Among the many mysteries that encompass Jesus’ entrance into this world, none is probably more profound than the mystery of Jesus being “God in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16).

In fact, the prophet Isaiah said that Jesus would bear the name “Emmanuel,” or “God with us” (7:14). Not only did Jesus come from God, the bible teaches that “he was with God in the beginning,” and that “through him all things were made” (John 1:2-3).

These statements are not just given to us as mere depictions of Jesus’ origins, but are meant to validate Jesus’ teachings that describe the close and inseparable nature of the oneness he had with God the Father.

Jesus regularly demonstrated to his followers this interconnectedness he maintained with God, in order to verify he possessed insight into the heavenly dimension, where God dwells.

On numerous occasions, he confidently assured his disciples,

“If you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Father”

(John 14:9),

and demonstrated the Father’s will to save. As such, Jesus’s claims (and subsequent manifestations of God’s power) were part of his apologetic to humankind, proving definitively that because Jesus came from God, he knew him.

This knowledge of God that Jesus so confidently affirmed, was more than just information he had about the Father. Rather, this type of knowledge was meant to turn the religious, distant, cold-hearted concept of God on its head, as Jesus assuredly proclaimed, “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is near” (Matthew 3:2).

Such a message of God coming near to people, would have indeed been mysterious to the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. For as long as they could remember, they and their ancestors had adopted a mindset that no one should come near to God and live (Exodus 20:18-19).

Yet, now Jesus stood in their midst fearlessly affirming God’s truest nature and desire, (and the will God maintained from the beginning) which was to make his dwelling among men.

If God making his dwelling among men wasn’t mystery enough, Jesus also represented the profound supremacy of God, in that he was fully capable of emptying himself, and taking on the form of a servant.

And as he made his entrance into earth, Jesus became like us in every way so that he could become the final sacrifice for sin. It was, in fact, Jesus’ humanity which granted him the ability to be the overseer of a New Covenant; a covenant that required a human being to stand in the gap as the “second Adam,” and make an agreement with God written in his very own blood.

The beauty of this covenant, was that any man capable of living according to the requirements of God’s Law was entitled to all the benefits that the fulfillment of that law bestowed on a person, including being declared righteous.

Therefore, as the only man to have lived perfectly in accordance with the Law, Jesus was entitled to the full benefits of God’s promises to his people.

These benefits included having fortunes restored, becoming more prosperous than one’s ancestors, living a long life and having everything go well for them (Deuteronomy 30).

Now, through Jesus, these blessings would be generously bestowed upon anyone who would believe in his work and receive the sacrifice that he offered.

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus this holiday season, may we all embrace the profound mystery of the humanity and divinity of Christ, which opened the door for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, and caused the favor of God to rest on all men.