Christian Art | Meditations On The Love Of Jesus Christ
Meditations On The Love Of Jesus Christ | When Was Jesus Born?
The infancy narratives of the Gospels of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew are among the most beloved and well-known passages in the Bible. They tell us of the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to earth to save humanity from sin and death. These narratives are filled with wonder, awe, and love, as we see God’s plan for salvation unfolding before our eyes. In this meditation, we will reflect on the love of Jesus Christ and consider the question, ‘When was Jesus born?’
Love Revealed By Jesus Christ
The Bible tells us that ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16, KJV). This verse reveals the depth of God’s love for us and the incredible sacrifice that he made to save us. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth as a baby, born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life so that he could take our place on the cross and pay the penalty for our sins.
The Apostle Paul wrote, ‘But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us’ (Romans 5:8, KJV). This verse reminds us that we did not deserve God’s love, but he loved us anyway and made a way for us to be saved. The love of Jesus Christ is not just a feeling or an emotion; it is a sacrificial love that gives everything for the sake of others.
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Birth Of Jesus Christ
The Gospels of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew both tell us of the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ. In Luke’s Gospel, we read that Mary, a young virgin, was visited by the angel Gabriel, who told her that she would conceive a son by the Holy Ghost. Mary’s response to this incredible news is a beautiful example of faith and surrender: ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.’ (Luke 1:38, KJV)
In Matthew’s Gospel, we read that Joseph, Mary’s betrothed, was visited by an angel in a dream, who told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, for the child she was carrying was conceived by the Holy Ghost. Joseph obeyed the angel’s command and took Mary as his wife.
The timing of Jesus’ birth has been a topic of debate for centuries. The Bible does not give us an exact date, but we can gather some clues from the text. In Luke’s Gospel, we read that there was ‘a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed’ (Luke 2:1, KJV). This decree would have required Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem, which was Joseph’s ancestral home, to be registered for the census. This suggests that Jesus was born during the reign of Caesar Augustus, who ruled from 27 BC to 14 AD.
In Matthew’s Gospel, we read that Herod the Great was king when Jesus was born. Herod was known for his cruelty and paranoia, and he ordered the massacre of all male children in Bethlehem who were two years old and under in an attempt to kill Jesus (Matthew 2:16-18). This suggests that Jesus was born sometime before Herod’s death in 4 BC.
The question of when Jesus was born is ultimately less important than the fact that he was born. The birth of Jesus Christ was a miraculous event that changed the course of human history. As the Apostle Paul wrote, ‘But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.’ (Galatians 4:4-5, KJV) Jesus came to earth at the perfect time in God’s plan to fulfil his purpose and redeem us from sin.
Meditations On The Love Of Jesus Christ | Passages Of The Old Testament
The Old Testament is filled with prophecies and foreshadowings of the coming of Jesus Christ. In the book of Isaiah, we read, ‘Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.’ (Isaiah 7:14, KJV) This prophecy, written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, was fulfilled in the miraculous birth of Jesus to Mary, a virgin.
In Micah’s prophecy, we read, ‘But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.’ (Micah 5:2, KJV) This prophecy foretold the birthplace of Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem and would become the ruler of Israel and the entire world.
Meditations On The Love Of Jesus Christ | Passages Of The New Testament
In addition to the infancy narratives in the Gospels of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew, the New Testament contains many other passages that reveal the love of Jesus Christ for humanity. In John’s Gospel, we read, ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16, KJV) This verse, often called the ‘gospel in a nutshell’, sums up the entire message of the New Testament: that God loved us so much that he sent his Son to die for us, so that we might have eternal life.
In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul wrote, ‘But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Romans 5:8, KJV) This passage reminds us that we did not earn or deserve God’s love, but he loved us anyway and made a way for us to be saved through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Religious Authorities Through The Ages
Throughout the centuries, many religious authorities have written and spoken about the love of Jesus Christ and the significance of his birth. Saint Augustine, a fourth-century theologian, wrote, ‘He was created of a mother whom he created. He was carried by hands that he formed. He cried in the manger in wordless infancy, he the Word, without whom all human eloquence is mute.’ (Sermon 191)
Saint Thomas Aquinas, a thirteenth-century theologian, wrote, ‘The Word became flesh for us in order to destroy death and to give us life by being himself life. Thus the flesh of Christ is true food and his blood is true drink.’ (Summa Theologiae, III, 75, 1)
In more recent times, Pope Benedict XVI wrote, ‘God’s love is manifested in the fact that he came in person to meet us, he made himself one of us, he suffered with us and for us, he conquered death with his resurrection, he gave us his Spirit as a pledge of his victory over every evil and as our guide on the journey towards the fullness of truth and love.’ (General Audience, December 19, 2012)
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Meditations On The Love Of Jesus Christ | Conclusions?
The infancy narratives of the Gospels of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew offer us a glimpse into the great love that Jesus Christ has for humanity. His miraculous birth to a virgin, his humble beginnings in a manger, and his ultimate sacrifice on the cross all reveal the depth of his love for us. As the Apostle John wrote, ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’ (John 15:13, KJV) Jesus did not just lay down his life for his friends, but for all of humanity, even those who were his enemies.
The love of Jesus Christ is not just an historical event that happened over 2,000 years ago, but a present reality that we can experience today. We can encounter his love in the Scriptures, in the sacraments of the Church, and in the love of our fellow human beings. As Saint Paul wrote, ‘For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Romans 8:38-39, KJV)
As we contemplate the love of Jesus Christ, we are called to respond in love. We are called to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31, KJV). As we do so, we become channels of God’s love to others and participate in his plan of redemption for the world.
In sum, the infancy narratives of the Gospels of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew reveal the great love that Jesus Christ has for humanity. Through his miraculous birth, humble beginnings, and ultimate sacrifice on the cross, Jesus demonstrated his love for us. The Old Testament prophecies and New Testament passages provide us with a broader understanding of the significance of Jesus’ birth. The teachings of religious authorities throughout the ages serve as a reminder of the significance of Jesus’ life and message. We are called to respond to this love by loving God and our neighbours. As we do so, we participate in God’s plan of redemption for the world and become channels of his love to others.