When you think of God’s glory shining brightly in the Christmas story, what comes to mind?
I suspect many of us think of the angels who lit up the night sky over Bethlehem. The “multitude of the heavenly host” that appeared to a group of Judean shepherds radiated heavenly glory as they proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest” (Luke 2:9, 14).
But as stunning as the angels were, the greatest display of God’s glory at Christmas was not in the night skies over Bethlehem but in a feeding trough somewhere on the outskirts of town. When the shepherds found “the baby lying in a manger” (Luke 2:16), they were given a greater glimpse of the glory of God. We know that not from Luke’s account of Christmas but from John’s.
Christmas Glory in John’s Gospel
John’s Gospel doesn’t detail the events of the first Christmas, but it does allude to Christmas glory. More precisely, it says God’s glory was seen in Jesus as he took on our humanity: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
On that first Christmas, the eternal Word became flesh and blood and “dwelt among us.” The Greek term translated “dwelt” can refer to pitching a tent. It sometimes speaks of the Tabernacle, God’s dwelling with his people, Israel.
On the first Christmas, Jesus became God’s dwelling among us. Young’s Literal Translation of John 1:14 reads, “And the Word became flesh and did tabernacle among us.” The glory of God had enveloped the Tabernacle; now God’s glory was embodied in Jesus—but in a surprising way.
In the Old Testament, God’s shining glory blazed brilliantly in a cloud above the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:38). It was different with Jesus. As Isaiah makes clear, Jesus’ physical appearance had no special beauty or majesty (Isaiah 53:2). No glowing halo hovered over baby Jesus’ head.
Still, God’s glory was displayed in the person of Jesus—not outwardly, but inwardly; not in the shining of his skin, but in the shining of his character. John 1:14 explains that Jesus brings God’s glory into view by being “full of grace and truth.” As he interacted with a wide array of individuals, he combined grace and truth in a way no one else could.
The glorious way Jesus perfectly embodies both grace and truth shines brighter when compared to the rest of us. As image bearers, we reflect some of God’s grace and truth. We can show grace and speak truth. But in our fallenness, we get lopsided. We tilt to one side or the other.
Some of us are truth-tellers. We speak up and stand for what is right, even when the truth hurts. But sometimes, in being sticklers for truth, we get stingy with grace. We’re bold but not always kind. We’re brutally honest in a way that bruises people. Truth without the soft skin of grace makes us bony and brittle—a hard skeleton lacking the grace Jesus displayed.
Others are grace-givers. We feel empathy and compassion for those in need. But sometimes, we not only give grace—we also give way on truth. We treat people sweetly, but we fudge on the facts. Grace without the backbone of truth slumps and slouches. It is unable or unwilling to stand tall for truth like Jesus did.
Jesus shows us the glory of God by joining together what we often separate. His grace is truthful, and his truth is gracious. Since he is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), he beautifully expresses life-giving grace without sacrificing life-saving truth.
The glory of his grace and truth shines most brilliantly not at his birth but at his death. In sacrificing himself on the cross, he demonstrates unparalleled grace as he satisfies God’s righteous standard of truth.
So how should we respond to the revelation of God’s glory in Jesus? Here are two responses to make part of your Christmas celebration.
Reflection on Jesus’ Glory and Reflecting Jesus’ Glory
This Christmas, take time to reflect on the ways Jesus demonstrated grace and truth in his encounters with people. As you read the Gospel accounts, look for examples where he beautifully blends grace and truth. To make it personal, reflect on specific ways he has shown both grace and truth to you this past year.
To reflect Jesus’ glory, we need to grow in being full of both grace and truth. Those whose mother tongue is grace will need to become more fluent in speaking truth. We must learn to courageously stand for what is right in a society that tolerates and celebrates what is wrong. Those whose first language is truth need to learn the vocabulary and cadence of grace. We must soften our speech with kindness when abrasive people rub us the wrong way.
This side of heaven, we’ll never be perfectly bilingual like Jesus. But with the Holy Spirit’s help, we can reflect more of Jesus’ glory by bearing both his grace and truth in our relationships—not just at Christmas, but all year long.
This article by Rick originally appeared on The Gospel Coalition Canada’s website.
Rick and Linda Reed 