The Mystery of the Incarnation

I read the following article on Beth Moore's Living Proof blog. The blog was written by her daughter, Melissa, a theology grad (from Wheaton College!) who read this excerpt from a book and wanted to share it. I loved it because it's full of scripture I'm familiar with and yet, it beautifully articulates who Christ is and why He came. We will celebrate His birth in two days... and then celebrate His resurrection in about 3 months. But... I need to be ever mindful of the years in between those two celebrated events.

Happy reading!

(The following selection is Gregory’s Oration 29.20 The Mystery of the Incarnation: A Scriptural Tapestry of Jesus as Man and God. The English translation is Rodney A. Whitacre’s own found in his book A Patristic Greek Reader (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson, 2007), 244-246.)

The Mystery of the Incarnation: A Scriptural Tapestry of Jesus as Man and God by Gregory of Nazianzus

“He was baptized (Matt. 3:13) as man, but he destroyed sins (Matt. 9:6) as God; he himself was not in need of purifying rites, but [he was baptized/he came] that he might sanctify the waters. He was tempted (Matt. 4:1) as man, but he conquered as God; not only this but he even encouraged [us] to be courageous, since he had conquered the world (John 16:33). He was hungry, but he fed thousands (John 6:10); not only this but he is indeed life-giving and heavenly bread (John 6:51). He was thirsty (John 4:7; 19:28), but he shouted, “If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37); not only this but he also promised that those who believe would gush forth [with water] (John 7:38). He was tired (John 4:6), but for those who are tired and heavy laden he is rest (Matt. 11:28). He was heavy with sleep (Matt. 8:24), but he is light upon the sea; not only this but he even rebukes winds; not only this but he even makes Peter light when he is sinking (Matt. 14:25, 29; Matt. 8:26). He pays tax, but [he does so] from a fish (Matt. 17:24-27); not only this but he is even king of those demanding [the tax]. He hears himself called a Samaritan and demon-possessed (John 8:48), but he saves the one who went down from Jerusalem and fell among robbers (Luke 10:30); not only this but he is even recognized by demons (Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34) and drives out demons (Matt. 8:16), and he sinks a legion of spirits (Luke 8:33) and sees the ruler of demons falling like lightning (Luke 10:18). He is stoned, but he is not caught (John 8:59). He prays (Matt. 14:23; 26:36; Heb. 5:7), but he hears [prayers] (Acts 7:59). He weeps (John 11:35), but he causes tears to cease. He asks where Lazarus [is laid] (John 11:34), for he was man, but he raises Lazarus (John 11:43), for he was God. He is sold, and very cheaply, for [it was] for thirty silver coins (Matt. 26:15), but he buys back the world, and [it was] for a great price, for [it was] for his own blood (1 Pet 1:18-19). He was led as a sheep to slaughter (Isa 53:7), but he shepherds Israel, and now, indeed, the whole inhabited world (John 10:11). [He is] silent like a lamb (Isa 53:7; Matt. 26:63), but he is the Word (John 1:1), being proclaimed by a voice of one shouting in the desert (John 1:23). He has been weakened, wounded, but he heals every disease and every infirmity (Isa. 53:5). He is lifted up upon the tree (John 12:32), he is fixed [to it] (Acts 2:23), but he restores by the tree of life (John 6:51); not only this but he saves even a robber crucified with [him] (Luke 23:43); not only this but he darkens everything that is seen (Luke 23:44). He is given cheap wine to drink (Luke 23:36), he is fed bile (Matt. 27:34). Who? The one who changed the water into wine (John 2:1-11), the destroyer of the bitter taste (Heb. 2:9), the [one who is] sweetness and all desire (Song 5:16). He hands over his life, but he has authority to take it again (John 10:18); not only this but the curtain is torn apart (Matt. 27:51); for the things above are exhibited (Cf. Rev. 11:19; 15:5) not only this but rocks are split; not only this but dead are raised beforehand (Matt. 27:51-52). He dies, but he makes alive, and by death he destroys death. He is buried, but he rises. He goes down into Hades (1 Peter 3:18-19), but he brings up souls; not only this but he goes up into heaven; not only this but he will come to judge the living and the dead . . . ” (Gregory of Nazianzus Oration 29.20, translation by Rodney A. Whitacre)

Jesus in my Pocket

One of my favorite days of the year is when we have our freshly cut tree in the stand and I open the first box of "Christmas". The layers of decorations are like layers of years and when I dig through them it makes my heart swell every single time. 'Our First Christmas Together' complete with photo of two very young adults, a toddler's hand-print creation, a kindergartner's big grin surrounded by hot glued buttons, a felt-covered bird from great-grandmother's tree, the angel that's been proclaiming the Good News over our family tree for 20 years. Each item has a story that seems to get retold as we unpack the boxes.

One little random item caught my attention this time. It's very familiar. A tiny porcelain baby Jesus mismatched from a set long ago. But what's special about this little figure is the image it immediately brought to mind.

When Hannah was preschool age, I guess 3-4 years old, she loved babies. And when Christmas came and she heard there was a baby in that manger, she was ALL ABOUT Baby Jesus. Everywhere we saw Him, she pointed Him out. "There's Baby Jesus! I want to hold Him!" would be her cry. It seemed so sweet and sometimes I was able to grant her plea... like if we were at church or a friend's house and there was a plastic nativity set. It wasn't so great, however, when when she would lunge out of the stroller at the Town Center Mall toward an expensive porcelain set in hopes of kissing the Baby Jesus one more time.

So one day, Hannah apparently slips the tiny Jesus figure from a small set at home into her pocket as we headed out the door to preschool. Of course, in the hustle and bustle of getting a four year old and a three year old out the door I never missed it. Late that morning when I picked them up- Hannah from the downstairs class and Garrett from the upstairs class- I loaded them in matching car seats and off we went. But on the way home, I noticed the Baby Jesus from home. When I asked Hannah where it came from, she didn't hesitate for a minute.

"Jesus was in my pocket." Um, Why? "I needed Him to stay with me".

Well, after reminding her that her teacher doesn't like the kids to bring toys from home... and my three year old telling me that Jesus isn't a toy... we decided came to a compromise about taking Him to school.

As I rubbed this little figure in my hands 14 years later, I immediately heard that tiny voice say to me again, ""Jesus was in my pocket... I needed Him to stay with me". I've read the Christmas story this season and the familiar words often have the same effect as unpacking those boxes- my heart swells with familiarity and love. But now, I want to go beyond just appreciating the story of Jesus birth and how it fits into God's story of the redemption of mankind.

I really want to adore Him. And like Hannah never wanting the Baby to be far from her, I NEVER want to be far from Him- this season or ever.

As He prepared to leave this earth, that grown-up Baby Jesus said, "Remain in me and I will remain in you. Remain in my love" (John 15:4,10)