Songs and hymns continue to be a main tradition for Christmas, and we often hear “What Child is This?” as a main selection.
As Christmastime draws near, many of us place a nativity set in our house, complete with the main characters. We place the baby Jesus at the center. A few churches even have a live nativity out near the street. While we may complain about the secularization and commercialization surrounding Christmas, it would be difficult to find someone who didn’t know the baby Jesus as the foundation of the holiday.
Yet the famous hymn, “What Child is This?” does more than give us a reason for the season. The song explores the person, the role, and the wonder associated with Christ arriving in the flesh. Looking into the background of the song “What Child is This?” reveals the heart of God in Christmas.
Poet and writer William Chatterton Dix authored “What Child is This?” in 1865. Born in England, Dix's father named him after the poet Thomas Chatterton, which might have either inspired or destined William’s writing career. Dix successfully managed a marine insurance company in Glasgow, Scotland, but kept a deep and personal faith with a passion for writing hymns and poetry. His writings often focused on devotion to Christ and drew from the Bible.
Dix began writing the lyrics to "What Child is This?" during a time of deep suffering in his life. At age 29, he became seriously ill, and his health crisis left him bedridden for months. Along with his pain, Dix also experienced spiritual and emotional trouble, leading him to think about his faith and relationship with God more deeply than ever before. During this intense time of prayer, he found peace and comfort in reading Scripture and writing hymns and poems expressing his new insights.
During this time, he wrote “What Child is This?”, inspired by the Nativity story in Matthew and Luke. Dix focused on the wonder and awe surrounding the birth of Jesus, mixing theological statements with worship. In the hymn, he gets listeners to meditate on Jesus's identity in the manger.
As with many old songs, Dix borrowed the melody from a traditional tune, in this case, the English “Greensleeves” from the 16th century. Dix’s text with a familiar melody helped the song become popular, and it has endured as a Christmas favorite.
Here are the lyrics to “What Child is This?”:
What child is this,
Who, laid to rest,
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthem sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
This, this is Christ the King,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and lamb are feeding?
Good Christian, fear for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come, peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
The Incarnation, God becoming flesh in Jesus, is one central theme of this beloved Christmas song. The opening line questions Jesus’ identity, leading to an echo of the angel’s declaration in Luke 2:10-11. “I bring you good news of great joy … a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” The Incarnation infuses the whole Christmas story, revealing God’s love and desire to be reconciled to humanity, bridging the gap between heaven and earth.
The song also points to Jesus’ humility. The lyrics ask, “Why lies he in such mean estate, where ox and ass are feeding?” Dix draws attention to the humility of Christ’s birth. Instead of being born in a palace or place of great wealth, Mary had her baby in a cave and placed him in a lowly manger. This fulfills prophesies like Isaiah 53:2-3, describing the Messiah as someone who “had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him.” Jesus' humble circumstances makes him relatable to us, underscoring the Emmanuel, God with us nature of his mission. Unlike every other earthly kingdom, Christ’s kingdom doesn’t depend upon worldly power or status.
Finally, the song talks about salvation through Christ’s sacrifice. The hymn relates how Jesus was born to suffer death later in life to save us all. “Nails, spear shall pierce him through, the cross be borne for me, for you.” Foreshadowing the crucifixion connects the baby in the manger to his ultimate sacrifice on the cross (1 Peter 2:24), where “he himself bore our sins in his body.” Jesus came to earth to fulfill his Father’s salvation plan, making a way for eternal life for any who would believe.
Many Christians today get frustrated about the commercialization and secularization of Christmas. We can watch a host of Christmas movies and listen to Christmas pop songs without ever hearing about the reason for it all: Jesus. Yet we shouldn’t point to Christ during December out of obligation but in awe and wonder. Often, certain ideas or events become more common, or we lose our excitement. The hymn reminds us of the amazing and heavenly nature of the Incarnation, both transcendent and intimate.
The angels in heaven, who constantly see God as he is, erupt with praise and shouts with their announcement in Luke 2:11. If angels find the event so radical, shouldn’t we? Dix uses questions to help the listener engage with the truth afresh. Asking who the child is and what this all means encourages us to approach the truth in new ways. He encourages us through awe and wonder to see beyond the nativity scene alone to the eternal significance of Christ's birth.
Not only did God send Jesus through humble circumstances, but the angels didn’t announce the Savior to priests or Herod or even Caesar. God chose to proclaim this impossible but real world-changing moment to shepherds in the field (Luke 2:8-14), people marginalized and considered of low status. The shepherds received the heavenly message and immediately went to see and worship Jesus. Their inclusion in the story shows God’s love extends to everyone, even those often overlooked.
At the same time, the Magi, or wise men, traveled from far away, following a star leading them to Jesus (Matthew 2). They brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, symbolizing their recognition of Jesus as King, Savior, and priest. These men were outsiders, non-Jews, but the Good News welcomes all people.
Along with Jesus’ salvation mission, the song “What Child is This?” highlights the awe and wonder of how God’s redemptive plan begins with the poor and the outsider, teaching us the importance of how we should begin with humility.
Churches use “What Child is This” in worship to reflect on and celebrate the mystery and power of Jesus’ birth, especially during Christmas. The lyrics and soft melody make it an ideal choice for services that focus on the Nativity and the Incarnation, helping us engage anew on who Jesus is, why he came, and what his birth means for all of us.
The song usually follows readings from the Gospels, especially from Luke 2, Matthew 2, and Isaiah 9, the latter foretelling the Messiah’s coming. Readings lay a biblical foundation, helping congregations better connect with the lyrics. The hymn can be used with Advent traditions, especially when the focus shifts to joy, love, and Christ. In response, congregations can pray in gratitude for God’s work, and the song might be used for a sermon. The public confession, “This, this is Christ the king,” becomes a simple and profound declaration of faith in unity with the church gathering.
“What Child is This?” calls us to cultivate awe and wonder about God and his work, especially the birth of Christ. We must resist treating God’s works as common. In our daily lives and in religious settings, God’s truths and the Gospel become familiar, and we lose our sense of amazement. Yet Scripture encourages us to continually remember and give thanks for God’s mighty works (Psalm 105:5). Practicing gratitude, we rediscover our wonder and remain focused on God’s grace and majesty.
The hymn asks questions to provoke deeper thought. Jesus often used questions when teaching, prompting people to think deeply and examine their own beliefs. In this way, people own what they believe. For example, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15) Rather than simply telling them, he brought them to a situation where the Spirit would give revelation, and they would seek answers, which happened when Peter responded, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” Jesus celebrated that no man, even himself, told Peter this. The disciple had received revelation, a reason to give praise. As Christians, we should also adopt this approach, using questions to help others consider their faith, trusting the Holy Spirit to guide their thoughts and deepen their understanding.
The song reminds us of Jesus’ humble arrival. Rather than coming in a display of power, Jesus came as a vulnerable baby, inviting us into relationship instead of coercing or manipulating us. This reveals how even though he could and has all power, God won’t force us to follow him but gently calls us to himself in willing submission. Philippians describes Jesus as humbling himself to become human, even to death, demonstrating his sacrificial love.
In the same way that Jesus identified with being poor and oppressed, the song points to God’s choice to reveal him to the poor and marginalized. The shepherds and wise men teach us how Jesus’ mission began with the humble and the outcast, reminding us to reach out to those in need with the Gospel. Jesus proclaimed how he came to “proclaim good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18), and as his followers, he calls us to carry that mission forward.
Finally, “What Child is This?” encourages us to declare God’s salvation with assurance and awe. Just as the angels declared Jesus as Savior, we should affirm the heavenly reality of Christ’s lordship and share the Good News with boldness. Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16), and we should verbally honor the greatness and love within God’s redemptive plan.
Peace.
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