{"id":2769,"date":"2008-12-12T20:58:51","date_gmt":"2008-12-12T20:58:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/?p=2769"},"modified":"2010-12-22T11:11:10","modified_gmt":"2010-12-22T16:11:10","slug":"6750","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/12\/12\/6750\/","title":{"rendered":"Advent: God Deep in the Flesh"},"content":{"rendered":"

CHICAGO, IL (December 12, 2008) – John Weborg is Professor Emeritus of Theology at North Park Theological Seminary and a longtime columnist for The Covenant Companion. Each Friday during Advent, we will share one of his columns that originally appeared in the magazine. Today\u2019s installment first appeared in December 1994.<\/em>
\n
\nBy Dr. John Weborg<\/p>\n

Theodosius Harnack, Luther scholar of note, said that for Luther the imperative was to have \u201cGod deep in the flesh.\u201d Christmas celebrates just that: God deep in the flesh. So great was God\u2019s longing for his creatures\u2019 redemption, says Luther, that God\u2019s preference for human nature over angelic nature might even have provoked the angels to jealousy! But Psalm 8 nudges that issue: what are human beings that you are mindful of them? They have been made a bit lower than angels, but crowned with glory and honor. A preference for humans: in that lies the Christmas gospel.<\/p>\n

Preference translated into participation. God deep in the flesh. Deep in Mary\u2019s womb. Peter Chrysologus, fifth-century bishop of Ravenna, tried to bend his mind around that act of condescension:<\/p>\n

Truly blessed,
\nfor she was greater than heaven,
\nStronger than earth,
\nWider than the universe.
\nShe who welcomed in her womb
\nThe One whom the world cannot contain,
\nThe One who rules the universe.
\nShe became the mother of her creator,
\nNourished him who sustained all living things.<\/p>\n

Bengel: “People need to climb up through the humanity of Christ to the divinity of Christ.”<\/h5>\n

There is God in the flesh, thriving in a placenta, protected by a water bag, bouncing on a donkey ride to Bethlehem where his folks had to meet the local IRS. No different than any other baby at the time. While God preferred human nature to the angelic, God asked no human favors and got none. When inns are full they are full. Sleep where one can. God deep in the flesh became God deep in the straw. Mary, the mother of the Creator, sustained the one who sustained all the living.<\/p>\n

About a century and a half after Luther, a German Pietist, Johann Albrecht Bengel, said that people need to climb up through the humanity of Christ to the divinity of Christ. That is why the gospel stories portray a Jesus not only deep in the flesh, but deep in the crowds, deep in controversy as he extended care to the same kind of people who visited him when he was deep in the straw. I mean people without civil rights like shepherds and total strangers like the Magi. Now he returns the favor: they visited him, representatives so to speak of humanity who found their consolation deep in the straw, the one for whom they had long been waiting. Now he plunges into human life to visit those whom shepherds and Magi represented. No one is off limits. The welcome that Mary and Joseph extended at the manger is now offered by their son. Mary trained him well! His humanity was the access point to God – God hidden deep in the flesh.<\/p>\n

And finally, there is God deep in the grave, sharing the same earth from which all humans had been made in the first place. The story doesn\u2019t end six feet under. Just as he shared a death like ours, so we will share a resurrection like his.<\/p>\n

In praise of this God we join Paul Gerhardt and say:<\/p>\n

Love caused thy incarnation,
\nLove brought thee down to me;
\nThy thirst for my salvation
\nProcured my liberty.<\/p>\n

O Love beyond all telling
\nThat led thee to embrace,
\nIn love all love excelling,
\nOur lost and fallen race! (O How Shall I Receive Thee)<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s note: to read previously published columns as part of this special Advent series, search for the following stories:
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Advent: Holiday Time and the Fullness of Time
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Advent: Hard Sayings: God With Us!<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

Report This Post<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CHICAGO, IL (December 12, 2008) – John Weborg is Professor Emeritus of Theology at North Park Theological Seminary and a longtime columnist for The Covenant Companion. Each Friday during Advent, we will share one of his columns that originally appeared in the magazine. Today\u2019s installment first appeared in December 1994.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nAdvent: God Deep in the Flesh - Covenant Newswire Archives<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/12\/12\/6750\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Advent: God Deep in the Flesh - Covenant Newswire Archives\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"CHICAGO, IL (December 12, 2008) – John Weborg is Professor Emeritus of Theology at North Park Theological Seminary and a longtime columnist for The Covenant Companion. Each Friday during Advent, we will share one of his columns that originally appeared in the magazine. Today\u2019s installment first appeared in December 1994.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/12\/12\/6750\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Covenant Newswire Archives\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2008-12-12T20:58:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2010-12-22T16:11:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/2008\\\/12\\\/12\\\/6750\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/2008\\\/12\\\/12\\\/6750\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2a26f1b1df304098ad9cbae0bbf2c6e8\"},\"headline\":\"Advent: God Deep in the Flesh\",\"datePublished\":\"2008-12-12T20:58:51+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2010-12-22T16:11:10+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/2008\\\/12\\\/12\\\/6750\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":653,\"commentCount\":0,\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/2008\\\/12\\\/12\\\/6750\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/2008\\\/12\\\/12\\\/6750\\\/\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/2008\\\/12\\\/12\\\/6750\\\/\",\"name\":\"Advent: God Deep in the Flesh - Covenant Newswire Archives\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2008-12-12T20:58:51+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2010-12-22T16:11:10+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2a26f1b1df304098ad9cbae0bbf2c6e8\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/2008\\\/12\\\/12\\\/6750\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/2008\\\/12\\\/12\\\/6750\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/2008\\\/12\\\/12\\\/6750\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Advent: God Deep in the Flesh\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/\",\"name\":\"Covenant Newswire Archives\",\"description\":\"Evangelical Covenant Church\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2a26f1b1df304098ad9cbae0bbf2c6e8\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ed9f85aca58d0540113c3fcae90abb716831fd0b1d806d275666cf7052268ea9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ed9f85aca58d0540113c3fcae90abb716831fd0b1d806d275666cf7052268ea9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ed9f85aca58d0540113c3fcae90abb716831fd0b1d806d275666cf7052268ea9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/blogs.covchurch.org\\\/newswire\\\/author\\\/covwebster\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Advent: God Deep in the Flesh - Covenant Newswire Archives","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/12\/12\/6750\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Advent: God Deep in the Flesh - Covenant Newswire Archives","og_description":"CHICAGO, IL (December 12, 2008) – John Weborg is Professor Emeritus of Theology at North Park Theological Seminary and a longtime columnist for The Covenant Companion. Each Friday during Advent, we will share one of his columns that originally appeared in the magazine. Today\u2019s installment first appeared in December 1994.","og_url":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/12\/12\/6750\/","og_site_name":"Covenant Newswire Archives","article_published_time":"2008-12-12T20:58:51+00:00","article_modified_time":"2010-12-22T16:11:10+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/12\/12\/6750\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/12\/12\/6750\/"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/#\/schema\/person\/2a26f1b1df304098ad9cbae0bbf2c6e8"},"headline":"Advent: God Deep in the Flesh","datePublished":"2008-12-12T20:58:51+00:00","dateModified":"2010-12-22T16:11:10+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/12\/12\/6750\/"},"wordCount":653,"commentCount":0,"articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/12\/12\/6750\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/12\/12\/6750\/","url":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/12\/12\/6750\/","name":"Advent: God Deep in the Flesh - Covenant Newswire Archives","isPartOf":{"@id":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/#website"},"datePublished":"2008-12-12T20:58:51+00:00","dateModified":"2010-12-22T16:11:10+00:00","author":{"@id":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/#\/schema\/person\/2a26f1b1df304098ad9cbae0bbf2c6e8"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/12\/12\/6750\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/12\/12\/6750\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/12\/12\/6750\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Advent: God Deep in the Flesh"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/#website","url":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/","name":"Covenant Newswire Archives","description":"Evangelical Covenant Church","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/#\/schema\/person\/2a26f1b1df304098ad9cbae0bbf2c6e8","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ed9f85aca58d0540113c3fcae90abb716831fd0b1d806d275666cf7052268ea9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ed9f85aca58d0540113c3fcae90abb716831fd0b1d806d275666cf7052268ea9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ed9f85aca58d0540113c3fcae90abb716831fd0b1d806d275666cf7052268ea9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"url":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/author\/covwebster\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2769"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2769\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5018,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2769\/revisions\/5018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}