In any source that speaks of Jesus, this man is portrayed as God in a human form, amongst his children on earth. He is the man that God sent to this world to show us what is essential in our life, what morals we should value and how we are to live our lives not through taking, but giving. Through this, he saves people from the act of sinning, because he shows them a new path that they can take in life, giving everyone a new chance. He is a liberator from our own evil.
The Christmas carol I listened to is called Silent Night. The following verse is the very first of the song:
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
This verse does not describe a significant action in particular, but simply speaks of Jesus sleeping in a peaceful environment. The word choice in this verse is incredibly significant however. Jesus was not born amongst a huge crowd of people, his birth was not promoted in an advertising manner, not only did the circumstances not allow it, but God did not want it to happen this way either. Instead, Jesus was born in a stable, surrounded by animals, not even in a real bed. It was a ‘silent’ and ‘calm’ night, there was no huge uproar, many were unaware that their Savior was being born possibly right next-door. Jesus himself is described as ‘tender’ and ‘mild’, these are not supernatural features, and he is said to be ‘sleeping in heavenly peace’, but important is the fact that he is sleeping as any baby does. All these words in the verse show how God wanted Jesus to be born quietly, not in the middle of a huge scene, but as any baby could have been born, and most importantly: not the way some may have expected the birth of the Son of God.
God, being the most supreme power (according to his believers), is of course capable of forcing all people on earth to believe in him. But belief without free will is no longer belief, and hence God gives people opportunities to believe in him. Before Jesus’ birth God has shown humanity that miracles do exist, through our strength of belief, but Jesus was a way of putting this into a human shape. Jesus had the power of direct speech, approaching his people in a manner that may have been easier for some to understand than if Angels appeared to them in dreams, or the voice of God in a bush in the middle of a cave. Jesus was seemingly just like any other man and hence much more approachable.
I believe that often people do not have belief in a higher power because they lack belief in themselves. If they don’t have this strength in the first place, they cannot get anywhere. Jesus showed the people that he was just like anyone else, just any other man who simply believed so strongly, and that this power gave him strength to create miracles. Jesus was born just as any other baby, not under elegant circumstances, not praised by millions from his day of birth on either. He grew up like many other children, and eventually died on a cross, like many other men; dying through physical torture. He was like many other people – and this gave people hope for themselves, that if belief in oneself and God could result in such supernatural powers, they too may have the chance to lead a better life.
God intended for Jesus to be a subtle idol, an example that people could follow, but less as a king, and much more as a friend, alongside whom they could spread the word of God.
