A Coming Christ in Advent

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A Coming Christ in Advent

• The Annunciation to Mary, the Visitation, and the
  Magnificat
• (Luke 126-56)

Sunday, December 17, 2006 10 to 1050 am, in the
Parlor. Everyone is welcome!
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• Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your
  daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at
  his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for
  himself who lives and reigns with you, in the
  unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for
  ever..
• - Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Book
  of Common Prayer, p. 212

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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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Marys Discipleship
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Marys DiscipleshipPrimary Message of the Stories

• The primary message of Lukes stories of the
  Annunciation to Mary, the Visitation, and the
  Magnificat is not about Mary, but rather
• The identity of Jesus as both
• The Messiah descended from David
• The Son of God
• How Jesus will save those who depend upon God
• However, the stories reveal many other facets
  celebrated in theology, spirituality, art and
  literature, and one facet particularly befitting
  Advent is Lukes holding Mary up as the first to
  hear the good news ( gospel) and accept and
  proclaim it
• That is, she is the first and model disciple

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Marys DiscipleshipMary in the Four Gospels

• We know very little about the historical Mary,
  and in some of the gospels, it is not even clear
  that Mary becomes a disciple of Jesus.
• Mark (probably the earliest gospel)
• Portrays Jesus family as thinking Jesus is
  beside himself, and they do not honor Jesus (Mark
  321, Mark 64)
• Matthew
• Unlike Mark, does not say Jesus family did not
  honor him
• Does tell us that Mary was the mother of Jesus
  through the power of the Holy Spirit
• However, never makes it clear that Mary became a
  disciple of Jesus

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Marys DiscipleshipMary in the Four Gospels

• We know very little about the historical Mary,
  and in some of the gospels, it is not even clear
  that Mary becomes a disciple of Jesus.
• John
• Is the only other gospel besides Luke to portray
  Mary as becoming a disciple
• Jesus tells Mary to be the mother to the
  disciple whom he loves (generally felt to John)
• Brown the notion of Mary as preeminent
  disciple was probably a second stage
  development in New Testament
• First-stage the mystery of Jesus

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The Annunciation to Mary
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Annunciation to MaryDiptych with Zechariahs
Annunciation

• The Annunciation to Mary parallels and contrasts
  with the Annunciation to Zechariah (that his wife
  Elizabeth would conceive John the Baptist),
  forming a diptych
• Marys annunciation occurs during the 6th month
  of Elizabeths pregnancy with John the Baptist

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Annunciation to MaryDiptych with Zechariahs
Annunciation

• Zechariahs Annunciation
• Takes place in Jerusalem
• Heritage is priestly
• Both befit the Old Testament character of
  Zechariah and Elizabeth
• Recall from session 2 in Zechariahs
  annunciation, the couple Zechariah-Elizabeth
  mirror Abraham-Sarah and Elkanah-Hannah, and
  evoke Gabriels appearance to Daniel

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Annunciation to MaryDiptych with Zechariahs
Annunciation

• Marys Annunciation
• Takes place in the town of Nazareth, in Galilee
• Heritage is Davidic
• Both befit the New Testament character of Mary
  and Joseph, parents of Jesus
• Jesus public ministry will be in Galilee
• Jesus is the Messiah from the House of David

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Annunciation to MaryDiptych with Zechariahs
Annunciation

• Zechariah and Elizabeth have been yearning for a
  child
• The annunciation to Zechariah is an answer to
  their prayers
• Mary is a virgin and is not expecting to be
  pregnant
• The annunciation to Mary is a surprise initiative
  by God

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Annunciation to MaryDiptych with Zechariahs
Annunciation

• Elizabeths conception involves an act of human
  sexual intercourse
• Marys conception does not involve an act of
  human sexual intercourse, but rather it is the
  result of the overshadowing Spirit of God
• The same Spirit that hovered at the creation of
  world when all was void (Genesis 12)

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Annunciation to MaryDiptych with Zechariahs
Annunciation

• Both Zechariahs and Marys annunciations follow
  a pattern for birth annunciations present in
  the Old Testament annunciations of the births of
• Ishmael (Genesis 167-12)
• Isaac (Genesis 17-18)
• Samson (Judges 133-20)

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Annunciation to MaryDiptych with Zechariahs
Annunciation

• The pattern of birth annunciations
• An angel of the Lord / heavenly messenger appears
• The visionary becomes fearful or prostrate
• Angel addresses the visionary, usually by name,
  and urges Do not be afraid
• The angelic message the future mother is or will
  be with child. The child will be named X and the
  childs accomplishments will be Y
• The visionary objects how can this be? They may
  ask for a sign.
• Aside many aspects of this pattern are also
  found in Old Testament angelic annunciations of
  vocation
• Moses (Exodus 32-12)
• Gideon (Judges 612-23)

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Annunciation to MaryHeart of the Annunciation

• The heart of the Annunciation to Mary is its
  revelation of the twofold identity of Jesus as
• 1. The Messiah descended from David
• 2. The Son of God

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Annunciation to MaryHeart of the Annunciation

• Jesus identity as the Messiah descended from
  David goes back to Nathans promise to David in 2
  Samuel 7 that Davids descendants will rule over
  Israel forever
• 9I shall make for you a great name
• 13I shall establish the throne of his kingdom
  forever.
• 14I shall be his father, and he will be my son
• 16And your house and your kingdom will be made
  sure forever
• Compare to Gabriels annunciation to Mary in Luke
  132-33
• 32aHe will be great and will be called Son of the
  Most High
• 32bAnd the Lord God will give him the throne of
  his father David
• 33aand he will be king over the house of Jacob
  forever,
• 33band there will be no end to his kingdom

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Annunciation to MaryHeart of the Annunciation

• Mary objects How can this be? pointing out to
  Gabriel that she has not had any sexual relations
  with a man yet
• Gabriel explains (Luke 135)
• The Holy Spirit will come upon you
• and the power from the Most High will overshadow
  you.
• Therefore, the child to be born will be called
  holy Son of God

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Annunciation to MaryHeart of the Annunciation

• The revelation of twofold identity of Jesus is
  the heart of the Annunciation
• The Messiah, Son of David (language of the Old
  Testament prophets)
• Son of God (language of the New Testament
  preachers)
• Compared to Paul in Romans 13-4
• descended from David according to the flesh,
  and was declared to be Son of God with power
  according to the spirit of holiness . (NRSV)

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Annunciation to MaryMarys Response

• In Marks, Matthews, and Lukes gospels, Mary
  appears in only one scene during Jesus public
  ministry (Mark 331-35, Matthew 1246-50, and
  Luke 819-21)
• In these scenes, Jesus defines his family not as
  those he descended from biologically, but rather
  as
• Mark 335 Whoever does the will of God is my
  brother and sister and mother. (NRSV)
• Luke 821 My mother and my brothers are those
  who hear the word of God and do it. (NRSV)

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Annunciation to MaryMarys Response

• When Mary responds to Gabriel, she says
• Here am I, the servant of the Lord let it be
  with me according to your word. (Luke 138 NRSV)
• Luke here is describing both
• Marys consent to be physical mother of Jesus
• Mary as someone who meets Jesus later criteria
  of family as My mother and my brothers are those
  who hear the word of God and do it. (Luke 821
  NRSV)
• Mary is the first to hear the word of God and do
  it. She is the first disciple

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Annunciation to MaryDiscipleship

• To be a disciple of Jesus involves
• Acknowledging that Jesus is not merely the
  Prince of Peace, But
• 1. Assenting to Jesus twofold identity as
• The Messiah of the House of David
• The unique Son of God, the very presence of God
  with us
• 2. Hearing the proclamation of Gods will and
  doing it

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The Visitation and the Magnificat
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Visitation and MagnificatVisitation

• Gabriel also tells Mary that, as part of Gods
  plan, her relative Elizabeth, despite being old
  and considered barren, is already in her sixth
  month in her pregnancy with John
• When Gabriel departs, Mary immediately takes off
  for Zechariah and Elizabeths house in the hill
  country of Judea
• Her haste reflects in part her obedience to Gods
  plan

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Visitation and MagnificatVisitation

• Elizabeth greets Mary with Blessed are you among
  women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
  (Luke 142 NRSV)
• Echoes the praise of Jael in Judges 524, and of
  Judith in Judges 1318
• Echoes also the benediction promised to Israel if
  it would be obedient to God (Deuteronomy 281, 4)

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Visitation and MagnificatVisitation

• During Jesus public ministry, a women will cry
  out from the crowd Blessed is the womb that
  bore you and the breasts that nursed you! (Luke
  1127 NRSV)
• Jesus corrects the woman Blessed rather are
  those who hear the word of God and obey it!
  (Luke 1128 NRSV)
• Prophetically, Elizabeth adds to her greeting
  And blessed is she who believed that there would
  be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the
  Lord. (Luke 145 NRSV)
• Mary is here doubly blessed
• (1) She is the physical mother of Jesus, but
• (2) She is also the first person who meets Jesus
  criteria for being a disciple My mother and my
  brothers are those who hear the word of God and
  do it. Luke 821 NRSV)

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Visitation and MagnificatThe Magnificat

• Mary now responds to Elizabeths greeting and
  double blessing with the canticle of the
  Magnificat
• The canticle follows the Jewish mosaic hymn style
  of this time, where each verse is taken from an
  older hymn, psalm or verse of scripture

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Visitation and MagnificatThe Magnificat

• Opening of the Magnificat parallels in particular
  Hannahs canticle after the birth of her child
  Samuel in 1 Samuel 21-2 and this continues
  throughout the Magnificat
• For example
• Luke 148 for he has regarded the low estate
  of his handmaiden. (RSV)
• 1 Samuel 111 O Lord God of Sabaoth, if thou
  welt indeed look upon the humiliation of thine
  handmaid. (LXX Brenton)

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Visitation and MagnificatThe Magnificat

• Marys final response to Gabriel continues this
  handmaid motif Behold the handmaid of the
  Lord.
• handmaid literally, the feminine form of
  slave, reflecting
• Religious context of being servants of the Lord
  (Acts 218)
• The status of many early Christians
• Mary as a handmaid of the Lord is poetry to us,
• but for the educated in the Roman Empire it
  confirmed how bizarre this new religion was, a
  group that included a bunch of slaves who
  worshipped a crucified criminal

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Visitation and MagnificatThe Magnificat

• Gods saving action is described in the
  Magnificat as
• He has shown His strength with His arm
• He has scattered the proud in the imagination of
  their hearts.
• He has put down the mighty from their thrones
• and has exalted those of low degree.
• He has filled the hungry with good things,
• and the rich He has sent away empty.
• And continues to echo Hannahs canticle (1 Samuel
  27-8)
• The Lord makes poor and makes rich
• He reduces to lowliness and He lifts up.
• He lifts the needy from the earth
• and from the dung heap He raises up the poor
• to seat them with the mighty,
• making them inherit a throne of glory.

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Visitation and MagnificatThe Magnificat

• This description of Gods saving action not only
  echoes Hannahs canticle in the Old Testament,
  but also anticipates Jesus Beatitudes and Woes
  in the New Testament, in Luke 620-26
• Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the
  kingdom of God.
• Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will
  be filled.
• Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
  
• Blessed are you when people hate you, for
  surely your reward is great in heaven (NRSV)

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Visitation and MagnificatThe Magnificat

• And the four Woes
• woe to you who are rich, for you have received
  your consolation.
• Woe to you who are full now, for you will be
  hungry.
• Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will
  mourn and weep.
• Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that
  is what their ancestors did to the false prophets
  (NRSV)

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Visitation and MagnificatThe Magnificat

• Marys Magnificat makes an important statement
  about the nature of discipleship and gospel (
  good news)
• The good news gospel is more than just the
  proclamation that God has sent Jesus as the
  Messiah from the House of David, and as Gods own
  unique Son
• The good news also is the interpretation of that
  sending, showing it is truly good news God has
  come and shown strength, exalting the lowly,
  filling the hungry. In summary (Luke 154-55
  NRSV)
• He has helped his servant Israel,
• in remembrance of his mercy,
• according to the promise he made to our
  ancestors,
• to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

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Visitation and MagnificatThe Magnificat

• Our job as disciples is
• not only to accept and proclaim Jesus as the
  Messiah, Son of David, and Jesus as Son of God,
  but also, like Mary, to
• interpret for others why this is good news, so
  they can truly appreciate the angels
  announcement at the first Christmas (Luke 210-11
  NRSV)
• I am bringing you good news of great joy for all
  the people to you is born this day in the city
  of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.