“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law…” (Galatians 4:4)
Jesus didn’t live in a vacuum. He grew up in a Jewish community, in a Jewish family, and lived by the Old Testament laws God had given to the Hebrew nation. Why does this matter?
It matters because if we are to fully understand Jesus, we must understand the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. Jesus went to the temple, made offerings (not all offerings are for sin!), had to learn the Scriptures (see Luke 2:52), and follow the commands God laid down through Moses. This is the context into which we receive the New Testament. Context matters.
His first-century upbringing also matters because it reminds us that He knows what it is like to deal with the issues of family, culture, and political tension. At times, His family relationships were complicated by His faith, and His service to God put Him squarely between the crossroads of politics and religion. Navigating those waters was part of what He had to do, and His examples help us to understand how to do it, too.
God sent Jesus at the right time, the “fullness of time”, and the more we know about the historical context, the better we appreciate who our Savior is and how to imitate Him.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
Today’s Reading: Galatians 4:1-8
Questions to ask:
- How is Paul feeling as he writes today’s passage? What is his mood?
- What are the central themes in Paul’s preaching and teaching which are being emphasized, or how are the central themes in this epistle being emphasized in today’s reading?
- How does our reading show Paul’s people skills, especially how he handles conflict?
- What in this passage would change the lives of the believer(s) being addressed? How does it make me a better disciple?
- How does this show the “good news” of the gospel? How can I share that with someone else?
This year, #Biblebites are following the life and writings of Paul. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2023-vision