TRANS-AFRICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

TABERNACLE OF DAVID ASSEMBLY CAMPUS

NAME : DAVIS MUSHEKWA

COURSE : CHURCH HISTORY 1

ASSIGNMENT : ONE

QUESTION : BRIEFLY DISCUSS THE THREE

FACTORS THAT LED TO THE FULFILLMENT
OF GALATIANS 4:4

LECTURER : PASTOR DR KENNEDY MUSONDA

DUE DATE : 4TH JUNE 2021

TELEPHONE : 0977819404

EMAIL : dsmushekwa@gmail.com

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INTRODUCTION
Jesus was born during the time and period when the surrounding areas were influenced by the
three Worlds, namely the Jewish World, the Greek World and the Roman World.

(a) Jewish World – this was the center that influenced other surrounding areas in Religious
beliefs. Their strong Judaism beliefs is said to have influenced the early Christian Church.
(b) Greek World – this influenced other centers in literally works and language. They were
good in communication, debates and writing. Most Religious activities were done in Greek
including some early scriptures, the Septuagint.
(c) Roman World – this was the center that influenced rules and security. They influenced all
surrounding areas by making roads so that all members of the Empire were to travel freely.

The Romans were in charge of Israel at time when Jesus was born. In Israel, the Romans sent
Herold to be the King. The Jews were under oppression and thought that the Birth of the Messiah
would bring them political freedom.

BODY

During time of Jesus’ birth the known surrounding world was concentric, the borders were
porous and security was at its best. The needed the Messiah because they lived in slavery.

The Bible in Galatians 4:4 but when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a
woman, born under the law,

Adam Clarke (online commentary) asserts that, “the time which God in His infinite
wisdom counted best, in which all His counsel were filled up, and the time which His
Spirit, by the Prophets, had specified ,and the time to which He intended the mosaic
institution should extend, and beyond which they should be of no avail.”

The coming of Christ Jesus just fitted well into God’s plan regarding the redemption of mankind.
No other period or generation world would have been the best time for the Messiah to come. All
the three worlds were ripe for this event.

The Roman Empire, with all their rule to protect decided they will destroy this plan. King Herold
conspired to kill Jesus after his birth. Herold ordered that all male babies in Bethlehem who were
two years and younger should be killed, Matthew 2:16. Mary and Joseph with the baby fled the

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area to Egypt until the death of King Herold. The fleeing away to Egypt and the killing of babies
were both prophecies that were being fulfilled in line with God’s infinite wisdom.

Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son (NIV)

Jeremiah 31:15 This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and
weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are
no more (NIV)

There was great distress during the period when King Herold’s instructions were undertaken.
Every household with a male baby in Bethlehem and surrounding areas had a funeral. These
households needed a comforter and every mother refused to be comforted. Despite all this, God’s
plan for the Messiah to come and redeem his people was fulfilled.

The timing of God was perfect. It was time for redemption. There was not a better time than this.
In the Abstract to his Research, Emeka C. Ekeke, American Journal Social Issues and
Humanities (2013) stated that, “God prepared the world to receive both Jesus and His Church.
Neither before nor after that time was the world ever in such a state.”

The Jews thought that the coming of Jesus Christ was to bring a new rule in Israel, politically but
this was time for God to reconcile His people back to Himself.

In Church History in Plain Language by Bruce L Shelly: (2013:23) Updated 4th Version

“The main theme of Jesus’ teachings was the Kingdom of God. What did He mean by
that? Did He believe in dramatic intervention of God in the history of the world? Or did
He mean that the Kingdom is already here in some sense? He probably meant both. The
two can be reconciled if we recognize that the phrase stands for the sovereignty of a
Personal and Gracious God, not a geographical or local realm.”

Jesus, born in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth and did ministry in all the surrounding cities and
villages especially in Galilee. To consolidate his ministry, Jesus did a lot of Miracles and
Teachings in Galilee. Some of the notable workings of the Lord Jesus Christ in Galilee were as
follows:

(a) Turns water into wine in Cana, Galilee John 2:1-11

(b) Heals the nobleman’ son in Capernaum in Galilee John 4:43-54

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(c) Heals peter’s mother-in-law sick with fever Matthew 8:14-15; Mark 1:29-31
(d) Miraculous catch of fish at sea of Galilee Luke 5:1-11
(e) Heals woman with an issue of blood in Galilee Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34
(f) raises Jairus’ daughter back to life Luke 8:40-42; Mark 5:21-24

Spectacular Miracles of Jesus Christ accessed on bibilium.com on 03.06.2021

With the foregoing activities, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ spread to many areas far and
wide. This was the foundation of the growth of the early Church as the Apostles and other
disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ travelled to many cities built by the Roman Empire.

CONCLUSION

The world before the coming of Jesus Christ, was in the sense of expectation as they were
looking forward to the fulfillment of Messianic prophecies. God in his eternal wisdom arranged
and prepared the world in such a way that Jesus’ birth, his growth and ministry just fitted in well
with the political and religious systems of the world then. Hence the fulfillment of Galatian 4:4
came exactly to meet the needs of the world as stated by Apostle Paul:

Galatians 4:3 so also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental
spiritual forces of the world. 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive
adoption to sonship

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Bibliography

1. Adam Clarke Commentary online available (accessed on 3rd June 2021) from
https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/galatians-4html 1832

2. Bruce L Shelly: Church History in Plain Language updated 4th Version (2013: P23)

3. Emeka C. Ekeke. (2013) ‘On the Greco Roman and Jewish Contribution to the Growth of
Earliest Christianity.’ American Journal of Social Issues and Humanities 3(1). Accessed on 2 nd
June 2021 on https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249991974

4. Spectacular Miracles of Jesus Christ (accessed on 3rd June, 2021) from https://bibilium.com