The story of Bethlehem is an exhaustless theme. In it is hidden "the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God." Rom. 11:33. We marvel at the Saviour's sacrifice in exchanging the throne of heaven for the manger, and the companionship of adoring angels for the 49 beasts of the stall. Human pride and self-sufficiency stand rebuked in His presence. Yet this was but the beginning of His wonderful condescension. It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man's nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is shown in the history of His earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life.

Beretningen om Betlehem er et uudtømmeligt emne. Et "dyb af rigdom og visdom og indsigt hos Gud" findes skjult deri. Rom. 11,33. Vi undres over Frelserens opofrelse ved at bytte Himmelens trone med krybben og de tilbedende engles ledsagelse med dyrene i stalden. Menneskelig stolthed og selvtilfredshed bliver gjort til skamme ved hans nærværelse. Dog var det kun begyndelsen til hans forunderlige fornedrelse. Det ville have været en næsten ufattelig ydmygelse for Guds Søn at påtage sig menneskeskikkelse, selv da Adam stod uskyldig i Edens have. Men Jesus påtog sig menneskeskikkelse, da slægten gennem fire tusinde år var blevet svækket af synden. Ligesom ethvert af Adams børn gik han ind under den store arvelighedslovs følgevirkninger. Hvori disse bestod, ser vi gennem hans jordiske forfædres historie. Han kom med en sådan arv for at dele vore sorger og fristelser og for at give os eksemplet på et liv uden synd.