WLC 47

Q47. How did Christ humble himself in his conception and birth?

Christ humbled himself in his conception and birth, in that, being from all eternity the Son of God, in the bosom of the Father, he was pleased in the fulness of time to become the son of man, made of a woman of low estate, and to be born of her; with divers circumstances of more than ordinary abasement.

Proof texts

• John 1:14,18 — [14] 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. [18] No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
• Gal. 4:4 — [4] But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,
• Luke 2:7 — [7] And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited John 1:14,18 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 3 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q21 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WCF 8.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q21 · WCF 8.1 · HC Q29 · HC Q37 · BC 5.2 · BC 5.3 · BC 5.4 · BC 5.5 · BC 5.6 · CD 2.1 · 1689 8.1