The times-news., 1936-01-11
WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
A PROPHETIC VISION

were having a popularity that in
dicated the deep longing of hearts
for a redemptive religion. Never
before had the world so ordered
for the spread of a religion that
would satisfy these deepest long
ings of the human heart. Christ
came bringing at this very time
such a religion of love. Paul tells
US that "God sent forth his Son"
Our Old Testament studies have
made us familiar with God send
ing forth prophets, but this is
more than a prophets coming-lIt
is the eternal Son coming forth
from God. This is pivotal event
in the worlds history. Though
he was the eternal Son, he came
"born of woman" which means
that he assumed our human ma
ture with all it's limitations and
weaknesses yet without sin. In
assuming human nature the Son
of God submitted himself to obe-
dience to the Law-"born under
the law" He was born son of
Abraham, and was made like unto
his brethren, subject to all the
laws of Israel The purpose of
al lthis was that God might re-
deem sinners and bring them into
sonship. The purpose of the in
carnation was redemption.
Perhaps at this point something
should be said in explanation of
the date of the birth of Jesus. 1t
seems strange to say that he was
born 5 B.C. This dating came
about in this way Doinysius Exi-
guus in AID. 526 published the
first calendar dating events from
the birth of Christ. Up to this
time events had been dated from
the founding of Rome (A.U.C.)
Dionysius placed the birth Of
Christ in AUG. 754, which be-
came the year l AID. in his cal
culations. But it is an establish
ed fact that Herod the Great died
in April, $50 AUG, so that
Christ must have been born sew
eral months before this, not later
than the last of TAO AUG. 1t
was an easier matter to change
one date than to disturb the cal
endar,- so we say that Christ was
born in 5 B.C.
EXPLANATION ---~ .~.-
We are coming now to study
one of the great chapters of the
Bible, Luke 2. Only Luke and
Matthew tell us anything about
the birth and childhood of Jesus.
1t is fortunate that we can study
the two narratives so close to-
gether, our Christmas lesson hav-
ing been taken from Matthew.
Two worlds meet in this chapter
of ct ,fnity enters into
the world of time. While we look
from the vantage point of earth
we get a glimpse of heaven, and
look into the heart of the Divine
1t all centers in and around the
child Jesus.
DISCUSSION
Two matters of Importance
should engage our thought in the
study of this chapter of Luke's
gospel. ~ -,
JESUS. The virgin birth belongs
| in the sphere of the supernatural
just where Luke places it. All
that can be known about it so fal
as we are concerned is told us in
Luke 1:35. The Christian re-
ligion is a supernatural religion
and the virgin birth is consistent
with it's teaching. While we can
not explain the mystery, we are tc
receive it by faith upon reason
able evidence. The virgin blrtf
is involved in the whole problem
of miracle and of the superna'
tural. Luke and Matthew clearly
teach the virgin birth, and be-
lieved upon good authority thai
they were recording fact. The
integrit yof the record stand:
against all critical attacks so that
we can have full confidence II
the record, and in the persona
conviction of both writer's as tt
it's truth. The silence of Paul a:
to the virgin birth has been mucf
stressed, but the argument from
silence is always precarious. Pau
is silent about a great many
things connected with the earthly
life of Jesus, but this does not dis
prove the GOSPEL records. There
is nothing in the writings or re
corded utterances of Paul that !:
-, inconsistent with the virgin birti
as fact. Pauls strong faith II
the supernatural origin of tn
Christian religion, and his eXalt
ed conception of the Person o:
Jesus Christ, would seem to make
such a view of his origin to b'
llatent in his mind. No man coult
write of Jesus Christ as doe
Paul in the first chapter of Colos
slams and elsewhere and deny tn
possibility of the virgin birth. ,I'
admit it's possibility would in th'
nature of the case seem, to lea!
to full acceptance of the truti
of Luke's narrative. For mysel;
/ believe that Paul accepted th'
record of Luke as recording a su
pernatural fact in this world O
time. In believing the superna
tural origin of Jesus we are no no
following cunningly devised ia
bles.
| 2. FACTORS IN THE HUMASN !
DEVELOPMENT OF ] Z 5 U ,
This second chapter of Luke IS
record of development. The tac
tors that entered into the life O
Jesus during those 80 silent year
| in Nazareth are worthy of ou
thought because they enter lnt'
the development of every boy AM
girl.