Tag Archive for: Annunciation

TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
DECEMBER 24, 2023

2 Samuel 7:1-11,16

Reading

1 When the king was settled in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.” 3 Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that you have in mind; for the LORD is with you.”

4 But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: 5 Thus, says the LORD: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” 8 Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; 9 and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. 16 Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever.

Commentary

The Book of Samuel is part of the “Deuteronomic History” that includes the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. These books are a “didactic history” that covers the period from the time just before the entry into the Promised Land (c.1220 BCE, if the account is historical) to the beginning of Babylonian Captivity (597 BCE). The books were written in the period from 650 BCE to 600 BCE and continued to be revised after the Exile.

The Deuteronomists emphasized that YHWH controls history, and when the people (and their kings) worshiped YHWH properly, good things would happen to them. When they worshiped false gods, however, bad events would overtake them.

Today’s reading and the omitted verses (vv.12-15) were set in the early part of the Reign of King David (1005 to 965 BCE). This chapter is one of the most important passages in the Deuteronomic Histories. It combined the themes of Jerusalem as the divinely chosen center for worship (v.10), David’s offspring (v.12) building a house (Temple) for YHWH (which Solomon did – according to 1 Kings 6), and the Davidic line (“house,” v.11) as the chosen dynasty in Judea (v.16). The Jewish Study Bible points out that “he shall build a house for my name” (v.13) was intended to make clear that God would not actually dwell in a house/Temple, but that only God’s name (or presence) would be in the Temple.

The chapter was also central to the Deuteronomists’ belief that even if the kings and people strayed in their exclusive worship of YHWH, over the long term, YHWH’s steadfast love (hesed) would still be unwavering (v.15) and the line/house of David would be “established forever” (v.16). This promise of the dynasty is also reflected in Psalm 89:1-4 and Psalm 132:11-12. Psalm 132:12, however, makes the promise conditional on David’s sons keeping YHWH’s covenant.

The JSB observes that “your offspring” (v.12) undoubtedly referred to Solomon, but in “the postbiblical period” (that is, after the First Century), the phrase has been understood by some as “referring to the Messiah, who will be of the House of David and whose reign will last forever.”

In the 600’s BCE, YHWH’s unconditional promises were seen as “explaining” (in retrospect) the Judeans’ independent survival after the Assyrians conquered the Northern 10 tribes in 722 BCE.

The Babylonian Captivity (597 to 539 BCE), however, presented a major theological disconnect for the Judeans. How were they to explain the loss of the land promised by YHWH to Abraham and the end of the Davidic line in 587 BCE?

During and after the Exile, the prophets (especially Second Isaiah and Ezekiel) began to resolve this disconnect by affirming that YHWH’s promises were still in force but had been temporarily suspended because of the failure of the Judeans to uphold their part of the covenant with YHWH – to worship YHWH faithfully and to live justly. Similarly, the Deuteronomists’ writings reflected the view that YHWH had not failed to uphold the promises, but that the failure of the kings and others to keep their part of the covenants was the reason for the Exile.

Continuing to the First Century (and even for some Jews today), one of the characteristics of the awaited Messiah would be that the Messiah would come from the House of David.

Romans 16:25-27

Reading

25 Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith – 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.

Commentary

Paul’s letter to the Romans was his longest, last, and most complex letter. It was written in the late 50s or early 60s (CE) – about ten years before the first Gospel (Mark) was written – to a Jesus Follower community that Paul did not establish. Among other messages in the letter, Paul sought to encourage respectful and supportive relationships between the Gentile Jesus Followers and the Jewish Jesus Followers in Rome.

The “backstory” is that the Roman Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome in 49 CE. His successor, Nero (54-68 CE), allowed Jews (including Jewish Jesus Followers) to return to Rome, and this created tensions about leadership and worship within the Jesus Follower Community. (Jesus Followers were not called “Christians” until the 80’s.)

Paul was a Jew who became a Jesus Follower who saw the Jesus Follower Movement as part of a broader Judaism. As such, he continued to have expectations about the fullness of the Coming of the Messiah/the Christ. Reflecting his Jewish roots, Paul exhorted the Jesus Follower Community in Rome to follow the Commandments, particularly to love one another as neighbors.

Today’s verses are the concluding blessing in the letter. Some ancient manuscripts of Paul’s letter do not contain these verses, and some scholars conclude they were added to the letter by followers of Paul or the copyists.

Luke 1:26-38

Reading

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

Today’s reading is the story of the Annunciation to Mary that she would conceive Jesus. This story comes after the story of Zechariah, a Levite at the Temple, and his elderly wife, Elizabeth, who was a descendant of Aaron (Moses’ brother, and the First High Priest). The angel Gabriel (whose name means “God is my hero”) told Zechariah that Elizabeth would bear a son and his name should be John (“God has shown favor”).

The Annunciation took place “in the sixth month” (v.26) of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, not in the sixth month of they year. The scene was Nazareth, a town in the southern Galilee, and The New Jerome Biblical Commentary estimates that Nazareth had about 150 residents at this time.

Regarding the name “Mary,” The JANT notes that Mary (Gk. Mariam) is derived from the Hebrew name Miryam. It also recollected Moses’ sister, Miriam, and was a common name among first-century Jewish women. The NJBC says the name “Mary” means “Excellence” and that “Joseph” means “May YHWH add.”

The JANT points out that Luke (like Matthew) used the Greek word “parthenos” for Mary’s being a virgin (vv.27,34). The greeting “favored one” (v.28) was “conventional” and is found in Judges 6, 2 Sam. 7 and 2 Chr. 15. In saying Mary was engaged (v.27), The JANT states that the wedding contract (ketubah) had been signed, so the couple was technically “married” but had not yet begun living together. At this time, the customary age for marriage for Jewish people was 18 for a man and mid-teens for a woman.

In naming the child “Jesus” (v.31), The JANT notes that “Jesus” in Greek is “Iesous,” and is derived from the Hebrew Yehoshua (“the Lord saves” or “the Lord has saved”). Variants on the name in the Tanakh include “Joshua” and “Hosea.” Being called “Son of the Most High” indicated royal authority (2 Sam. 7:13-16) and “Most High” (vv. 32, 35) was a translation of the Hebrew “Elyon” – an early name for God in Gen. 14:19.

The “house of Jacob” (v.33) is a synonym for Israel, and “of his kingdom there shall be no end” is an echo of 2 Sam. 7. Because Elizabeth was described as a descendant of Aaron (v.5), and Mary was her “relative” (v.36), The JANT notes that Mary had “priestly ancestry.” That “nothing will be impossible with God” (v.37) is reminiscent of the births of Isaac, Joseph (the 11th son of Jacob), and Samuel.

Paul’s Letter to the Romans 1:3-4 (c.60 CE) contains an early formulation of Jesus’ lineage and Divine Sonship. In Romans, Jesus was “descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead.” That is, Divine Sonship was recognized by the Jesus Follower Faith Community because of the resurrection.

In Mark, Jesus’ Divine Sonship was recognized because of the voice which Mark says spoke to Jesus at his Baptism – “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (Mk. 1:11). In Luke and Matthew, the Divine Sonship occurred at conception because Mary became pregnant “by the power of the Holy Spirit.” In the Fourth Gospel, the Son was presented as the pre-existing Logos made incarnate.