This week we conclude our Advent series expounding upon the ancient Christmas creed we find in 1 Timothy 3:16 (you can read part three HERE), with the final “verse” The Tomb to the Throne. Even though we have been unpacking this beautiful text in four movements under the category of musical terms, it’s worth mentioning that biblical scholarship has suggested many other compelling summaries of what several commentators have called the apex of Christology in Paul’s first letter to Timothy.

One commentator suggests that 1 Timothy 3:16 can be viewed as a set of three couplets. The first couplet (he was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit) speaks of the miraculous revelation of Christ in the unification of both the human and divine aspects of His life and ministry. The second couplet (seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations) points toward the cosmic witness of Christ to all the inhabitants of heaven and earth. And the third couplet (believed on in the world, taken up in glory), displays the reception Christ was given, “for heaven and earth did more than see and hear him; they joined in giving him recognition and acclaim.”^[1]

Regardless of how one views the structure of this inspired line from an ancient Christian hymn, the substance of it has and will continue to marvel scholars and provoke awe and wonder from God’s people.

Now, for what we are calling the fourth and final verse of this Christ-exalting carol, let’s peer into the striking truths of all that happened between the tomb and the throne.

The Grand Story of Christmas Verse 4: From the TOMB to the THRONE

The last three lines of 1 Timothy 3:16 simply read:

…proclaimed among the nations,

    believed on in the world,

        taken up in glory.

The motif of this movement could be called one of winning.

As one lyric of a contemporary song goes:

Then came the morning that sealed the promise,

Your buried body began to breathe.

Out of the silence, the Roaring Lion

Declared the grave has no claim on me.

Jesus, Yours is the victory.

Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free!

Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me!

You have broken every chain,

There’s salvation in Your name,

Jesus Christ, my living hope.^[2]

In between the tomb and the throne, it is wise to allow Scripture to simply speak for itself. Tune into these verses with all your heart and mind. Read them slowly, prayerfully, and expectantly.

“Paul, a servant  of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:1-4).

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14).

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

These verses are only a sample of the reality of all that was accomplished between Christ rising from the tomb and returning to the throne. While our Messiah has already accomplished all that the Father has given Him to do while on earth, the application of His redemptive power is still happening as Christ remains in heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father.

While our Messiah has already accomplished all that the Father has given Him to do while on earth, the application of His redemptive power is still happening as Christ remains in heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father.

The Grand Story of Christmas Commission

No doubt this last verse in 1 Timothy 3:16 refers to Jesus’ ascension and the continuation of the mission He began in His incarnation. He left His followers with a mandate to make and multiply disciples until every nation is reached.

Go, tell it on the mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere!

Go, tell it on the mountain,

That Jesus Christ is born!

He left His followers with a mandate to make and multiply disciples until every nation is reached.

And this is exactly what Jesus has commanded of us. While He was on a mountain, moments before He was taken up in glory, He declared…

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Christmas reminds us of the commission we have received from our Savior. We are to continue the work He commenced, not for Him, but with Him, for He is our forever Immanuel—God with us.

Christmas reminds us of the commission we have received from our Savior. We are to continue the work He commenced, not for Him, but with Him, for He is our forever Immanuel—God with us.

Let’s remind our souls again of all that happened between Christ leaving the throne and returning to the throne. Jesus left heaven and entered a womb. He was born in a manger and lived a perfect, sinless life. He died a criminal’s death on the cross and rose victorious, defeating sin and death and securing redemption. And now He is seated at the right hand of God and makes continual intercession for us, empowering us through His indwelling Spirit to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom to every nation.

But it gets even better; the song is not over yet.

JESUS IS COMING BACK! He was not only taken up in glory but will return in glory to make all things new by uniting all things in Himself.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let Earth receive her King.

Let every heart prepare Him room!

But until that day, may this divinely inspired Christmas song exhort you and me to live lives of godliness. As one commentator put it, “In telling us these truths in 1 Timothy 3:16, Paul was not only proclaiming who Jesus is, but he was also saying to the church, ‘Realize what this means for you, for godliness in your life and godliness in the church.’”^[3]

This is the awe-inspiring reality—Christ lives within you! This Christ, the Son of God incarnate, the One who was verified by the Spirit, raised from the dead, praised among angels, proclaimed across the earth, believed on as Savior, and crowned as King over all the universe, lives in you. Let that soak in. The Son of God resides in you, giving you power, strength, peace, and grace. Godliness, or the God-centered life, is nothing more than the overflow of Christ in you!

The Son of God resides in you, giving you power, strength, peace, and grace. Godliness, or the God-centered life, is nothing more than the overflow of Christ in you!

What a mystery, to which we can cry out one more time with the chorus…

GREAT IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS!

Copyright © 2023 Justin Jeppesen. All rights reserved.

^[1]  John R. W. Stott, Guard the Truth: The Message of 1 Timothy & Titus, The Bible Speaks Today (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 108.

^[2]  Living Hope lyrics © Be Essential Songs, Bethel Music Publishing. Songwriters: Brian Johnson / Phil Wickham

^[3] Ibid.