“O Little Town of Bethlehem” Theology in a Christmas Carol
- Scott Bullerwell
- Dec 1
- 13 min read
I confess that I do not remember much about Christmas as a kid. It’s not that I did not have parents who lavished presents on me and my two siblings come December 25; they did! But ask me what those presents were, when I was 10, 11 or 12 – and it is tough to remember.
Scientists say that that is because part of the brain responsible for moving memories into long-term storage is still maturing. OK! However, someone once told me that 1 adult year is apparently equal to about 10 kid years — which makes sense. No wonder then my childhood Christmas memory has gaps in it — that was like 749 years ago! However ...
I do remember waking up my younger brother and sister and getting them to invade our parent’s bedroom and convince mom and dad to get up at 5 in the morning;
I do remember the magic of believing in my heart that Santa had landed on our apartment building with Rudolph and made his way into the kitchen to eat the cookies and milk left for him. I mean, I saw half eaten evidence on the counter;
And, I do remember the omniscient presence of Perry Como and Bing Crosby crooning Little Drummer Boy, and I’ll Be Home for Christmas on our vinyl 78 records.
Recently I walked into a Cosco store ... and Christmas tunes were already chasing me up-and-down the aisles. Shopping for a pork roast, I was serenaded to “All I Want for Christmas is You”. And when I ventured over to check out the sky-high, Mafia-style prices for little, chicken wings, evidently taken from a flock of ‘Chicken-Little’s friends, I found myself, not surprisingly, humming along with The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late). Yes, it was a favourite of mine as a child. “ALVIN!!!!!!!!”
Truth is, many of these Christmas songs have become so familiar to us that we seldom really consider their content any more. I mean, it hardly seems fair that All of the other reindeer never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games . . . and as a child I could never figure out how come The Drummer Boy who went to see baby Jesus “the new born King” never shows up in the Bible. If you happen to know the answer to this mystery, please email me.
There is something else I remember from my childhood Christmas days - an old hymn written in 1867 by an Episcopal pastor, Phillips Brooks. When the Sunday School children, me included, sang the words to God, but mostly to our parents, they had a kind-of magical way of taking us back in time to a place hidden away from the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem. It is the carol - O Little Town of Bethlehem.
Brooks made a trip to the Holy Land in 1865 and on the eve of Christmas, made a horseback ride to Bethlehem to worship. Deeply moved by the experience, he returned home and while pastoring Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he wished was for a carol for the children to sing in the Sunday School Christmas program. Recalling the peaceful scene in Bethlehem years earlier, he turned that experience into a carol — in a single night. His organist Lewis Redner put music to the words ... and today it is a favourite with children and adults around the world. Brooks was 32.
With the Christmas season about to begin in earnest yet again, I thought it would be heartening to witness some of the theology that lies within the lines of this marvelous carol ... that we might once again embrace the supportive message of God’s provision.
God choses an ‘insignificant Bethlehem’ and a ‘helpless baby’ — such a contrast to our world’s values of power and influence. I wonder what else folks might
be missing this Christmas season?
In the first stanza, Brooks reminds us that Our Redemption was Written in Heaven.
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the Everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
The carol has such a lovely, yet haunting melody — one that invites us to see and experience a Bethlehem that is shrouded in silence and peace; a Bethlehem that is safe and pleasant; a Bethlehem gentle and hope-filled. A “deep and dreamless sleep” and “silent stars going by” certainly lends authority to that imagery. And those “dark streets” call to mind a quaint town, a kind of snow-globe. A picturesque town - free of humming generators and electrical sub-stations that intrude with their noise and destroy charming beauty with their frost fencing.
Something huge happened at Bethlehem that first Christmas. Something subtle, beautiful, and cosmic. For from within that stygian darkness – an “Everlasting Light” was beginning to glow and in the days ahead it would blaze with marvelous, incandescent glory.
Never-mind that this was Bethlehem (House of Bread), a tiny seed-plot, a rugged 70 miles from Nazareth;
Never-mind that the town knew only the whistle of the shepherd as he turned to lead his flock to a new pasture;
Never-mind that no signs swung brightly after dark, telling weary travelers, exhausted from the journey – where to find shelter.
Never-mind that this was a place of tradition and livelihood, not wealth or power;
Never-mind that this was a small, over-crowded town in Judea, destined to experience a surge of visitors because of a forth-coming Roman Census;
Yes - long before tides changed and Noah’s Ark floated, Heaven was busy preparing for the arrival of “the Everlasting Light.”
God’s glory is showcased in the ordinary —
a small town of 300. That is just like God, isn’t it?
In Gen. 3:15, there in the Garden of Eden, we have the first proclamation of God’s promise-plan for the world. It is the ‘mother-prophecy’ that gives birth to all of the other Messianic promises: “I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head.”
The Evangelist Matthew (4:16) records Jesus quoting from Isaiah (9:6) at the beginning of his ministry "the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned.”
The Evangelist Luke (2:30-32) has wise Simeon say at the presentation of Jesus in the Temple, "for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
The Evangelist John (1:5) speaking of Jesus exclaimed, “In him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.”
Few have described the attributes of Jesus better than the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church of San Diego, California, preacher Dr. S.M. Lockridge. In an inspiring, soaring sermon he gave in 1976 in Detroit, Michigan, he invited people to follow Jesus. Here is a sampling.
He is . . . Enduringly Strong
Entirely Sincere
Eternally steadfast
Imperially powerfully
He is impartially merciful
He is the greatest phenomenon that has every crossed the horizon of this world
He is the Son of God
He is the Sinner’s Saviour
He is the centerpiece of civilization
He is unparalleled
He is unprecedented
He is the loftiest idea in literature
He is the fundamental doctrine of true theology
He is the only one qualified to be an all-sufficient Saviour
He supplies strength to the weak
He is available for the tempted and the tried
He sympathizes and he saves
He strengthens and sustains
He guards and He guides
He forgives sinners
He discharges debtors
He blesses the young
He serves the unfortunate
He is the key to knowledge
He is the wellspring of joy
He is the doorway of deliverance
He is the pathway to peace
He heals the sick
He forgives sin
His word is enough
His grace is sufficient
His yoke is easy
His burden is light
You cannot outlive Him ... and you cannot live without Him.
If you are feeling a numbing sense of isolation in a world that cares little about the true meaning of Christmas this season ... and pays about as much attention to Bethlehem as it does Berlin, Beijing, or Barcelona – take hope friend - for Our Redemption was Written in Heaven, and it has the fingerprints of God all over it. Phillip Brooks was right about Bethlehem: “The hopes and fears of all the years, are met in thee tonight.”
God often moves in the silent places of our lives, working
in ways we cannot see – but working non-the-less!
In the second and third stanzas, Brooks reminds us that Our Redemption Was Wrapped in Bethlehem. You know the words:
For Christ is born of Mary; and gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth.
How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.
Though the world appears oblivious to the spiritual realities going on, God has a way of placing treasures in such unadorned, unpretentious places. Mary’s Little Lamb enters the world, as Brooks reminds us . . . as a quiet, unnoticed miracle – “While mortals sleep” (v. 2). Even heaven gets into the act, and operates “Silently, how silently” (v. 3) – in giving the wondrous gift as well. No noise. No power. No fanfare.
Un-noticed by humankind – but not unnoticed by God, for with the appearing of Mary’s Little Lamb – Brooks tells us that the morning stars of Job 38:7 began to “Proclaim the holy birth.” For good reason. You see, Bethlehem is not only the place of silent streets and dreamless sleeps, the comfortable setting for the nostalgia of the crib and our warm family Christmases - No. Bethlehem, is also the place of God’s greatest gift, wrapped in swaddling clothes – born of Mary.
In an insignificant, drowsy, “loaf-of-bread” town called Bethlehem, Mary had a Little Lamb ... and in this wrapped up little baby ... lies our redemption.
I wonder if Mary thought about Isaiah’s words: “And behold the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
I wonder if God gave Mary a passing premonition that the anticipated descendent of Jacob, spoken of in Numbers 24:17 had arrived: "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; a star shall come forth from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise from Israel ...”
I wonder if Mary was reminded of that moment when a dying Jacob (Genesis 49:10), in the midst of prophetically giving his last will and testament, announced: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” Shiloh was one of Messiah’s names - as confirmed by the Talmud (Sanhedrin 98b; Bereshit Rabba 99).
Mary would never live to see Jesus reign in glory because there are prophecies yet to be fulfilled. Someday, when the Lord Jesus returns, the words of the O.T. prophet Zechariah will come to pass – and Jesus the Messiah ... the legal son of Joseph ... the natural son of Mary ... the eternal Son of God, will sit on the throne of David and as the angel Gabriel said, “of His Kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:33).
Here is . . . Perfect Humanity
Here is . . . Undiminished Deity
Here is . . . Inherent Royalty
Here is . . . Unique Identity
Here is . . . Faultless Discernability
Here is . . . Absolute Authority
Here is . . . Endless Longevity
Here is . . . Enduring Tranquility
... but you would never know just by looking at him!
In an insignificant, drowsy, “loaf-of-bread” town called Bethlehem, Mary had a Little Lamb . . . and in this wrapped up little baby ... lies our redemption. Or, as Brooks reminds us ... “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in him that night.”
There are benefits being accrued to us right now that have their beginning in the Court Yard of heaven and their visible proof in a Stock Yard in Bethlehem.
The 4th stanza of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” is where I feel Brooks’ efforts shine best; reminding us that ... Our Redemption is Witnessed in Our Hearts.
O holy Child of Bethlehem! Descend to us we pray,
Cast out our sin, and enter in; be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Emmanuel.
The Bible tells us in Luke 2 that Caesar Augustus’ decree called for a registration of all citizens and so in the final days of Mary’s pregnancy, she and Joseph made their way to the town. The enrollment under Augustus looms as one of the clearest indications in all of human history of the providential control of human affairs by God’s hand. To think that the administrative machinery of a vast empire like Rome was set in motion to fulfill the purpose of God in the advent of His Son ... is staggering. Yet that is precisely what happened. The “Holy Child of Bethlehem” descends ... on time ... on target! The mere mention of the name brings to mind the prophesy of Micah 5:2 1
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” (World English Bible)
Why does an Eternal God step across the stars to be born in Bethlehem?
Why does a Self-existent God, who is the only uncaused cause, leave Heaven’s glory?
Why does an Immutable God, who because He is perfect, cannot change for the better ... and because He is perfect will not change for the worse – choose to live among us?
Why does a God who possesses Immensity and therefore dwells within every inch of an infinite universe – choose to confine Himself to one geographical place among Adam’s fallen race?
In Bethlehem, God comes to us as a baby with His defenses down This is surely our invitation to come to Him in the same way this season – defenses down.
I think the 3rd stanza earlier, gave us a hint of an answer: To “Impart to human hearts, the blessings of His heaven.” But, here in the 4th stanza of the carol, the theological necessity of God’s incarnation is made abundantly clear: “Cast out our sin and enter in. Be born in us today.” As I see it ...
Singing “Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men” is not enough.
The most significant thing did not happen at Quirinius’s palace
The Big News is the Good News!
Bethlehem is a symbol of God's closeness. It is there that God kisses the earth when there seems to be no future for us. With the risk of His own wounding and death, the God of love comes again to embrace the earth with hope. Cloaking his grandeur in silent humility – He tries to lay claim to our hearts. And if we will invite Him into our hearts, He will not fail to “Cast out our sin and enter in.”
Notice the emphasis on dark streets, deep sleep,
silent nights and mortals sleeping? Sounds like an
apt description of the lingering spiritual
condition of our world today.
The birth of Christ (Incarnation) is an inexplicable act of God’s condescension. It is a grace that extends far beyond our folly. If we were to insist on understanding it all before we accept it, then we are doomed to failure. In a world more confused and complex than any prophet could have imagined, we must return to the priority cry of this carol. Mary’s Little Lamb wants to “... be born in us today.” This is what we call “Being Born Again.” (John 3:3).
I recently came across a revision of ‘O little Town of Bethlehem,’ by Rev. Kimberley Debus, in her blog “Notes from the Far Fringe”. Apparently, the original is lacking. I won’t bore you with all of the knuckle-headed nonsense in the revision, but here is a laughable taste:
“How silently, how silently the wonder is made known
When God imparts to human hearts the gift that is our own.
No ear may hear that coming, but in this worldly din,
When souls are truly humble, then the dear babe rests within.”
Debus then writes, “I think the correction we’ve got here actually makes it a more Christian message. The one we should be singing on Christmas.” What a wonderful facsimile of the dim, dumb and dopey stuff some folks can come up with. But hey – If it turns your crank, then sing away. It’s not the only moronic stuff I’ve ever heard sung in a church or cathedral.
When Christ came into this world, He came quietly. For the most part, He still does. When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us that He comes to live inside us through the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 14:16-23; Rom. 8:9-11). While there may not be a lot of flash associated with an entrance like that ... “but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him still the dear Christ enters in.” Such is the miracle of sins forgiven (John 5:24; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Boston born and Harvard educated, Brooks never did marry and in 1893 he died unexpectedly. He was 57! History reminds us that when President Lincoln was assassinated in Ford’s Theatre and his body later arrived in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, 29-year-old Brooks had the honour of preaching Lincoln’s eulogy. It was April 23, 1865. But arguably for me, the most significant event of Brook’s life was 8 months later. Fighting burn-out, he took a sabbatical that would lead him to the Holy Land and where from that experience he would later be inspired to write ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ — a little song ... for little people ... about a little town ... with an enormous impact. Such wonderful theology in such a humble Christmas Carol. “OnlySaying ...”
1. I am aware that critics have attacked the Micah 5:2 passage -- arguing that "Bethlehem Ephratah" in Micah 5:2 refers not to a town, but to a clan: the clan of Bethlehem, who was the son of Caleb's second wife, Ephrathah. First, it is true that the Bible speaks of a man named Bethlehem (I Chr. 2:50; 4:4) whose mother was named Ephrathah (I Chr. 2:19). It is equally true that the Bible speaks of a town named Bethlehem – Gen. 35:16, 19; 48:7; Ruth 1:2.; I Sam. 17:12. Matthew 2:4-6. In fact, there were two Bethlehem’s in Israel in the first century: One was 7 miles NW of Nazareth; the other 5 miles south of Jerusalem. The first was in the tribal territory of Zebulon, the other in Ephrathah, Judah. Second, it is perfectly possible that Micah, in referring to Bethlehem Ephrathah was referring both to a person and a town in Judah. (I Samuel 17:12).
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