O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL

Luke 2:15 – So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this things that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."

"For many years this hymn was known as an anonymous Latin hymn [18th century]. Recent research, however, has revealed manuscripts that indicate that it was written in 1744 by an English layman named John Wade and set to music by him in much the same style as used today. The hymn first appeared in his collection, Cantus Diversi, published in England in 1751. One hundred years later the carol was translated into its present English form by an Anglican minister, Frederick Oakeley, who desired to use it for his congregation. The tune name, "Adeste Fideles," is taken from the first words of the original Latin text, and translated literally means "be present or near, ye faithful." (Kenneth W. Osbeck in Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions)

• O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant. This is the intention of all who will believe "the good tidings of great joy" regarding "a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (vv.10f). The faithless may remain where they are, to continue in their sorrow and defeat.


• O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem. The one they were to seek in order to adore would be "born ... in the city of David" (v.11), Bethlehem (vv.15, 4), in fulfillment of ancient prophecy (Micah 5:2).


• Come and behold Him .... In what way?


• O come, let us adore Him. Many will, in the season celebrating His nativity, commemorate Him, but afterward think little of Him until Easter. Few will truly adore Him.

1. Christ the Lord (refrain). This is the title by which the angels identified Him: "a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (v.11). He is the Christ, or Messiah (see John 1:41; 4:25), because He is Jehovah's Anointed (Psalm 2:2) – anointed in all His mediatorial offices, as Prophet, Priest, and King (Psalm 45:7; Isaiah 61:1; Acts 4:27; 10:38). He is the Savior because "He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). He is the Lord because He possesses "the name which is above every name" at which "every knee should bow" and "every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD" (Philippians 2:9-11).
2. King of angels (v.1). The Father has designated Christ as such, and the angels acknowledge Him as such (Hebrews 1).
3. God of God (v.2), or God from God. Christ is the One sent from God to men to be acknowledged by men as God (John 5:17-23).
4. Light of Light (v.2). "God is light and in Him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5), and Christ is "the brightness of His glory" (Hebrews 1:3).
5. Very God, begotten, not created – Lo, He abhors not the virgin's womb (v.2). He is the Father's Son by an eternal generation, a generation which must be conceived as spiritual and divine, not physical and mortal. He is the Creator, not a creature. And He who made woman condescended to be born of woman.
6. Word of the Father, late in flesh appearing (v.4). He is the divine Logos, the One through whom God has communicated Himself to man (John 1:1f, 14-18) "in these last days" (Hebrews 1:1f).

1. Sing, choirs of angels; sing in exultation, Sing, all ye citizens of heav'n above: "Glory to God in the highest."

• The "choirs of angels" who sang when Christ created the world (Job 38:7) sang again when He was born into the world (vv.13f).


• The "citizens of heaven" are, in addition to the elect angels, "the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven" (Hebrews 12:22f), including those citizens who yet are on the earth (Philippians 3:20).

2. Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning: Jesus, to Thee be glory giv'n; ... O come, let us adore Him, ... Christ the Lord.