Fourth Sunday Of Advent
MATTHEW 1:18-24 (Isaiah 7:10-14; Romans 1:1-7)
The gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Cycle A, is Matthew’s first of two “Christmas” stories. The second Christmas story is the Epiphany. In this whole first chapter of Matthew’s gospel the emphasis is not on Mary but on Joseph. Why? Because a major concern of Matthew in this chapter is to demonstrate that Jesus is a king, a descendant of King David. David, who died about 960 B.C., was the Israelite equivalent of our George Washington. Jesus acquired his royalty from his foster father, or from the point of view of Matthew, his adoptive father. Prior to the story in today’s gospel, the author placed the genealogy of Jesus, which was the genealogy of Joseph. The main point of the genealogy – Jesus descends from King David through Joseph. Thus Matthew justifies the title and kingship ascribed to Jesus in all four gospels, “Son of David.”
Matthew begins, “When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit.” Betrothal was similar to our practice of engagement, but more serious. The violation by another man of a betrothed bride to be was considered adultery and punished accordingly. Matthew’s attribution of Mary’s pregnancy to the Holy Spirit proclaims a truth which made its way into both the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, one of which is part of every Sunday liturgy.
Since Mary was betrothed to Joseph, her “pre-marital” pregnancy was all the more troubling to Joseph, “a righteous man,” meaning he was careful to observe the laws of the Torah. His compassion would not allow the law to take its course, which at one time would have incurred the death penalty by stoning. He decided to divorce Mary “quietly,” which is not the best translation. “Leniently” would be more accurate. There were differ-ing schools of thought on the matter of causes that would permit a man to divorce his wife or his betrothed. Today we would call them “liberal” and “conservative.” The con-servatives permitted divorce for a “heavy” cause, adultery. The “liberal” interpreters of the Old Testament permitted divorce for almost any “light” cause: if the wife or betrothed had no cooking skills or a man found a more beautiful woman, etc.
Joseph’s deliberations were brought to a halt by the first of multiple dreams he had in the first two chapters of Matthew. An angel appears to him. The angel addresses Joseph with the title which is of major concern to Matthew, “Joseph, Son of David….” Joseph is assured that Mary’s pregnancy is the result of God’s direct intervention, no human male intervening. Therefore divorce is no longer under consideration. The angel reveals that Mary will give birth to a son, and commands Joseph to name that son Jesus, “for he will save his people from their sins.” Why is it important for Matthew to note that it is Joseph, not Mary, who will bestow the name Jesus on the child? Matthew is aware of the legal custom of the time, formed into this principle, “The father who names the child claims the child as his own.” Joseph therefore, according to the custom of the time, becomes the legal father of Jesus by bestowing the name Jesus on him. This provides for Jesus’ legal royal descent from King David through Joseph, now his adoptive and legal father.
The angel explains why the child must be named Jesus, “because he will save his people from their sins.” To most people this makes no sense. Why not name him Abe, or Jacob, or another traditional name, or Joseph ben Joseph, that is “Junior?” The reason: according to popular explanation of the name Jesus, the name is derived from the Hebrew verb meaning “to save.” The name therefore explains the destiny of the person so named, “He will save his people from their sins.” The name Joshua is derived from the same Hebrew verb. He too saved his people, not from their sins, but by leading them into the land promised to them. As is Matthew’s custom, he must find some foundation for this birth story of Jesus in the Old Testament. He turns to Isaiah 7:14, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.” However, there is no claim otherwise that Jesus was named Emmanuel. What is this about? Matthew uses this quote from Isaiah to reveal that Jesus is God, He explains, “which means ‘God with us.’”
ISAIAH 7:10-14
This reading is one of three oracles of Isaiah interpreted by Christians as predictive of the identity and mission of Jesus. The original context is quite different from the Christian interpretation. It is 734 B.C. Isaiah is angry because King Ahaz will not ask for a sign from God that Jerusalem will be protected without any encumbering alliances. Ahaz refuses. Isaiah, with anger and disgust at the “House of David,” proclaims a sign from God. A young woman in Ahaz’s harem will conceive and bear a son. That son will be a sign that those with whom Ahaz would have allied Jerusalem will disappear. The Christ-interpretation baptizes and perfects the ancient oracle of Isaiah.
ROMANS 1:1-7
This reading was chosen to accompany today’s gospel because it proclaims Jesus’ descent from King David and the role of the Holy Spirit in generating the human nature of Jesus which became the human nature of the eternal Son of God.
