Matthew 3:13-17 What the text says: Pr. Fourman

Matthew 3:13-17

v13 The baptism τοτε adv. "then" = temporal; παραγινεται (παραγινομαι) pres. "came" a historic present = consummative aorist, a cessation of the act of coming. του βαπτισθηναι (βαπτιζω) aor. pas. inf. "to be baptized" – a genitive articular infinitive expressing purpose; "in order to be baptized." Matthew brings out the purpose of Jesus' coming to John.

  
v14  διεκωλυεν (διακωλυω) imperf. "he (John) tried to deter/forbid [him]" - a connotative imperfect indicating action attempted but not achieved; "John unsuccessfully protested.

λεγων (λεγω) pres. part. "saying" attendant circumstance, "he forbid him and said"

βαπτισθηναι (βαπτιζω) aor. pas. inf. "to be baptized" - υπο + gen. "by [you]" - Instrumental, expressing agency. και συ ερχη τρος με "and you come to me?" – a rhetorical.

v15 αποκριθεις (αποκρινομαι) aor. pas. part. "[he] answered” a common Semitic construction, somewhat awkward in modern English.

αρτι adv. "[enough for] now" – a temporal, the "now" underlines the idea that Jesus' submission to John is "for the present" so John has no need to be reticent. 

ουτως γαρ "for thus”. causal, giving the reason why it is proper.

πρεπον (πρεπω) pres. part. "[it is] proper" for John to baptize Jesus; an idiom, "for now this is how it should be, because we must....".

πληρωσαι (πληροω) aor. inf. "fulfill/complete [all righteousness]" - to complete, accomplish [all righteousness]. The infinitive is epexegetic, explaining what is proper. "Righteousness", δικαιοσυνη, is being used in the sense of "conformity to God's will. Israel's ‘baptism’ in the Red Sea serves as a type for Jesus' baptism in the river as he serves to fulfill/accomplish God's will for Israel. Some scholars suggest Jesus' baptism prefigures his crucifixion, others that Jesus is fulfilling prophecy.

v16 βαπτισθεις (βαπτιζω) aor. mid. part. "having been baptized" - translators treat the participle as temporal, ευθυς adv. “immediately” (Mark’s favorite word). Most translators link "immediately" with the verb "rise up", i.e. "just then, when he came out of the water, the Spirit fell..."

οι ουρανοι (ος) "heaven" lit. "the heavenlies", i.e. the dwelling place of the divine.

νεω χθησαν (ανοιγω) aor. pas. "was opened/split open” this invokes LUjke’s images of the angels in the fields outside of Bethelhem, also in Matthew,k the curtain of the temple is “split open” at the crucifixion; at any rate the separation of the heavenlies from the earth is breached.

του θεου (ος) gen. "[the Spirit] of God" -  ablative of source/origin; "from God." The definite articles both for "God" and "Spirit" only appear in some manuscripts. A spirit of God" would not be an acceptable translation; the Holy Spirit is obviously intended, although this may still be rendered as a possessive; "God's Spirit."

καταβαινον (καταβαινω) pres. part. "descending" - As with "coming = alighting [on 

him]", the participle forms a dependent statement of perception expressing what Jesus saw.

ωσει "like" a dove in appearance or descending as a dove would descend. The image is likely to reflect the rabbinic interpretation of Genesis 1:2 - the Spirit moves over the face of the waters "like a dove that broods over her young, but does not touch them." As such we have a "new creation" image.

περιστεραν (α) "dove" - The actual bird intended is unclear, but a dove is probably intended. A dove is used in the OT as an image of Israel more often than an Image of God's Spirit. 

v17 This divine declaration is usually viewed as a melding of Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 

42:1. See above on the possible allusion to Genesis 22:1.

λεγουσα (λεγω) pres. part. "saying”- attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the implied verb "came"; "a voice came from heaven and said."

ο υιος "Son" - probably in a messianic sense rather than identifying a filial relationship.

ο αγαπητος (ος) "whom I love" implying an intimate association with the divine, think "dearest child", although the word here probably implies more "singular" or “unique”.

εν + dat. "in [him I am well pleased]" - expressing space, although an adverbial usage expressing manner is possible; i.e. "with whom." The NIV, and other translations, understands this phrase in the terms of God being pleased with the way and who Jesus is, but it seems more likely that God is announcing his favor rests on his beloved. With this translation the verb ευδοκεω is taken to mean "give consent", rather than "think it good  or pleasing." As such God's announcement is messianic, designating Jesus as God's servant messiah viz. Isaiah 42:1, 44:2.  

You Have never been this way before - Pr. Kruse

Righteousness is man’s answer to the Torah, acceptance of the whole of God’s will, the bearing of the “yoke of God’s kingdom.”  

Ratzinger, Joseph (2007-05-15). Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration (p. 17). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

It is a strange matter this baptism of Jesus. Does it help us to pose for a moment that it is not Christian Baptism? Yes, for a moment let us assume that this is a totally different washing in water that John has in mind. He himself admits that his baptism is incomplete. One will come who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. (Mt 3:11) So, what he, John, does is one thing. What Messiah will do is another, but somehow related. Maybe one is earthly and very pragmatic while the other is of the Kingdom and maybe Jesus’ is really neither, just to make it more complicated. 

Maybe, the people who are baptized really are confessing their sins and name them like Nazarites would. The water and bath become the mark of a new life a new beginning, the filth of life lived thus far left behind. In a time of resolutions and new year plans, we can understand what this might be and mean. 

Yet, is this bath merely symbolic? Is it not also somewhat real? The Jordan is not just any river. It is the river that Israel had to consecrate itself to cross before they became the people of the Promised Land. Crossing the Jordan was a new beginning. Joshua’s words “you  have not passed this way before,” (Jos 3;4) ring loud here. Israel must watch the Ark, the presence of God, go before them to know where they themselves must then follow. On the other side, by the way, their first act is to circumcise everyone and to celebrate the Passover. They make a new beginning in an old identity and then they go to war with those who would stand in the way of God’s will for them to inhabit the land, Jericho. 

When Israel crosses Jordan they quit being a ragged band of nomads and finally become the Jewish people God meant them to be. They are beginning to take this Torah stuff serious. By crossing the Jordan, circumcision, Passover, and struggle for the promised land they are saying: “Yes” to Torah and God’s will. 

Those who follow John, are they perhaps making a similar journey? Are they saying, with Joshua: We will now take this stuff serious? These “baths” in ancient times were for consecration. It helps to remember that taking a bath or shower might not have been the common thing we take it to be today. Those who took them did so because great things were afoot. Holy things needed doing. Priests washed themselves physically for ritual purity in order to perform their priestly duties. The water was to signify that the unclean that clung to the priest had now been wash away. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” says Joshua. (Jos 24) Perhaps those who came to John confessed their past non faithfulness to Torah and consecrated themselves to join that chorus.

So the air hung thick with their confessions and the water ran red with the sins, and Jesus came to be baptized. Maybe, if it is not too much of a stretch, he came to gather from the water what the others had left there in vain, for water is merely water and water alone cannot take away sin. Maybe he went in not to leave anything there, but to gather from those on shore who had just emerged that which they had hoped to leave: their sin and as he emerged, he emerged with their sins on him so he might take them away. Maybe the voice of God was pleased because, he would bear their iniquities and by his stripes they would eventually be healed. (Is 53)

Yet, his baptism is also like those who preceded him: He consecrates himself for the ministry he will now embark upon. Like Israel, he will emerge from the water and do battle with those who would stand in the way of God’s will: Satan. For Jesus it is an emergence. The quiet years of obscurity, of which no one knows, are now over. Like Israel that had been obscure in the deserted places unseen and unknown by those who inhabited the land this is a River Jordan crossing. The Tempter had until then left him be as if somehow unaware of his presence but now he has come out of the wilderness and now he was a threat. Now the Tempter must fight him.

Yet, the least in the kingdom of Heaven shall be greater than John. (Mt 11:11) The very mediator of the consecration, the washing for righteousness sake, is said to be less than what befits the kingdom of God. John’s ministry cannot have been performed too far from Gilgal, the place where the 12 stones gathered from the river at the crossing under Joshua took place. (Jos 5:9) Geography just demands it. Gilgal is a reminder. While Israel was still in the wilderness, God’s promise that he would make the Hebrews in Egypt a nation with their own land was still open. Gilgal was a reminder that God keeps promise. The reproach that has hung on them since Exodus has now been removed. (Jos 5:9) Gilgal and Golgatha have common roots. 

Reproach still hangs over us. The reproach of our own conscience. The reproach of the whispering of our own demons and our own angels. The reproach of our own consciousness being jolted awake from our cruise control daily life just long enough to see that we are east of Jordan, east of Eden. The reproach of having it happen again only to realize that we have done nothing to change any of it. The reproach that, in the words of National Lampoons parody of Desiderata, “You are a fluke of the universe, you have no right to be here, and whether you can hear it or not, the universe is laughing behind your back,” and on Blue Mondays we truly believe it. 

What is Blue Monday? It is a Monday in January and, as the name suggests, the day of least happiness in the year. Well, it is Monday on blue Monday and that enters into the equation.  Yes, there is an equation but no one knows what it calculates: 

where unpleasantness of weather=W, debt level minus our ability to pay it=D-d, time since Christmas=T, time since failing our new year’s resolutions=Q, low motivational levels=M and the feeling of a need to take action=Na, according to the always reputable Wikipedia.

Over the past three years, researchers have mined social media data of over two million people in the U.K. and found that people were more likely to complain about the weather, guilt over resolutions and fewer posts about living a healthier lifestyle on the first Monday back to work after the new year, and that, Is January 6th, 2014.

The happiest days of the year are supposedly Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day and the first warm day of the year.  (look on Wikipedia concerning Blue Monday)

The Kingdom of Heaven has its own Jordan. We do not cross it unless we stand at the distance and watch the presence of God, Emmanuel, cross over for we have never passed this way before. (Jos 3:4) At a distance, like Israel at Jordan, stood the women and watched as the centurion proclaimed: “Surely this was a son of God.” (Mat 27:53) Joshua looked up and saw a man: The commander of the Armies of the Lord, his sword drawn to topple the walls of Jericho. On the third day the  women meet the angel at the tomb who paralyses the guard in fear like the kings of the Amorites (Jos 5:1) and brings down the wall - the stone that covered the tomb of Jesus. A new Promised Land awaits. Now cross the Jordan. 

The Texts for December 23, 2013, Advent IV

First Reading: Isaiah 7:10–16

¹⁰Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying,  ¹¹Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.  ¹²But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.  ¹³Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also?  ¹⁴Therefore the LORD himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.  ¹⁵He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.  ¹⁶For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

Second Reading: Romans 1:1–7

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,  ²which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures,  ³the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh  ⁴and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,  ⁵through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name,  ⁶including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

⁷To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel: Matthew 1:18–25

¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.  ¹⁹Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.  ²⁰But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  ²¹She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."  ²²All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

²³"Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us."  ²⁴When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife,  ²⁵but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

December 23 - What the Text says - Pr. Fourman

Greek Study Matthew 1:18-25

In this passage Matthew recounts the story of the birth of Jesus, and this as the result of a supernatural act of God. Jesus is not only the son of David, but he is also the Son of God.  In 1:18-25 Matthew deals with Jesus' origin and name. The focus is on Joseph; Mary remains incidental to the story. He relates how Joseph comes to marry Mary, someone already pregnant, and how through this marriage Jesus is included in the Davidic line. The story explains the origins of Jesus and how he was named. The ‘virgin birth’ is accepted by Matthew without question. 

1:18  ουτως adv. "how" expressing manner. The sense is general not pointing to the event of the birth itself.

Μαριας (α) gen. "Mary" in apposition to "mother".

τω/ Ιωσηφ dat. "to Joseph" – a dative of direct object after the verb μνηστευθεισης, "being engaged." Betrothal was as good as marriage in Jewish society. Mary, having gotten pregnant apart from Joseph, could suffer stoning had not Joseph acted on her behalf.

μνηστευθεισης (μνηστευω) gen. aor. pas. part. "was pledged to be married". a genitive absolute construction and temporal clause, so "when his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph".

πριν η  "before" - another temporal clause indicating action of the verb συνελθειν (συνερχομαι) aor. inf. "came together" so; "just before their marriage".

ευρεθη (ευρισκω) aor. pas. "she was found" – or "she discovered she was " εν γαστρι εχουσα " with child" – an idiomatic phrase; literally "having in the womb" or as we would say "pregnant".

εκ + gen. "through" - the intended sense may be "from, out of",. Luke handles this fact with a little more sensitivity which likely reveals more of a cultural difference between Luke’s and Matthew’s communities than anything theological.

  
v19  ων (ειμι) pres. part. "because ...... was" - The participle of the verb to-be is adverbial and 

best taken to introduce a causal clause, as NIV.

ο ανηρ (ηρ ρος) "[her] husband" - in apposition to "Joseph". As noted above, this is as good as being married.

δικαιος adj. "a righteous/law abiding" man.  Joseph was someone who did what was right, a man who complies with the law. The fact that the law required him to divorce her (before two witnesses) and didn't indicates he is merciful as well as “just”.  These are OT divine qualities. Joseph here is acting as an agent for Yahweh.

μη θελων (θελω) pres. part. "he did not want" δειγατισαι (δειγματιζω) aor. inf. "public disgrace" - he was unwilling to bring shame upon her. 

απολυσαι (απολυω) aor. inf. "to divorce/destroy" – a dependent statement of perception expressing what Joseph had in mind not to do.

λαθρα adv. "quietly" - in-house "privately" is closer than "quietly".

  v20 ενθυμηθεντος (ενθυνομαι) aor. part. "after he had considered " – as he was 

reflecting; the genitive absolute participial construction forms a temporal clause. Possibly as a direct statement expressing completed action; "he had resolved or made up his mind to do this".

κυριου (ος) gen. "[an angel] of the Lord" - possessive, "the Lord's angel" or ablative "an angel from the Lord."

εφανη (φαινομαι) aor. "appeared".

κατα "in [a dream]" - expressing means; a phrase used by Matthew for divine revelation.

λεγων (λεγω) pres. part. "and said" – angels are messengers so they speak.  

μη φοβηθης (φοβεομαι) aor. subj. "do not be afraid" and there is is again, one of the central messages of bothteh Old and New Testaments.  "Fear" in the sense of "do not hesitate", "do not shrink from" παραλαβειν (παραλαμβανω) inf. "to take [Mary] home" to lead her into his household. Joseph need not fear of taking Mary as his wife, this referring to the marriage custom of a man taking a women into his home as a sign of their union.

γεννηθεν (γενναω) aor. pas. part. "what is conceived/generated/begun [in her]" - the participle is adjectival, "for the child which is conceived in her."

  
v21 τεξεται (τικτω) fut. "she will give birth" 

καλεσεις (καλεω) sing. fut. "you are to give to/call" an imperatival future. "You should give him the name Jesus."  The Hebrew name "Jesus" means "Yahweh of salvation", in Greek rendered "Joshua". In Hebrew, the word "Jesus" actually sounds like "he will save". σωσει (σωζω) fut. "will save/rescue/set free" or for the whole clause, "redeem/forgive".

τωϖ αμαρτιων (α) "sins" - "miss the mark", used in the LXX and NT for offences against God.

  
v22  ολον (ος) "all/whole/entire/complete” γεγονεν (γινομαι) perf. "took place".

  ινα + subj. "so that" - a purpose clause; 

πληρωθη/ (πληροω) aor. subj. "fulfill/complete”; the promises made by Yahweh through the prophets.

το ρηθεν (λεγω) aor. pas. part. "the thing/matter being spoken [by Lord]”. 

δια + gen. "through" - by means of the prophets.

λεγοντος (λεγω) gen. pres. part. "-" - saying. The participle may be treated as adverbial, temporal, genitive in agreement with "prophet"; "when he said."

v23  η παρθενος (ος) "the virgin" - young woman who has not participated in sexual intercourse. (The Greek word may be used of a sexually active young woman, but is normally used of a virgin while the Hebrew word used in Isaiah 7:14 simply means a young woman of marriageable age. Regardless Isaiah is speaking of a birth which serves as a sign to the people.

εν γραστπι εξει "will conceive" - having in the womb (see v18 for this idiomatic phrase).

καλεσουσιν (καλεω) sing. fut. "they will call [him]" - they will call [the name of him]. Isaiah has the singular "ye will call", indicating Matthew's shift to the fellowship of believers who affirm the name of Jesus.

Εμμανουηλ − in Hebrew this means "prosperity", comes from God being with a person. εστιν μεθερμηνευομενον (μεθερμηνευω) pres. pas. part. "[which] means" - [which] having been interpreted, translated. An idomatic paraphrastic present construction, "[which] being translated means"; "for that name means God is with us", Barclay.

μεθ (μετα) + gen. "with" - Expressing association. The sense is either: In Jesus "God is with us", or his name is "God with us.

  
v24 δε  but transitional, so "now".

εγερθεις (εγειρω) pas. part. "when [Joseph] arose/woke up".

ως "as/like” a comparative; "he did as the angel of the Lord commanded."

αυτου gen. pro. "he [took] Mary [home as his wife]" - [he took the wife] of him. The genitive is adjectival, relational.

  
v25 ουκ εγινωσκεν (γινωσκω) imperf. "he had no union with/did not consummate the 

marriage/did not know” a euphemism for sexual relations.

εως + gen. "until" rendered "before", although the sense is probably "until after she gave birth." This phrase is concerned with the period before the birth and not what happened after (i.e. it does NOT promote the perpetual virginity of Mary).

εκαλεσεν (καλεω) aor. "he gave [him the name]" 

December 23 - Incredible Stories - Pr. Kruse

Das Tollste ist immer war - Goethe 

Isaiah 7:10–16; Psalm 80:1–7, 17–19; Romans 1:1–7; Matthew 1:18–25

Yes, there were rituals in the Old Testament world that sound like odd forerunners of the witch hunts of the middle ages, Number 5:11-31 - how to divine whether your wife is cheating - is one of those texts. Deuteronomy 22:13-21 - how to prove that your wife was a virgin -  is another text that reminds us that the times and places we consider in the bible are often ever so different from our own. Deuteronomy 22:23-24 - about the treatment of rape victims - well - it just sounds downright bizarre like tales from the conservative middle eastern world that offend us even today. Everyone gets stoned to death because the woman does not scream though she was in the city and could have been heard. And if she is found with child, and survives all the questions and tests and so on, then the child is actually someone else’s child and Joseph cannot just take someone else’s as his own without the father giving specific, ritual permission to do so. The biological father has the right to child and woman somehow if the family agrees. It makes modern love, as weird as it has become, seem downright - normal . . . ?

All these bizarre texts are swirling through the mind of Joseph. He lives in a world where marriage was political, tribal, truly an all family affair. Consenting adults are not who make marriages in biblical times and tribal cultures. Families make arrangements, the marriage partners follow along, new children will be born into the family, hopefully sons who will help the family “contend at the gate.” (Ps 127:5) As Goethe says: The most incredible tales always turn out to be true somehow.

But Joseph is not the first modern either. He is certainly just as much part of his culture as the next guy. Yet, unlike the man in Numbers 5, he is not burning with anger or jealousy. He is calm and he wants to do the gracious and right thing. That, he has determined, is to let the family of Mary take charge of the matter. A new arrangement with the true father of the child can be made and Mary can become that man’s wife. Joseph will not step on the other man’s rights and he will be a gentleman about the whole thing and go away honorably. Little does he know in the evening  that the “other” is non other than God.

In the scheme of the story, what happens in his dream is that God, the true father of Jesus, gives consent needed for Joseph to “take possession" of Mary and therefore of Jesus. The righteous man, Joseph, is not presuming to take what is not his but receives it. In a bit of subtlety, he “receives” Mary but the right to name the child is not his. He is given instruction on what the name shall be. For him, who had this dream, his parentage, his ownership - for children were property - will always be one of guardian, but he accepts it.

As we look about in the chapter we notice that this text is introduced by the genealogies of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham. These are the “begats” that include Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth. In a subtle way Joseph’s parentage is left ambiguous in this list. He is listed not as the “father of” as all the others but instead is listed as: “the husband of Mary of whom Jesus was born who is called Christ.” The list is also historical. It starts with Abraham and traces the history of Israel down to Joseph. Luke goes the other way and works his way backward to Adam and ultimately God, the way most of us might tell our heritage. It is as if Matthew is reporting something different from the mundane bookkeeping of parentage. That parentage would not really matter since Jesus’ pedigree is really the Holy Ghost, but then that is complicated. No, for Matthew, somehow, it is the people and their story that matter, hence the asides of Ruth, Rahab and Tamar. They share with Joseph the byname: Guardian of Jesus, the byname bestowed on St. Joseph in the hagiography of the church. 

These, as a people, stand as the guardians. It should not surprise us then that a prophecy of that people is recalled immediately: Therefore the LORD himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. (Is 7:14) It is a piece of the puzzle, this verse that Matthew quotes. The subtle changes from the hebrew text to the Gospel according to Matthew ought not concern us. As guardians of the word, not curators who jealously try to maintain antiseptic exactness and singularity of purpose, no, as guardians of the words of Isaiah, the words have been re-received as cherished prophecy rediscovered by permission of the Holy Ghost. Jesus fits into these people and into this prophecy seamlessly.

Joseph is the embodiment of this cloud of guardians and their entire history. There is many things he can think. We only know what he does. He takes the matter into his hands as the dream suggested to him. But, he could think Numbers 5 but does not. He could think of Hezekiah and reject the applicability of the prophecy but he instead he receives it as fresh and new. He could think the whole thing crazy and shake the dream off at dawn and agonize that day over his decision yet to be made alone, buried deeply in his own thoughts and demons.

This is good time to ask ourselves: What would I do? To make it closer to home, maybe the question should be extended: How am I disposed toward God: am I demanding my rights in anger, do I keep prophecy safely in the past lest it interfere with my life, and preclude that the Holy Ghost might actually make himself known? This Jesus and his story: how do I fit into the cloud of guardians? Christ is not mine to claim: how do I receive him? 

In Advent, the coming of the Kingdom is the heart of the liturgical season’s message. This kingdom, will I meet it in anger over the wrongs that the world has done me? This kingdom prophesied by the Holy Ghost through the prophets, will I meet it at all or have I already dismissed prophecy  concerning it outright? This kingdom: do I yet look for signs of it or am I sure that such things do not happen? This kingdom, what quality guardian am I to the story of it? This kingdom, how will I receive it? 

Das Tollste ist immer war — the most incredible tales always turn out to be true somehow. This tale of Joseph is one of those incredible tales and the outcome of Jesus’ life gives proof to it. Our Faith gives proof that Joseph got it right. Will we have faith in the incredible tale of the advent of the kingdom?

Texts for December 15, 2013 - the 3rd Sunday in Advent, year A

First Reading: Isaiah 35:1–10

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,

the desert shall rejoice and blossom;

like the crocus  ²it shall blossom abundantly,

and rejoice with joy and singing.

The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,

the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.

They shall see the glory of the LORD,

the majesty of our God.

  ³Strengthen the weak hands,

and make firm the feeble knees.

  ⁴Say to those who are of a fearful heart,

"Be strong, do not fear!

Here is your God.

He will come with vengeance,

with terrible recompense.

He will come and save you."

  ⁵Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,

and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

  ⁶then the lame shall leap like a deer,

and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.

For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,

and streams in the desert;

  ⁷the burning sand shall become a pool,

and the thirsty ground springs of water;

the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, 

the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

  ⁸A highway shall be there,

and it shall be called the Holy Way;

the unclean shall not travel on it, 

but it shall be for God's people; 

no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.

  ⁹No lion shall be there,

nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;

they shall not be found there,

but the redeemed shall walk there.

  ¹⁰And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,

and come to Zion with singing;

everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;

they shall obtain joy and gladness,

and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.\

Psalm (ELW): Psalm 146:5–10

Second Reading: James 5:7–10

⁷Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains.  ⁸You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.  ⁹Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors!  ¹⁰As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Gospel: Matthew 11:2–11

²When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples  ³and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?"  ⁴Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see:  ⁵the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.  ⁶And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me."

⁷As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?  ⁸What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces.  ⁹What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.  ¹⁰This is the one about whom it is written,

'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,

who will prepare your way before you.'

  ¹¹Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

December 15 - What the Text Says, by Pr. Fourman

Matthew 11:1-10

  
11:1  At this point, Matthew gives us a summary of Jesus ministry. Luke goes to greater detail so we have a better understanding of why John would now have doubts about Jesus' messiahship, i.e. Jesus' actions are similar to Elijah, so is Jesus only the coming Elijah, the one who prepares for the coming messiah?

και εγενετο - and it came about a typical introductory formula; 

οτε "after" – when a temporal clause, 

ετελεσεν (τελεω) aor. "had finished" - completed, completely ended, fulfilled

διατασσων (διατασσω) part. "instructing" complementary, completing the sense of the verb "completed" likely referring to the commissioning of the disciples in chapter 10.

τοις δωδεκα μαθηταις dat. "[his] twelve disciples" 

μετεβη (μεταβαινω) aor. "he moved on, departed "

του διδασκειν και κηρυσσειν pres. inf. "to teach and preach" a final clause expressing purpose; so more properly "in order to preach and teach" – he is done insgtructing one kind of follower, and now he moves on to instruct another kind.  

  
v2  Matthew now recounts Jesus' meeting with the disciples of John and Jesus' reply. As noted above, John's doubts may well be related to his wrong reading of Jesus' ministry so this account comes off as somewhat negative, an implied rebuke, "blessed is he who does not take offence at me" v6; "the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he", v11. None-the-less, the rebuke of v6 does not require one to believe that John's expectation was wrong, but only that he was slow to read the evidence. Jesus summarizes the signs associated with the coming of the messiah to proclaim the day of salvation, blessing and cursing. These signs authenticate Jesus' messianic role.

ακουσας (ακουω) aor. part. "when [John ....] heard" - having heard. Za Greek word used often in relation to disciples.  Disciples ‘follow” ακουαλεθε –they hear and respond.  

του Χριστου (ος) gen. "[what] Christ [was doing/[the deeds [of Messiah]" a genitive treated a possessive. Matthew is underlining who John is questioning; a brave move on John's part. τα εργα (ον) "the works” probably works = miracles

πεμψας (πεμπω) aor. part. "having sent. action accompanying the adverbial participle "having heard"; "when he heard ... he sent." 

  
v3 ειπεν (ειπον οραω) aor. "to ask" 

συ "[are] you" - emphatic position,  ο ερχομενος (ερχομαι) pres. part. "the one coming?”. 

προσδοκωμεν (προσδοκαω) sub. "should we expect/ literally wait for” a present indicative with a future sense, "Should we wait for someone else?" the "we" means "we Jews", not "we disciples of John."

v4 αποκριθεις (αποκρινομαι) part. "answering ... [said. attendant circumstance - a common Semitic construction in the NT; "and answering He said ".

πορευθεντες (πορευομαι) aor. pas. part. "going back report" "Go and tell", α ακουετε και βλεπετε "what you hear and see" - the words and the works (what is plural).

  
v5 αναβλεπουσιν (αναβλεπω) pres. "receive sight" can look up again, the prefix adds the sense "again", "people who are blind see again" not "all blind people."

ευαγγελιζονται pres. pas. "the good news is proclaimed to" - πτωχοι adj. "the poor" – literally the abject poor, the beggars, those who have nothing, the disempowered. Only "leper" in this list is a noun, the rest are adjectives serving as nouns.

  
v6 μακαριος adj. "blessed"  a declaration of a favored status before God. The person who believes in Jesus is forgiven and appropriates the covenant blessings.

μη σκανδαλισθη/ (σκανδαλιζω) pas. sub. "does not fall way/take offense”. The sense is of drifting in one's reliance on Jesus, allowing doubts to flourish, so, has "no doubts about me, does not lose faith in me".

v7   The Baptist serves as "the last and greatest of the prophets, fulfilling the role of foretold in Malachi 3:1 and 4:5-6 - ushering in the time of salvation. In this passage Matthew has compiled three sayings, with only the first found in Luke (7:24-28).  Luke uses the second saying elsewhere, (16:16) 

τουτων ... πορευμενων (πορευομαι) gen. pres. part. "as John's disciples were leaving" indicating ongoing action; "while/as/at the time they were leaving."

λεγειν (λεγω) pres. inf. "[Jesus began] to say" – i.e. he was no longer talikng to them but τοις οχλοις (ος) dat. "to the crowd" - Dative of indirect object.

θεασασθαι (θεαομαι) aor. inf. "to see, behold, gaze at, gawk at”  an infinitive that expresses purpose, "in order to …"; "When you went out into the wilderness in order to observe the prophet John, what did you expect to see?"

  
v8  ημφιεσμενον (αμφιεννυμι) perf. pas. / mid. part. "dressed"  in τα μαλακα adj. "fancy clothes" fancy; think silks and satins – the dress of the rich and famous.

  
v9  περισσοτερον (περισσος) adj. comp. "more" means "more than abundant", and in it's comparative form, as here, "greater than abundant / abundantly more" i.e. the Baptist is someone who is greater α προφητου (ης ου) gen. "than a prophet" genitive is ablative, of comparison.

  
v10  This quotation from Mal.3:1 influenced by Ex.23:20. The LXX has "before my face ..... before me." γεγραπται (γραφω) perf. pas. "it is written" - it stands written. "John is the one of whom the scriptures declare .." 

κατασκευασει (κατασκευαζω) fut. "will prepare - will get ready, equip, furnish”. In the Malachi 3:1 quotation, Yahweh sends the messenger to prepare for his coming. Here, Jesus identifies himself with Yahweh as the manifestation of Yahweh John is preparing for.

την οδον (ος) "the way" – a road building image employed where the road is made straight to speed the return of the King - a throwback to the Persians (and in Jesus’ day the Romans) who built straight roads to facilitate the movement of troops from one part of the empire to another and thus extend royal power.