Article December 19, 2016 Issue

Presence of Immanuel

Richard Schaberg

Most of us have been tempted to think at one time or another: “Back ‘then’ things were so much better” or “If only things were different now” or “In the future things will be better.” Behind these thoughts is a feeling of limited joy, health, or good because of a current state of limiting circumstances. Christian Science enables us to gain an entirely new perspective that lifts us above these limitations.

In the book of Matthew, we read about the birth of Christ Jesus: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Matthew is citing the centuries-old prophecy of Isaiah about the coming of the Messiah (see Isaiah 7:14).

Immanuel (another spelling for Emmanuel) is sometimes considered to be another name for Christ. Christ is the spiritual nature, or image, of God, which Jesus lived and understood so closely that he was given the name Christ Jesus. In Matthew, the meaning of the Hebrew name Immanuel is given as “God with us.” So one way to think of the Christ is that God’s nature is with us.

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