The Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year A), Dec. 23, 2007
BCP: Isaiah 7:10-17; Psalm24 or 24:1-7; Rom. 1:1-7;Matt. 1:18-25
RCL: Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18; Rom. 1:1-7; Matt. 1:18-25
 
This prophecy of Isaiah is often lifted out of context and used as a firm prediction of the birth of Christ. This is sometimes called “christianizing the Old Testament.” In fact, Isaiah is speaking to Ahaz, the distressed king of Judah, who is confronted with pressure from Israel and Damascus to join in their anti-Assyrian alliance. In short, Ahaz seeks political self-preservation in the absence of authentic, personal faith.
 
Isaiah tells Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God” (7:11). Like most political rulers, Ahaz is unwilling: “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test” (7:12). Actually it is Ahaz who seeks to avoid this test of faith.
 
For Isaiah, faith includes patient waiting upon God, a patience sustained by an unquenchable optimism about the divine purpose. Undeterred by the stubbornness of Ahaz, Isaiah proclaims what the sign will be: A child is to be born shortly or has been born (tenses in Hebrew are practically non-existent) and his name will be Immanuel (God with us). Neither the circumstances of his birth nor his parentage were integral to his function as a sign of the imminence of God. Isaiah may have been drawing on the widespread ancient theme of a divine mother and redeemer child.
 
Nevertheless this child would bring a new orientation toward the holy God, a transformed outlook upon the world. And this vision of the coming kingdom is exactly the point where Matthew can find common ground.
 
Matthew was undoubtedly writing to Jewish Christians who lived in the Hellenistic world. He tells the story of the birth of Christ with great delicacy, emphasizing God’s role, Mary’s faithfulness, and Joseph’s willingness to trust the angel. And, of course, he quotes Isaiah 7:14 to demonstrate again the linkage between the faith of the covenant people and events occurring in the present.
 
While it is widely understood that the story of the miraculous birth appeared late in the preaching of Christianity, the theological point being affirmed is clear: The will of God is once again manifesting itself in human affairs; the faith, trust, and full participation of ordinary people (in this case, Mary and Joseph) was essential to the task at hand.
 
Look It Up
For Jews, an authentic Messiah would have to be descended from David. Thus in addition to Matthew 1:1-17, the genealogy of Jesus is mentioned in Acts (2:30, 13:23), Romans 1:3 (today’s epistle), 2 Timothy 2:8, and Revelation 22:43-45.
 
Think About It
Where is God’s kingdom breaking forth in your world? Are you a spectator or a participant?
 
Next Sunday
The First Sunday after Christmas (Year A), Dec. 30, 2007
BCP and RCL: Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Psalm 147 or 147:13-21; Gal. 3:23-25; 4:4-7; John 1:1-18