December 2

Scripture Reading

1 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

Devotion

Every Christmas season, when we gather to sing hymns and carols, it always astonishes me how many prominent Christmas songs mention angels. Perhaps the two most obvious examples are “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Angels We Have Heard on High,” but there are many others. For most of my life, I just assumed that this emphasis on angels was the result of the secularization of Christmas. In my mind, secularized Christmas hymns shifted the attention to angels instead of focusing on Jesus. But, later in life, I learned that many of these hymns and carols were composed by godly men and women like John and Charles Wesley and George Whitefield. Then, I began to realize that there must be something else behind this emphasis on angels.

1 Timothy 3:16 is a short hymn or creedal statement that Paul embedded in his letter to Timothy. These pithy hymns and creeds can be found in many of Paul’s letters (e.g., 1 Cor 15:3–8; Phil. 2:6–11; Col.1:15–18; 2 Tim. 2:8), and modern Bible scholars debate about whether Paul composed them himself or whether they were floating around in the early church and Paul just picked them up during his travels. What is interesting is that almost all of these hymns and creeds are statements about Jesus’ identity.

The hymn in 1 Tim 3:16 begins with the words: “Who was manifested in the flesh.” This line describes the incarnation of Jesus—that God appeared in human flesh. Line 2 (“vindicated by the Spirit”) is about the Holy Spirit vindicating or justifying Jesus’ claim that he is the Messiah, the Son of God. Then we get to line 3: “seen by angels.” This is an unusual statement. It is noteworthy that Paul didn’t use the Greek word “witness” here. He does not say, “witnessed by angels.” Rather, he uses the verb “to see.” The angels saw Jesus. I think the implication is that the angels saw Jesus and marveled. They saw God breaking into the world, and they were in awe.

This leads us to line 4: “proclaimed among the nations.” Most scholars think that this refers to the apostles and followers of Jesus proclaiming the good news. Certainly, that is true. However, I wonder if lines 3 and 4 should be read together. Perhaps we should understand these lines to mean that the angels saw Jesus and proclaimed his glory, majesty, and arrival among the nations. This sounds like the description of the angels in Luke 2:13–14 when they appeared to the shepherds in the field on the night of Jesus’ birth:

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!’”

The angelic host had seen Jesus born into the world that very night, and they proclaimed their praise throughout the heavens.

In 1 Tim 3:16, Paul says that Jesus was “seen by angels.” The full weight of this statement can easily elude us. In the heavenly realm, the angels are second only to God. They dwell in God’s presence, witness his majesty, and are privy to his mysteries. Yet, when Jesus entered the world, they were astonished. They marveled at this wonder. The very heavenly beings who dwell in God’s unapproachable glory saw Jesus, and they were amazed.

For those who grew up in the Western world celebrating Christmas each year, the holiday season can seem mundane and routine. We decorate the house, put up the tree, shop for gifts, and busy ourselves with countless trivial things. But often, Christmas passes, and we never see Jesus. We never slow down to really consider this marvelous wonder: that God came into the world, manifest in the flesh, so that sinners might be redeemed.

This Christmas, take time to see Jesus. Join together with the angelic host and look upon the Son of God. Be astounded and proclaim his glory among the nations.

Reflection

1. Why do you think the angels were so awestruck by Jesus? How can you find the same sense of wonder and awe?

2. In practical and precise terms, what can you do to slow down this Christmas season, take time to see Jesus, and be in awe of him?

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Notes

Song: Angels We Have Heard on High, For King and Country

Scripture quotations are from the ESV®Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Picture: Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash