Tune: Forest Green
('O little town of Bethlehem')
Matthew 1 v.18-23
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Now birth of Jesus Christ was so
'Tis written, we may know
When His mother Mary betrothed
To Jospeh, thus encoved (i.e. encovenanted)
Before they married, she was found
With child, tidings did sound
Was by the Holy Spirit's power
In that a favoured hour
Then Joseph her husband to be
Was just, had respect, see
Not willing to show her up, he
Set to deal privately
To put her away, but as he
Thought on these things freely
An angel to him did appear
In a dream did draw near
Angel said, Joseph, fear not to
Take Mary unto you
For your wife, for that in her be
Conceived by God, here see
'Tis by the Holy spirit' act
A virgin birth, a face
And she shall sure bring forth a son
JESUS, the holy one
That shall be His name, for He shall
Save His people, know well
From their sins, so the prophecy
Of Isaiah shall be
Fulfilled, saying, Behold, virgin
Shall bear one without sin
And they shall Emmanuel call
Him, God with us, with all
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Author:
orchidee (
Offline) - Published: December 23rd, 2023 03:33
- Comment from author about the poem: A hymn-poem in 8.6.8.6. 8.6.8.6. In my belief and understanding, it had to be a virgin birth, not just as some spectacular miracle, but because everyone else inherits Adam and Eve's sinful nature at their human birth. God 'breaks into human history' here, breaking that line of inheritance. Otherwise, it could be that Jesus may have inherited a sinful nature too. Though it's called the Immaculate Conception, emphasised more by Roman Catholics, Mary was not sinless. I have to believe in Adam and Eve as real people, to see the need for it to have been a virgin birth. Some Bible versions say 'young woman'. That takes away from the miraculous, I think.
- Category: Spiritual
- Views: 8
Offline)
Comments4
I like the young woman version best .. but then, I have always liked women ..
Thanks N. lol. I may like young women too (not in the Bible story version) but I married an old trout!
That Angel Gabriel came to KP, and saw she was full of botox.
Interesting lineage, Abraham to Joseph.
Joseph is the unsung hero, in my opinion (which is a bit warped).
Your right though-And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
Thanks 2. I heard that it has to be 'last Adam', and not 'second Adam', as there won't be any more 'Adam's - no further inherently new generations of humans. 'Inherent' here is in the sense of 'contained within', or 'forming of some new line of humans'.
Though a hymn says 'second Adam', it's not really a 'second' one, but the last one, in that there won't be a second, third, fourth, etc one!
A timely and great story Orchi. I kind of feel that Joseph didn't get the credit he deserves. I think he was kinder than portrayed and knew that sending her away would result in shame for her and loved her too much to do that.
Thanks SB. Yes - there is St Joseph's Day on March 19th though, which helps.
Good one Orchi.
Thanks Gold.
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