Both Jewish and Christian tradition have held that the Book of the Prophet Isaiah was just one very long piece of scripture written by Isaiah of Jerusalem. We are in that section of Isaiah that the scholars now call First Isaiah.
To understand how the scholars have arrived at their conclusions, we must first understand the term Historical critical scholarship. Critical scholarship Branch of literary criticism that investigates the origins of ancient text
is not tearing down previously held beliefs, but is a branch of criticism that investigates the origins of ancient texts in order to understand "the world behind the text". While often discussed in terms of Jewish and Christian writings from ancient times, historical criticism has also been applied to other religious and secular writings from various parts of the world and periods of history. The primary goal of historical criticism is to discover the text's primitive or original meaning in its original historical context and its literal sense. The secondary goal seeks to establish a reconstruction of the historical situation of the author and recipients of the text. That may be accomplished by reconstructing the true nature of the events that the text describes. An ancient text may also serve as a document, record or source for reconstructing the ancient past, which may also serve as a chief interest to the historical critic. In regard to Semitic biblical interpretation, the historical critic would be able to interpret the literature of Israel as well as the history of Israel.
Scholars now believe that Isaiah of Jerusalem actually only contribute about one half of the actual text and the rest was added by scribes over several hundred years. This should be understood that the Word of God was given to those who were the ones who actually put the words to paper and not to just the prophet himself.
Our scripture today is from chapter seven where King Ahaz is checking that they have enough resources to sustain a battle with the Assyrians. Isaiah advises him to remain tranquil and to not fear because the coming attack will not succeed. However, that is not what Ahaz does. Isaiah tells Ahaz to ask for a sign from the Lord that what he has told him will come to pass. Ahaz refuses and we hear Isaiah admonish Ahaz and then proceeds to announce a sign for the people. This sign is the birth of a son, from a virgin, who will be called Emmanuel.
While this passage does not equate Emmanuel with the birth of Jesus, over time this has become part of our tradition where they do become linked together. This child, for the Israelites, becomes a symbol of hope and of new life, a sign from God for them to believe in.
Our second reading from Paul this week is from the very beginning of his letter to the Romans. Paul adds the customary greetings that are common for introductory passages to our scriptures by wishing peace and prosperity on them. It sounds very much like so many of Paul’s letters that we can very easily miss some of the very significant things that are in this introduction.
First, he calls himself a slave to Jesus Christ. While slaves identify themselves in relationship to their owner, Paul intends for the receivers of the letter to understand that he follows Jesus, nit as a slave, but as a follower and believer. Second, he calls himself an apostle, while not one of the original apostles that Jesus himself picked out, but understands his call to be an apostle by his conversion. Third, Paul states his mission, to proclaim the gospel. Fourth, he tells us the good news is that Jesus is a descendant of David. Fifth, Paul tells us that Jesus is the Son of God because he raised Him from the dead.
Paul then goes on to call them to holiness, to wish them grace and peace.
The gospel this week starts with verse eighteen, the birth of Jesus. The first seventeen verses of this chapter are the genealogy of Jesus. Matthew understands that the community he was leading needed to be able to see that Jesus had come form the line of David, as expected. That is one of the reasons he details the genealogy as he does. What is unusual is the mention of four women in the line also. We know that there are not very many women mentioned in all of scripture, so we should be saying to ourselves, what is significant about these in our gospel.
Our question also contains the answer, that something unusual is taking place. This unusual event is the birth of Jesus and how it came about. We listen to Matthew explain that Joseph was going to divorce her, before they even had lived together, because she had become pregnant. Joseph had a dream where the angel of the Lord appeared to him and told him that it was through the Holy Spirit that she was going to conceive a child and that he was to take her into his home. Joseph does take her into his home.
This is not the last time Joseph has a dream and a message from an angel, each one playing a significant role in their lives and to protect Jesus as in infant. We will hear later how he is threatened and the similarities of the birth of Moses.
All of our scriptures are pointing to the coming of the Messiah, the anticipation we must endure until He returns. We are coming to the end of the se3ason pf preparation and next week we get to celebrate His birth from Christmas day through His baptism, Rejoice in the Lord!!!!