Posted on 12/23/2016 7:45:30 AM PST by Salvation
In preparation for the coming of Christmas, we have been discussing some of St. Thomas Aquinas’ writings. In today’s last installment we’ll be looking at his commentary on the time and place of Jesus’ birth.
We live in a culture today that tends toward a kind of temporal pride. We think that we have come of age, that we are smarter and wiser than our forebears. Scientific, technical, and medical knowledge are more highly developed to be sure, but there is more to life than what falls into those realms.
The religious version of temporal pride is expressed in this utterance: “If Jesus lived in our times He would …” The sentence is then completed with any view we like or consider to be “enlightened” and “modern.” But Jesus did not choose to live in our time, and there may well be very good reasons for that. As God, He could have chosen any age—and He did not choose ours.
St. Thomas Aquinas, who lived in the 13th century, pondered the reasons for the time and place of Jesus’ birth in his Summa Theologica. In it he addressed some of the questions and objections raised during his era.
The time of the Lord’s birth – St. Thomas discussed this in his Summa Theologica, Part III, Question 35, Article 8. He used as his starting point, St. Paul’s attestation to the fittingness of the time of Christ’s birth: When the fullness of the time was come, God sent His Son, made of a woman, made under the law (Gal 4:4). Here, the “fullness of time” is understood to mean “at the designated or determined time.” St. Thomas wrote,
Whereas [other men] are born subject to the restrictions of time, Christ, as Lord and Maker of all time, chose a time in which to be born, just as He chose a mother and a birthplace. And since “what is of God is well ordered” and becomingly arranged, it follows that Christ was born at a most fitting time.
St. Thomas responded as follows to objections raised in his day regarding the time of Christ’s birth:
Some objected that because Christ came to grant liberty to His people, it was not fitting that He came at a time when the Jewish people were subjected to Roman occupation and the Herodian dynasty (Herod was not a true Jew). St. Thomas answered that because Christ came in order to bring us back from a state of bondage to a state of liberty, it was fitting that He be born into bondage with us and then lead us out. We can grasp this logic in a wider sense when we consider that He assumed our mortal nature in order to give us an immortal nature; He died in order to restore us to life. St. Thomas, referencing Bede, wrote that Christ submitted Himself to bondage for the sake of our liberty. He also added that Christ wished to be born during the reign of a foreigner so that the prophecy of Jacob might be fulfilled (Genesis 49:10): The scepter shall not be taken away from Juda, nor a ruler from his thigh, till He come that is to be sent. The bondage was not to be ended before Christ’s coming, but after it and through it.
Others objected that the time of year, near the winter solstice, was not fitting for Christ’s birth. They argued that it was not fitting for Christ, the Light of the World, to be born during the darkest time of the year. But Thomas replied that Christ wished to be born at a time when the light of day begins to increase in length so as to show that He came to draw man back to the light, according to Luke 1:79: To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
The place of Christ’s birth (Bethlehem) – St. Thomas discussed this in the Summa Theologica, Part III, Question 35, Article 7.
Christ willed to be born in Bethlehem for two reasons. First, because “He was made … of the seed of David according to the flesh,” as it is written (Romans 1:3); … Therefore He willed to be born at Bethlehem, where David was born, in order that by the very birthplace the promise made to David might be shown to be fulfilled. The Evangelist points this out by saying: “Because He was of the house and of the family of David.” Secondly, because, as Gregory says (Hom. viii in Evang.): “Bethlehem is interpreted ‘the house of bread.’ It is Christ Himself who said, ‘I am the living Bread which came down from heaven.’”
St. Thomas responded to some objections to Bethlehem as the place of Jesus’ birth.
With St. Thomas to guide and teach us, we have pondered over the past few days some aspects of the incarnation and birth of our Lord. May you who have read and I who have presented be enriched by the teachings of the Lord through the great St. Thomas Aquinas.
Below is a link to an organ prelude on the hymn “Bethlehem of Noblest Cities,” also known as “Earth Hath Many a Noble City.” It is accompanied by beautiful art related to Bethlehem. Here are the words to the hymn:
Earth hath many a noble city;
Bethlehem, thou dost all excel:
out of thee the Lord from heaven
came to rule his Israel.
Fairer than the sun at morning
was the star that told his birth,
to the world its God announcing
seen in fleshly form on earth.
Eastern sages at his cradle
make oblations rich and rare;
see them give, in deep devotion,
gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Sacred gifts of mystic meaning:
incense doth their God disclose,
gold the King of kings proclaimeth,
myrrh his sepulcher foreshows.
Jesus, whom the Gentiles worshiped
at thy glad epiphany,
unto thee, with God the Father
and the Spirit, glory be.
Monsignor Pope Ping!
The internal Scripture evidence implies a fall birth. Augustus ordered a census for tax purposes and the best time to tax an agriculture population is just after the Harvest.
June 17 2 BC. Conjunction of Venus (peace) and Jupiter (king) in Virgo (virgin) in the position of her womb
Interesting. I’ve never heard that rationale before. It’s as good as any other I’ve heard and better than some.
CC
Yeshua was born on Feast of Trumpets, Yom Teruah, Sept. 11, 3 BC. The Revelation 12 sign: clothed in the sun...
This is the same day he returns on in the future, ie., Yom Teruah.
Biblical events occur on YHVH’s calendar, not the Roman/Church calendar. If you stay in Rome, you like most, will miss His second visitation.
Must be a record. It took only 6 posts for anti-Catholicism to rear it’s ugly head.
When:
In general, it was the changeover from the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire. The world was about to be thrown into chaos from the insane and despotic Emperors that would come after Augustus.
In particular, the rise of the Empire meant the beginning of the Diaspora, as Jewish Zealots fought against worshipping Emperors as gods. The destruction of the Second Temple by the armies of Titus (who later became Emperor; Vespasian his father was Emperor during the destruction of the Temple) was the event that spread Jews far and wide across the known world, in order to survive.
Jesus was born at a time to tell the Jewish people - His people - what they could expect in a few decades, and have them remember it and document his words.
The Roman Empire was a model for the future final world government, and when He warned about the oppression His people would suffer, He was issuing a prophetic warning to all who recognized who and what He was.
Where:
Bethlehem, which was not the “hometown” of Jesus. It just so happened that His family had to travel there to be taxed as dictated by Augustus. Jesus and His immediate family lived in Nazareth.
Bethlehem was the necessary birthplace to fulfill Old Testament prophecy.
Micah 5:2 (KJV)
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
It’s bigger than Catholic system. The end time Babylon has three major parts: religion, government and business. This mixture will, and is, mixing true and false, leading to confusion among the people and nations. The cup of man’s made solutions is filling up and nearly ready to be poured out on those choosing man’s religion, business and government. The great delusion.
Which ones? All six previous to your post? Please point them out. Inquiring minds would like to know.
9-11?
thank goodness there are folks like you, and not silly old aquinas...i mean, what does he know about the true catholic faith and church Christ built....
if only aquinas could have had access to your knowledge, and your shortened bible, and your ‘training and education’ compared to his....he wouldnt have made so many errors....
(insert eye roll here)
Wasn’t there a prophecy about Bethlehem in Micah?
You got the prophecy, thanks.
What a kick to see these people arguing with SAINT Thomas Aquinas!
i know, amazing, but that’s one of the ‘advantages’ of being a protestant of any stripe, you have no authority except the bible, so you can make it say anything you need it to say to support your version (the only true correct version according to each individual) of the teachings of Christ....the heck with the actual history of what happened, and who was there and witnessed it, and the handed on teaching from them.....cant have that...just need me, the bible and the holy spirit....says everyone of the 1000’s of competing ‘bible believing’ churches....
Beautiful.
Beautiful.
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