The classic Christmas hymn “O Come All Ye Faithful” is a call to worship Jesus Christ as Lord and praise Him for humbly coming as man to save us. Originally written in Latin (“Adeste Fideles”) in the mid-18th century, this hymn beautifully encapsulates the theology of the incarnation.
The opening line inviting us to “O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant” recognizes that Christ’s birth is worth celebrating triumphantly in faith. As Philippians 2:10-11 says, “At the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Coming as a helpless babe, Jesus is still worthy of our praise and adoration on Christmas.
The second verse praises Christ with the angels, saying, “O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.” This references Luke 2:13-14 when the angels appear to the shepherds singing “Glory to God in the highest heaven.” Though He came humbly to dwell among us, this baby in the manger is still the glorious Son of God worthy of the angel’s heavenly worship.
The third verse contains the richest theology, pointing to Jesus as the “Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.” This combines John’s description of Jesus as the eternal “Word” who “became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14) with Paul’s hymn in Philippians 2:6-7, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Jesus, as the Word made flesh, is fully divine yet chose to humble himself as a servant to save us.
As we celebrate Christmas, may we come to Christ the Lord in humble adoration, praising Him joyfully and triumphantly for who He is and why He came—the eternal Word made flesh to dwell among us as a servant so that we could become the children of God.
Josh Cehulik 