✨ The Childhood of Jesus: The Meaning of His Humble Birth, Exile and Understanding of His Calling
- Pr Enos Mwakalindile
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
🌿 The Child Lying in the Manger, the Eternal King
In the darkness of a hopeless world, light shone. Angels sang, shepherds marveled, and a young mother cradled a newborn baby. But this was no ordinary baby. He was born not in a palace but in a stable. The profound question arises: Why would the King of the Universe be born in such humble circumstances?
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). The birth of Jesus was not only a miracle of life but also the announcement of a new direction for the Kingdom of God. God chose the path of humility over the royal honors of the world. In the birth of Jesus we see God’s wonderful plan to lift up the weak and overthrow the strong (Luke 1:52). His childhood is a sign that the Resurrection, the Kingdom and the Victory begin with humility and obedience .
🚨 The Childhood of Jesus of Nazareth: A King in Danger Immediately After Birth
Jesus was born under the reign of Caesar Augustus, during a census that forced his parents, Mary and Joseph, to travel to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7). There, they had no place to stay, so the promised child was born in humble circumstances. However, it was to humble shepherds that angels announced the birth of the Redeemer (Luke 2:11). This was a sign that God was changing the standards of glory and honor on earth.
But the danger was not long in coming. Herod, fearing the loss of his power, ordered the killing of all the male children in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16). In an emergency, Joseph was forced to take the child and his mother to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15).
This was not just a life-saving journey—it was part of God’s plan to connect the history of Jesus with the history of Israel. Jesus emerged as a new figure in Israel’s story—like the Moses of the new covenant—coming to free the people from the slavery of sin and death, like the spiritual Pharaoh who had held Israel captive for centuries (N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God , p. 91).
So we see: True liberation is born in an environment of resistance from the captors.
⚡ A Child of Promise or a Promise in Danger?
Jesus was not born just as an ordinary child, but as the living fulfillment of God’s great promises to Israel—promises of salvation, restoration, and a kingdom of righteousness. Many signs confirmed this: the miraculous star, the voices of angels, and the testimony of prophets like Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25-38), all of whom identified him as the hope of the nations. This was the Son of David, the messenger of the covenant, who had come to fulfill what had been promised long ago.
But this promise was not received quietly. Soon after his birth, his life was threatened by the terror of Herod, forcing him to flee to Egypt. This revealed what the Gospels tell us in detail: that God's promises are fiercely opposed before they are fulfilled. Jesus, as the Fulfiller of the Promise, needed to be saved so that the promise would not be lost to the powers of darkness.
Tim Mackie (BibleProject) explains that the story of Jesus’ life continues to fulfill ancient Israel’s hopes—the hope of coming out of exile and reestablishing God’s kingdom on earth. This was not just the story of a child, but of a Redeemer who, though seemingly powerless before the world, proved to be the one with true authority to redeem all who were lost (BibleProject Video: The Messiah ).
Thus, we encounter the true mystery of the Gospel: God's promises are not just ordinary but concrete — fulfilled in the midst of darkness and opposition, and Jesus is the ultimate and living proof of that.
🌈 The End of the Exile: Confirmation of Jesus' Mission and Understanding of His Calling
The flight to Egypt was not only an escape from danger but also a fulfillment of prophecy. “Out of Egypt I called my Son” (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:15). This confirmed that Jesus, as the promised Messiah, had come to end Israel’s exile resulting from their rebellion (2 Kings 17:7-23), to fulfill God’s plan to redeem His people from the bondage of sin (John 8:34-36), and to reestablish the covenant that had been broken because of their disobedience (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Matthew 1:21, 17).
In other words, NT Wright explains that Jesus brings to a close the story of Israel's liberation from slavery, now not from the Egyptian Pharaoh but from the powers of darkness and death (How God Became King, pp. 95-97).
Furthermore, when he was 12 years old, Jesus made a startling statement. When he was seen in the temple arguing with the teachers of the law, he said: “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49). Jesus, even as a young man, had an inner awareness of his unique identity and calling in life. His presence in the temple, arguing with the teachers of the law, was a clear sign that his mission was to restore Israel to their Father, and to end the period of spiritual exile by reestablishing God’s covenant with his people.
Richard Bauckham emphasizes that "Jesus, even in his childhood humility, was already within the divine identity of YHWH" (Jesus and the God of Israel, pp. 1-10). In other words, Jesus' decision to be present in the temple is not just a strange event of a wise young man, but a demonstration that God's presence has re-entered the temple through Jesus, as a promise of Israel's restoration.
Therefore, the childhood of Jesus is not only the story of the identity of a child with an awareness of his calling, but was also the preliminary announcement of his wise life, full of grace and fully directed towards fulfilling the divine purpose.
🛤️ The Path to Follow: Living a Life That Demonstrates the Humility of Christ
Jesus, as a baby, came humbly to show the true way to the Kingdom of God. We are not saved by the power of the world but by God's love, grace, obedience, and humility.
Therefore, the path to follow for each of us is to live a life that reflects and demonstrates this humility of Jesus. When we contemplate Jesus in his childhood, we learn that spiritual growth is not about gaining worldly honors but about being humble, obedient, and with a vision of serving others. Jesus grew in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man (Luke 2:52). This teaches us that living in humility is the path to true growth.
Steps to Meditation:
Consider how Mary’s prayer (Luke 1:46-55) reflects the changing priorities of the world—the elevation of the weak and the overthrow of the rich.
Learn from the child Jesus how humility, obedience, and faithfulness please God.
Share with others the story of Jesus' birth as a message of hope for the brokenhearted.
🙋 Questions of Theology and Life
Why was Jesus born in humility?
To reveal that the Kingdom of God does not come with pride but with love, grace and service to the despised (Luke 1:52).
Why was Jesus saved by fleeing to Egypt?
To fulfill prophecy and show that He is the new Israel who comes to free people from the slavery of sin and darkness (Matt. 2:15).
Did Jesus know his calling as a child?
Yes. He showed an early understanding of his messianic work when he said that he must be in his Father's house (Luke 2:49).
What do we learn from Jesus' childhood?
That spiritual growth in wisdom, grace, and humility is part of God's plan for our lives (Luke 2:52).
🙌 Final Blessing
May the Lord bless you and protect you, as he protected his beloved Son. May he teach you to live with humility and love like the child Jesus, and guide you in the path of justice and peace. May the peace of Christ, born in Bethlehem, be with you today and always. Amen.
📢 Welcome to Let's Discuss!
What part of Jesus' childhood resonates with you the most? Share your thoughts or reflections. Also, write a prayer of gratitude for how God chose the path of humility through His Son.
📚 Annotated Bibliography
Holy Bible — Swahili version, based on each scripture reference such as Luke 1–2, Matthew 2, Hosea 11:1, John 1:14, John 8:34-36, Jeremiah 31:31-34, and 2 Kings 17:7-23.
NT Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God (1996) — This work presents Jesus as the Fulfiller of Israel’s history, especially in the image of the new Moses who delivers God’s people from the powers of darkness. (see page 91)
NT Wright, How God Became King (2012) — Especially the middle and last chapters, explaining how the Gospels present Jesus as the Son of Israel who brought about the Kingdom of God through humility and suffering. (see pp. 95-97)
Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the God of Israel (2008) — Emphasizes the identity of Jesus as part of the divinity of YHWH even in his infancy. (see chapter 1)
Tim Mackie (BibleProject), The Messiah — A Bible education video that teaches how Jesus fulfills the hopes of the Son of David who came to restore Israel from exile. https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/messiah/
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