Christmas with The Saints
Merry Christmas from Firebrand Magazine! We’re grateful for our readers. We pray the beauty and grace of the Incarnation bless each of you this season.
Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is, being interpreted, God with us. Matthew 1:23
John Wesley
To be called, only means, according to the Hebrew manner of speaking, that the person spoken of shall really and effectually be what he is called, and actually fulfill that title. Thus, ‘Unto us a child is born – and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the Prince of Peace’; that is, He shall be all these, though not so much nominally, as really, and in effect. And thus was He called Emmanuel, which was no common name of Christ, but points out His nature and office: as He is God incarnate, and dwells by His Spirit, in the hearts of His people. – Notes on the New Testament
St. John Chrysostom
Why then do they not call him Emmanuel instead of Jesus Christ? Because the text says not ‘you shall call’ but ‘his name shall be called.” This means that the multitude and the outcome of the events themselves will cause him to be called Emmanuel. For here he puts the event as a name. This is customary in Scripture, to substitute names for the actual events. Therefore to say ‘they call him Emmanuel’ means nothing else than that they shall see God among us. Admittedly God has always been among us, but never before so openly. – The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 5
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. – Luke 2:14
John Wesley
The shouts of the multitude are generally broken into short sentences. This rejoicing acclamation strongly represents the piety and benevolence of these heavenly spirits; as if they had said, Glory be to God in the highest heavens: let all the angelic legions resound His praises. For with the Redeemer’s birth, peace and all kind of happiness come down to dwell on earth: yea, the overflowings of divine good-will and favour are now exercised toward men. – Notes on the New Testament
Cyril of Alexandria
Look not upon him who was laid in a manger as a babe merely, but in our poverty see him who as God is rich, and in the measure of our humanity him who prospers those in heaven, and who therefore is gloried even by the angels. And how noble was the hymn, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and among men good will!’ The angels and archangels, thrones and lordships, and the seraphim are at peace with God. Never in any way do they oppose his good pleasure but are firmly established in righteousness and holiness. But we wretched beings, by having set up our own lusts in opposition to the will of our Lord, had put ourselves into the position of his enemies. Christ has abolished this. ‘For he is our peace’ and has united us by himself to God the Father. He has taken away from the middle the cause of the enmity and so justifies us by faith, makes us holy and without blame, and calls near to him those who were far off. Besides this, he has created the two people into one new man, so making peace and reconciling both in one body to the Father. For it pleased God the Father to form into one new whole all things in him, and to bind together things below and things above, and to make those in heaven and those on earth into one flock. Christ therefore has been made for us both peace and goodwill. – Commentary on Luke, Homily 2
Charles Wesley
Hymn IV.
Glory be to God on high,
And peace on earth descend;
God comes down:
he bows the sky:
And shews himself our friend!
God th’ invisible appears,
God the blest, the great I AM
Sojourns in this vale of tears,
And Jesus is his name.
-Nativity Hymns