Commentary

 

Why Did Jesus Come to Earth as a Baby?

By Curtis Childs

This painting by Richard Cook  of the newborn baby Jesus, with Mary and Joseph, evokes the spiritual power of this long-awaited advent.

Could there be reasons for the humble, vulnerable beginnings of Jesus’s life?

In this video from his Swedenborg and Life web series, host Curtis Childs and featured guests explore how the Divine design may have been at play from the very beginning of Christ's life.

(References: Apocalypse Explained 706 [12]; Luke 2:8-12; The Word 7; True Christian Religion 89, 90, 96, 766)

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This video is a product of the Swedenborg Foundation. Follow these links for further information and other videos: www.youtube.com/user/offTheLeftEye and www.swedenborg.com

The Bible

 

Luke 2:8-12

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8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

      

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Scriptural Confirmations #6

  
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6. 4. If any one preacheth any other gospel than that which He preached let him be accursed (Galatians 1:8-9).

I live, no more I, but Christ liveth in me (Galatians 2:20). The power which God wrought in Christ, wherefore He set Him at His own right hand above the heavens, above all principalities, power, and might, etc., and hath put all things under His feet, and hath given Him to be the head over all things of the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all (Ephesians 1:20-23).

Through Christ we have access in one Spirit unto the Father. Christ is the corner stone, by whom the whole building framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, through whom ye also are builded together into an habitation of God in the spirit (Ephesians 2:18, 20-22).

God hath founded all things by Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:9).

One body and one Spirit; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all; and unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ (Ephesians 4:4-7).

He that descended is also the same that ascended above all the heavens, that He might fill all things (Ephesians 4:10).

For the edifying of the body of Christ, and that the church is the body and Christ the head (Ephesians 4:12, 15-16).

We are members of His body; of His flesh, and of His bones (Ephesians 5:30).

By faith we have access to Christ in confidence (Ephesians 3:12).

Christ is the head of the church, and He is the Savior of the body (Ephesians 5:23).

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.