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Christmas Season · Holy Name of Jesus · Year B

Galatians 4:4-7 or Philippians 2:5-11

Sons of God

January 1, 2027

The Adoration of the Name of Jesus, El Greco
The Adoration of the Name of Jesus, El Greco, c. 1577-1579El Escorial, Madrid
The monogram of the Holy Name blazes at the top among adoring angels; below, a crowd kneels on earth with a king in black at the front, and on the right the open jaws of hell.God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.El GrecoA Cretan icon painter who worked in Venice and Rome and settled in Toledo, where he stretched his figures into flame.El Escorial, MadridThe monastery-palace of El Escorial outside Madrid, built by Philip II, who appears in the painting kneeling in black.El Escorial, Madrid
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelLuke 2:15-21Lk 2:15-21
EpistleGal. 4:4-7Gal 4:4-7 orPhil. 2:5-11Phil 2:5-11
Old TestamentNum. 6:22-27Nm 6:22-27
PsalterPs. 8Ps 8

Overview & Insights

“God sent forth his Son, born of woman... so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5)

The basis upon which Paul makes the previous statement in verse 25 is his conviction that the Galatians are all sons of God by virtue of their being in Christ Jesus . Paul continues to work with the metaphor of inheritance to underscore that all of his readers are inheritors of God’s promise. Paul emphasizes that the Galatians already are “sons” or inheritors of God’s promise. (Paul’s use of “sons” is meant not to exclude the female members of the Galatian churches, but to work with the inheritance metaphor. In the ancient world it was generally sons and not daughters who could expect to be inheritors.) For the benefit of both his Gentile Galatian converts and the Jewish Christian troublemakers who would have eventually heard his words, Paul says that “all” receive the inheritance through the faith of Jesus Christ.

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Take it further: Galatians 4:4-7 or Philippians 2:5-11

Commentary

Galatians 4:4-7Gal 4:4-7 Working Preacher

A commentary on 'the fullness of time,' adoption as heirs, and the Spirit crying Abba, Father.

Galatians 4Gal 4 Enduring Word · David Guzik

An evangelical commentary moving from slavery under the law to adoption as sons and daughters.

Classic commentaries on Galatians 4Classic commentaries on Gal 4 BibleHub

Aggregated translations, Greek tools, and public-domain commentaries for Galatians 4.

Background & Word Study

Galatians and WorkGal and Work Theology of Work

Reads Galatians for its bearing on identity, freedom, and vocation, useful background on adoption and heirship.

Overview: GalatiansOverview: Gal BibleProject

An animated overview on justification by faith and the Spirit-formed family of God that frames the adoption passage.

The Church Fathers

Galatians 4, patristic commentaryGal 4, patristic commentary Catena

Patristic comment on Galatians 4 including Chrysostom and Augustine on adoption and the sending of the Son.

Sermons & Reflections

Philippians 2:5-11 Sermon CommentaryPhil 2:5-11 Sermon Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

Walks through the kenosis hymn's movement from Christ's self-emptying to his exaltation, the alternate epistle for Holy Name of Jesus.

Questions preachers ask

Why is Galatians 4 a Christmas reading?

It gives the theology of Christmas in one sentence: in the fullness of time God sent his Son, born of a woman, to redeem us and make us sons and heirs who cry, “Abba, Father.”

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