A Coming Christ in Advent

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A Coming Christ in Advent

• The Annunciation to Zechariah and the Birth of
  John the Baptist
• (Luke 15-25, 57-66, 80)

Sunday, December 3, 2006 10 to 1050 am, in the
Parlor. Everyone is welcome!
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• Merciful God, who sent your messengers the
  prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way
  for our salvation Give us grace to heed their
  warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet
  with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer
  who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
  Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
• - Book of Common Prayer, p. 211

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• A Coming Christ in Advent Essays on the Gospel
  Narratives Preparing for the Birth of Jesus.
  Raymond E. Brown, The Liturgical Press,
  Collegeville, MN, 1988. ISBN 0-8146-1587-2.
• Raymond E. Brown, S.S., was a world renown New
  Testament biblical scholar and the Auburn
  Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies at
  Union Theological Seminary in New York. Dr. Brown
  died in 1998.

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The Purpose of the Nativity Stories
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PurposeIntroduction

• The gospels of Matthew and Luke differ from the
  Mark and John by beginning with stories of Jesus
  conception and birth
• Mark never mentions Joseph
• John never gives the name of Jesus mother

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PurposeIntroduction

• To understand these infancy narratives, we must
  remember
• The gospels were not intended be historical
  biographies, but rather proclamations of the good
  news of salvation in the life of Jesus
• All gospel material was colored by the faith and
  experience of the Church of the first century

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PurposeIntroduction

• The origin and historical accuracy of the birth
  stories are unknown
• The stories in Matthew and Luke
• Agree in only a few details
• Contradict each other in other details
• There is no good historical record of public
  events mentioned in the birth stories (such as a
  new star, a worldwide census)
• Unlike what Jesus said and did during his
  ministry, no one claims apostolic witness to the
  events at Bethlehem

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So why did Matthew and Luke begin their gospels
(the good news of Jesus) with these birth stories?
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Purpose Jesus was God at His Birth

• To make the Christological declaration that
• Jesus was God at his birth

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Purpose Early Churchs Understanding of Jesus

• Churchs understanding of who Jesus was grew
  during the first century
• Oldest part of the gospel was the Passion
  narrative of the death and resurrection of Jesus.
  Some ancient preaching suggested Jesus
  exaltation as God occurred at his resurrection
• Acts 232 236 531 1333
• Romans 14 by his resurrection from the dead,
  Jesus was designated Son of God in power
  according to the Spirit of holiness

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Purpose Early Churchs Understanding of Jesus

• Marks gospel (the earliest gospel) begins his
  account of the good news of Jesus Christ at
  Jesus baptism
• At the moment of his baptism, the Holy Spirit
  descends upon Jesus who is revealed as Gods Son
• Matthew and Luke (later gospels), through the
  infancy narratives, make clear Jesus was Gods
  Son at Jesus birth
• And John (the last gospel written), makes it
  clear Jesus was Gods Son even before creation.

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Lukes versus MatthewsChapter 1
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Luke vs. MatthewMatthews Version

• Last session we studies Matthews Chapter 1
• begins with a lengthy genealogy of Jesus (Matthew
  11-17)
• Then follows an annunciation by an angel of the
  Lord to Joseph, telling him
• Dont divorce Mary, but take her into your home
  as your wife
• Her pregnancy is from the Holy Spirit
• She would have a son who should be named Jesus,
  for he would save the people from their sins

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Luke vs. MatthewMatthews Version

• Mary is a background figure in Matthews story
• there is no angel Gabriel
• No annunciation to Mary

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Luke vs. MatthewLukes Version

• Luke tells a much different story, with a
  different cast of characters
• Annunciation of the birth of Jesus is to Mary, by
  the angel Gabriel
• Another annunciation, to the priest Zechariah,
  that his wife Elizabeth would give birth to John
  the Baptist
• Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, which is the
  occasion for the canticle of the Magnificat
• Birth of John the Baptist, which is the occasion
  for the canticle of the Benedictus

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Luke vs. MatthewIn Common

• They are alike in only a few (albeit very
  important) details. In both
• an angel announces that Mary,
• who is married to Joseph in the House of David,
• would give birth to a child conceived through the
  Holy Spirit, and
• the child, the Son of God, should be named Jesus

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Luke vs. MatthewIn Common

• Matthew and Luke also both deliberately evoke Old
  Testament narratives in order to make it clear
  that Jesus is the fulfillment of Gods promises
  stretching back to Abraham.

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Reading

• Luke 15-25, 57-66, 80

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Structure of Lukes Chapter 1
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Lucan StructureIntroduction

• Luke uses narrative structure to artistically
  convey his thoughts.
• Parallelism between John the Baptism and Jesus
  (John-Jesus diptych)
• A triptych on Gods Plan of salvation

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Lucan StructureJohn-Jesus Diptych

• All the Gospels begin the story of Jesus public
  ministry by telling of John the Baptist
• Luke sets up a parallelism between John and Jesus
  often compared to a diptych painting with two
  facing panels
• Annunciation of Johns conception precedes
  annunciation of Jesus
• Johns birth (hailed by Zechariahs canticle the
  Benedictus) precedes Jesus birth (hailed by
  Simeons canticle, Nunc Dimittis)

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Lucan StructureGods Plan Triptych

• In addition, Lukes gospel and his sequel Acts
  have an architectonic perception of Gods plan,
  dividing history into three parts
• (1.) time of the Law and the Prophets (Old
  Testament bears witness to Jesus Acts 1314)
• (2.) time of Jesus (centerpiece)
• (3.) time of the church (The Spirit and those
  whom Jesus have chosen bear witness to him Acts
  19)

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Lucan StructureGods Plan Triptych

• Luke 1-2 bridges (1.) time of the Law and the
  Prophets, and (2.) time of Jesus
• Characters and motifs from the time of the Law
  and the Prophets encounter characters and motifs
  from time of Jesus (Mary, John the Baptist)
• Acts 1-2 bridges (2.) time of Jesus, and (3.)
  time of the church
• Characters and motifs from the time of Jesus
  encounter character and motifs from the time of
  the church (Jesus encounters the Twelve,
  including Peter, who will spread the good news
  throughout the world)

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Annunciation to Zechariah and the Birth of John
the Baptist
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Annunciation and BirthZechariah and Elizabeth

• The story of Johns parents Zechariah and
  Elizabeth is found only in Luke.

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Annunciation and BirthParallelism with
Abraham-Sarah

• There is only one elderly barren couple in the
  Old Testament who, like Zechariah and Elizabeth,
  have a child by the power of God Abraham and
  Sarah (Luke 17 Genesis 1811)
• More aspects of the parallelism between
  Zechariah-Elizabeth and Abraham-Sarah
• In both, announcement is made to the man
• Zechariahs response to angel (Luke 118) is a
  verbatim quote to Abrahams response to divine
  revelation (Genesis 158)
• Elizabeth rejoices with neighbors over the good
  news (Luke 158), as does Sarah (Genesis 216)

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Annunciation and BirthParallelism with
Elkanah-Hannah

• Zechariah and Elizabeth also evoke another Old
  Testament couple whose yearning for a child was
  answered by God Elkanah and Hannah, parents of
  Samuel
• Luke 15 There was a certain priest named
  Zechariah he had a wife and her name was
  Elizabeth.
• 1 Samuel 11-2 There was a certain man whose
  name was Elkanah and he had two wife the name
  of one was Hannah.

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Annunciation and BirthParallelism with
Elkanah-Hannah

• More aspects of the parallelism between
  Zechariah-Elizabeth and Elkanah-Hannah
• Revelation to Hannah that she would give birth to
  Samuel is at a visit to the temple sanctuary (1
  Samuel 3, 17), just as revelation to Zechariah is
  in the Jerusalem temple sanctuary
• Child to be born would not drink wine or strong
  drink (Luke 115, 1 Samuel 19-15)
• Canticle Magnificat (Luke 146-55) evokes
  Hannahs canticle in 1 Samuel 21-10.

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Annunciation and BirthEchoes of Daniel

• The angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah in the
  temple
• The only previous appearance of Gabriel is in the
  book of Daniel. In both
• Appearance called a vision (Luke 122, six times
  in Daniel 9-10)
• Appearance comes at a time of liturgical prayer
  to a figure praying in distress (Luke 113
  Daniel 920)
• Visionary becomes afraid, told not to fear, is
  struck mute (Luke 112-13, 20, 22 Daniel 108,
  12, 15)

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Annunciation and BirthLukes Evocation of the
Old Testament

• Parallelism between Zechariah-Elizabeth with
  Abraham-Sarah evokes the Books of the Law in the
  Hebrew Scriptures (The Torah or Pentateuch
  Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus)
• Parallelism between Zechariah-Elizabeth with
  Elkanah-Hannah evokes the Books of the Prophets
  in the Hebrew scriptures
• Echoes of Daniel evokes the last section of the
  Hebrew Scriptures in Lukes time the Writings
• In Daniel, Gabriel interprets the seventy weeks
  of years of the end times, when everlasting
  justice will be introduced, vision and prophecy
  will be ratified, and a Holy of Holies will be
  anointed. (Daniel 924)
• Gabriel is the final messenger of the Hebrew
  Scriptures, bringing the Old Testament to a close

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Annunciation and BirthLukes Evocation of the
Old Testament

• So like Matthew, like Luke, evokes
• All of the Hebrew scriptures
• TANAKN the Jewish holy scriptures, an acronym
  based on the initial Hebrews letters of the
  texts 3 main parts Torah, Prophets, and
  Writings
• the entire span of salvation history,
• of Gods dealings with Gods chosen people
  Israel,
• from Abraham and Sarah to Daniel and Gabriel (the
  last messenger of the Hebrew Scriptures),
• as prelude to the beginning of the New Covenant,
  the birth of the Jesus

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Annunciation and BirthJohn the Baptist

• Luke 1-2 is the interlude, the bridge between
  parts (1.) and (2.) of Lukes architectonic
  vision of God plan of salvation
• (1.) time of the Law and the Prophets (the Old
  Testament, the Old Covenant)
• (2.) time of Jesus
• In this bridge, we have John the Baptist, a
  prominent figure in the time of Jesus, along with
  characters and motifs evocative of the time of
  the Law and Prophets.

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Annunciation and BirthJohn the Baptist

• Johns description in Luke 1 is anticipatory of
  how he will be described later in the gospel
• Luke 115a he will be great ? Luke 728
  Jesus Among those born of women, none is
  greater than John
• Luke 115b before the Lord ? Luke 727 I
  send my messenger before your face who will
  prepare your way ahead of you.
• Luke 115b will drink no wine or strong drink
  ? Luke 733 John the Baptist has come eating no
  bread and drinking no wine.
• Luke 115b will be filled with the Holy Spirit
  ? Luke 32 The word of the God came to John

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Annunciation and BirthBirth of John the Baptist

• The actual birth of John the Baptist is described
  only briefly, in Luke 157-58
• The rejoicing of the neighbors on the birth of
  John echoes the rejoicing at Sarahs giving birth
  (Genesis 216)

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Annunciation and BirthNaming of John the Baptist

• Zechariahs insistence that the child be named
  John, rather than following convention and naming
  the child after a relative shows his belief his
  muteness is lifted.
• Note the remarkable coincidence (?) that
  Elizabeth also chooses the name John (Luke 160),
  a further sign that God is at work here.

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Annunciation and BirthGrowth of John the Baptist

• Parallelism with Hebrew Scriptures continues with
  description of the growth of John
• Genesis 218 on Isaac The child grew up
• 1 Samuel 221 on Samuel The child grew strong
  before the Lord.
• Luke 180 on John as the child grew up, he
  became strong in spirit.

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Next WeekThe Lucan Canticles The Benedictus