the flesh He was a Jew, made of a Jewish woman, and ''made under the law/' (Galat. It. 4.) Without it He would not have fulfilled the law's requirements. With- out it He could not have heen recognized as the son of David, and the seed of ^Abraham. Let us remember, furthermore, that circumcision was absolutely necessary before our Lord could be heard as a teacher in Israel. Without it He would have had no place in any lawful Jewish assembly, and no right to any Jewish ordinance. Without it He would have been regarded by all Jews as nothing better than an uucircumcised Gentile, and an apostate from the faith of the fathers.
Let our Lord's submission to an ordinance which He did not need for Himself, be a lesson to us in our daily life. Let us endure much, rather than increase the offence of the Gospel, or hinder in any way the cause of God. The words of St. Paul deserve frequent ponder- ing; — "Though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more, and unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews : to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law.'' — "I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." (1 Cor. ix. 19 — ^22.) The man who wrote these words walked very closely in the footsteps of His crucified Master.
The second point which demands our attention in this passage, is the name by which our Lord was called, by Ood^s special command. "His name was called Jesus, which was so named by the angel, before He was con- ceived in the womb."
LUKE, CHAP. n. VBR. 21 — 24. 63
The word Jesus means simply '^Saviour.'' It is fhe same word as ''Joshua" in the Old Testament. Very striking and instructiye is the selection of this name. The Son of God came down from heaven to be not only the Saviour, but the King, the Lawgiver, the Prophet, the Priest, the Judge of fallen man. Had He chosen any one of these titles, He would only have chosen that which was His own. But He passed by them all. He selects a name which speaks of mercy, grace, help, and deliverance for a lost world. It is as a deliverer and Eedeemer that He desires principally to be known.
Let us often ask oilirselves what our own hearts know of the Son of God. Is He our Jesus, our Saviour? This is the question on which our salvation turns. Let it not content us to know Christ as one who wrought mighty miracles, and spake as never man spake, — or to know Him as One who is very God, and will one day judge the world. Let us see that we know Him experimentally, as our DeKverer from the guilt and power of sin, and our Re- deemer from Satan's bondage. Let us strive to be able to say, "This is my Friend : I was dead, and He gave me life : I was a prisoner, and He set me free.'' — ^Precious indeed is this name of Jesus to all true believers ! It is "as ointment poured forth." (Cant. i. 3.) It restores them when conscience-troubled. It comforts them when cast down. It smooths their pillows in sickness. It supports them in the hour of death. " The name of the Lord is a strong tower : the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." (Prov. xviii. 10.)
The last point which demands our attention in this passage, is the poor arid humble condition of our Lord^a