WEEKLY SUNDAY
SCHOOL LESSON
An international
Sunday school lesson commentary
For
Sunday December 22, 2013
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JESUS IS BORN
(Joy to the
world)
(Luke 2:1-20)
Luke chapter two, verses 1-2, are the
verses in Scripture that come closest to giving us the exact birth year of our
LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. In Luke 2:1-7, the author of GOD writes of the
90-mile trip, of Joseph and Mary, from Nazareth to Bethlehem to honor the
census decree that had been imposed by the Emperor, Caesar Augustus.
The decree was put in place for the
purpose of assessing taxes, and discovering those who were liable for
compulsory military service. The Jews, however, were exempt from serving in the
military, so basically, the census for them was taken expressly for taxation
purposes. These census’ were periodical in nature, and the count came once
every 14 years. Man has in his possession, actual documentation of every Roman
census taken from A.D. 20 to A.D. 270.
Luke chapter 2, verses 1-2, is the
passage most reliable in actually determining the year of JESUS’ birth into
this world. Here, Luke tells us that it was at the time of this census which
was imposed by Caesar Augustus, that Joseph and Mary (who was quite far along
in her pregnancy with baby JESUS), had to travel to Bethlehem , the home of
Joseph’s ancestry, to be counted. Every person, by law, had to return to their
original place of ancestry in order to register for this census count.
Luke also tells us in verse 2, that,
it was during the time when Cyrenius (Quirinius) was serving as Roman governor
to Syria. Roman records show that Cyrenius served in an official capacity on
two separate occasions, first, from 10 B.C. to 7 B.C., and later, in A.D. 6
& 7. Roman records also show that Caesar Augustus served as Roman Emperor,
from 27 B.C. to A.D. 14. What that tells us is, that, the census records that
man now possesses, most likely begins with the third 14-year census count, and
that, the first count must have been during Cyrenius’ first term in office (10
B.C.-7 B.C.).
We also know, from Scripture
(Matthew 2:13-17), that Herod the Great, who was king over Judea at that time,
issued a decree to kill all infants in and around Bethlehem, up to the age of
2, in an attempt to kill baby JESUS. Since Roman records show that Herod died
in 4 B.C., we know that JESUS had already been born. And if the 14-year cycle
of the census count holds true, and, in light of all the Biblical and secular facts
that we have, we can, with reasonable certainty, deduce that JESUS was born in
8 B.C., during that first census count.
All of this information is something
good and special for the serious Bible student to know, but the good news of
the birth of CHRIST JESUS is something good and special for all men to know.
The term “Hypostatic Union” is one
that can only be used in reference to CHRIST JESUS. It refers to HIS unique
theanthropic personage (both divine and human in nature and quality), being
100% perfect man, as GOD originally made Adam (without sin), and, 100% GOD, as
GOD the FATHER HIMSELF is.
HE served us here on earth, as 100%
perfect man, to show us how we could live if we maintained a willingness to
obey GOD at all times, and through HIS FATHER GOD’s mercy and grace, and HIS
OWN obedience to GOD, HE died for us because HE knew we would not obey GOD. In
fact, man has long ago, since the time of the Garden of Eden, convinced himself
that he really can’t obey GOD completely, despite GOD sharing with us, the same
spiritual attributes, or divine nature, that HE sent CHRIST to rescue us with.
However, as I said earlier, because
of GOD’s faithfulness, mercy, and grace, we can now rejoice in the knowledge
that there does now exist, the “Christian Hope”. It is the Hope that arises out
of the New Covenant that was ushered in, and is personified by, our LORD and
SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, and then signed, with HIS OWN blood.
That is why no one will ever be able
to go into the presence of GOD, except through JESUS. HE, alone, will forever
be, the only way to the ONLY WISE SOVEREIGN GOD. We only need to repent of our
sins and accept CHRIST with our mouth, and, more importantly, in our heart, as
our LORD and SAVIOR.
Luke’s clear and straightforward
account of JESUS’ birth, goes a long ways toward anchoring these events in
history, and then, linking them to prophesy. He helps us to see that “Biblical
history” is “World history”, and, that they will forever be inseparable and
synonymous with each other.
The announcement of JESUS’ birth,
from on High, came first to the lowly Shepherds in the fields, where they worked
and kept watch over their sheep. In the first century, Shepherds were on the
bottom rung of the “social” and “economic” ladder, and they were, by way of
their meager lifestyles, “the most humble”.
In Luke 2:8-20, we once again get a
glimpse of the “Three Great Revolutions of GOD”, and what their importance
would be in the coming Christian movement. We saw it first in the writings and
utterances of the Old Testament saints (i.e. 1 Samuel 2:3-8). In the New
Testament we see it in Mary’s song of praise, known as the “Magnificat” (which
in Latin means “My soul doeth magnify the LORD”) (Luke 1: 51-53). There it
says, in effect, that GOD will use the birth, life, and ministry of CHRIST,
and, Christianity, to uphold and defend the lowly and the humble.
First of all, those who truly
understand Christianity know that it is designed to uphold “humbleness”, and by
nature, means the death of “pride”. Secondly, Christianity is aimed at stamping
out “social injustice”. Every Prophet of GOD that has come to us was a champion
of the fight against social injustice. GOD is extremely interested in justice
and being just. That is why we find the word “just” written in Scripture over
90 times and the word “justice” 28 times.
And thirdly, Christianity is aimed
at combating prejudices based on one’s “economic status”. Money, prosperity,
and material things almost always, turn a person’s heart, away from GOD. So it
becomes quite clear, the appropriateness, of announcing the “good news” first
to ordinary folks, rather than to the rich.
And so, during this coming, and
every Christmas season to come, let us strive to stay focused on the real
reason for our celebration, and let us once again use that time to commemorate
the coming of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, and, to celebrate the love,
brilliance, largesse, and mercy, of the ONLY WISE GOD the FATHER, for sending
to us, HIS only begotten SON, to save us from ourselves, and the wiles of
satan.
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER-
Official Website
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