The True Miracle of Christmas: The Word Became Flesh
by Pastor Walter Snyder

With all the names and places that could have been chosen, why did Christendom decide to
reference the Virgin Mary and Pontius Pilate in our creeds? Our answers come in the prologue to
the Gospel According to John: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen
his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (1:14)"

How casually we treat this verse! The things of heaven are so close that we miss the power of
this passage. "The Word became flesh"; surely this is a prime candidate if ever you want to
decide upon "the most important verse in the Bible."

This snippet involves the central character (the Son of God) and the central theme (reconciliation
of man with the Father) of all Scripture. It tells us that the Offspring of the woman (Gen 3:15)
came as promised. He took the burden and the curse of the Law upon himself as only a flesh-
and-blood person could do. Yet this is no "normal" human, for He is also the sinless Son of God.
All of the celebration and the theology of Christmas fit within the Gospel's "the Word became
flesh" and the Creed's "born of the Virgin Mary."

Even though he appears at the other end of Jesus' earthly life, Pontius Pilate's inclusion in our
creeds similarly confesses the complete Christmas message: Not only was Jesus truly born in the
flesh and of the Virgin, but Jesus really, truly, brutally, and horribly died. The Word became
flesh so the Word might die on the cross.

The more we ponder the account of Jesus' conception and birth, the more we see how marvelous
it was. He was fathered by God, conceived by the Holy Spirit (through a woman's ear, for in the
hearing of the Word the miracle was wrought), and born of a virgin. Yet the story is also so basic
and simple: A woman's egg was fertilized, it implanted in her uterus, and grew for nine months.
She then brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in binding cloth, and laid him in the first
available bed, which happened to be an animal feed trough. Small wonder that the angels
themselves are astonished at the mystery of God made flesh!

So complete is His desire to reconcile and save that He never "gave back" his humanity. Christ
Jesus remains forever man even as He also is forever God. He ascended in the flesh to be with
his Father, yet He will come bodily at the end of time to judge creation. Even now He comes in
body and blood in the supper He gave to His Church.

Yes, the eternal Son of the Father now wears human flesh forever. What began in the Father's
eternal love took shape in the Virgin's womb and suffered under Pilate's rule. "The Word
became flesh" that we who are flesh might live forever. When we listen to the Creed, we hear
Mary and Pilate testify that Christ's Incarnation, Birth, Suffering, Death, Resurrection,
Ascension, and Return all happen because "the Word became flesh."

Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from ~The Holy Bible, English Standard Version~<TM>,
© 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Ask the Pastor, © 2003 by Walter P. Snyder. It may be reproduced in totality, including this disclaimer,
by anyone, provided that no profit is generated by said republication and redistribution. Translations
into other languages should similarly note the United States and any appropriate international
copyrights, as well as God's Scriptural injunctions concerning the property of others.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book
"What Do Lutherans Believe."