One of the many challenges relating to the study of the Gospels is ascertaining how the ministry of Jesus fits into the broader scope of human history. The biblical writers were convinced that nothing in Jesus’ life was occasioned by mere happenstance. Where he was born, to whom he was born, and when he was born were all according to God’s divine plan. As the Apostle Paul explained to his readers in Galatia, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children (Gal 4:4-5 NRSV). In context, Paul’s greater concern was the function of the Mosaic Law. He observed, for example, that the Law served an important yet temporary function. Now that Christ has been revealed, he explains, the relationship of believers to the Law has been profoundly altered.
What should not be overlooked in Paul’s argumentation is his assertion that the coming of Jesus was according to God’s sovereign decree. Jesus came to this earth, Paul writes, “when the fullness of time had come.” As we will learn in our studies this week, the first century was a very unique time in Jewish history. During this period, many of the Jewish people had returned to the land of Palestine, Rome had asserted its power throughout the Mediterranean world, and many of the Jewish institutions and practices that largely disappeared in previous centuries had been restored in one form or another. In many ways, this was a time for great optimism. The Jewish people were back in their land and enjoyed relative freedom to worship in the temple and to live in the manner that they saw fit. On other hand, the political stability of the Jewish people remained in a precarious state and Judaism itself was becoming more fractured and diverse. It was during this unique time of Jewish history that Jesus revealed himself and began to proclaim his message.
As you think about this passage and the timing of Jesus’ incarnation, what are some truths that we might bear in mind regarding God’s involvement in human history? Why do you suppose that Jesus ministered when he did, and what would have been some of the challenges faced by the first generation of Christians?
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