I'll confess, it has become such a tradition that I seldom take the time to carefully consider the lyrics. Take for example the following line:
Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die.
Mild? Doesn't that mean "gentle" or "moderate"? What does that have to do with God putting aside his glory and becoming man? If one had to guess from context, it almost sounds like the word should be "humble" not "mild." Of course, it wouldn't fit the meter, but it seems to recall Phil. 2, where Jesus is described as becoming a man and humbling himself even to death.
If we wish to remain faithful to the songwriter's lyrics, however, he is saying, "God, being gentle, put aside his glory." In other words, if God had come in all the fullness of his glory, his holiness, and his perfection, he would have been far from gentle. He would have destroyed us all. But he is gentle, because he put aside his glory and came among humanity as a human being.
Helpfully, Charles Wesley also used the same word in the first verse: "Peace on earth, and mercy mild." Here the word "mild" is modifying "mercy." What is mild mercy? Mercy that doesn't give us what we deserve, that is, the fullness of his wrath-inflicting glory.
Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die.
May you be reminded as you sing the carol this Christmas of God's mild mercy in sparing us his wrath for all of eternity.
*Bonus to all Rutgers alumni and students: Did you know Rutgers' motto and seal is featured in the song? "Hail, the Sun of Righteousness" (Latin: Sol Iustitiae). Dig out your diploma and see for yourself!
No comments:
Post a Comment