Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Readings for Monday, March 20th
Biographical Information on St. Joseph the Worker[1]
Reflection:
One of the things that sets us apart from our protestant brethren is we have a strong affinity to the saints. They have a difficult time understanding (and in many cases confusion fostered by overly zealous evangelists who either don't know or purposely bend the truth) about our devotion to the saints. If you are ever asked; "Why do you pray to Mary (or Joseph, or Cyril, etc.)" your first answer should be; "We don't. We pray for them to intercede for us, but we pray only to God through Christ."
We look to the saints for a couple of reasons. The first of these is for the reason I mentioned above, intercession. We believe that people recognized by the Church in the Communion of Saints have a special place in heaven (this is supported by scripture). And because of their unique status, having places of honor in the Kingdom of Heaven, they are in a position to petition God the Father on our behalf. We believe this to be so because one of the attributes of the Saints is they were some of the best examples of how a person might live a life of faith, and a big part of that faith is compassion and love for all humankind.
The second reason we have such reverence for the Saints is they provide us with examples of faith that are real to us. We can understand a St. Joseph whose principle merit was he provided a human father figure for Jesus the boy/man as he grew up. That sacrifice and love earned him a special place in the heart of the Church and a special significance for all fathers who adopt children or provide that role for them without a biological connection.
I love what Pope John Paul the Great said of St. Joseph in his Daily Meditations; "What emanates from the figure of Saint Joseph is faith. Joseph of Nazareth is a "just man" because he totally "lives by faith." He is holy because his faith is truly heroic." And we, whose faith is often challenged, need heroes. Pax.
I welcome your comments. If you would like to make one and are not registered on Myspace, you can email me at miles_jj@excite.com and, if you wish, I will post your response as a comment. Thanks.
[1] Note: St. Joseph's Solemnity is normally celebrated on March 19th, however, since that was a Sunday this year, his solemnity is celebrated the following day.
Scripture[1] from 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16
Jerome Biblical Commentary[2]
4 But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
5a "Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD:
(J) The Oracle of Nathan (7:1-29) (= 1 Chr 17:1-27). This oracle is the basis of (royal) messianism in the OT (? Aspects OT Thought, 77:155). Nathan reverses his first word, that the king should build a temple; instead of David building a "house" (temple) for the Lord, the Lord will build a "house" (dynasty-an everlasting dynasty) for David.
(Amsler, S., David, Roi et Messie [Neuchâtel, 1963]. Gese, H., "Der Davidsbund und die Zionserwahlung," ZThK 61 [1964] IQ-26. McKenzie, J. L., MR 205ff.)
5-7. This passage reflects a somewhat hostile attitude (or, at least, indifference) toward the Temple, and a preference for the desert practice; a favorable attitude appears in v. 13, which may be a later addition.
12 And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm.
8-12. The promise to David is a personal one-the continuation of his line in an everlasting dynasty (vv. 12, 16)-but Israel, God's people (vv. 10-11), will enjoy peace and security.
13 It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever.
14a I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me.
16 Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'"
13. The reference is to Solomon's building the Temple (cf 1 Chr 22 :7-10) , and the assurance of divine favor is extended to the dynasty (vv. 14-16).
[1] All biblical references -New American Bible United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3000 December 09, 2002 Copyright © by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
[2] All references to Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc.© 1968
Scripture from Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
Jerome Biblical Commentary
2 The promises of the LORD I will sing forever, proclaim your loyalty through all ages.
3 2 For you said, "My love is established forever; my loyalty will stand as long as the heavens.
4 I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant:
5 I will make your dynasty stand forever and establish your throne through all ages." Selah
2 [3-5] David's dynasty is to be as long-lasting as the heavens, a statement reinforced by using the same verbs (establish, stand) both of the divine love and loyalty and of the Davidic dynasty and throne. Cf Psalm 89:29-30.
Ps 89. A lament of the community, as it stands (39-52 !). But it is a mixed composition; the lament is preceded by a hymn in praise of God (2-19) and an oracle concerning the Davidic dynasty (20-38). The one who prays seems to be identified with the king ("my life," 48; "anointed," 52; and cf. 2, 19). But the precise life setting is not easy to establish. There is no proof of a cultic "humiliation" of the reigning king, and an historical occasion (Josiah?) is perhaps the best supposition. 2. the favors of the Lord: These are the actions in history by which Yahweh has shown his covenant love (ps 107:43; Is 63 :7), in particular the dynastic oracle to David (3-5). (On this oracle, cf. McKenzie, op. cit., 275-82 and H. van den Bussche in ETL 24 [I948] 354-94.)
27 He shall cry to me,'You are my father, my God, the Rock that brings me victory!'
29 Forever I will maintain my love for him; my covenant with him stands firm.
21-38. An expanded version of 1 Sm 7; they highlight royal prerogatives: anointing (21), divine protection (22), victory (23-26), adoptive sonship (27-28), .personal and dynastic security (23-26). However, 31-38 show that punishment of an unfaithful descendant of David is still within the framework of Yahweh's eternal "covenant" with David, which he will not "violate" (35).
Scripture from Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22
Jerome Biblical Commentary
13 It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
13-17. Abraham received a promise independently of the Law. 13. not through the Law: That is, the Mosaic Law (see comment on 2 :12), for Paul implicitly assails the Judaizing view that all blessings came to Abraham because of his merit in keeping the Mosaic Law, which he knew in advance through an intuition or revelation (see comment on 4:2). the promise: The promise of an heir to be born to Sarah (Gn 15:4; 17:16,19) and of numerous posterity (Gn 12:2; 13 :14-17; 17:8; 22:16-18) was extended by the rabbis on the basis of the universality of "all the families of the earth" (Gn 12 : 3) to mean that "the whole world" was Abraham's inheritance (see Str-B 3, 209). through the uprightness of faith: Appositional genitive. In 4:11 Paul had set this cardinal tenet over against the claim of circumcision; now he pits it against the Mosaic Law itself. He constantly returns to it, for only by this means will Abraham's heirs possess the whole
world.
16 For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,
16. that is why it all depends on faith: This cryptic statement picks up the thought of 4:13. Since the Law and the promise cannot exist side by side, the Law must yield. Faith is the all-important element, involving God's promise and his favor. The man who lives by faith, lives by grace. And the promise holds good not only for the Jew, but for all who share Abraham's faith, as the OT teaches.
17 as it is written, "I have made you father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.
17. the father of many nations: Gn 17:5 (LXX). In Gn the patriarch's name first appears as Abram (Hebr 'Abram, "The father is exalted," or "Exalted as to the Father"). The P source preserved the story of the change of Abram to Abraham and the popular etymology (17:5): Abraham means "Father of many nations" (' ab hamôn gôyîm, which exploits the h but neglects the r in 'Abraham). The "many nations" in Gn refers to the descendants of Ishmael and of the children born to Keturah (Gn 25 :lff.). Paul, however, understands it of Gentiles in general who are children of Abraham by faith. in the sight of God: Though the argument ends with the OT quotation, Paul adds a thought, alluding to Abraham's colloquy with God (Gn 17:1ff.). who makes the dead live: This (and the following) phrase may be derived ultimately from a Jewish liturgical formula. This one is similar to Shemoneh Esreh 2: "Thou, 0 Lord, art mighty forever, thou who makes the dead to live" (cf. C. K. Barrett, NTB § 159). In Paul's context, however, it refers to the divine power by which the barren Sarah was able to conceive Isaac (Gn 17:15-21). Remotely, it prepares for 4:24-25. and calls into being what does not exist: A formula similar to 2 Baruch 48: 8, "With a word thou callest into life that which was not, and with mighty power thou rulest that which has not yet come to be" (APOT2, 505). In Paul's context it refers immediately to the unborn Isaac; but remotely it connotes the influence of God on the numberless Gentiles who are destined to be sons of Abraham by faith.
18 He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "Thus shall your descendants be."
22 That is why "it was credited to him as righteousness."
18-25. Abraham's faith is the "type" of Christian faith. 18. hoping against hope, he believed: Lit., "contrary to [all human] expectation, in hope he believed [in God]" (AG 252). Though Abraham had so many human motives for despairing of ever having posterity, he believed, in virtue of the confident hope that the divine promise inspired in him. He took God at his word and believed in the creative power of God to do what seemed impossible. Isaac became one "born of a promise" (Gal 4:23; cf. Gn 17:16,19; 18:10).
Scripture from Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a
Jerome Biblical Commentary
16 Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.
The reconciliation of the divergent genealogies of Mt and Lk already was a celebrated problem in patristic times. Reconciliation assumes that both genealogies are compiled from reliable records. It is known that genealogies were kept in the post-exilic Jewish community, but this does not prove that genealogies were available to Matthew and Luke. It is much simpler to suppose that each genealogy was compiled artificially where the biblical record failed or where Luke, for reasons of his own, chose not to follow the line of the kings of Judah.
18 6 Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, 7 but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit.
6 [18-25] This first story of the infancy narrative spells out what is summarily indicated in Matthew 1:16. The virginal conception of Jesus is the work of the Spirit of God. Joseph's decision to divorce Mary is overcome by the heavenly command that he take her into his home and accept the child as his own. The natural genealogical line is broken but the promises to David are fulfilled; through Joseph's adoption the child belongs to the family of David. Matthew sees the virginal conception as the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14.
7 [18] Betrothed to Joseph: betrothal was the first part of the marriage, constituting a man and woman as husband and wife. Subsequent infidelity was considered adultery. The betrothal was followed some months later by the husband's taking his wife into his home, at which time normal married life began.
(B) The Birth of Jesus (1:18-25). In this and the following section some noteworthy differences between the narratives of Mt and Lk appear. Joseph is the central and the active figure in Mt. He is the recipient of revelation, which comes to him through the appearance of an angel in a dream. Mt mentions no residence in Nazareth prior to the birth. It agrees with Lk in the statement of the virgin birth and in the childhood residence of Jesus in Nazareth.. 18. espoused:. The written contract of marriage had been drawn up between Joseph (or his parents) and the parents of Mary. The Jewish marriage ceremony was accomplished when the groom took the bride into his house; this is meant by "come together" (1:18) and "take" (1 :20,24). Premarital unchastity in these circumstances was not adultery in the full sense of the word, nor was the repudiation of a marriage contract
"divorce" (1 :19) in the full sense of the word. It is very doubtful that the rigorous capital penalty of the Mosaic Law and the talmudic traditions was enforced in NT times.
19 Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, 8 yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
8 [19] A righteous man: as a devout observer of the Mosaic law, Joseph wished to break his union with someone whom he suspected of gross violation of the law. It is commonly said that the law required him to do so, but the texts usually given in support of that view, e.g., Deut 22:20-21 do not clearly pertain to Joseph's situation. Unwilling to expose her to shame: the penalty for proved adultery was death by stoning; cf Deut 22:21-23.
19. righteous: Joseph is called thus because of his desire to observe the Law. This righteousness was united with an unwillingness to expose his wife; it lay within his power to repudiate the agreement by signing a declaration in the presence of witnesses, but without stating the reasons in public.
20 Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord 9 appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
21 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, 10 because he will save his people from their sins."
24 When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
9 [20] The angel of the Lord: in the Old Testament a common designation of God in communication with a human being. In a dream: see Matthew 2:13, 19, 22. These dreams may be meant to recall the dreams of Joseph, son of Jacob the patriarch (Genesis 37:5-11:19). A closer parallel is the dream of Amram, father of Moses, related by Josephus (Antiquities 2,9,3; 212, 215-16).
10 [21] Jesus: in first-century Judaism the Hebrew name Joshua (Greek Iesous) meaning "Yahweh helps" was interpreted as "Yahweh saves."
20. the angel of the Lord: A messenger figure of the OT (e.g., Gn 16:10; 22:11,I5-I6; Ex 3:2; Jgs 6:13; 2 Sm 24:16; cf. EDB 87-90). The angel of the Lord announces the birth of Samson (Jgs 13 :3). Here he announces the name of the child: Jesus. The Gk form Iesous represents the Aram Yešua' and the Hebr yehošûa' (? Aspects NT Thought 78 :3, for the etymology). According to a popular etymology the name means "Yahweh is salvation"; this child will be an agent of salvation but the people will be saved from their sins, not from external enemies or dangers from nature. The greatest to bear this name in the OT was the hero of the Book of Joshua.
Or
Scripture from Lk 2:41-51a
Jerome Biblical Commentary
41 12 Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
12 [41-52] This story's concern with an incident from Jesus' youth is unique in the canonical gospel tradition. It presents Jesus in the role of the faithful Jewish boy, raised in the traditions of Israel, and fulfilling all that the law requires. With this episode, the infancy narrative ends just as it began, in the setting of the Jerusalem temple.
(c) THE Boy JESUS IN THE TEMPLE (2 :41-52).
This sole incident, breaking the, Gospel silence of "the hidden years" of Jesus, is narrated in a way sharply different from other, apocryphal gospels. Mary and Joseph presume Jesus to act as any normal boy would act; the apocryphal gospels multiply all kinds of extravagant miracles. The same penchant for the miraculous or the unusual colors the pages of the boyhood accounts of other ancient heroes: Cyrus, Alexander, Apollonius, or Moses. The closest parallel is Josephus' story of his own boyhood (Life 2 § 9), describing his reputation for learning among the chief priests and rulers of Jerusalem. Luke's account, by contrast, is reserved and unassuming.
41. went to Jerusalem every year: The law prescribed the Jerusalem pilgrimage for three major feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Ex 23:14; Dt 16:16); but custom excused those who lived at a distance from all but the Passover. The rabbis were not in agreement whether or not women and children were required to make the pilgrimage (Str-B 2, 141-42).
42 and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom.
43 After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.
42. twelve years old: A year before the age at which a boy officially reached manhood; the event is celebrated today with the ceremony of bar miswah.
44 Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
45 but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
44. in the company: Entire villages joined in the pilgrimages.
46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions,
47 and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.
48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety."
46. three days: Used here with a possible symbolic reference to the three days of Jesus in the tomb (see Lk 9:22; 13:32; 18:33; 24: 7,21,46; 1 Cor 15:4). sitting in the midst of the teachers: In one of the outer halls of the Temple. Jesus is not acting with any braggadocio; he is listening, asking questions, and giving answers to the questions put to him. By implication, however, Jesus is presented as the teacher at the center of a circle. He knows the Torah and its interpretations; in no way is he in opposition to Jewish Law and practice.
49
And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" 13
13 [49] I must be in my Father's house: this phrase can also be translated, "I must be about my Father's work." In either translation, Jesus refers to God as his Father. His divine sonship, and his obedience to his heavenly Father's will, take precedence over his ties to his family.
49. in my Father's house: The Greek can also be translated" about my Father's business." The latter is favored by the Gk construction in such texts as Mt 16 :23; Jn 8 :29; 9:4; 14:3 1. The phrase implies a close personal relationship between Jesus and the Father. The addition of the word "house" accords with the immediate situation and is supported by the interpretation of many of the early Fathers; see also Gn41:51; Est 7:9. This interpretation also fits in with the main thrust of the Lucan Gospel where the climactic moment is reached in the Jerusalem Temple, not only in the Infancy Narrative (2:22), but also at the end (19:45). By way of foreshadowing, the Infancy Narrative ends where the Gospel will. Mary finds Jesus at his work; he is not simply her son, but the heavenly Father's Son, sent on a mission in which she finds him totally involved; at this she sorrows, for it means separation. The words "my Father" are a sharp reversal; up till now Joseph was called by that title.
50 But they did not understand what he said to them.
50. they did not understand: That is, neither Joseph nor Mary. One of a parent's greatest sorrows afflicts Mary not to understand her own child. This statement makes it highly improbable that Mary appreciated the divine sonship of her son at this time.
51 He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
51. was obedient to them: This last reference to Joseph in the Gospels is a beautiful tribute to him. Obedient to his guidance, Jesus grew to perfect manhood.
Readings for Monday, March 20th
Biographical Information on St. Joseph the Worker[1]
Reflection:
One of the things that sets us apart from our protestant brethren is we have a strong affinity to the saints. They have a difficult time understanding (and in many cases confusion fostered by overly zealous evangelists who either don't know or purposely bend the truth) about our devotion to the saints. If you are ever asked; "Why do you pray to Mary (or Joseph, or Cyril, etc.)" your first answer should be; "We don't. We pray for them to intercede for us, but we pray only to God through Christ."
We look to the saints for a couple of reasons. The first of these is for the reason I mentioned above, intercession. We believe that people recognized by the Church in the Communion of Saints have a special place in heaven (this is supported by scripture). And because of their unique status, having places of honor in the Kingdom of Heaven, they are in a position to petition God the Father on our behalf. We believe this to be so because one of the attributes of the Saints is they were some of the best examples of how a person might live a life of faith, and a big part of that faith is compassion and love for all humankind.
The second reason we have such reverence for the Saints is they provide us with examples of faith that are real to us. We can understand a St. Joseph whose principle merit was he provided a human father figure for Jesus the boy/man as he grew up. That sacrifice and love earned him a special place in the heart of the Church and a special significance for all fathers who adopt children or provide that role for them without a biological connection.
I love what Pope John Paul the Great said of St. Joseph in his Daily Meditations; "What emanates from the figure of Saint Joseph is faith. Joseph of Nazareth is a "just man" because he totally "lives by faith." He is holy because his faith is truly heroic." And we, whose faith is often challenged, need heroes. Pax.
I welcome your comments. If you would like to make one and are not registered on Myspace, you can email me at miles_jj@excite.com and, if you wish, I will post your response as a comment. Thanks.
[1] Note: St. Joseph's Solemnity is normally celebrated on March 19th, however, since that was a Sunday this year, his solemnity is celebrated the following day.
Scripture[1] from 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16
Jerome Biblical Commentary[2]
4 But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
5a "Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD:
(J) The Oracle of Nathan (7:1-29) (= 1 Chr 17:1-27). This oracle is the basis of (royal) messianism in the OT (? Aspects OT Thought, 77:155). Nathan reverses his first word, that the king should build a temple; instead of David building a "house" (temple) for the Lord, the Lord will build a "house" (dynasty-an everlasting dynasty) for David.
(Amsler, S., David, Roi et Messie [Neuchâtel, 1963]. Gese, H., "Der Davidsbund und die Zionserwahlung," ZThK 61 [1964] IQ-26. McKenzie, J. L., MR 205ff.)
5-7. This passage reflects a somewhat hostile attitude (or, at least, indifference) toward the Temple, and a preference for the desert practice; a favorable attitude appears in v. 13, which may be a later addition.
12 And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm.
8-12. The promise to David is a personal one-the continuation of his line in an everlasting dynasty (vv. 12, 16)-but Israel, God's people (vv. 10-11), will enjoy peace and security.
13 It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever.
14a I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me.
16 Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'"
13. The reference is to Solomon's building the Temple (cf 1 Chr 22 :7-10) , and the assurance of divine favor is extended to the dynasty (vv. 14-16).
[1] All biblical references -New American Bible United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3000 December 09, 2002 Copyright © by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
[2] All references to Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc.© 1968
Scripture from Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
Jerome Biblical Commentary
2 The promises of the LORD I will sing forever, proclaim your loyalty through all ages.
3 2 For you said, "My love is established forever; my loyalty will stand as long as the heavens.
4 I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant:
5 I will make your dynasty stand forever and establish your throne through all ages." Selah
2 [3-5] David's dynasty is to be as long-lasting as the heavens, a statement reinforced by using the same verbs (establish, stand) both of the divine love and loyalty and of the Davidic dynasty and throne. Cf Psalm 89:29-30.
Ps 89. A lament of the community, as it stands (39-52 !). But it is a mixed composition; the lament is preceded by a hymn in praise of God (2-19) and an oracle concerning the Davidic dynasty (20-38). The one who prays seems to be identified with the king ("my life," 48; "anointed," 52; and cf. 2, 19). But the precise life setting is not easy to establish. There is no proof of a cultic "humiliation" of the reigning king, and an historical occasion (Josiah?) is perhaps the best supposition. 2. the favors of the Lord: These are the actions in history by which Yahweh has shown his covenant love (ps 107:43; Is 63 :7), in particular the dynastic oracle to David (3-5). (On this oracle, cf. McKenzie, op. cit., 275-82 and H. van den Bussche in ETL 24 [I948] 354-94.)
27 He shall cry to me,'You are my father, my God, the Rock that brings me victory!'
29 Forever I will maintain my love for him; my covenant with him stands firm.
21-38. An expanded version of 1 Sm 7; they highlight royal prerogatives: anointing (21), divine protection (22), victory (23-26), adoptive sonship (27-28), .personal and dynastic security (23-26). However, 31-38 show that punishment of an unfaithful descendant of David is still within the framework of Yahweh's eternal "covenant" with David, which he will not "violate" (35).
Scripture from Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22
Jerome Biblical Commentary
13 It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
13-17. Abraham received a promise independently of the Law. 13. not through the Law: That is, the Mosaic Law (see comment on 2 :12), for Paul implicitly assails the Judaizing view that all blessings came to Abraham because of his merit in keeping the Mosaic Law, which he knew in advance through an intuition or revelation (see comment on 4:2). the promise: The promise of an heir to be born to Sarah (Gn 15:4; 17:16,19) and of numerous posterity (Gn 12:2; 13 :14-17; 17:8; 22:16-18) was extended by the rabbis on the basis of the universality of "all the families of the earth" (Gn 12 : 3) to mean that "the whole world" was Abraham's inheritance (see Str-B 3, 209). through the uprightness of faith: Appositional genitive. In 4:11 Paul had set this cardinal tenet over against the claim of circumcision; now he pits it against the Mosaic Law itself. He constantly returns to it, for only by this means will Abraham's heirs possess the whole
world.
16 For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,
16. that is why it all depends on faith: This cryptic statement picks up the thought of 4:13. Since the Law and the promise cannot exist side by side, the Law must yield. Faith is the all-important element, involving God's promise and his favor. The man who lives by faith, lives by grace. And the promise holds good not only for the Jew, but for all who share Abraham's faith, as the OT teaches.
17 as it is written, "I have made you father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.
17. the father of many nations: Gn 17:5 (LXX). In Gn the patriarch's name first appears as Abram (Hebr 'Abram, "The father is exalted," or "Exalted as to the Father"). The P source preserved the story of the change of Abram to Abraham and the popular etymology (17:5): Abraham means "Father of many nations" (' ab hamôn gôyîm, which exploits the h but neglects the r in 'Abraham). The "many nations" in Gn refers to the descendants of Ishmael and of the children born to Keturah (Gn 25 :lff.). Paul, however, understands it of Gentiles in general who are children of Abraham by faith. in the sight of God: Though the argument ends with the OT quotation, Paul adds a thought, alluding to Abraham's colloquy with God (Gn 17:1ff.). who makes the dead live: This (and the following) phrase may be derived ultimately from a Jewish liturgical formula. This one is similar to Shemoneh Esreh 2: "Thou, 0 Lord, art mighty forever, thou who makes the dead to live" (cf. C. K. Barrett, NTB § 159). In Paul's context, however, it refers to the divine power by which the barren Sarah was able to conceive Isaac (Gn 17:15-21). Remotely, it prepares for 4:24-25. and calls into being what does not exist: A formula similar to 2 Baruch 48: 8, "With a word thou callest into life that which was not, and with mighty power thou rulest that which has not yet come to be" (APOT2, 505). In Paul's context it refers immediately to the unborn Isaac; but remotely it connotes the influence of God on the numberless Gentiles who are destined to be sons of Abraham by faith.
18 He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "Thus shall your descendants be."
22 That is why "it was credited to him as righteousness."
18-25. Abraham's faith is the "type" of Christian faith. 18. hoping against hope, he believed: Lit., "contrary to [all human] expectation, in hope he believed [in God]" (AG 252). Though Abraham had so many human motives for despairing of ever having posterity, he believed, in virtue of the confident hope that the divine promise inspired in him. He took God at his word and believed in the creative power of God to do what seemed impossible. Isaac became one "born of a promise" (Gal 4:23; cf. Gn 17:16,19; 18:10).
Scripture from Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a
Jerome Biblical Commentary
16 Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.
The reconciliation of the divergent genealogies of Mt and Lk already was a celebrated problem in patristic times. Reconciliation assumes that both genealogies are compiled from reliable records. It is known that genealogies were kept in the post-exilic Jewish community, but this does not prove that genealogies were available to Matthew and Luke. It is much simpler to suppose that each genealogy was compiled artificially where the biblical record failed or where Luke, for reasons of his own, chose not to follow the line of the kings of Judah.
18 6 Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, 7 but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit.
6 [18-25] This first story of the infancy narrative spells out what is summarily indicated in Matthew 1:16. The virginal conception of Jesus is the work of the Spirit of God. Joseph's decision to divorce Mary is overcome by the heavenly command that he take her into his home and accept the child as his own. The natural genealogical line is broken but the promises to David are fulfilled; through Joseph's adoption the child belongs to the family of David. Matthew sees the virginal conception as the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14.
7 [18] Betrothed to Joseph: betrothal was the first part of the marriage, constituting a man and woman as husband and wife. Subsequent infidelity was considered adultery. The betrothal was followed some months later by the husband's taking his wife into his home, at which time normal married life began.
(B) The Birth of Jesus (1:18-25). In this and the following section some noteworthy differences between the narratives of Mt and Lk appear. Joseph is the central and the active figure in Mt. He is the recipient of revelation, which comes to him through the appearance of an angel in a dream. Mt mentions no residence in Nazareth prior to the birth. It agrees with Lk in the statement of the virgin birth and in the childhood residence of Jesus in Nazareth.. 18. espoused:. The written contract of marriage had been drawn up between Joseph (or his parents) and the parents of Mary. The Jewish marriage ceremony was accomplished when the groom took the bride into his house; this is meant by "come together" (1:18) and "take" (1 :20,24). Premarital unchastity in these circumstances was not adultery in the full sense of the word, nor was the repudiation of a marriage contract
"divorce" (1 :19) in the full sense of the word. It is very doubtful that the rigorous capital penalty of the Mosaic Law and the talmudic traditions was enforced in NT times.
19 Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, 8 yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
8 [19] A righteous man: as a devout observer of the Mosaic law, Joseph wished to break his union with someone whom he suspected of gross violation of the law. It is commonly said that the law required him to do so, but the texts usually given in support of that view, e.g., Deut 22:20-21 do not clearly pertain to Joseph's situation. Unwilling to expose her to shame: the penalty for proved adultery was death by stoning; cf Deut 22:21-23.
19. righteous: Joseph is called thus because of his desire to observe the Law. This righteousness was united with an unwillingness to expose his wife; it lay within his power to repudiate the agreement by signing a declaration in the presence of witnesses, but without stating the reasons in public.
20 Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord 9 appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
21 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, 10 because he will save his people from their sins."
24 When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
9 [20] The angel of the Lord: in the Old Testament a common designation of God in communication with a human being. In a dream: see Matthew 2:13, 19, 22. These dreams may be meant to recall the dreams of Joseph, son of Jacob the patriarch (Genesis 37:5-11:19). A closer parallel is the dream of Amram, father of Moses, related by Josephus (Antiquities 2,9,3; 212, 215-16).
10 [21] Jesus: in first-century Judaism the Hebrew name Joshua (Greek Iesous) meaning "Yahweh helps" was interpreted as "Yahweh saves."
20. the angel of the Lord: A messenger figure of the OT (e.g., Gn 16:10; 22:11,I5-I6; Ex 3:2; Jgs 6:13; 2 Sm 24:16; cf. EDB 87-90). The angel of the Lord announces the birth of Samson (Jgs 13 :3). Here he announces the name of the child: Jesus. The Gk form Iesous represents the Aram Yešua' and the Hebr yehošûa' (? Aspects NT Thought 78 :3, for the etymology). According to a popular etymology the name means "Yahweh is salvation"; this child will be an agent of salvation but the people will be saved from their sins, not from external enemies or dangers from nature. The greatest to bear this name in the OT was the hero of the Book of Joshua.
Or
Scripture from Lk 2:41-51a
Jerome Biblical Commentary
41 12 Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
12 [41-52] This story's concern with an incident from Jesus' youth is unique in the canonical gospel tradition. It presents Jesus in the role of the faithful Jewish boy, raised in the traditions of Israel, and fulfilling all that the law requires. With this episode, the infancy narrative ends just as it began, in the setting of the Jerusalem temple.
(c) THE Boy JESUS IN THE TEMPLE (2 :41-52).
This sole incident, breaking the, Gospel silence of "the hidden years" of Jesus, is narrated in a way sharply different from other, apocryphal gospels. Mary and Joseph presume Jesus to act as any normal boy would act; the apocryphal gospels multiply all kinds of extravagant miracles. The same penchant for the miraculous or the unusual colors the pages of the boyhood accounts of other ancient heroes: Cyrus, Alexander, Apollonius, or Moses. The closest parallel is Josephus' story of his own boyhood (Life 2 § 9), describing his reputation for learning among the chief priests and rulers of Jerusalem. Luke's account, by contrast, is reserved and unassuming.
41. went to Jerusalem every year: The law prescribed the Jerusalem pilgrimage for three major feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Ex 23:14; Dt 16:16); but custom excused those who lived at a distance from all but the Passover. The rabbis were not in agreement whether or not women and children were required to make the pilgrimage (Str-B 2, 141-42).
42 and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom.
43 After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.
42. twelve years old: A year before the age at which a boy officially reached manhood; the event is celebrated today with the ceremony of bar miswah.
44 Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
45 but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
44. in the company: Entire villages joined in the pilgrimages.
46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions,
47 and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.
48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety."
46. three days: Used here with a possible symbolic reference to the three days of Jesus in the tomb (see Lk 9:22; 13:32; 18:33; 24: 7,21,46; 1 Cor 15:4). sitting in the midst of the teachers: In one of the outer halls of the Temple. Jesus is not acting with any braggadocio; he is listening, asking questions, and giving answers to the questions put to him. By implication, however, Jesus is presented as the teacher at the center of a circle. He knows the Torah and its interpretations; in no way is he in opposition to Jewish Law and practice.
49
And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" 13
13 [49] I must be in my Father's house: this phrase can also be translated, "I must be about my Father's work." In either translation, Jesus refers to God as his Father. His divine sonship, and his obedience to his heavenly Father's will, take precedence over his ties to his family.
49. in my Father's house: The Greek can also be translated" about my Father's business." The latter is favored by the Gk construction in such texts as Mt 16 :23; Jn 8 :29; 9:4; 14:3 1. The phrase implies a close personal relationship between Jesus and the Father. The addition of the word "house" accords with the immediate situation and is supported by the interpretation of many of the early Fathers; see also Gn41:51; Est 7:9. This interpretation also fits in with the main thrust of the Lucan Gospel where the climactic moment is reached in the Jerusalem Temple, not only in the Infancy Narrative (2:22), but also at the end (19:45). By way of foreshadowing, the Infancy Narrative ends where the Gospel will. Mary finds Jesus at his work; he is not simply her son, but the heavenly Father's Son, sent on a mission in which she finds him totally involved; at this she sorrows, for it means separation. The words "my Father" are a sharp reversal; up till now Joseph was called by that title.
50 But they did not understand what he said to them.
50. they did not understand: That is, neither Joseph nor Mary. One of a parent's greatest sorrows afflicts Mary not to understand her own child. This statement makes it highly improbable that Mary appreciated the divine sonship of her son at this time.
51 He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
51. was obedient to them: This last reference to Joseph in the Gospels is a beautiful tribute to him. Obedient to his guidance, Jesus grew to perfect manhood.
posted by Deacon Jim | 1:47 AM
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