumstances of Jesus’ coming to the end of his coming.
We must pay special attention to the meaning and context of the Apostle’s words here. By “saving,” Paul has in mind the act of saving, redeeming, freeing himself from slavery by paying a price. The history of Israel’s redemption provides the scenario here The price paid for the liberation of the nation of Egypt was profound: the death of the firstborn. Through Moses, Israel learned God’s criminal substitute for his firstborn, and so Israel offered the Easter lamb and saw his redemption from slavery in the kingdom of Pharaoh for freedom under the Lord his God.
Fortunately, there is greater redemption than Moses’s. Israel’s liberation from Egypt illustrated the gospel fully revealed in Jesus Christ. He came as the true Israel and the great Lamb of Passover (1 Corinthians 5. 7; 1 Peter 1. 19; John 1. 29). Himself to death by his people (Isaiah 53:12; Hebrews 2: 10-13; Revelation 5: 6-9) and thus realized the true new exodus of spiritual slavery to the kingdom of sin and the death of Satan (Luke 9:31; Matthew 1,21). Christ’s redemption was so great that it brought an advantage that Moses could not provide, namely the remission of sins, the sinner’s deliverance from the legal responsibility to endure the punishment that sin and his guilt demanded.
Believe it or not, there is still more to say in the apostle’s statement! Notice that in Galatians 4. 5, Paul describes those whom the Son redeems as “those who were under the law. ” With this, Paul describes all those whom the Son came to redeem, but of what use is such a description? His goal is to reach out to those who know that they are bound to obey God’s law from the bottom of their hearts (Deuteronomy 6. 6; Galatians 3. 12), but who, in their slavery to sin, cannot meet their needs. (Deuteronomy 5: 28-29; 29. 4; Galatians 3. 21). Its purpose is to attract the attention of those born stained by original sin, for whom the law has proven to be a covenant of damnation, imprisonment, and death (2 Corinthians 3: 6-14; Romans 7: 10-11; Galatians 3:10, 22 ). For these, the apostle has “good news of great joy”: the Son has come to bring them deliverance and rescue. In life and in death, the Son returned to God the obedience required by the law, and on this basis asked the Father to apply the merits of his obedience to all believing sinners. Thus, the Son answers all the accusations against his people and calms their anxious consciences. Thus, he gains their access to God and assures them of their acceptance before God.
What kid is that? He is the Son who has been waiting for the whole story, the Son born of woman and under the law, the Son sent to redeem us.
In our last text, we will examine two other truths the Apostle Paul teaches us about the baby in the manger.
By: R. Fowler White. © 2016 Ligonier. Original: Christmas according to the Apostle Paul?Gal 4: 4-5 (part 2 of 3)
Translation: Joel Paulo Aragono da Guia Oliveira. Critic: Yago Martins. © 2016 Faithful Ministérium. All rights reserved. Website: MinistryFiel. com. br. Original: Christmas according to the Apostle Paul?Galatians 4. 4-5 (part 2 of 3 )
Authorizations: You are authorized and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format, provided that the author, his ministry and translator are no longer no longer modified and not used for commercial purposes.