“On the First day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,
a partridge in a pear tree!”
No, not that Partridge!
Have you ever wondered the meaning behind this song?
I’ve been told, and I’m not exactly sure if it is true, that this song, The 12 Days of Christmas, was actually
written to be a pneumonic device to help children learn about the Bible. Again,
I have no idea if it is true, but I’d like to delve into the symbolic pictures
of this famous Christmas song.
The partridge in the pear tree was a symbol for Christ
on the cross. The partridge is a bird that will protect her young by feigning
injury in order to draw a predator away from her young. This symbol for Jesus
is appropriate because of the fact that Jesus, while not “feigning” anything,
but truly suffering on the cross, still gave His life in exchange for ours. His
sacrifice is what guarantees our salvation. He paid the price. He rose again.
He is the one who loves us.
In fact, Jesus’ sacrifice, not only at the cross, but at
His birth (remember, He gave up all of His rights as God to empty Himself and
be found in human likeness—Philippians 2:1-8) demonstrated just how much God
loved and cared for His people.
With that in mind, as you celebrate this Christmas
season, remember to rejoice in the gifts that Jesus has given you. And as we
celebrate, let’s remember that God’s gift of Jesus was the greatest gift of all!
Merry Christmas, and we’ll see you on Sunday!
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