Christmas is the celebration of the incarnation of Jesus. It is the day set apart to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
What does incarnation mean?
The word incarnation itself is not directly used in the Bible, but we see the incarnation of Jesus clearly explained in the book of John chapter 1.
In English, according to the Oxford Dictionary, incarnation is defined as a person in the flesh who embodies a deity, spirit, or an abstract quality.
In the Christian faith, incarnation simply means Our God becoming man.
Let’s study John 1:1-14 together.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
The Greek word for “Word” is Logos. It means something said or thought, the subject of discourse, reasoning, motive, intent, reason, utterance, saying, doctrine, or preaching.
Here are a few references where logos is used in the New Testament
Matthew 5:37 KJV
37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
The word “communication” is also the same word interpreted logos. Let your saying or utterance or words be yea, yea and nay, nay. Anything other than this comes from the evil
Matthew 7:24 NKJV
24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
This same word, logos, is also interpreted as “saying.” Jesus stated that whoever hears My saying and does it is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. In the NLT, this is rendered as “My teaching.”The word logos is used about 330 times in the New Testament writings, emphasizing its importance in conveying God’s truth, message, and revealed will.
John 1 verse 1 can be understood this way: In the beginning was the intent, or the utterance, or the reason, or the motive of God. That intent or motive was with God, and that intent was God.
Verse 2 sounds like a repetition of verse 1. It says that the same intent was with God in the beginning. Verse 3 continues by explaining that all things were made by this intent, and without it, nothing that was made came into existence. Notice that in verse 3, Scripture begins to use “Him” when referring to God’s intent, motive, or reason.
Verse 4 continues this thought: In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Verses 6 to 8 speak about John the Baptist, whose ministry was to point people to and bear witness of the Light. The intent or Word of God is the same Light being spoken of here.
This Word of God, which is also Light, came to His own. At this point, one might ask, Who are His own? In this context, His own does not refer to Nigerians, Americans, or even believers in general. His own refers to a physical lineage.
Which physical lineage?
Isaiah 7: 13-14 (KJV)
13 Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? 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.
Isaiah 7:13–14 was a prophecy about a sign the Lord was going to give as evidence. If you read verse 13 carefully, you will notice that Isaiah was addressing a specific lineage. He was speaking to the house of David, who are Israelites.
This helps us understand John 1:11 more clearly. When Scripture says, “He came to His own,” it is referring to the Israelites. “His own” does not mean all humanity in general, but a specific physical lineage.
Now to the main verse, verse 14:
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
The Logos; the intent, the Word, the reason of God that made all things and was God became flesh. This means God took on human form. He became human (The man Jesus Christ). This is the incarnation.
Here is Isaiah’s prophecy:
Isaiah 9:6-7 (KJV)
“6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
From Isaiah, we can infer that the Mighty God is born as a child and given as a Son. This directly corroborates John’s explanation in John 1:14, where the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
The Old Testament clearly prophesied the coming and incarnation of Jesus Christ long before His birth. Here are the Prophesies
Genesis 3:15 (NKJV)
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
2 Samuel 7:12–13 (KJV)
12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
Jeremiah 23:5 (NKJV)
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper…”
Micah 5:2 (KJV)
“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.”
Isaiah 7: 13-14 (KJV)
13 Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? 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.
Isaiah 9:6-7 (KJV)
“6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
There are many other prophecies concerning His identity and origin, His character and ministry, His birth and incarnation, His betrayal—how He would be sold for thirty pieces of silver—His rejection, suffering, crucifixion, His death, burial, and resurrection, as well as His exaltation and eternal kingdom.
However, the prophecies I have provided above are focused specifically on the incarnation.
Our God Became Man. Jesus is 100% God and 100% man
Hope to do more extensive study in future
The End