When was Jesus born? No, not on December 25. Though Christians had adopted that date by A.D. 336, Christ was born “when shepherds watched their flocks by night.” In other words, most likely in the spring. And no, He wasn’t born in the year 1 A.D. The Bible tells us that Herod the Great ruled Palestine when Jesus was born, and Herod died in 4 B.C.—so Jesus had to have been born not long before that. (Blame Dionysiuys Exiguus for this one—he’s the sixth century monk who came up with the idea of splitting history into A.D. and B.C. He just chose the wrong date to do so, that’s all.) (Signs of the Times, Dec, 1991, p. 6:Galaxie Software. (2002; 2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.)
Often, when we determine dates and timings, we get them wrong. We make plans to meet and scheduling conflicts ensue, weather derails and everything seems to fall apart. But when God the Father sent His son into the world it was exactly at the right time. All the circumstances were as He planned. He achieved His specific purposes and the benefits to us are the greatest gifts of Christmas.
From Galatians 4:4-7 we see 1) The Elements, 2) Reason and 3) Benefits of Christ’s Coming.
1) The Elements of Christ’s Coming
A) The Timing of Christ’s coming: Galatians 4:4a. GOD’S TIME
Galatians 4:4a [4]But when the fullness of time had come,
We have seen so far in Galatians that in ancient times the Father had the right to fix the time when his son would receive his estate, so did God the Father set the time to send forth His incarnate Son to earth as Redeemer. It was in the fullness of time that Jesus Christ came, exactly as and when the Father had established.
• Linking with the context of what has preceded, as a father set the time for the ceremony of his son becoming of age and being released from the guardians, managers, and tutors, so God sent forth His Son at the precise moment to bring all who believe out from under bondage to the law—a truth Jesus repeatedly affirmed (Jn 5:30, 36, 37; 6:39, 44, 57; 8:16, 18, 42; 12:49; 17:21, 25; 20:21).( MacArthur, J. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible : New American Standard Bible. (Ga 4:4). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
The expression that the fullness of time had come”; (JB “the appointed time”), is found only here in Paul’s writings. Elsewhere Paul described Christians as those “on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come” (1 Cor 10:11). (George, T. (2001, c1994). Vol. 30: Galatians (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (300). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
Jesus Himself knew that he had come at just the right time:
• He said so in Mark 1: 15 "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand;
The fullness of time refers to the completion of the period of preparation in God’s sovereign timetable of redemption.
When the law had fully accomplished its purpose of showing humanity their utter sinfulness and inability to live up to God’s perfect standard of righteousness, God ushered in a new era of redemption. When He sent forth His Son, He provided the righteousness for His children that humanity could not provide for themselves. (cf. Ps 102:13, Lu 1:57).
When Jesus was born, everything was right for the coming of the Messiah. First of all, the time was right religiously. During the Babylonian captivity, Israel once and for all forsook the idolatry into which she had so often fallen. Despite their many other sins and failures, including the national rejection of their own Messiah, no significant number of Jews has ever again turned to idolatry.
Also during the Exile, Jews developed synagogues, which they used as places of worship, as schools, anti as courts. In addition to that, they at last had the completed Old Testament, assembled by Ezra and others after the return from Babylon. Those features facilitated the proclaiming of the Messiah’s gospel among the people of Israel.
Second, the time was right culturally. Christians who propagated the gospel during the first several centuries had a common language with those to whom they witnessed and with whom they worshiped. Alexander the Great had thoroughly established Greek culture and language throughout the known world (Hellenization), and these continued their dominating influence long after Rome succeeded Greece as world ruler.
Third, the time was right politically. Rome had instituted the pax Romana (Roman peace), which provided economic and political stability. The apostles and other early preachers and teachers could travel freely and safely throughout the empire and could do so on the magnificent system of roads built by the Romans.
Each of those factors was in some unique way a key to the spread of the gospel. God’s timing was perfect.
These elements outline specific historical factors that inform a specific context to the coming of Christ. Most of the religions and philosophies of the world, lose nothing if they are removed from their historical context. You can even remove the originator of the ideas and still retain the essence of the beliefs.
• Christianity is literally birthed in a historical context that defines the essential elements of the faith. That Christ was physically born under specific circumstances is essential to the core of Christianity.
o We therefore cannot remove the person of Christ from the doctrine of Christianity. He cannot be reduced to a good moral teacher with good moral teaching apart from the physical historical truths of Christ.
We have seen: A) The Timing of Christ’s Coming: Galatians 4:4a and now:
B) The Origin of Christ’s Coming: Galatians 4:b. FULLY GOD
Galatians 4:4b [4](But when the fullness of time had come), God sent forth his Son,
When God sent forth His Son, He provided the guarantee that believers would become joint heirs with the Son. Those who under the law are no better than slaves (4:1) will receive full and complete adoption as sons.
Please turn to Philippians 2
When God’s propitious time came, He sent forth His Son.
Son does not refer to Jesus’ divine essence. He was not by nature eternally subordinate to God the Father but was equal to Him, yet He willingly submitted Himself to the Father during His incarnation, as an obedient son does to an earthly father. It seems that Jesus had not been eternally subject to the Father but was subject only during the time of His humanity. Paul makes that fact clear when he refers to the kenosis (emptying):
Philippians 2:5-7 [5]Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [6]who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7]but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. (ESV)
Referring to Jesus: Eternally:
John 1:1 [1:1]In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (ESV)
John 8:58 [58]Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." (ESV)
John 17:5 [5]And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. (ESV)
• In simple terms, Jesus existed before He was humanly born in Bethlehem. He is eternal deity.
• Jesus Christ is God the Son, fully equal to the Father in glory and might.
We have seen: A) The Timing of Christ’s Coming: Galatians 4:4a B) The Origin of Christ’s Coming: Galatians 4:b and now:
C) The Manner of Christ’s Coming. Galatians 4:4c. FULLY HUMAN
Galatians 4:4c [4](But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son), born of woman, born under the law,
Born of a woman is not intended to be an exclusive statement emphasizing the absence of a man, and thus does not so much refer to Jesus’ virgin birth, important as that great truth is, as to His complete humanity. He was fully man, born of a woman like all other men, yet He was fully God. Otherwise He could not have been Savior.
• He had to be fully God in order for His sacrifice to have the infinite worth necessary to atone for the sin of the elect. He also had to be fully man in order to represent humankind and take the penalty of sin upon Himself in behalf of His elect.
• While Jesus’ conception was supernatural, his birth was perfectly normal, complete with a dingy manger, soiled swaddling clothes, and other unsanitary conditions attending the birth of a poor peasant in ancient Palestine.
• A failure to understand this actual human birth has led to heresy. The Docetists, denied outright that Jesus possessed a human body of any kind. He appeared or seemed to be human, but in reality he was a ghostlike phantom who floated through life, never becoming enmeshed in the evil realm of matter.
o Over against all of this Paul declared that the eternal, divine Son of God was really and truly “born of woman.” (George, T. (2001, c1994). Vol. 30: Galatians (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (303). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
Please turn to Hebrews 2
The human element of Christ’s birth is tied to the prophetic and miraculous.
Isaiah 7:14 [14]Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (ESV) (cf. Mt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:34-35).
The miraculous element of having Immanuel, God with us fulfils the prophecy of:
Genesis 3:15 [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."
Fulfilling the role of Old Covenant High Priest, Christ is fully human, identifying with our condition.
Hebrews 2:14-17 [14]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. (ESV) (cf. Heb. 4:15; 7:26)
The purpose of the Son of God becoming a human being and living under the Jewish Law is twofold: negatively, to redeem those who were under the Law, and positively, so that we might become God’s sons (Arichea, D. C., & Nida, E. A. (1993). A handbook on Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Originally published under title: A translator’s handbook on Paul’s letter to the Galatians. c1976. UBS handbook series; Helps for translators (90). New York: United Bible Societies.)
We have seen: A) The Timing of Christ’s Coming: Galatians 4:4a B) The Origin of Christ’s Coming: Galatians 4:b C) The Manner of Christ’s Coming. Galatians 4:4c and now:
D) The Condition of Christ’s Coming: Galatians 4:4d. PERFECT OBEDIENCE
Galatians 4:4c [4](But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son), born of woman, born under the law,
Please turn to Romans 8
Like every other man, Jesus was born under the Law. Like every other Jew, He was under obligation to obey and be judged by conformity to God’s written Law in the Old Testament; but unlike any other Jew, He satisfied the requirements of that law by living in perfect obedience to it.
• He was circumcised on the eighth day. He never broke even one of the Ten Commandments. He followed the biblical pattern for worship. He went to Jerusalem to keep the feasts. He celebrated Passover.
• This constitutes the significance of His circumcision, His being presented in the temple (dedication) (Lu 2:21, 22, 27; compare Mt 5:17), and His baptism by John, when He said (Mt 3:15), “Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.”( Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., Fausset, A. R., Brown, D., & Brown, D. (1997). A commentary, critical and explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. On spine: Critical and explanatory commentary. (Ga 4:4). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.)
Paul explains in Romans,
Romans 8:3-4 [3]For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, [4]in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (ESV)
• We will return to Romans 8 later.
He did everything the law required and was sinless:
Luke 1:35 [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. (ESV)
2 Corinthians 5:21 [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. (ESV)
1 Peter 1:19 [19]but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. (ESV)
1 John 3:5 [5]You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. (ESV) (cf. Mark 1:24; Luke 1:35; John 4:34; 6:38; 8:28, 46; Acts 3:14; 22:14; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 7:26; 1 Pt. 1:19; 2:21; 3:18; 1 Jn. 2:1; 3:5)
• He even died under the law. Coming under the law included accepting the death penalty His people deserved for breaking it (Gal. 3:13).
And because He lived in perfect obedience, He was able to redeem those who were under the Law but not obedient to it, provided they had saving faith in Him.
POEM: This God-Man who came at the right time through perfect obedience can be described through the reworking of a famous rhyme:
Mary Had The Little Lamb
• Mary had the little Lamb, who lived before His birth;
Self-existent Son of God, from Heaven He came to Earth. (Micah 5:2)
• Mary had the little Lamb; see Him in yonder stall—
Virgin-born Son of God, to save man from the Fall. (Isaiah 7:14)
• Mary had the little Lamb, obedient Son of God;
Everywhere the Father led, His feet were sure to trod. (John 6:38)
• Mary had the little Lamb, crucified on the tree
The rejected Son of God, He died to set men free. (1 Peter 1:18)
• Mary had the little Lamb—men placed Him in the grave,
Thinking they were done with Him; to death He was no slave! (Matthew 28:6)
• Mary had the little Lamb, ascended now is He;
All work on Earth is ended, our Advocate to be. (Hebrews 4:14–16)
• Mary had the little Lame—mystery to behold!
From the Lamb of Calvary, a Lion will unfold. (Revelation 5: 5, 6)
• When the Day Star comes again, of this be very sure:
It won’t be Lamb-like silence, but with the Lion’s roar. (Psalm 2:12; Revelation 19:11–16) (Marv & Marbeth Rosenthal, from Galaxie Software. (2002; 2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.)
We have seen 1) The Elements of Christ’s Coming and now
2) The Reason for Christ’s Coming. Galatians 4:5
Galatians 4:5 [5]to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (ESV)
Redeem is from exagorazō, which literally means to buy out or buy back and was used of slaves whose freedom was purchased. Through payment of the required price, slaves were redeemed and became free men, and, more than that, they received adoption as sons
Huiothesia (adoption) is a compound of huios (son) and thesis (a placing) and refers to a someone giving the status of sonship to someone who is not his natural child. Because people are not naturally the children of God, they can become His sons only by divine adoption.
• In the Roman world adoption was an honored custom that gave special dignity and family membership to those who were not born into a family. Often a wealthy, childless man would adopt a young slave, who would trade his slavery for sonship, with all its concomitant privileges.
• Adoption was a commonly known legal procedure in the Hellenistic world, the most famous example being Julius Caesar’s adoption of his great-nephew Octavius, who later succeeded him as the emperor Caesar Augustus.( C. Roebuck, The World of Ancient Times (New York: Scribners, 1966), 560–61.)
• The Roman process of adoption would certainly have been known to Paul’s Gentile converts in Galatia. They could well have identified with the idea of chosen and instated as new members of God’s family given their own former life as idolaters and devotees of false gods.
• For the Jews, (cf. Exod 2:10; Esth 2:7; Gen 48:5; Hos 11:1, 2 Sm. 7:14) there is parallel with the situation of the nation of Israel awaiting deliverance from bondage prior to the exodus. “Just as Israel, as heir to the Abrahamic promise, was redeemed as sons of God from slavery in Egypt at the time appointed by the father, so also believers were redeemed to adoption as sons of God from slavery under the ‘elements of the world’ at the fullness of time and thereby become heirs to the Abrahamic promise.…
• Put into context of the covenants, believers who are thus baptized into the messianic Son of God and take up his very cry of ‘Abba!’ to the Father participate with him in the Davidic promise of divine adoption and in the Abrahamic promise of universal sovereignty.”( George, T. (2001, c1994). Vol. 30: Galatians (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (305). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
• The ultimate purpose of redemption is adoption.
o Forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God are the enabling means whereby the elect are made fit to be the adoptive children of God.
In examining the benefits of Christ’s coming we will develop:
Romans 8:15 [15]For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" (ESV)
Illustration: The reason for Christ’s coming is more than just a holiday celebration: Can This Be Christmas?
What’s all this hectic rush and worry?
Where go these crowds who run and curry?
Why all the lights—the Christmas trees?
The jolly “fat man,” tell me please!
Why, don’t you know? This is the day
For parties and for fun and play;
Why this is Christmas!
So this is Christmas, do you say?
But where is Christ this Christmas day?
Has He been lost among the throng?
His voice drowned out by empty song?
No. He’s not here—you’ll find Him where
Some humble soul now kneels in prayer,
Who knows the Christ of Christmas.
But see the many aimless thousands
Who gather on this Christmas Day,
Whose hearts have never yet been opened,
Or said to Him, “Come in to stay.”
In countless homes the candles burning,
In countless hearts expectant yearning
For gifts and presents, food and fun,
And laughter till the day is done.
But not a tear of grief or sorrow
For Him so poor He had to borrow
A crib, a colt, a boat, a bed
Where He could lay His weary head.
I’m tired of all this empty celebration,
Of feasting, drinking, recreation;
I’ll go instead to Calvary.
And there I’ll kneel with those who know
The meaning of that manger low,
And find the Christ—this Christmas.
I leap by faith across the years
To that great day when He appears
The second time, to rule and reign,
To end all sorrow, death, and pain.
In endless bliss we then shall dwell
With Him who saved our souls from hell,
And worship Christ—not Christmas!
M.R. DeHaan, M.D., Founder, Radio Bible Class found in Galaxie Software. (2002; 2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.
We have seen 1) The Elements of Christ’s Coming 2) The Reason for Christ’s Coming. Galatians 4:5 and finally:
3) The Benefits of Christ’s Coming Galatians 4:6-7
Galatians 4:6-7 [6]And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" [7]So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (ESV)
Please turn to Ephesians 1
God confirms believers as His adopted sons through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of His Son. They not only have the knowledge of sonship through the truth of God’s Word in their minds but the very essence of sonship through His indwelling Spirit in their hearts. A human father cannot give his own nature to an adopted child, but God can and does by sending His Holy Spirit to dwell within the hearts of believers.
God confirms His adoption of us:
Ephesians 1:3-5; 7-8, 13-14 [3]Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, [4]even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love [5]he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, [7]In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, [8]which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight [13]In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, [14]who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (ESV)
Please turn back to Romans 8
One of the ministries of the Spirit to the sons of God is to enable them with full confidence to cry out to Him, “Abba! Father!”
• The word crying, from krazo (κραζο), signifies “a loud and earnest cry,” or “a public announcement.” See Matthew 9:27, Acts 14:14, Romans 9:27, John 7:28, 37. There is an announcement to us of the Holy Spirit’s residence and working in us (Wuest, K. S. (1997, c1984). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English reader (Ga 4:6). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans)
When we hear the term Abba, we are not to primarily think of a Swedish rock band, but think of it as the Aramaic word for father. It was a term of endearment used by young children of their fathers and could be translated “daddy” or “papa.”
• The Holy Spirit brings us into a personal, intimate relationship with our heavenly Father, whom we may approach at any time and under any circumstance, knowing that He always hears us and lovingly cares for us, because we are truly His own.
• Abba is not so much associated with infancy as it is with intimacy. It is a cry of the heart, not a word spoken calmly with personal detachment and reserve, but a word we “call” or “cry out” (krazō) (George, T. (2001, c1994). Vol. 30: Galatians (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (307). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
Declaring that same message to believers at Rome, Paul wrote:
Romans 8:14-23 [14]For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. [15]For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" [16]The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, [17]and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. [18]For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. [19]For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. [20]For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope [21]that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. [22]For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. [23]And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (ESV) (cf. Rom. 9:4; Eph. 1:5; 3:14–15).
Galatians 4:7 shows that the ultimate outcome of our relationship is inheritance of the Father’s estate.
Galatians 4:7 [7]So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (ESV)
• The apostle switches to the singular (you, son) to emphasize that each and every believer enjoys these privileges in his or her own right.
In rabbinical schools in Israel today a student is not allowed to read the Song of Solomon or Ezekiel 1 until he is forty years old. The Song of Solomon is considered too sexually explicit for a younger mind, and Ezekiel 1 contains a description of the glory of the ineffable God. The Talmud tells that when a certain person under forty began to read Ezekiel 1, fire came out from the page and consumed him. What this shows is that a person under law is not considered a man until he is forty. (The well-known bar mitzvah at age thirteen only makes a Jewish boy a “son of the covenant”—the meaning of the term —and thus responsible to keep the law.) Up to the age of forty the Orthodox man is considered a minor (MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Ga 4:7). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.)
But the consummation of divine sonship is given in the promise of joint inheritance with Christ. The ultimate outcome of our relationship is inheritance of the Father’s estate.
In the spiritual realm, a person who believes in Jesus Christ is no longer under the law, no longer its slave. Because he is now in the Son, he is himself a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
• Just as it was in the ancient laws of adoption, so it is in the family of godsonship means heirship.
Noting the context of what Paul has specified we can say that, you are no longer a slave, but a son. You are no longer under subjection to the elemental spirits. No longer a minor heir with no rights to the inheritance. No longer is your relationship to God determined by your race, rank, or role. No longer are you under the harsh tutelage of the paidagōgos. No longer are you shut up in the prison house of sin. No longer are you under the curse of the law.
As we just read in Romans 8:17, Because believers are God’s children, they are “heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17).
• Though faith in Christ Jesus, God gives us everything His Son possesses!
The promise given to Abraham and fulfilled in his prophetic Seed, Jesus Christ, has now been extended to all of those who through faith in him have become sons, crying “Abba!” and heirs of the living God (George, T. (2001, c1994). Vol. 30: Galatians (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (309). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers).
(Format note: Some base commentary from MacArthur, J. (1996, c1987). Galatians. Includes indexes. (103). Chicago: Moody Press.)
