Reflection on a Christmas Carol

No, not the Dickins story, a particular christmas carol which you may well end up singing at this time of year. It happens to be my favourite carol, namely "Hark the Herald Angels Sing". A glorious carol which speaks richly of the incarnation of Jesus, of the essence of the gospel being to reconcile God with sinners, of giving glory to God. However there is one line which causes me theological difficulties; "veiled in flesh the Godhead see". Whether it was the authors intention or not, the use of the word 'veiled' is problematic, because it implies that what lies underneath the veil is different from the veil itself. It makes it sound that Jesus only appeared to be human, an ancient heresy called docetism.

John 1, however, teaches that the Word (Jesus) BECAME flesh. The second person of the trinity became a man, lived as a man, died a man, was resurrected a man and remains a man to this day. If Jesus only appeared to be human, like someone wearing a sheet appearing to be a ghost, then he cannot identify with the human condition and therefore cannot stand in our place and take the wrath due to us for our sin. If Jesus isn't as human as I am then he cannot identify with me, and Christianity has no meaning. Jesus was made flesh, not veiled in it. Sing the carol, but know the truth.