Christmas Midnight (1880)

We cry cheerfully with the holy apostle in these festive days: "We confess, great is the mystery of godliness: God revealed in the flesh!"1 "We confess, great", i.e., he admittedly calls the mystery of Christmas great; for it is not only recognized and known as a great thing in the gathering of the saints here on earth, but even among the multitude of holy angels in heaven. The apostle Peter says that even the angels long to look at it.2 Therefore, the fact testifies to the enormity of this mystery that God, although He allows it to be proclaimed in an orderly manner through men, still wanted it to be preached for the first time by an angel and wanted to let all the angels sing about it. Luke 2:1-14 The great mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God; 1. how it has been proclaimed by the angel of God, a. as a blessed thing3, in that it speaks about a Savior and therefore takes away all fear and brings joy, b. as something that indeed cannot be grasped by reason4, but can and should be taken with faith5; 2. how it has been sung by all angels, namely as something a. through which God was again given His due, but through sin was robbed of honor, b. through which peace between God and men was restored, c. through which the good pleasure of God was brought again to men and men brought again to God. Gnther

1 2

1 Timothy 3:16. 1 Peter 1:12. 3 Luke 2:10-11. 4 Luke 2:11 ("the Lord, "born"). 5 Luke 2:12.