Advent Meditations

World On the Brinkfor a

Larry HartLarry Hart

Advent Meditations

World On the Brinkfor a

Larry Hart

An Omega Project Book

Advent Meditations

World On the Brinkfor a

Larry Hart

Copyright © Lawrence Hart, 2020

All rights reserved.

Withoutlimitingtherightsundercopyright

reservedabove,nopartofthispublicationmaybe

reproduced,storedinorintroducedintoaretrieval

system,ortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans

(electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recordingor

otherwise),withoutprior.

AprintondemandbookbyBlurb.com.

ISBN978-0-9845594-9-7

Acknowledgements

Ithankourgoodfriendandsisterinthefaith,AllisonDeLong;aswellas,

PhyllisAthaofImaginativeImagesforturningtheoriginalmanuscriptinto

bookform.ThequoteintheEpigraphfromTwylaParisistakenfromher

shortbutbeautifulsong,TheLightisShining.Scripturequotationswhich

arenoteithermyownparaphrasesortranslationsaretakenfrom:The

HolyBible:ContemporaryEnglishVersion;TheMessage;NewAmerican

StandardBible;NewKingJamesBible;TheNewRevisedStandardVersion;

andRevisedEnglishBible.

Epigraph

BlessedbetheGodandFatherofourLordJesusChrist!

Byhisgreatmercyhehasgivenusanewbirthintoalivinghopethrough

theresurrectionofJesusChristfromthedead.

––1Peter1:3

Oh,thelightisshining

Icanfeelitwarmandglowing

Oh,thedayisbreaking

Wakinghereinsidemylongingheart

––TwylaParis

Contents

One

Introduction

Two

Three

Four

Addendum

1 Come Be Our Help

V

16 An Ancient Prophecy

32 Waiting in Hope

53 And Mary Said

76 Turtles All the Way Down and the Prophetic Quandary

iv

Introduction

ThislittlebookattemptstobeaseriousAdventmeditationforreaders

whoholdtheirfaiththoughtfullyandhonestly.ByseriousIcertainlydonotmean

humorless.Indeed,therearefewthingsmorecomicthanthesomberanticsof

modernacademictheologiansandbiblicalscholars.AlfredNorthWhitehead

assertedthat"thetotalabsenceofhumorintheBibleisoneofthemostsingular

thingsinallliterature."1ButpoorAlfredwasaprofessionalmathematicianand

althoughtowardtheendofhislifehebecameaprofessorofphilosophyhenever

quiteescapedlookingatlifeasifitwereamirthlesssyllogismratherthan"divine

comedy."HadhereadtheBibleasabelieverhemighthaverecognizedthe

laughterthatcanbeheardinitspages.Humorisaprerequisiteforhumility,and

mostoftenflourishesamongthepoorwhorefusetogivesufferingthelastword.

So,thismeditationisalsoforthepoorandthepoorinspiritwhohavenochoice

buttotaketheirtroubleseriously;but,who,nevertheless,maintainan

appreciationforlife'sstrangeironiesandhumanity'scomicabsurdities.

Thisisabookthattakesseriouslythequestionsraisedbycritical

scholarshipandhistoriansaboutsuchmattersasthevirginalconceptionandthe

natureofmessianicprophecies;whileatthesametimeopeningthereadingsup

foranyonewhowantstothinkwithsomedepthaboutthespiritualrealityof

mysticalhope,ofhumility,ofendurance,ofgraceandglory.Mysimpleintention

hasbeentoprovideawayofthinkingaboutsuchmattersthatiscomprehensible

tocontemporarymenandwomenwhileremainingthoroughlyorthodox.

1 S. Lucien Price, ed., Dialogues of Alfred North Whitehead (Boston: Little, Brown and

Company, 1954), 199.

v

Therearefourchaptersandanaddendum,onechapterforeachweekof

Advent.Theaddendumismoreofanacademicdiscussionfocusedonmessianic

propheciesandtheircontributiontotheAdventconsciousness.Theactual

chaptersarebasedonfourScripturereadingstraditionallyrelatedtothisholy

seasonofwaiting:

1) COMEBEOURHELP––Revelation20:11-21:5

2) ANANCIENTPROPHECY––Isaiah7:10-17

3) WAITINGINHOPE––Romans5:1-5

4) ANDMARYSAID––Luke1:46-56

Eachchapterexploresthetechnicalandexegeticalquestionspresentedbythe

textwherethatisnecessarytounderstandingitsmeaning,buttheprimaryfocus

isonwhatthetexthastosayregardingthesoulfullife.Iwouldsuggestyouread

eachchapterslowlywithakindofholyleisure.Byreadingthreetofourpagesa

dayyouwilleasilycoverachapterforeachweekofAdvent.Attheendofeach

chapteryouwillfindasetofquestionsyoucanuseeitherforyourownpersonal

meditationoringroupreflection.Pleasenotethatthequestionsfocuson

spiritualcontentratherintellectualtheories.Itismyopinionthatthelattertend

todistractfrom"theonenecessarything."

Weliveinatimeofbothacuteandchroniccrisis.Bythetimeyoucanread

thesepageswewillbewellpastthe2020generalelectionday.AsIwritemany

areanxiouslywonderingandspeculatingwhetherafterthatNovemberdaythe

UnitedStatesofAmericawillstillbeademocracy?Willsomesemblanceof

stabilityandcompetencyhavebeenrestored;or,willchaosandcrueltyand

tyrannyhaveexpanded?HowmuchworsewilltheravagesoftheCOVID19

pandemicbe?Willwebeanybetterpreparedphysically,mentally,emotionally,

orspirituallyforthefuturepandemicsthatarecertaintocome?Willtherebeany

relieffromtheepidemicofviolence––domestic,community,orpersonalthatis

vi

engulfingus?Or,howaboutthemillionsinAmericawhoarehungry,orwithout

medicalcare?Orthetensofmillionswhowillbecomeclimaterefugees?What

abouttheecologicaldestructionoftheplanetwhichcontinuesunabated,and

whichmayverywellultimatelybringthedestructionofhumanity––oratleastof

humancivilization?Willwe,maybelikeapatientatthebrinkofdeathwhose

feverfinallybreaks,begintorecoverfromtheafflictionofracism,hatred,and

bigotrythatrunsrampantinoursociety?Orwillwejustimpotentlywitnessour

owndemiseonTV?

Well,Ineedtostopaddingtothislistofhorrorsforthesimplereasonthat

thereseemstobenoendtothemagnitudeofwhatiseuphemisticallycalledthe

"existentialthreat"confrontinguspersonally,culturally,nationally,andglobally–

–thedeadlycrisesthatarebecomingthearenainwhichmostofusmustliveour

everydaylife.Ifyouhaveanyintelligentawarenessatallyouknowthatallthisis

alreadyuponus––thatwemayverywellhavealreadyenteredan"apocalyptic"

age.However,thatisnotwhatthisbookisprimarilyabout.Norisitprimarily

abouttheverypersonalcrises,tragedies,andtroublesmostofusfaceasan

oftensadbutquiteordinarypartofliving.

ThisbookisaboutthatmysticalWayofhopewhichdoesnotfindthefinal

wordinheartbreak,orsuffering,ordeath,orevennaïveoptimism;but,inthe

WordwhoistheAlphaandtheOmega,theBeginningandtheEnd,“themysteryof

theages,whichisChristinyou,thehopeofglory”(Colossians1(colon)27NIV).

vii

1

Chapter One

Come Be Our Help TheonewholovesthecomingoftheLordisnottheonewhoaffirmsthatitisfaroff,

norisittheonewhosaysitisnear,butrathertheone,whetheritbefaroffornear,

awaitsitwithsincerefaith,steadfasthope,andferventlove.”

―AugustineofHippo

The Reading: Revelation 20:11 - 21:5

2011ThenIsawagreatwhitethroneandHimwhosatonit,fromwhosefacetheearth

andtheheavenfledaway.Andtherewasfoundnoplaceforthem.12AndIsawthe

dead,smallandgreat,standingbeforeGod,andbookswereopened.Andanotherbook

wasopened,whichistheBookofLife.Andthedeadwerejudgedaccordingtotheir

works,bythethingswhichwerewritteninthebooks.13Theseagaveupthedeadwho

wereinit,andDeathandHadesdeliveredupthedeadwhowereinthem.Andthey

werejudged,eachoneaccordingtohisworks.14ThenDeathandHadeswerecastinto

thelakeoffire.Thisistheseconddeath.15AndanyonenotfoundwrittenintheBookof

Lifewascastintothelakeoffire.

211NowIsawanewheavenandanewearth,forthefirstheavenandthefirstearthhad

passedaway.Alsotherewasnomoresea.2ThenI,John,sawtheholycity,New

Jerusalem,comingdownoutofheavenfromGod,preparedasabrideadornedforher

husband.3AndIheardaloudvoicefromheavensaying,“Behold,thetabernacleofGod

iswithhumankind,andGodwilldwellwiththem,andtheyshallbeGod'sownpeople.

GodHimselfwillbewiththemandbetheirGod.4AndGodwillwipeawayeverytear

fromtheireyes;thereshallbenomoredeath,norsorrow,norcrying.Thereshallbeno

morepain,fortheformerthingshavepassedaway.”5ThentheOnewhosatonthe

2

thronesaid,“Behold,Imakeallthingsnew.”Andsaidtome,“Write,forthesewords

aretrueandfaithful.”

Come Then Lord

Adventiswaiting.Adventiswaitingonwhatisandwhatistocome.Adventis

waitingfor,anticipating,thejudgementthatistocomeandthatalreadyis.Itmayseem

likeastrangenotiontohopeforthejudgmentofGod,towaitforitasmuchasthe

nightsentinelsofafortressorcityundersiegewaitforthelightofdawn,buthereitis,

theverythemethatrunsthroughoutRevelation."Howlong,OLord,"thesoulsofthe

martyrsinJohn'svisioncryout,"beforeyoujudgethosewhodwellonearthandgiveus

justice?"AndtheTeDeumLaudamus,Canticle10intheBookofCommonPrayer,a

magnificentsongofpraiseaffirmingChristianfaith(probablywritteninthefourth

centurybySaintAugustineandSaintJeromeforAugustine'sordination)embracesthe

mysteryofChristintheselines:

You Christ, are the king of glory,

the eternal Son of the Father. . .

You overcame the sting of death. . .

You are seated at God's right hand in glory.

We believe that you will come and be our judge.

Come, then, Lord, and help your people.

Sufferinginaworldofinjusticeandcruelty,ofhunger,pestilence,plague,poverty,and

massenslavement,livingwithviolence,exploitation,oppression,anddevastatingwars,

Christiansinthoseearlycenturiesdidnotfear,butwelcomed,JohntheRevelator's

visionofthereturnofChristasthejudgewhowouldrighteverywrong,whowould

exposeeverylie,whowouldputanendtoaworldsystemthatusedpeoplelikeoneof

theMinoansdisposableclaycups,andestablishinsteadGod'sorderwherepeopleare

3

lovedbecausetheyarehumanbeingsandnotfortheirutility;thePantokratorwho

wouldhealsorrow,andwhoseeverypronouncementwouldbeatriumphoflifeover

death.Yes!"Come,thenLord,andbeourjudge.Comeandhelpyourpeople."

IhavealwaysbeenintriguedbyHenriJ.M.Nouwen'sobservation,thatin

workingamongsomeofthepoorestandmostoppressedpeopleoftheworldinSouth

America,hediscoveredthatunlikemiddle-classNorthAmericanstheyshowedlittle

interestinthephilosophicalquestionofwhyGodallowssufferingandeviltoexist.

Instead,theyfeltthesufferingChristinsolidaritywiththem,andlongedforhimto

returninjudgmentof"thosewhodwellontheearth."

WhenJeremiahWright,theBlackChristianpastorwhobecameapolitical

liabilitytoBarackObama,thoughtabouttheracism,themisogyny,thebigotry,the

desperationofthepoor,policebrutality,thecruelinjusticeofthecriminalsystem,the

levelofcorporateandpoliticalcorruption,warsofaggressionandhistoryofgenocide,

slaveryandtheU.S.bombingofNagasakiandHiroshima,heappearstohavegrasped

thevisionofJohn."GodblessAmerica?No!GoddamnAmerica."“Come,Lord,andbe

ourjudge."Wewait,Lord,wewaitforyourcoming.

Dreading God and Fearing Vice

Formany,particularlyforthoseraisedinconservativechurchesorinreligiously

abusivehomesandfamilies,thethoughtofdivinejudgementoftenelicitsfear,terror,

anddread.AsWilliamBarry,S.J.notes,theymaygrowtoadulthoodthinkingofGodas

cruelandtyrannical,asadisticGodalwaysrelentlesslyscanningthemfortheslightest

thingthatcanbeusedagainstthem.Suchpeople,saysBarry,maygrowuphatingvice

ratherthanlovingvirtue,andrejectingorrepressingtheireveryhealthyspiritual

impulse.Thistoo,Jesussays,willbeweighedinjudgement:

4

If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones

who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone

were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth

of the sea. Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks!

Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by

whom the stumbling block comes! (Matthew 18:6,7).

WhileJesus'swordsherearefigurativeanddramatictheytakeevil,realunmitigated

monstrousevil,withunflinchinganduncompromisingseriousness.

The Monster That Devours

Evil,realevil,cannotbeglossedoveroreasilydismissedasofnogreat

consequence.WhathappenedtoAnnFrankandEmmettTillhasnotbeendislodged

fromtheDivinememory,andremainsonthebookstobeadjudicated.Thegrizzlyrape

andmurderofthelittlefive-year-oldgirlinSierraLeonewasamatterofsome

indifferencetotheauthorities,butremainsofgreatconcerntoGod.Anddonotdoubt

thatthe1,000,000childrenundertheageoffivewhoperishedinIraqbecauseof

Americansanctionsremainsonthecourtdocket;asiseverylittlebrownchildripped

fromitsmother'sarmsatthesouthernborderoftheU.S.Physicalandsexualabuse,all

prejudice,andeveryactofgreedandunkindness,privateorpublic,willcometodivine

judgement.Evil,simplyandstraightforwardlyput,isanythingthatdiminishes,

impoverishes,ordestroyslifeinanyofitsmanifestations––physical,psychological,

emotional,intellectual,orspiritual.Evilisthemonsterthatdevourstheinnocent,the

vulnerable,andtheunwary.Satanhas,fromthebeginning,beenamurdererandliar

(John8:44).That'swhatevildoes,itmurdersandkills,andthenattemptstohideitall

withlies.InC.S.Lewis'snovelTheScrewTapeLetters,themaliciousintentofthedevil,

istodevourthehumansoul."Youradversarythedevil,"wrotetheApostlePeter,"

5

prowlsaroundlikealionseekingsomeonetodevour"(1Peter5:8).That'swhatrealevil

does––itdevoursthevulnerable.

The Criterion of Judgment

WhatseparatesthesheepfromthegoatsinMatthew25:31-38,thecriterionof

thefinaljudgment,turnsoutnottobewhatiswritteninaliteralbook,suchasone

mightfindinamodernfilmofmagicalfantasy,norisitthewrittentextoftheBible,but

ratheritiswritteninthecharacterofChristhimself.EachjudgementinMatthewisa

revelation,arevelationofhowthequalityofourinnerrelationshipwithChristhas

determinedourrelationshipwiththosewhoarevulnerableandpowerless.

"Iwashungryandyougavemesomethingtoeat:"Globally,690,000,000people

arehungry,meaningthattheygodaysatatimewithouteating.Between37,000,000

and40,000,000Americas,almostathirdofthemchildren,arefoodinsecure––a

euphemismfornotknowingwhenorfromwheretheirnextmealiscoming.Our

responseasanationhasbeentocutassistance,likefoodstamps,tofamilies,and

eliminateschoollunchprogramsforchildren.

"Iwasthirstyandyougavemedrink."Worldwide2,000,000,000peoplelack

accesstocleandrinkingwater,and2.7billionfacewaterscarcityatleastonemontha

year.By2025two-thirdsoftheworld'spopulationwilllikelyfacewatershortages;and,

about1.6millionAmericansdonothaverunningwaterorindoorplumbing.

"Iwasastrangerandyouinvitedmein."IntheOldTestamentthestrangeristhe

foreigner,thealien,theimmigrant,thenon-Jewishresident.Strangersmust,according

totheTorah,begiventhesameprotectionsofthelawasthepeopleofIsrael(Leviticus

24:22);thesojourneristobelovedbecausetheHebrewsknowwhatitistoliveas

unlovedsufferingstrangersinahostileland.Thisishighlysignificanttypologyforthe

postmodernbeliever.Ofallpeople,Christiansoughttofeelsympathyfortheliteral

stranger,fortheyare,afterall,aspeoplewhospirituallyareintheworldbutnotofthe

6

world,strangersinastrangeland––residentalienswhoserealcitizenshipisinthe

KingdomofHeaven(Philippians3:20).

"Donotneglecttoshowhospitalitytostrangers,"writestheunknownauthorof

theNewTestamentBookofHebrews,"fortherebysomehaveentertainedangels

unawares"(Hebrews13:2).Toshowhospitalityistoinvitethestrangerin.HenriJ.M.

NouwenhasawonderfulEucharisticmeditationbasedonthestoryofthe"walkto

Emmaus"astoldinLuke24:13-35.Inthispassage,afollowerofJesusofNazareth

namedCleopasandanunnamedcompanion(thoughtbysomescholarstobehiswife)

arewalkingtotheirhomeinEmmausontheSundayaftercrucifixion––thedayofthe

resurrection.Theyaredespondent.Alltheirhopeseemstohavecometonothing.As

theytalktheyarejoinedbyastranger,whoisreallyChristunrecognized.Thestranger

thenbeginstoexplainfromtheScripturestheirexperienceofJesusandhistragic

death.WhenintheeveningtheyarriveattheirhomeinEmmausandthestranger

startstogohisownway,theystophimandinvitehimtocomeinandstaywiththem––

eatwiththem.Ashetookbread,andblessedit,andbroke,andgaveittothemthey

recognizethatthestrangerisnostrangerbutJesushimself.Now,thisiswhatNouwen

writes:"Theywanttobehishosts.Theyinvitethestrangertolayasidehisstrangeness

andbecomeafriendtothem.Thatiswhattruehospitalityisallabout,toofferasafe

place,wherethestrangercanbecomeafriend.Thereweretwofriendsandastranger.

Butnowtherearethreefriends,sharingthesametable."1

"Iwasnakedandyouclothedme."Ireadofateenagegivingoutsockstothe

homeless.AtfirstIsmiled.ButthenIreadwherewarm,well-fittingsockscanhelp

preventfrostbiteinverycoldweather.Andthatinwarmmoistweatherclean,drysocks

canhelppreventseriousinfectionsandblisters.Forthosewithdiabetesandother

1 Henri J.M. Nouwen, With Burning Heart: A Meditation on the Eucharistic Life (Maryknoll,

New York: Orbis Books, 1994), 60.

7

circulatoryproblems,goodsockscanprovideimportantprotectionfortheirfeetand

limbs.WhenIreadthatIthoughtwhatakind,simpleandpracticalhelpthatteenager

gavetothosepeople.

"Iwassickandyoulookedafterme."OrastheoldKJVputsit,"Youvisited"me.

Beforegoinganyfurtheritisimportanttonotethattheword"visit"doesnotreferto

makingapleasantsocialcallortwofriendsgettingtogethertotalkfornoreasonother

thanthattheyenjoyingeachother'scompany.To"visit"inthebiblicalsenseistogoto

theaidorhelpofanother.In2018,27.9millionnonelderlyindividualswereuninsured,

anincreaseofnearly500,000from2017.Since2016,whenthenumberofuninsured

reachedhistoriclows,thenumberofpeoplewholackhealthinsurancecoveragehas

grownby1.2million.Today,"Iwassickandyouvisitedme,"mightmeanIwassickand

youworkedforuniversalhealthcare.Thesepeoplearenonviolentoffenderswhose

problemsstemfrommentalillnessanddrugaddictionneedingtreatment.And,ithas

becomeclearthattheracistatmosphereofthecriminaljusticesystemhasresultedina

disproportionatenumberofpeopleofcolorbeingsenttoprison.

Bythetimeyoureadthisthestatisticswillhavechanged––probably

dramatically.AtleastIhopetherewillbevastimprovement.Butrightnowtheaverage

dailypopulationofdetainedimmigrantsissomewherenear40,000.Detaineesareso

crowdedtogetherthatoftenthereisnoplacetositorliedowntorest,watertodrink,

oratoilettouse.Over3000childrenhavebeenseparatedfromtheirparentsatthe

border.Theyliveincages,andsleeponthefloorcoveredbythin68¢plastic

blankets.Theycry,andhavingbeenrippedfromtheirmothersandfathers;thereis

noonetocomfortthem.Sixchildrenhavedied––somethingthatdidnothappenin

theentireprecedingdecade."Come,then,Lord,andbeourjudge.!Comeandhelp

us."AsIwritecrediblehorrorstoriesofforcedhysterectomiesofdetained

immigrantwomenarebeingreported."ComeLord,andbeourjudge."

8

IheardJosephTellow,S.J.tellastoryabouthisbrother,apsychologistwhodoes

alotofworkwithinmatesatAngolaPrisoninLouisiana.Hesaidthathisbrothernot

onlyvisitsindividualinmatesbutalsoexchangesletterswiththem.Thewritingofone

prisonerwassobadthatitwasalmostimpossibletodecipher.WhenTallow’sbrother

metwiththisinmatepersonallyhesaidtohim:"Youknow,yourhandwritingisreally

awful––youmightwanttotrytodosomethingaboutthat.Theinmateangrilyshot

back,"Ifyoudon'tlikemyhandwritinggetmea(expletive)typewriter!"LaterTallow’s

brotherrememberedhehadanoldtypewriterinhisgarage.Hesentitovertothis

prisonerwhotheguardssaidafterthetypewritercamewept,andwept,andwept

because:"Noonenevergavemenothin'!"

If You Didn't Notice

Inyourownmeditationyouwillwanttonoticeseveralthings.NoticethatJesus

makesnoefforttoprovideanysortofanexhaustivelistofrightandwrong,butrather

tellsusofthekindofthinkingandconcreteactionsthatseparategoodandevil.Anyone

withanyinsightatallwillimmediatelygrasphowthissketchappliestothewholeof

life.Nodetailedlist,regardlessofhowlongormeticulous,willdothosewithout

awarenessanygood.Notice,loveforGodcannotbeseparatedfromloveforothers."If

youdonotloveallthepeoplearoundyouwhoyoucansee,youmostcertainlycannot

loveGodwhomyouhavenotseen"(1John4:20).MotherTeresatookthispassageso

seriouslythatshebelievedthatwhenshecleanedthemaggotsfromabeggar'ssoresor

touchedalepershewastouchingChrist.Thisiswhatshemeantinsaying,"Godisinthe

work."Noticethatnoself-justificationorjudgmentofothersispossible,fortheverdict

islefttotheSonofManalone.Notice,thatthebasicissueisthewillofGodasknown

andpracticedin,by,andthroughlove.Andfinally,noticethatthepassageisobviously

metaphorical,allegorical,parabolic,writteninrichandfigurativeapocalypticlanguage;

however,thatshouldnotbeunderstoodasmeaningjudgmentisunreal.

9

Metaphor for the Really Real

BothMatthew25andourpassagefromRevelation,aswellasotherbiblicaltexts

abouttheendoftheworldandjudgmentareobviouslytobeunderstood

metaphorically,poetically,symbolically,or,asparables.AssoonasMatthewwritesof

theSonofMan(whichisanallusiontoanapocalypticvisionintheOldTestamentBook

ofDaniel),agloriousthrone,orseparatingsheepandgoatsandspeakingtothemwe

knowheisusingimaginativelanguage.Jesus'sfavoritewordforhellis"Gehenna"––the

stinking,smoldering,burning,ratinfestedgarbagedumpoutsideJerusalem.Thefirst

wordJohnwritesinRevelationisthatthisvisionwasnotonlygiventohimbyGod,but

thatGod"sentandsignified"it––communicateditbysignsorsymbols.SowhenJohn

paintssurrealpicturesofabeautiful,perfectlysymmetrical,citydescendingfrom

heavenasbeautifulasavirginbridecoveredinjewelsandwearinganexpensivegown,

awaterspringofeternallife,orthatlakeoffire,onlythemostobtusemindcouldfailto

recognizesuchlanguageassymbolic,figurative,apocalyptic.Buttoreiterate,whatit

describesinimaginativelanguageisneverthelesssomethingrealandsubstantial.

Describing the Really Real

JohnKnox,themoderntheologian(nottheScottishPresbyterianreformer),

referredtothissortoflanguageasimaginative.Meaninglanguageandstoriesthatare

writteninfigurative,orpoetic,language,yet,areaboutsomethingquiterealandtrue.

Herearejustfivewellknownnonreligiouspoemsaboutveryrealpeopleandevents

thatyoucouldlookupandreadonyourownasexamplesofthisuseoflanguage:"The

ChargeoftheLightBrigade"byAlfred,LordTennyson;"TheBlueandtheGrey,"by

FrancisMilesFinch;"Boston,"byRalphWaldoEmerson;"OCaptain!MyCaptain!"by

WaltWhitman;and,"TheEveofWaterloo"byLordByron.Whenattemptingtospeak

10

ofthedeepermeaningofevents,lifeandreality,andespeciallywhenexploringthe

spiritualsignificanceofanevent,anexperience,orunseenforces;or,when

contemplatingthedivinemysterythatenfoldsusalltheonlyserviceablelanguagewe

haveisimaginativelanguage.

Manyscholarshaveusedtheword"myth"tomeanuntrue,false,orfictitious––

anunbelievablefantasysuchasCinderella,orSnowWhiteandtheSevenDwarfs.

ScholarsofthistypewouldsaythatthetruthcontainedinScriptureisprimarily

emblematic;thatis,ithasamoraltoit,teachesaphilosophicalprinciple,oranideal

worthyofourcommitment––kindness,love,compassion,justice.

Knox,however,sawabiblicalmythassomethingmuchmorethanthis.

KnoxbelievedthatmythologicalstoriesandlanguageintheBible,thatpoetic

language,thatimaginativelanguage,conveys,communicates,orexpressesthefelt

realityorconcretemeaningofsomethinginourexistence.Butthereisalsoanother

elementofequalimportance.Themythologicalalsoaccountsfororexplainsthis

"something,"thisfeltreality,inourexistence;itdoessobyrelatingittoanactual

objectiveactofGod.Knoxexplainsbyreferringtoeschatology,theverythingweare

discussinghere.Hewrites:

We are bound to recognize the figurative, the highly imaginative,

character of the language in which the Church has expressed its

hopes for the ultimate future. The rich diversity of the images it has

used. . . if taken with any literalness––makes this character

particularly clear. Moreover, it is manifest in this area especially, the

only alternative to such imaginative language speech is silence.

Either we speak of our dead as "in Abraham's bosom," as "being

with Christ," as "asleep in Christ" awaiting the "general resurrection"

the "Lord's return," or some similar way, or else we refrain from

speaking. But this last we cannot do; our hopes are real and they

clamor for expression. We must say that God will save us from

11

death, that he will redeem our life from destruction, that by his

mercy our partial broken selves shall be made whole, that we shall

see God. We actually expect this in our own future; we are

convinced that it belongs to the future, or to the already realized

present, of our dead. . . To be sure, we cannot speak of what God

will do for us "in the last day without using language which belongs

almost entirely to the imagination, but this does not mean we are

doubting the actuality of his doing it.2

Yes.Come,Lord,andbeourjudge.Comeandhelpus.Wewaitforyourcoming.

When Spiritual Imagination Fails

ThefamousProcesstheologianJohnCobb,sayssomethingquiteinterestingfor

someoneasreligiouslyskepticalandliberalasheis.Hewrites:

In polite circles the idea of hell is, in fact, much worse than

unfashionable. What remains in the liberal Church is a vague

assurance that all will be well. Since no content is ever suggested

for the imagination, the assurance is for many, not very reassuring.

The result tends to be that Christians cling to a rather miserable

existence here rather than eagerly anticipating a blessedness

beyond. . . To affirm the goodness of life here and now and deny

that God imposes suffering on anyone does not require an end to

the discussion of life after death. . . What has really ended all such

discussion in respectable society is the materialistic world view.3

AsCobbreflectsinhistheologicalreminiscencesonwhatdeathmaymeanforus

all,hesuggeststhatforthosewhosesenseofsatisfactioninlifehasbeenprimarily

2 John Knox, Myth and Truth: An Essay on the Language of Faith (Charlottesville: University

Press of Virginia, 1964), 30-31.

3 John Cobb, Theological Reminiscences (Claremont, CA: Process Century, 2014), 302-305.

12

sensual,theirlosswouldbeoverwhelming.Andthosewithoutempathyorcompassion,

andwhohaveusedothersforthefulfillmentsoftheirownpersonallifeagendaor

satisfaction,adimensioninwhichthatisnolongerpossiblemightindeedbehellish.

Alsoitmaybeforthosewhoseexperiencehasbeenlimitedtothematerial,tothe

physical,thatthereisnocontinuationoflifeatall.Butforthosewhosedominant

experiencehasbeentheverypresenceofGoditmaybe,asChristianScriptureasserts,

thattodieistobecomemorefullyalivetothebeatificvisionforwhichtheyhave

waitedandlongedfor.

Waiting for the Presence of God

Butstrangely,thejudgmentandhelpwewaitforisalreadyoccurringinthisvery

moment.Wewaitforwhatalreadyis.Judgmentisnotonlyfuture,itisnow.TheSonof

Manwhoseadventweawaitiscontinuouslycomingandenteringeveryopenand

longingheart.HerearetwoversesthatpointtothismultipledimensionofAdvent:

For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and

if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do

not obey the gospel. (1 Peter 4:17)

When the Holy Spirit comes, he will expose the secular world’s

erroneous perception of sin, of justice, of the right path, and

judgment: He’ll show the basic sin of those who refuse to believe in

Christ; that wisdom and goodness come from above (John 16:18).

PetermayhaveanynumberofOldTestamentpassagesinmindashewrites.For

instance, inMalachi4God'scominginjudgementandhelpiscertain,butitcanonlybe

realizedbyapreparatoryandpurifyingprocessofjudgmentinthepresent.The

prophets,inanumberofinstances,madeitclearthatGodwoulddeliverthepeopleand

makethemfitfortheDivinepresenceinthesensethatarunnerbecomesfittoruna

13

marathon;afterthat,Godwoulddealwiththewickedinafinalanddecisivejudgement.

ThisistheprincipletheApostlePeterreferencesin1Peter4:17.Itiswhatscholarsrefer

toastheparadoxofthealreadyandthenotyet.ThepresenceofChristcreatedacrisis,

revealedtruthandexposedthedarkness.IntheFourthGospelJesusspeaksofthis

sameprocessofjudgmentandpurificationfromtheperspectiveoftheSpirit'swork.

TheHolySpirit,workinginthepresent,illuminatingthepresent,exposestheworld

darknessandinthatwaybringsittojudgement.Andnoticeinallthisthatjudgmentis

understoodassomethingthatisintegraltothepresenceofGod.

MorethananythingelseinAdventitisthispresenceofGodforwhichwewait––a

presencethatwasatthenativity,isherenow,andthatwillbe.Wewaitforpeace,for

harmony,forjoy,forultimatesatisfactionandfulfillment.Wewaitforanendto

tragedyandsorrow.Wewaitforjustice––thevanishingofthesea(symbolicofagreat

reservoirofmonstrousevil,chaos,violence,greed,andcruelty).Wewaitforanendto

starvation,disease,anddeath.Wewaitforforgiveness––thehealingofourfragmented

selves.Wewaitwithyearningheartstoknowlove,toexperiencelovingintimacy.But

allofthisisalreadyencompassedinthepresenceofChrist––inGod,"inwhomwelive,

move,andhaveourbeing."Wehaveeverythingweneedinthismoment,ifwecansee

it,toexperiencelifefully,tolivethenewlifeinChrist,andtobeinconscious

communionwithGod(2Peter1:3).

NoticehowourtextfromRevelation,verse3,says:"Behold,thetabernacleof

Godiswithmen,andGodwilldwellwiththem,andtheyshallbehispeople,andGod

himselfshallbewiththem,andbetheirGod."IntheOldTestamentHebrewthe

tabernacle(mishkān),meansa"residence"or"dwellingplace,"usuallyatentortent-like

structurethatiseasilymovedaboutbynomadicpeople.IntheBibletheTentofthe

CongregationorTentofMeetingwastheportablesacreddwellingplaceofYahweh

(theGodofIsrael).AstheHebrewsjourneyedthroughthedesertwildernessthey

carriedthetabernaclewiththemwherevertheymoved.TheybelievedthatwhileGod's

14

presencecouldnotbeconfinedtoanyoneearthlylocation,God'smysteriousreality

filledtheTentofMeetingandwasmostaccessibletothemthere.The"tabernacle"

itselfliterallymeans"tent,""residence,"or"dwellingplace."Beforethetemplewas

builtbySolomoninJerusalem,andduringthetimeofnomadicwanderinginthe

wildernessunderMoses,thelifeandworshipoftheHebrewswascenteredaroundthis

exquisitelybeautifulandportabletent-likestructure.ThetabernaclewaswhereGod

resided,dwelled,ortentedamongtheHebrews.NownoticeJohn1:14:"AndtheWord

becameflesh,andlived(tabernacled)amongus;andwesawGod'sglory,thegloryas

belongingtotheonlybegottenSonoftheFather."Allthosetranslationsthatsaythe

Word,orLogos(theeternalmind,truth,reason,orpowerofGodinwhichthewhole

worldcoheres),"dweltamongusinthepersonofJesusChristarecorrect,buttheimage

itselfisactuallythatofsomeonepitchingtheirtentamongpeoplewithwhomtheyare

takinguppermanentresidence.Christhasalreadypitchedhistentamongus––already

dwellsamongusindividually,andinthecommunityoffaith.And,inthiswesee,feel,

andexperiencethegloryorpresenceofGod.

Waiting For What Already Is

Ifthisallsoundsalittlestrange,itmaybebecauseyouareusedtohearingRevelation

explainedasifitwereachronicleofeventsonalinearcalendarextendingintothe

future;whenitwouldactuallybemorehelpfultothinkaboutitasifthepastandthe

futureweretwogreatriversrushingintotheseathatisthepresent.Wepray,we

watch,wewaitforGodtocomeandbewithus;tocomeandbeourjudge,tobeour

help,tobethatmysteriousawe-filledtranscendentpresencethatatthesametime

isclosertousthanwearetoourselves,lovesusmoreandbetterthanwelove

ourselves,andwhoisandwillbeourbeginningandourunendingend.Butallour

waitingisfortheAdventthatalreadyis.

15

Questions for Personal and Group Reflection

1)HowdoesAdventwaiting,spiritualwaiting,differfromwaitingaswenormallythink

ofit?

2)Inwhatwayisthelongingforjusticeacryforhelpandanexpressionofhope?In

whatwayisthepracticeofjustice,championingthecauseofthepoorandvulnerable

(Isaiah1:17)––boththepersonalandcommunitypracticeofthebiblicalspiritualityof

love?

3)Inthischapterevilisdescribedasthatwhichkills,destroys,ordiminishesthelifeof

another.Whatthenwouldbetheoppositesofevil?Notethattrueevilisnotonesingle

orisolatedeventinsomeone'slife,butitisarepetitivepatternofdestruction.What,

then,wouldbetheoppositepattern?

4)WhatdoyoumakeofJesus'scriterionofjudgmentgiveninMatthew25?

5)Whatisthedifferencebetweenametaphororimaginativelanguageabout

somethingthatisrealandfigurativelanguageaboutsomethingwhosemeaningis

entirelyemblematic?

6)Isdeaththeendofeverything?Thereisnodoubt,evenscientificallyspeaking,that

theworldwillend,asthepoetRobertFrostsuggested,eitherinfireorice.Butdoyou

thinkitwillendindespairorhope?Whatisyourownpersonaldesireandhope?Whatis

yourhopefoundedon(1Peter3:15)?

16

Chapter Two

An Ancient Prophecy Thisworld,isnomereshadowofanidealinanuppersphere,itisreal,butnotabsolute;

theworld'srealityiscontingentuponcompatibilitywithGod.Whileothersare

intoxicatedwiththehereandnow,theprophethasavisionofanend....Theprophet

ishuman;yetemploysnotesoneoctavetoohighforus,andexperiencesmomentsthat

defyourunderstanding.4

––AbrahamJoshuaHeschel

The Reading: Isaiah 7:10-17

Isaiah710AgaintheLordspoketoAhaz,saying,11"AskasignoftheLordyourGod;let

itbedeepasSheolorhighasheaven."12ButAhazsaid,"Iwillnotask,andIwillnotput

theLordtothetest."13ThenIsaiahsaid:“Hearthen,OhouseofDavid!Isittoolittlefor

youtowearymortals,thatyouwearymyGodalso?14ThereforetheLordhimselfwill

giveyouasign.Look,theyoungwomaniswithchildandshallbearason,andshall

namehimImmanuel.15Heshalleatcurdsandhoneybythetimeheknowshowto

refusetheevilandchoosethegood.16Forbeforethechildknowshowtorefusetheevil

andchoosethegood,thelandbeforewhosetwokingsyouareindreadwillbe

deserted.17TheLordwillbringonyouandonyourpeopleandonyourancestralhouse

suchdaysashavenotcomesincethedaythatEphraimdepartedfromJudah—theking

ofAssyria.”

4 Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets: An Introduction Volume I (New York: Harper and

Row, 1962), 10.

17

Prophetic Wisdom

Theprophetswerenotfortunetellersorprognosticatorsofthefuture.Isaiah,Jeremiah,

Amosandtheotherswerepeopleconvincedtheyhadbeengivenamessagethathad

notoriginatedwiththem––awordthathadnotbeenderivedfromtheirownmindor

imagination.Eventhecasualreaderquicklygraspsthepassionoftheprophetsfor

justiceandtheircourageinconfrontingcorruption,politicaldeceit,andtheexploitation

ofthepoorandvulnerablebythewealthy.Whatdoesfrequentlyeludethemore

accidentalreaderisthedeepmysticismoftheprophets,sothatfewpeoplerecognize

theprophetsrepresentoneofthegreatmysticaltraditionsoftheworld.Thedifference

betweentheOldTestamentprophetslikeElisha,Elijah,orIsaiahandothermysticsis

thattheprophetswereableintheirmeditationtoobtainaclearmessageofwisdom.

Thosewhosoughttopreparethemselvesforpropheticministrywereknownas"the

sonsoftheprophets,"andnormallyspentyearsinintensetrainingandspiritual

discipline."Thetrueprophet,"writesAryehKaplan,theJewishscholarandmystic,"is

abletochannelthisspiritualpower,focusingitclearlyenoughtoobtainan

unambiguousmessage."5Theinsightsgainedbytheprophets,asHeschelnotes,were

gainedby"knowingwhattheysawratherthanseeingwhattheyknew."6Likethe

prophets,ourownabilitytoknowwhatweseewillgrowonlyaswebecomewillingto

becomepersonallyinvolvedinthepassionofwhattheyhavewritten."Themoments

thatpassedintheprophetslivesarenotnowavailableandcannotbecomethesubject

ofscientificanalysis.Allwehaveistheconsciousnessofthosemomentsaspreservedin

words."7Andtheirwordshaveaboutthemtheringoftruth,thesoundofclear

authenticity.IwassittingataquietretreatcenterontheSanFranciscoBaywithsixty

othermenandwomeninmorningprayer.TheOldTestamentlessonwasIsaiah43:1-7.

5 Ayeh Kaplan, The Bible and Meditation (York Beach: ME: Samuel Weisner, 1978).

6 Heschel, The Prophets: An Introduction, xi.

7 Ibid., ix.

18

Oneofthewomenreaditinasoftgentlevoice––slowenoughtofeeleachwordand

phraseasitflowedbutcloseenoughtogetherthatitallstillcoheredandmadesenseas

awhole.Although,tosayitmadesensethatmorningisnotdescriptiveofwhatI

experienced.ItwaslikeIwasanoceanswimmerwadingoutintothesurf,andwhena

largewavecameIwasnotafraid,butletitspowerandbeautywashoverme.Itwasone

ofthosemomentswhichcomeeverysoofteninwhichIexperiencethetruthofW.E.

Sangster'swords:"Themostsublimemomentsofthelifeoffaitharethoseinwhichwe

cometoknowinourheartwhatwemayhaveunderstoodinourmindallalong."8

Now,ifIhadsatthereasthetextwasreadandthoughtabouttheindications

thatthisportionofIsaiahwas,accordingtomanyscholars,probablywrittenbythe

disciplesofFirstIsaiah(aftertheBabylonianExile,butbeforeThirdIsaiah,andthe

rebuildingofJerusalem),Iwouldnothavehadthattranscendentexperience––

experiencedthatmomentofenlightenment.Propheticwisdom,likeallofScripture,

canonlybetrulyunderstoodbyreadingandlisteningfortransformationmorethan

information.Readingtheprophetsisnoteasywork.Wemayverywellfindourselves

resistingtheradicalspiritualjustice,compassion,andconsecrationtowhichthe

prophetscallus,orstrugglingintellectuallywiththeircertaintiesandextravagant

claims;yet,ifwehavelisteningheartsthewordsoftheprophetsmaybecomealive

tous.

Messianic Consciousness

VeryconservativeChristiansfrequentlyattempttousethemessianicpropheciesofthe

OldTestamentasevidencetoprovewithsomesortofscientificormathematical

certaintythatJesusistheMessiah.Irecentlysawmessianicprophecieslistedas

predictionsandassignedstatisticalprobabilitieslike1in105,1in1020,or1in1011inan

8 W. E. Sangster, Power In Preaching (London: Epworth Press, 1958) 95-96

19

attempttodemonstratetheoverwhelmingstatisticalprobabilitythatJesuswasinfact

themessiah.Now,whileIunequivocallybelieveJesustobetheChrist,andattimesfind

myselfblurtingoutinutterastonishmentasSaintThomasdidwhenheencountered

therisenJesusinthatupperroom,"MyLord,andmyGod!"Idonotbelievethatthis

appealtoformallogicwithitsownseriouslimitationsistheusetheprophetsintended

tobemadeoftheirwork,orthewaythewritersoftheNewTestamentanticipatedtheir

beingunderstood.IbelievethemessianicpropheciesdopointtotheadventofChrist,

notasdetailedNostradamus-likepredictionssupersedingtheneedforgenuinefaith,

butasaflowofpropheticconsciousnessconvergingandrecognizableinChrist.

The Crisis

ThegoldenageofIsraelendedwiththedeathofSolomon(731B.C.E.).After

Solomon'sdeaththetensoutherntribesrebelledagainsthisarrogantandoppressive

sonRehoboam,whowassupportedbythetwonortherntribesofJudahandBenjamín,

alongwiththepriestlyLevites.ThenationwasnowdividedwiththeKingdomofJudah,

anditscapitalJerusaleminthenorth;and,thetentribesofthesouthcenteredin

Samaria.Thekingdomwasneveragainunited,oraswealthyandpowerfulasithad

oncebeenunderDavidandSolomon.

TheeventsreferredtointhisreadingfromIsaiah7occurrednearlytwohundred

yearsafterthekingdom'sviolentdivision.Ahaz,thesonofJotham,becamethetwelfth

monarchofJudahwhenhewasonlytwenty-years-old––theyoungandinexperienced

rulerofasmallandweakkingdomunderimmensepressure.

KingPekah,thenorthernkingdomofIsrael(Ephraim),andRezinKingof

Damascus(Syria)haveformedacoalitionto"tearJudahapart."WhenAhazlearnsof

thisheandthepeoplepanic."Theyareshakenasthetreesoftheforestareshakenby

thewind"(7:2).IsaiaharrangesforaclandestinemeetingwithAhazattheendofthe

aqueductoftheUpperPoolonthestreetthatleadstoLaunderer'sField.Inthissecret

20

meetingIsaiahtellsAhazthatGodhasrevealedtohimthatifAhazdoesnotloseheart

andinsteadtrustsGodratherthanbecomingentangledinallianceswithevilpowers,all

willbewell."Becareful,becalm,don'tbeafraid...Ifyoudon'tstandfirminyourfaith

youwillnotstandatall"(7:4,9).

AtthispointnoticethatIsaiah'sreassuringwordisconditional––allbeingwell

dependsonwhetherAhaz"standsfirminhisfaith."Ahazisconfrontedherewithan

existentialdecision––alifeanddeathchoiceforhimselfandthepeople.Atitsdeepest

andmostfoundationallevelitisaquestionofwhoandwhathewilltrustwithhisvery

existenceandthelifeofthenation.Itisaquestionthatweeachareaskedoften

althoughwemaynothearit––orwishtohearit."Standfirminyourfaith,oryouwill

notstandatall."

A Secret Meeting

Standingthereattheendoftheaqueduct,hiddenfrompoliticalconspirators,

butnotfromGod,AhazrejectsIsaiah'sguidance.IsaiahthentriestopersuadeAhazby

invitinghimtoaskforasignthatwillconvincehimthatthisisatrueprophecy.Ahaz's

answersoundsmorepiousthanitis.Hewillnot"testGod."Itisaludicrousresponse

becausetherealityisthatAhazistheonewhoisbeingtested.Itishisfaithbeingtried

inthecrucibleofthiscrisis.Ahazalreadyknowswhatheisgoingtodo.Hewilltrusthis

ownpoliticalsavvy,andplaythegameofmanipulation,greed,selfish-ambition,and

intrigue.HewillappealtoTiglath-Pileser,thepowerfulEmperorofAssyria,forhelp,

andpayforitbylootingthesacredTempleofYahweh.So,"No,"hewantsnosignfrom

Godthatwouldrequirehimtodoanythingotherthanwhathealreadyintendstodo.

ThelogicalguesswouldbethatAhazwaspleasedwithhissolution.Itmusthave

seemedtohimthathehadabetterideathanGod.Thatis,ofcourse,ourtendencyas

humanbeings––tothinkwecancreateourownsecurity,and"wrestsatisfactionfrom

lifeifonlywemanagewell."Consequentlywetrustourselvesandrelyonourown

21

ingenuitymorethanonGod.ThroughAssyria'sintervention,andasaresultofits

invasionandsubjectionofDamascusandIsrael,AhazescapedthedeadlyplotofPekah

andRezin;fromthenonTiglath-PilesercontrolledAhazandJudah.

Ahazsoldhissoul,andthesoulofhisnation,totheglamourandprestigeof

Assyrianbothreligiouslyandpolitically.In732hemetwithTiglath-PileserinDamascus

wherehewassoimpressedbyoneofthepaganaltarsthathehadonebuiltforthe

TempleinJerusalem.AttheEmperor'sinsistenceheacquiescedtoAssyrianritualsin

theJerusalemTemple;heevensacrificedhisownchildinthefireoftheidolMoloch.In

lightoftheteachingofJesusIdonotthinkittoostrongtosaythattherearesituations

andcircumstancesinwhichthecourageousacceptanceofannihilationisthemore

honorableandprofounderspiritualway.

The Immanuel Sign

IsaiahrepliesthatAhazwillhaveasignwhetherheasksforoneornot;indeed,

whilethesignremainsasaverificationofthetruthofthisprophecy,itisnolongerone

ofreassurancebutofruin:

Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall

name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he

knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the

child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land

before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted. The Lord

will bring on you and on your people and on your ancestral house

such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed

from Judah—the king of Assyria.”

22

Matthew's Use of Isaiah 7

BeforemeditatingdirectlyonMatthew'suseofIsaiah7noticethefollowing:

1)ThesignandmessageofIsaiahisnotforAhazalone,butfortheDavidicline,forthe

wholehouseofDavid.Theyare,inspiteofbearingGod'sname,thepeoplewhoweary

Yahweh.

2)Almahsimplymeansasexuallymatureyoungwomanforwhommarriageandchild-

bearingisnaturalandexpected.Itisnotatechnicaltermforavirgin.TheSeptuagint,

theancientGreektranslationoftheHebrewscriptures,usesparthenostotranslate

almah,anditdoesmeanvirginassomeonewhohasnotengagedinsexualintercourse.

However,theSeptuagintisknowninmanyinstancestobemoreaparaphraseofthe

Hebrewthanatranslation;andcallsDinahaparthenosevenafterherrape(Genesis

34:3).

3)"Immanuel"isanincompletephrasemeaning"Godwithus."Itisnotthepersonal

nameofanindividualbutathronename––anamethatdescribeswhothepersonisto

hisorherpeople.Like,forexample,RichardtheLionHeartedorSaintHildegard,Sibyl

oftheRhine.

4)Isaiahdoesnotrefertoamiraculousevent,ifbymiracleismeantaneventthat

violatesthelawsofnature,butrathertoonethatisprovidential––bothnaturaland

involvingdivineinfluenceandforesight.Inverse21Matthewemphasizestwothings:(1)

theJewishexpectationthattheMessiahwillbethesaviorofthepeople;(2)thatJesusis

thefulfillmentofthisexpectation.Justtobeclear,MatthewdoesnotsayIsaiah

predictedthecomingofJesusinIsaiah7,butthatJesusisthe"fulfillment"ofIsaiah's

prophecy.Fulfillmentisamuchlargerandmorecomprehensivetermthan"prediction."

23

Virginal Conception

Theinevitablequestionwecometois,whatarewetomakeofallthis,whatare

wetomakeofIsaiah,inreadingMatthew'snarrativeofJesus'sbirth?Inworking

throughMatthewIwillfirsttakeupthematterofthevirginalconception,notbecauseit

isthemostusefulforspiritualreflection,butbecause,beingthecentralandmost

puzzlingquestioninthemindsofmostpeople,itisadistractionthatneedstobedealt

withbeforewegoon.

Thevirginbirth,whichIthinkmorecorrectlyreferredtoasthevirginal

conception,isthedoctrinethatJesuswasconceivedandbornbyhismotherMary

throughthepoweroftheHolySpiritandwithoutsexualintercoursewithherhusband

Joseph––oranyoneelse.Thisismeanttobeunderstoodasthecreativeenergyofthe

HolySpiritandnotintheGreekmythologicalsenseoftheSpiritbecomingMary's

sexualpartner.ThereareonlyfiveplacesintheNewTestament(fourintheGospelof

MatthewandoneinLuke)whichgiveanysupporttotheideaofthevirginalconception.

Heretheyare:

Matthew118NowthebirthofJesusChristwasasfollows:whenHismotherMaryhad

beenbetrothedtoJoseph,beforetheycametogethershewasfoundtobewithchildby

theHolySpirit.

120bJoseph,sonofDavid,donotbeafraidtotakeMaryasyourwife;fortheChildwho

hasbeenconceivedinherisoftheHolySpirit.

122NowallthistookplacetofulfillwhatwasspokenbytheLordthroughtheprophet:

124AndJosephawokefromhissleepanddidastheangeloftheLordcommandedhim,

andtookMaryashiswife,25butkeptheravirginuntilshegavebirthtoaSon;andhe

calledHisnameJesus.

Luke134Marysaidtotheangel,“Howcanthisbe(thatshewillconceiveandbeara

son),sinceIamavirgin?”35Theangelansweredandsaidtoher,“TheHolySpiritwill

24

comeuponyou,andthepoweroftheMostHighwillovershadowyou;andforthat

reasontheholyChildshallbecalledtheSonofGod.

Ifwereadtheseversespayingattentiononlytowhattheyactuallysay,theyarefar

moreambiguousthanwhatmostpeoplethink.Asyoureadthemnowobservethe

following:

1)MaryandJosephwerebetrothed.Thebetrothalwas,fromourmodernWestern

perspective,aratherstrangearrangement.Itwaslikebeingmarriedwithout

"benefits,"andcouldonlybebrokenbyaformaldivorce.Thebetrothedwoman

usuallylivedwithherparentsandwenttoherhusband'shomewhentheywerefully

("officially")married.However,itisknownthatsomewomenlivedaspartofthe

extendedfamilyinthehomeofthemantheywerebetrothedto,butagainwithout

engaginginsexualrelations.Theexpression"beforetheycametogether"can

thereforemeanbeforeMarywenttolivewithJoseph,oritcanmeanbeforethey

hadpermissiblesexualintercourse.

2)"WithchildbytheHolySpirit,"torepeat,simplymeansbythepowerofGod.

SarahconceivesandbearsheronlychildIsaaclongaftersheispastchildbearing

age.EveryoneinAbrahamandSarah'sworldwouldhavesaid:"Yes!Whatisbeyond

humanpossibilityispossiblewithGod.Therecanbenodoubtthatthischildisthe

childofpromise."Oramodern-dayhomilistmightsay,"Isaacwasconceivedbythe

poweroftheSpirit."

Certainlyverse22canbeinterpretedassayingthatJosephneednotbeanxiousandtiedinknotsoverwhetherMaryhascommittedadulteryorbeenraped,aseriousprobleminaculturewithastrictpurity,honor,andshamecode.Heneednotworrybecausethechildisthechildofpromise––agiftoftheSpirit.3)Verse24raisesthequestionofinwhatsenseJosephkeptMaryasavirginuntilshegavebirth.Itcouldmeanthattheydidnotofficiallymarryuntilaftershegavebirth.Or,itcouldmeanasnormallyunderstood,thattheydidnothavesexualintercourseduringMary'spregnancy.ItisinterestingthatasJosephandMarymakethejourneytoBethlehemforthecensus,withMaryobviouslypregnant,Luke2:24

25

saysJosephisengaged(betrothed)ratherthanmarriedtoMary.Ifnothingelsethispointstoahighlycomplexand,tous,ambiguous,socialrelationshipofbecominghusbandandwifeinthefirstcenturyworldofJudaism.Luke1:34-35saysnothingmoredefinitive,orotherthan,whathasalreadybeennoted,thatonthedayandinthehourthattheangelGabrielspoketoherMarywasavirgininthesensethatshehadneverexperiencedsexualintercourse.Atwenty-firstcenturygirlmightsayitthisway:"Howcanthatbe,Iamnotsexuallyactive."

Thereisnotmuchonthelevelofphysicalfacts,then,thatwecansaywithabsolutecertaintyonthisquestion.Onthedeeperspirituallevel,inregardtothetranscendentlife,wecansayagooddealmore.JohnA.T.Robinson,CambridgeNewTestamentScholarandlaterBishopofWoolrich,wrote:

To say that new life was fathered and quickened in Mary by the

Spirit of God is a profound way for expressing an inner truth about

Jesus. It is to say that his birth and life cannot simply be thought of

as biological events: its significance lies much deeper than that. . .

This is not to say that all the traditional stories about Jesus's birth

are to be swept away as outgrown fairytales. On the contrary, they

speak to us of something marvelously true about Him Nor do I

doubt that they are built around memories of actual events.9

WhatbothMatthewandLukeemphasizeisnotthepossibilityofaphysical,orliteralvirginalconception,butthattheHolySpiritwassomehow,inaveryrealsense,involvedinthebirthofJesus."MarywasfoundtobeofchildoftheHolySpirit,"thebirthofJesusistheworkingoftheinvisiblepoweroftheHolySpirit.Preciselywhatthatmeansremainsveiledinmystery.

9 John A. T. Robinson quoted in Larry Hart, The Annunciation (Eugene Oregon: Wipf & Stock,

2017), 135-136. Also see: William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew Volume 1 (Edinburgh

Scotland: Saint Andrew Press, 1975), 20.

26

Adversity is Real

Matthew,inreferringtoIsaiah'sprophecy,usesanancientformofBiblical

interpretationthatmayseemsomewhatstrangetoustoday,butisaperfectly

legitimateprincipleofrabbinicexegesis.Statedverysimplyitisanargumentfromthe

lessertothegreater.Matthewissayingsomethinglikethis,"Ifthisprophecywastrue

inthetimeofIsaiah,itisevenmoretrueandsignificantforusnow."Isaiah'sprophecy,

remember,isnottoAhazalone,buttothepeople."Jesuscametohisownpeople,but

hisownpeopledidnotreceivedorrecognizehim"(John1:13).Godcametohisown,but

theycouldn'trecognizeGodevenwhentheywerestaringGodrightintheface.

MatthewdoesnotsaythatIsiah'spredictionhascometopass.,butratherthatthebirth

ofJesus"fulfills"thesignIsaiahgave.Apredictionandfulfillmentarenotthesame

thing.Welikepredictions,weliketousethereliabilityofpredictionsasevidence.

Scientistsandmathematiciansspendalotoftimedetermininghowoftenandhow

closelywecanpredictoutcomes.Ifonlywecouldbesureoftheaccuracyofthe

prophetsconcerningthecomingofthemessiah,couldbemathematicallycertain,then

wecouldbelievewithconfidence.WearelikethecharacterofHerodintherockopera

JesusChristSuperstarwhosingstoawickedboogeybeat,"Ifyou'reJesusChrist,then

comewalkacrossmyswimmingpool."Suchevidence,ofcourse,wouldneverreally

satisfyus.Itwouldhavetoberepeatedcontinuouslyandendlessly,becauseweare

lookingforakindofcertaintythatdoesnotexist––noteveninthematerialworld.

Actually,itiswhenwearewithoutfaiththatwelivewithalackofsufficient

evidence;evidenceforwhyidealsofjusticeandcompassionareanythingmorethan

thepowerless,theweak,andtheincompetentwishingthingsweredifferentthanthey

are;evidencethatthereisatranscendentdimensiontoreality;evidencethatalllove

doesnotcometonothing;evidencethatintheendwearemorethanahandfulofdirt

orash;evidencethatthereisanymoremeaningtolifethanwhatwecanfantasizein

ourownimagination.Lifehasawayofcallingourepistemologyintoquestion––howdo

27

weknowwhatwethinkweknow?Howdoweknowloveisgreaterthanhate,justice

betterthaninjustice,fidelitybetterthanfaithlessness,orthatlifeisstrongerthan

death?Spiritualprogressrequiresastrongtoleranceforambiguity.

Severalmonthsbeforemymother'sdeath,whenshewasstillabletositinher

biggreenchairinherownlivingroom,Iwastalkingwithheraboutsomething

unexpectedthathadoccurred.Isaid,"WellMomweneverknowwhatisgoingto

happennextdowe."Andsherepliedinherquietanddryway,"Nowedon't."Shesat

thereforamomentandthenadded,"ThatiswhyIprayeverydaythatnomatterwhat

happensGodwillgivemethecouragetofaceitinawaythatIdon'tneedtobe

ashamed."So,inIsaiah'swords:"Becareful,keepcalm,anddon'tbeafraid...Stand

firminyourfaith,oryouwillnotstandatall."

Therearemanythingsinlifetoreasonablyfear––pandemics,randomgun

violence,bigotrysexualassault,ragingwildfires,devastatingearthquakes,tornadoes,

andhurricanes,unendingwars,thedestructionoftheplanetasalivablehabitat,an

economythatcancollapseatanymoment,alongwithademocracythatwenowknow

isfarmorefragilethananyofuseverthought.WhenIwaspracticingpsychotherapyin

alargeChristiancounselingcenter,Ifrequentlysawpeople,usuallymiddleclassor

affluentfundamentalists,whowereconfusedwhenbadthingshappenedtothem––

whentheyweresexuallybetrayedbyahusbandorwife,whenasonordaughter

addictedtodrugsstolefromthem,whentheywerediagnosedwithcancer,orwhena

familymemberwasparalyzedinafreakswimmingaccident––divingintoshallow

water.TheycouldnotunderstandhowGodcoulddosuchathingtothemwhenthey

hadputtheirfaithinGod––hadliftedtheirhandsinpraiseofGodeverySundayin

worship.This,IwanttosayasgentlyasIcan,ismoreakintothepracticeofmagicthan

itistobiblicalfaith.MagicalthinkingistheideathatifIbelievetherightthings,ifama

moralpersonineithertheconventionalsenseorasprescribedbymypastor,andifI

28

followthecorrectformulaGodisunderobligationtoseetoitthatnoneofthethings

thatfrightenmeeverhappen.

However,thewordthatcomesdowntousthroughIsaiahandMatthew,andthe

writingsoftheNewTestamentisnotthatbybeingChristianwecanpreventthethings

wefearfromeverhappening,butthatifwetrustGodaseverpresentnoneofthemcan

dousultimateharm.Whatwewilldiscoverataverydeeplevelisthatnoneofthe

thingsthatfrightenusareanythingofwhichweneedtobeafraid.Youmightpause

hereandreflecton:John16:33;2Corinthians1:8-9;Philippians4:13;andRomans8:35-

39.EachmorningmywifeBrendaandIsayamorningprayerwhichendswith,

"Preserveuswithyourmightypowerthatwemaynotfallintosin,norbeovercomeby

adversity."Ifindthat,inlightofallmylifeexperiences,tobetotallyrealistic––notthatI

willneversufferadversity,butthatIwillnotbeovercomebyit.

Fulfillment

Wewouldallliketobeabletopredictthefuturesoastobeabletocontrolit.In

ourIsaiahtextAhazis,inasense,giventhatopportunity––andispresentedwithtwo

possiblealternatives.Butforgettingthat,inthewordsofE.StanleyJones,"Wearefree

tochoose,butwearenotfreetochoosetheresultsofourchoosing,"Ahazmadea

decisionthateventuallyledtothedestructionofhimself,ofthepeopleforwhomhe

wasresponsible,andoftheJerusalemTemple.Somuchforusingprophecytopredict

thefuture.ButMatthewdoesnotwriteaboutpredictability,hespeaksoffulfillment,

whichisamuchlargercategorythanprediction.Fulfillmenthastodowiththe

realizationofsomething––adream,alonging,ahope.Infulfillmentthereis,therefore,

asenseofsatisfaction,gratification,happiness,andevenecstasy.Truefulfillmentin

theIsaiahprophecyisfoundinthethronenameofthechild,Immanuel––Godiswithus.

Jesusistheultimatefulfillment,therealization,ofIsaiahbecauseJesusChristishimself

"Godwithus."

29

ForAhazandthepeopleofJudahtheimmediateandexplicitmeaningofthe

prophet'smessageisclearandaccessible.Theansweris"Immanuel"––Godiswithyou."

Stayalertbutremaincalm.BeloyalandtrustYahweh,andyouwillexperienceGod's

peace,power,andpresence.Thiswasactuallyanewmessageonlyinthesensethatthe

crisistheyfacedwasnewandimmediate.Thesolutionitselfwasandisuniversaland

timeless.ThepoetwhowrotePsalm27hadalreadydiscoveredandabsorbeditintohis

ownsoulbeforeIsaiahmetAhaz:

The Lord is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the defense of my life;

Whom shall I dread?

When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,

My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.

Though an army comes against me,

My heart will not fear;

Though war arises against me,

In spite of this I shall be confident.

Psalm 27: 1-3

SimpletrustinGodwillaccomplishforuswhatnoamountofscheming,manipulating,

plotting,orfrettingcanevermanage.Thisisdifficultwisdomtolearn.Timeandagain

thecrucialquestionemergesoutofthedarknessandconfusion––thedarknessand

confusionwhichislargelyofourownmaking.Weareconfrontedwiththerepetitive

challenge:"WillwetrustChrist(Immanuel,Godwithus),orwillwetrustandrelymore

onourselves––onourowningenuityandillusoryabilitytomanagetheinevitablesmall

andlargecrisesoflife?"

InthiscovertmeetingbetweenIsaiahandAhazattheendoftheaqueductofthe

UpperPoolonthestreetthatleadstoLaunderer'sField,thereisastilldeepermystery,

amoreunfathomablesecrethiddenintheprophecythanthatofhowtobestfacethe

politicalorpersonalcontingenciesoflife.However,weseethisonlywhenwe

30

contemplateChristasthefulfillmentofIsaiah,andrecognizethatImmanuel,meaning

Godwithus,isnotmerelyanotherpropernameortitleforJesus,butratherspeaksof

whoJesusChrististousinthegreatunknowndepthsofourbeing––unknownoften

eventoourselvesbutnottoGodwhois,"theoneGodandFatherofall,whoisoverall

andthroughallandinall"(Ephesians4:6).

AssoonaswehaveenteredthecontemplationofChristasImmanuelwehave

crossedthethresholdinto"theregionofawe,"themysticalrealminwhichwebeginto

claimasouronedesirethelongingtoknowGod(Jeremiah29:29);toexperienceGod

asintimatelyastwolovers(John17:3);tobefullyconsciousthatitisinGodthat"we

live,moveandhaveourbeing"(Acts17:28);thatourlifeismysteriouslyhiddeninChrist

inwhomwelive,andwholivesinus(Colossians3:3;Galatians2:20).Inthisregionno

wordswillsuffice.Allsuperlativesareclichés.WeeitherknowJesusasGodwithus,or

wedonot.ItisasthegreatChineseChristianmartyr,WatchmanNeewrote:

Life cannot be explained. When we touch it we know it is life. But

how? Not by thought or feeling or a "sixth sense." Those who know,

know. Those who don't know, don't. Those who know can never

explain to those who don't––until they themselves know. Those

who know life recognize it in others. Those who have death in

themselves recognize neither life nor death. The natural person may

discern between warmth and coldness, good doctrine and bad, but

not between life and death.10

Iwouldaddthatthosewhorecognizeliferecognizeiteverywhereitoccurs,includingin

ScriptureforultimatelyChristishimselftheWord––thedivineLogoseverpresenttous,

inus,andwithus.Andsowepray:"LordJesus,beourcompanionintheway,kindleour

hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in Scripture and in the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of your love. Amen."11

10 Watchman Nee, What Shall This Man Do? (Fort Washington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade,

1965), 121-122.

31

Question for Individual and Group Reflection

1) Whatispropheticwisdomandhowisitdeveloped?Whatis"prophetic

consciousness––particularlyinrelationtothefutureMessiah?"Howcanweparticipate

inorbecomeapartofthisspiritualstateofawareness?

2) Atanymomentinlifewemayfindourselvesincircumstancesoverwhichwehave

verylittleornocontrolatall.Insuchmomentswhatchoicealwaysremainsforyouand

youalonetomake?

3) Explaininyourownwordswhatismeantbythestatement:"Itisactuallywhenwe

arewithoutfaiththatwelivewithalackofsufficientevidence."

4) Whatisthedifferencebetween"prediction"and"fulfillment?"Whatisthedifference

betweenthepopular,orcommon,understandingofamiracleas"Godalteringphysical

realitysoastomaketheimpossiblepossible;"and,miracleasthatinwhichGodis

"involved,"andastounds,andwhichmakesknowntherealityandcharacterofGod?5)

Isitmoreimportanttobelieveinaliteralvirginalconception;or,inthewordsofthe

"liberalevangelical"WilliamBarclay(1907-1978),authorandprofessorofdivinityatthe

UniversityofGlasgow,"tobelievethatthebirthofJesuswasinsomemysterioussense

theworkoftheHolySpirit?"

6) Whatinsightissuggestedforlivinginaworldorcrisisandfear?Whydoyouanswer

asyoudo?

7) Whatisthe"Immanuelsigh?"andwhyitisitseenassuchcrucialsignificancehere?

11 The Book of Common Prayer, 139.

32

Chapter Three

Waiting in Hope

Inhumanbeings,knowledgeofthe"livingGod"awakensathirstandhungerforlife,It

makesthemdissatisfiedwithwhattheyare,andimpelsthemtolookforafuturein

whichmorelifewillenterthelivestheyalreadyhave...ThosewhohopeinChristcan

nolongerputupwithrealityasitis,butbegintosufferunderit,tocontradictit.Peace

withGodmeansconflictwiththeworld,forthegoodofthepromisedfuturestabs

inexorablyintothefleshofeveryunfulfilledpresent.12

––JürgenMoltmann

The Reading: Romans 5:1-5

51Therefore,havingbeenjustifiedbyfaith,wehavepeacewithGodthroughourLord

JesusChrist,2throughwhomalsowehaveaccessbyfaithintothisgraceinwhichwe

stand,andrejoiceinhopeofthegloryofGod.3Andnotonlythat,butwealsogloryin

tribulations,knowingthattribulationproduces]perseverance;4andperseverance,

character;andcharacter,hope.5Nowhopedoesnotdisappoint,becausetheloveof

GodhasbeenpouredoutinourheartsbytheHolySpiritwhowasgiventous.

12 Jürgen Moltmann, The Living God and the Fullness of Life (Geneva: WCC Publications, 2016),

23. And, Jürgen Moltmann, Theology of Hope: On the Ground and Implications of a Christian

Eschatology (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993), 21-22.

33

Waiting Without Hope

Navigatingtheseaofhopeisastrangeanddifficultadventure.Thecurrentsoftenflow

inseeminglycontradictory(paradoxical)ways.TheChristianpoetandcontemplative

T.S.Eliotthereforewrote:

I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope

For hope would be hope for the wrong thing;13

InthesetwolinesEliotoffersbothaninsightandaninvitation.Aninsightand

invitationtorealizetheradicaltransformationthatcancomefromhope.Butthis

discoveryofthepowerofmysticalhoperequireswaitinginprayer––prayerthatis

withouthope.WhatEliotmeantisthatweoftenthinkwearewaitinginhopewhenwe

areactuallywaitingforGodtomeetourpersonalexpectations.WenotonlywantGod

torescueusorthosewelove;wenotonlywantGodtohealandsaveus,orthem,from

defeat,disaster,orruin;but,weprayandhopefirmlyfixedinourimaginationand

thoughtsonjusthowitisweexpectGodtosaveusorourfamilyandfriends.Weknow

whatitwilllooklikeifGod'sworkisdonecorrectly.

Realhope,mysticalhope,tothecontrary,iswillingtobesurprisedbythe

creativeactivityofGod.Inexplainingtheprerequisitesfordiscoveringsobrietywith

serenitytheEleventhStepofAlcoholicsAnonymoussays:"Soughtthroughprayerand

meditationtoimproveourconsciouscontactwithGodasweunderstoodGod,praying

onlyforknowledgeofGod'swillforus,andthepowertocarrythatout."Thisiswaiting

withouthope,waitingwithouttryingtocontrolthedetailsofourlives,orthelivesof

others.Waitinginprayerwithouthope,lettingallourhopesdisappearuntilnothingbut

ourhopeinGodaloneremains.Itisthissortofwaitingthatdeepensandenrichesour

consciouscontactwithGod––thatopensustotheexperienceofmysticalhope. 13 T. S. Eliot, "East Coker" in Four Quartets: The Centenary Edition (San Diego - New York -

London: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1943, (renewed 1971), 28.

34

ThereisaprofoundsceneofdesperatehumanquestioninginoneoftheFargo

episodes,GiftoftheMagi,inwhichLou,theSheriff,isescortingthecampaignbusof

theRonaldReagancharacteracrosspartofruralMinnesota.Thebusmakesareststop

ataplacewherethereishardlymorethanagasstation.Inmayseemoddtorefertoa

scenesetinarestroomofurinalsasprofound.Butisn'tthatwherethedeepest

questionsoflifemostoftenarise?Theyemerge,welcomedornot,inthemidstof

ordinary,everydaylife.ThereattheurinalsthecongenialReaganaskswhereLou

servedinVietnamandLourespondsthatitwasintheMekongDelta.Without

consideringthesheerabsurdityofcomparingafictionalmoviewithwhatcombatants

endureinarealwar,andunabletodifferentiatebetweenfantasyandreality,between

realandimaginaryheroism,theself-absorbedReagancharacterbeginstoreminisce

aboutworkingonOperationEagle’sNestforParamountPictures.Heexplainshowin

thatmovieheparachutedbehindenemylinesinordertorescueJimmyWhitmoreand

LaraineDayfromthisSScommando.Hethenbecomesconfusedabouttheendingof

thefilmandcan’trememberiftheymadeitout,"butitwasahellofapicture,"he

concludes.

Lou,whosewifeBetsyhasstagethreelymphomacancer,andwhoastheSheriff,

isresponsibleforfindingawayoutofthepsychopathicviolence,chaos,anddestruction

thathasengulfedthepeopleinthislittlecornerofMinnesota,opensuptoReagan

abouthisinnerturmoil,hisdoubts,andhisownanxiousquestionsaboutwhereallthis

darkness,evil,andchaoscomefrom.Heagonizesoverthepossibilitythatthis“sickness

oftheworld”mighthavesomehowbecomethecancerinsideBetsyandisinsidiously

growinginsideallofus.LouthenquestionsReaganabouthowAmericaisgoingtopull

itselfoutofthemessit’sin,towhichReaganresponds:"Son,Ihonestlybelievethere's

notaproblemintheworldanAmericancan'tsolve.""Yes,"saysLou,"buthow?"

TheReagancharactersimplysmiles,givesthatcharacteristictiltofReagan'shead,an

emptygestureperhapsmeanttosuggestsagacity,sympathyorreassurance,clasps

35

Lou'sshoulderandwalksaway.Reagan’shope,asportrayedinthisfilm,ishopeinthe

Americanmyth,theAmericandream,theillusionofwhatisnowfrequentlyreferredto

asAmericanexceptionalism––thebeliefthatAmericahassomespecialinnerqualitythat

makesitdifferentfromallotherempiresandnations.Butthissortofillusoryhopeisof

nohelptoLouwhoknowsthecruelrealityofadyingwife,andalittledaughtertoraise

withouthermother,themeaninglessnessandbrutalityofviolenceintheMekong,and

nowathomeinMinnesota.

Realhope,mysticalhope,hopeinitsdeepestandmostincomprehensibleform

mostoftenemergesoutofpain,suffering,anddesperation,andisgiventouswhenall

ourstrength,oureveryresource,allourconfidencehasbeencompletelydepleted.That

iswhatishappeningtoLouintheGiftoftheMagi.TheReagancharacterhashope

(shallowhope,falsehope,idolatroushope,superficialoptimism)inabundance.Itspills

outofhiminwell-honedplatitudesasheplaystheroleofwiseleaderasifhewere

starringinafictionalmovie.Buthopeisbestdiscoveredbythosewhohaveabandoned

hope––liketheApostlePaul:

We don’t want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when

all this came down on us in Asia province. It was so bad we didn’t

think we were going to make it. We felt like we’d been sent to death

row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing

that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or

wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad

idea since God is the one who raises the dead! And God did it,

rescued us from certain doom (2 Corinthians 1:8-10 MSG).

Iamsuretherearepeoplewhocometothisdeeperhopebyaneasierandmore

pleasantroute,perhapspeopleofunusualspiritualinsight,compassionandgratitude

forwhomthismysticalhopeistheirnaturalhabitat.AlbertSchweitzer,besidesbeinga

36

theologian,concertorganist,author,andphysician,wasoneofthegreatest

humanitariansoftheearlytwentiethcentury.Hewroteofhisearlylifeasoneinwhich

hewaswellloved,caredfor,andhappy.Hispersonalphilosophyof"reverenceforlife"

wasderived,hesaid,fromtheconvictionthatthosewhohavehadalifefreeof

difficultyandtroublehavearesponsibilitytobeartheirfairshareoftheworlds

suffering.Butmyownpersonalexperienceisthatitismostoftenintimesof

desperationthatweencounterGod.

Hope's Door

HopethatisgenuinelyChristianandmysticalarisesoutoftrust––trustthatatthe

centerofrealityissomething;or,rathersomeone,ultimatelygoodandtrustworthy,

andthereforefindsalldespairgroundless(Romans5:5).Itistheconfidentexpectation

ofafuturegood.Itistheconvictionthatalthoughourownresourcesmaybe

inadequatetoourcircumstancesthereisastrengthandhelpavailabletousthatwecan

neitherexplainnorproveotherthaninourownliving.Whenitcomestous,evenfor

peoplewithoutreligiousfaith,itisoftenexperiencedasanenergyorpowercoming

from"somewhere"beyond.Infact,wenowknowthathope,toputitinpsychological

terms,isapsychicenergynecessaryforbothourcontinuedwell-beingandourvery

existence.Irememberhearing,inapsychclassforsecondyearmedicalstudents,how

inonehospitalwithanespeciallyhighmortalityrateinitsIntensiveCareUnit,a

programwassetuptoinstillagreatersenseofhopenotinthecriticallyillpatients,but

inthenurseswhocaredforthem.ThesurvivalrateofthepatientsinthatICUwentup

dramaticallysimplybysurroundingthemwithnursesandcaretakerswhowere

themselvesinwardlyhopeful.TheevidencefromtheHolocaust,fromtheNazideath

camps,andfromAlexandrSolzhenitsyn'sten-yearordealintheGulagArchipelago,as

wellasfromtheprisoncampsoftheKoreanWar,isthathumanbeingsliterallycannot

livewithouthope.IntheKoreanWar,imprisonedAmericansoldierswholostallhope

37

curledupinafetalpositionanddied.Theymayhavetechnicallydiedfromdysenteryor

someotherdisease,butitiswellestablishedthathopelessnessdestroysthebody's

immunity––theyhadsuccumbedtohopelessness.Existenceisunsustainablewithout

somemeasureofhope.14

The Threshold of Hope

Faithisthethreshold,thedoorwaythroughwhichweenterthesphereofGod's

grace.Graceisthegiftofdivinelove,itisthegivingofGod'sveryownselftous.Grace

isbeautiful.Graceissobeautiful,sogloriousthatinthosemomentsinwhichitistruly

glimpseditoverwhelmsallthought,allspeech,andallsensessothatitcannotbetaken

inorprocessedinanyusualway.Maybethatiswhywearetemptedtogiveone

dimensionaltheologicalanddoctrinaldefinitionsfor"grace"like:"GraceisGod's

undeservedfavor;"or,"GraceisGod'sunmeritedgiftofforgivenessandeternallife––

salvation."Iamnotsayingthatsuchdefinitionsareallwrong,orthattherearenot

varyingintensitiesoftheexperienceofgrace,justthatnodefinitionorexplanationis

therealityitself.Andthatalldescriptionsofgracetendtobecomemereclichés,

makingwhatislargesmall.FollowingisastoryofgraceIhopemaybehelpful.Itis

fromPaulBrand'sbook,Pain:TheGiftNobodyWants.

WhenJohnKarmeganfirstcametotheSchieffelinLeprosyResearchand

TrainingCenteratKarigiri(theVelloredistrictofIndia),hewasinsuchbadshapethat

thepioneeringhandsurgeonandresearcherPaulBrandcoulddolittleforhim

surgically.ButJohnwasofferedaplacetostayandemploymentintheNewLife

Center––thecenterBrandandhiswifeMargaretBerry,whowasalsoaphysician,

establishedwiththehelpofawealthydonorin1950.Thecenteritselffurnisheda

14 Larry Hart, The Annunciation: A New Evangelization & Apologetics for Mainline Protestants

and Progressive Catholics in Postmodern North America (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2017),

94-95.

38

villageenvironmentintheresidentialareaoftheChristianMedicalCollegeand

rehabilitationcenterforHansen'sdiseasepatients.Johnwasatroublemaker.Asadark

skinnedIndianhehadfeltthecrueltyofracismbeforeevercontractingleprosy.Hisskin

hungonhimindisarray,andbecauseofpartialfacialparalysisanyattempttosmile

madehimlookasifheweregivingamenacingsneer.Margaretstitchedoneofhis

eyelidspartiallyclosedtoprotecthissight,whichfurthercontributedtohisbizarre

appearance.PeoplemeetingJohnfrequentlyreactedwithsomegestureorsignoffear.

Johnwasbitter,resentful,cynical,andangry.Hewasconstantlyinvolvedinfightswith

otheryoungmeninthevillage,andwasrepeatedlycaughtstealing.Heevenorganized

hungerstrikesagainstthecenter.NearlyeveryoneavoidedJohnalltheycould.Nearly

everyoneexceptGrannyBrand.GrannyBrand,Paul'swidowedmother,wasbornin

IndiaandalongwithPaul'sfatherhadworkedasamissionary.Shehadcometohelp

withthecenter,andmadeJohnthespecialobjectofherlove.EventuallyJohnbecame

aChristianandwasbaptizedinacementtankusedforconstructionmaterials.

However,whileJohn'sconversionmodifiedhisbehavioritdidnothavemuch

effectonhispersonality.Hewasstillcynicalandoppositionaltowardallnonpatients.

Hefrequentlyarguedwithallthehealthworkersthattheonlyreasontheycaredwas

becausetheywerepaidto.Atworshipservicesinthechurchontheleprosarium

groundshewouldassertaccusingly,"You'repaidtotakecommunionwithme.It'syour

job.WhatwouldhappenifIwenttotown?Doyouthinkthosepeoplewouldevenlet

meintheirchurch?"

SoDr.PaulBrandwenttotheleadersoftheTamilchurchinVellore.Hetold

themaboutJohn,thathisfacewasdeformed,hishandsclawed,hisappearance

somewhatfrightening.Butthathisleprosyhadbeenarrested,andJohnposedno

threattoanyone'shealth.HeaskedthemiftheywouldletJohnvisittheirchurch.They

easilyagreedJohncouldvisit.Hethenasked,knowingthischurchusedacommon

39

communioncup,"CanJohntakecommunionwithyou?"Thistimetheywerehesitant

andtookmoretimetodiscussit,butfinallyagreedJohncouldtakecommunion.

AfewdayslaterBrandtookJohntothissimplechurchofwhitewashedbricks

andtinroof.ItwasanincrediblytensemomentforPaulBrand,butabsolutelytraumatic

forJohn.BrandsaystheystoodthereatthebackofthechurchwithJohn'sparalyzed

faceshowingnoemotion,buthistremblinggivingawayhisanxiety.Brandprayedthat

noneofthechurchmemberswouldshowJohnoutrightrejection.

Asthecongregationstoodtosingthefirsthymnamanseatedtowardtheback

turnedandsawthetwoofthemstandingthere.Themanputdownhishymnal,gavea

warmsmile,andpattedtheplacenexttohimonthebenchinvitingJohntocomeand

sitbesidehim.Brandwritesofthatmomentofgracelikethis:"Thatonemoment

provedtobetheturningpointofJohn'slife.Medicaltreatments,compassionatecare,

rehabilitation––eachstephadhelped,butitwasastranger'sinvitingadeformed

ChristianbrothertobreakbreadwithhimthattrulychangedJohn.Heemergedfrom

theserviceshiningwithjoy."15

YearslateraftertheBrandshadmovedtoAmerica,Paulvisitedafactoryin

Velloresetuptoemploythedisabled.ThemanagersaidhewantedtoshowBranda

newmachinethatmadeverysmallscrewsfortypewriters,andtohavehimmeethis

prizeemployee.TheemployeehadjustwonanawardfromtheSwedishcompanywith

whichtheyhadacontractforproducingthemostpartswiththefewesterrors.Brand

writes:

When we arrived at the prize employee's work station, he turned to

greet us and I found myself looking at the unmistakable crooked

face of John Karmegan. He wiped the grease off his stumpy hand,

shook mine, and grinned with the ugliest, loveliest, most radiant

15 Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey, The Gift Nobody Wants (New York: Zondervan, 1993), 329-

331.

40

smile I had ever seen. Then he held out for my inspection a small

handful of the small precision screws that had won him the prize.16

Isuggestthatyoupausehereandseeifyoucanidentifyalltheplacesinwhichyoufind

thepresenceofgraceanditssourceinthestoryofJohnKarmegan.

Exulting in Trouble

Exultingorrejoicingintrouble,affliction,tribulationemphasizesatriumphant,

jubilant,attitudeofconfidence.Itisajoyandaconfidencethattranscendsthosetimes

whenourlifeisrunningsmoothlyandwefeeloptimisticaboutthedirectioninwhich

thingsareheaded.Whenfaith,faithasprofoundtrust,isrootedinChrist,then,hope

doesnotdependonoutwardcircumstances.KarlBarth,oneofthegreatesttheologians

ofthetwentiethcentury,wasapastorinSafenwil,SwitzerlandduringWorldWarI.He

couldhearthedevastatingfireofartilleryinthedistance––savagingtheearth,

manglingthebodiesandendingthelivesofthousandsuponthousandsofyoungmen.

Barthreflectedonwhatmightbehelpfultohiscongregationinaworldgonemad.And

so,hewrotehisfamouscommentaryTheEpistletotheRomans.Inwritingonthese

versesbeforeusnowhesaid:"Thereissufferingandsinking,abeinglostandabeing

rentasunder,inthepeaceofGod...Redemptionoccursinthemidstofupheavaland

amidthechaosofunredeemedhumanity...ThemerrypeopleofGodaremerrywhen

thereisnomerriment:andthisistheboasting(exulting)oftheonewhoisrighteousby

faith."17

Intimesofhurtanddesperation,whenoursufferingmayfeellikemorethanwe

canbear,andwefeeldisappointmentwithGod––disappointmentthatGod,orsoit

mayseemtous,isnotactingasGodoughttoact.Inthosemomentswemayfeelvery

16 Ibid., 331.

17 Karl Barth, The Epistle to the Romans, Translated by Edwyn C. Hoskyns (London, Oxford, New

York: Oxford University Press, 1968), 155.

41

muchlikeweareJacobwrestlingwithGod,wrestlingwiththeangel,bytheRiver

Jabbok.And,yet,evenwhenthestruggleisintensesomerudimentaryfaithandhope

remainsbeneathitall.Andwhenwefinallyemergeitmayverywellbetodiscoverthat

ourgrowthasapersonhasbeenindirectproportiontothedifficultyofthestrugglein

whichwehavebeenengaged.Infact,"character"ismoreprecisely"tried"character.It

isthecharacterlikethatofawarriorwhohasexperienceddeadlycombat,andwhohas

foughtinmanybattles.Itisthepersontriedortestedinthecruciblelikesomeprecious

metalinwhichallthedrossismeltedoff.Thisisthereasonforexultingorrejoicing

eveninhardnessandsufferingandheartbreakwhereouronlyboast("boast"isactually

thebettertranslationfor"exult"or"rejoice")isinGod'stransformativeworkinus.We

hurtandareinconfusionanddoubtanddisappointment;andinitall,althoughoften

onlyknowninhindsight,Godiswithus"changing,astheoldCelticsongStrangeBoat

goes,"fleshandbodyintosoul."

Perseverance

Perseverance,endurance,orpatienceiswaiting,butitisaspecialkindof

waiting.Itiscourageorfortitude,butitisaparticularkindoffortitudeorcourage.Itis

notgrittingourteethandclinchingourfistsuntiltheyturnwhiteaswewaitfor

somethingtobeover,ratheritistowaitcreatively,itistoexerciseakindofpatience

thatchangesthingsforthegood.WhenIwasagraduatestudentattheUniversityof

SantaClaratherewasacrossneartheoldmission,andonthecrossbeamitsaid:

"Thosewhoenduretotheendwillbesaved."Thatis,ofcourse,fromMatthew24:13.

Christonthecrossisthemeaningofendurance.

PeggieandJoeywerebrotherandsister,andbothwerebornwithcysticfibrosis.

Theybothcoughedconstantly.Theirmother,Meg,hadtopoundontheircheststwice

eachdaytoclearthemucussotheycouldbreath.Astheygrewuptheyspentmany

daysinthehospitaleveryyear,andtheybothknewitlikelytheywoulddiebefore

42

reachingadulthood.Joeydidinfactdieatagetwelve.ForawhilePeggieseemedtoget

stronger.Shesurvivedseveralhealthcrisesinhighschoolandevenwentawayto

college,butthereisnocureforcysticfibrosis.TherewasnomiracleforPeggie;

although,hermother,family,friendsandchurchdesperatelyprayedforone.

TheweekendbeforePeggiewentintothehospitalforthelasttimeshecame

homefromcollegeexcitedbyaquotationherministerhadusedtheSundaybefore

fromthepopularBiblescholarandcommentatorWilliamBarclay.Thequotationshe

hadwrittendownona3X5cardsaid:"Enduranceisnotjusttheabilitytobearahard

thing,buttoturnitintoglory."Peggietoldhermotherthatherministermusthavehad

adifficultweekbecauseafterhereadithehadbangedthepulpit,turnedhisbackto

them,andcried.

MegsaidthatasPeggie'shospitalstaylengthenedandthingswerenotgoing

wellPeggiewouldlookaroundatallthemedicalcontraptionsshewashookedupto,

whatMegcalled"theparaphernaliaofdeath,"andshewouldsay,"Hey,Mom,

rememberthequotation?"Thenshewouldlookaroundagainatallthetubesandwires,

saysMeg,"stickthetipofhertongueoutthecornerofhermouth,nodherhead,and

raisehereyesinexcitementattheexperimenttowhichshehadcommittedherself."

Idonotwanttosentimentalizethisstorybecauseitisnotsweet.Itisawful.Meg

inheraccounttellsofPeggie’sshrill,piercing,primalscreamsthatstartedafewdays

beforeherdeath.AndofherownfeelingsthatGodchosetositonhishandsandlet

Peggie'sdeathtopthehorrorcharts.However,Idowantyoutobeawareofthe

followingwordsMegwroteaboutPeggie'sdeath:"Peggie."Megwrote,"never

complainedagainstGod.Itwasnopiousrestraint:Idon'tthinkiteveroccurredtoher

tocomplain.Andnoneofuswholivedthroughherdeathwithhercomplainedatthe

timeeither.Wewereupheld.God'slovewassoreal,onecouldnotdoubtit,orrail

againstitsways."18

18 Meg Woodson in: Philip Yancey, Disappointment With God: The Questions No One Asks

Aloud (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988), 156-159.

43

MegsaysthatPeggie'scommitmentheldaslongasanything––heldtotheend.

BythatshemeantPeggie'scommitmenttotakingtheBarclayquote––"Enduranceis

notjusttheabilitytobearahardthing,buttoturnitintoglory"––andlivingitasareal-

lifeexperiment.Meg'sheartrendingstoryofherdaughterwithherbeautifulsoulleaves

methinkingofthediscoveryofbothJobandthepoetwhowrotePsalm73.Bothare

nearlyoverwhelmedbygrief,byinjustice,bytrouble.Theninthedepthsofsuffering

anddoubttheyexperiencethepresence,theglory,ofGodandwhilenothingchanges

outwardly,atleastnotimmediately,everythingisdifferent.Theanswergivenbyboth

Jobandthepoetisanonacademic,non-intellectualanswer;and,thereforeis

understoodbyonlytheveryfew––theanawhimandthePeggieWoodsons.

Character

OriginallytheGreektermtranslatedhereas"character,"thecharacterproduced

byendurance,wasthenameforasculptor’stool—thechiselusedintheshapingof

statuary.Graduallyitcametomeannotonlythetoolused,butthetoolingprocess

itself;and,then,tothepeculiaritiesor"characteristics"ofaparticularpieceof

sculpture.Charactercan,therefore,bedefinedasthedistinctivemoral,psychological,

andspiritualqualitiesseeninthelifeofanyindividualmanorwoman.Viewinga

sculpturewemightdescribeitasornate,abstract,delicate,raw,refined,orprimitive.In

doingsowewouldbesayingsomethingaboutthecharacteristicsofthatsculpture.

Similarly,wemightsaysomeoneweknow,orthinkweknow,isselfish,generous,

dishonest,truthful,loyalordisloyal,andindoingsowearetalkingaboutthatperson's

character.

IwishIcouldgiveyouagoodexplanationofhowallthisworks––howitisthat

enduranceshapesandformsawiseanddeepperson.However,itisprobablyjustas

wellIcannotdoso,otherwisethetemptationwouldbetodiscussthetheologicaland

psychologicalmeritsofthetheoryandthatwouldbeadistraction.WhatIamconfident

44

ofafterdecadesasapastor,counselor,spiritualdirectorandhumanbeing,isthat

thingsdo,infact,workasPauloutlinedthemhereinhisEpistletotheRomans––

enduranceproducescharacter.

ImetRuthJohnsonandherhusband,whowasaffectionatelyknownasMugs,

whenIwenttoteachinacongregationalschoolforministry.RuthandMugswereboth

personable,welleducated,andaffluentleadersintheircongregation.Butitsoon

becameevidentthattherewassomethingmuchmorethanthataboutRuth––some

specialqualityofgentleness,kindness,andwisdom.OnedayIremarkedtosomeone

howRuthseemedtohavesomeuniquequalityabouther.ThepersonIsaidthisto,it

turnedout,hadknownRuthandMugsformanyyears.SheagreedwithmeaboutRuth,

andthenshetoldmethatRuthactuallyhadasonaboutsixyearsolderthanthe

daughtertheyhadathome.HisnamewasRoger,andhewasaboutmyownage.

ShortlyafterRoger'sbirthinatinyhospitalontheplainsofWestTexashehadgone

intoconvulsions.Theseizurescontinuedtooccurperiodicallythroughthefirstyearsof

hislife,andeachtimecreatedfurtherbraindamage.Eventually,theJohnsonswere

toldthatRogercouldcomehomeforvisitsbutthatheneededtobepermanently

hospitalized.Ruthwentintoseveredepression.Herfriendsthoughtshewouldnever

recover,norwouldsheeverbeherselfagain.Butshedidrecover,andintimethosewho

knewheratallknewtherewassomethinguniquelystrongandgoodabouther.

Enduranceproducescharacter.

Organic Hope

Growthinanyonecharactervirtuewillbringgrowthinallthespiritualvirtues.

Actually,scientificresearchhasdemonstratedthatthequalitiesoffaith,hope,andlove

haverealphysicaleffectsonourbodies,andonthepeoplearoundus.Thataside,ifwe

growintrust(faith),wewillalsogrowingratitude,ifwegrowingratitudewewillalso

growinfaithandgratitude,andlove.Ifyougrowinloveyouwillgrowinwisdomandin

45

purityofheart.Ifyourheartispure(unmixedinitsmotivesanddesires)youwillbefull

offaith,andlove,andgratitude,andwisdom––andhope.

Now,howdoIknowthat?LookatGalatians5:22whichbegins,"Thefruitofthe

Spiritis..."Noticethattheword"fruit"isinthesingularandnotitspluralform.Paul's

analogyisnotthattheSpiritproducesvariousspiritualcharacteristicsinourlives

comparabletodifferenttypesoffruitlikeapples,andbananas,andoranges,and

peaches,andnectarines,andkiwis.Butratherthatthedifferentcharacteristicshe

namesarelikethevariouscharacteristicsofonetypeoffruit.Forexample,apeach

mightbedescribedasaroundfruit(roughly20cm),yellowwithsomepinkish-redtint,

asomewhatfuzzyskin,andwithsoftsweetandjuicyflesharoundahardpit.Hereisthe

Galatiantext:

But the fruit which the Spirit produces in our lives is unconditional

love and charity, joy, tranquility of heart and mind, creative

waiting, encouraging words and constructive action, compassion,

loyalty, a willingness to learn, consideration and empathy for the

legitimate needs of others, self-discipline, a conscious connection to

God–consecration to the cruciform life (Galatians 5:22-24).

IlikehowtheseversesaretranslatedintheMessagesoastosuggesthownatural,how

organic,thewholeprocessreallyis:"ButwhathappenswhenweliveGod’sway?God

bringsgiftsintoourlives,muchthesamewaythatfruitappearsinanorchard—"(5:22).

In Hope of the Glory

Thishope,whichPauldescribesasgrowingnaturallyoutoftherichsoilof

spiritualcharacter,isnotvagueorgeneral,butitisspecificanddefinite.Itisnotatall

likesaying,"Ihopethisyearwillbebetterthanlastyear."Itisnotaninsubstantialor

blindoptimism.Itis"inhopeofthegloryofGod."Simplystated"thegloryofGod"is

theradiantpresenceofGod.TosaythatGodisgloriousistosaythatGodisbeautiful.

46

Evenifwedefinegloryaspraisegivenforgreatachievement,orasthatwhichisa

sourceofhonor,likeaheroicactonthebattlefield,wearestillsayingGodisbeautiful––

beautifulinpower,beautifulineveryaction,beautifulincharacterandessence,

beautifulinlove.Radiantlybeautifulinpresence.Thequalityofbeautyisoneofthose

thingswhichcannotbedefined.Thosewhoknowwhatbeautyisknow;thosewho

don'tknow,don't.WhenRonaldReaganwasgovernorofCaliforniatheStateHighway

DepartmentwantedtobuildahighwayrightthroughabeautifulgroveofoldRedwood

trees.Whenpeopleexpressedtheirdismay,Reagananswered:"Well,ifyouhaveseen

oneRedwoodtreeyouhaveseenthemall."Poorman!Poorman!Well,ifyouhavelittle

senseofthepresenceofGodmysuggestionforyouisthatyougoonaquest,notfor

esotericknowledgebutforbeauty.Beautyisfoundeverywhere:"Theheavensare

singingthegloryofGod;andtheskiesshoutthebeautyoftheLord'shandwork"

(Psalm19:1).ViktorFrankltellshoweveninthebrutality,deprivation,anddeathof

Auschwitzmenwhohadgivenupallhopeoflifeandlibertyhadincrediblyintense

experiencesofthebeautyofartandnature.Howmuchbeautyistherewhereyouare

sittingrightnow?ButfortheHebrewsthegloryofGod,thebeautyofGod'spresence,was

especiallyintheTemple.Theancientrabbisfrequentlyreferredtotheshekhinahglory.

"Shekhinah"isderivedfromaHebrewrootwordmeaning"tosettle,inhabit,ordwell."

Intheverbform,itisoftenusedtorefertothedwellingofaperson––orofGod.

AlthoughnooneintheOldTestamentthoughtthatGodcouldbecontainedina

physicalstructure,theydidbelievethatGod'smysteriousandradiantpresencewas

mosteasilyencounteredintheJerusalemTemple.TheCelticChristiansofIreland

talkedabout"thinplaces,"transparentplaceswherethespiritualrealmismostvisible

andaccessibletothephysicalworld.ForJudaismitwasn'tsomuchthatthetemplewas

athinplaceasitwasoneinwhichtheNuminousOne,theMysteriumTremendumwas

trulypresentandinwhichtheselfcouldbeoffereduplikesmokingincense.

"The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and

behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple" (Ezekiel 43:5).

47

"When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven

and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of

the Lord filled the temple" (2 Chronicles 7:1).

TheglorythatfillsthetemplehereisobviouslytheDivinepresence.Thesamesortof

languageandimageryisfoundinJohn'svisionintheBookofRevelation:

"AndafterthatIlooked,and,behold,thetempleofthetabernacleofthe

testimonyinheavenwasopened...Andthetemplewasfilledwithsmoke

fromthegloryofGod,andfromhispower"(Revelation15:5,8).

GodisglorioussothatwhereGodisfoundisfilledwithglory––withbeauty.Holdthisin

mindaswelookatRevelationtwenty-one.

InJohn'svisionheavenandearthasweknowithavepassedaway,andthereis

nolongeranysea––whatintheJewishimaginationwasagreatchurning,tumultuous

reservoir,adeepblackwaterabyss,inwhicheverysortofevillurked.Allthatisgone––

everythingiscleanandpristine.Thereisnomorepain,orcryingordeath."Thestriking

visualfeaturesofthecity,"asEugenePetersonnotes,"areitssymmetry,itslightandits

fertility.Itisperfectlyproportioned,itislight-filled,anditislifeproducing."19Justas

remarkableisthatJohn"sawnotempleinit,fortheLordGodAlmightyandtheLamb

areitstemple(v22).Thecityhasnoneedofthesunorofthemoontoshineinit,for

thegloryofGodilluminatesitandtheLambisitslight."Thesymbolsaremultifaceted

andsomewhatoverwhelming.ThereisnolightofsunormoonbecauseGodisthesun

andthemoonthatillumineseverything.Thereisnotempleinwhichtoworshipand

seekGod,forGodistheheavenlytempleitself.Godisourlight.Everythingisradiant.

Godisourdwelling.Godisourtempleinwhichweprayandcommune.Godisourglory.

19 Eugene Peterson, Reversed Thunder: The Revelation of John & the Praying Imagination

(New York, San Francisco: Harper - Collins, 1991), 177.

48

Godisourblissandourheaven.Itisinthisthatweglory--thehopeinwhichwerejoice.

TheHolyTrinityisthesingularityofourexistence.

One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the Lord

And to meditate in God's temple.

(Psalm 27:4)

Beautyisthehousewherehopelives.

The Ground of Hope

"Nowhope,"writesPaulinverse5,"doesnotdisappoint,becausetheloveof

GodhasbeenpouredoutinourheartsbytheHolySpiritwhowasgiventous."The

ApostlePaulhascompletedthemysticalcircle."Byfaithwehaveaccesstogracein

whichwestand."Thebeginningandtheendofthecontinuousandunbrokencircleis

grace––thegiftofdivinelove,life,andpeace,thatisGod'sveryownself.Graceisthe

groundofourexistenceintwosenses.Imagineyourself,asifyouwereinsomescience

fictionmoviestandinginsomefieldofpowerfulenergy;or,standingonsolidgranite

rock.Graceisthefieldofspiritualenergyinwhichwestand,anditisthefoundationof

everythingthatmakeshopepossibleandlifeworthwhile.

Graceisthegroundofrealhope,mysticalhope,Adventhope.Pseudohopeis

builtonthenotionthatwecancreateourownsecurity.MyfavoriteTomHanksmovie

isJoeandtheVolcano.Joe(TomHanks)isonasailboattoasouthseaislandwhereheis

tojumpinavolcano.TheyachtissailedbyPatricia(MegRyan).Oneidylliceveningon

thePacificOceaninaquietandpensiveconversationJoeasksPatriciaifshebelievesin

God.Herresponseisagoodmodernandpostmodernanswer.Shesays,"Ibelievein

myself.""Whatdoesthatmean?"asksJoe."Itmeans,shesays,"Ihaveconfidencein

49

myself."Immediatelyafiercestormbeginstoblow.Astheyachtisbatteredbythe

windandthewavesaboombreakslooseandhitsPatriciainherbackknockingher

unconsciousandintothesea.JoedivesdeepintotheoceanandsavesPatricia.

EverytimeIseethatsceneIthink:"Somuchforself-confidence––faithin

ourselves."Thenumberofthingswecanmakethegroundofourhope,asany

therapistsknows,isextensive––humanintelligence,syllogisticlikeevidencefor

believinginGod,politics,money,status,power,managerialormanipulativeskills,

religiousdogma,complexphilosophical,theologicalorpsychologicalsystems,orthe

latestself-helpscam.Youcan,nodoubt,thinkofmore.

AfterreflectingonversefiveforseveraldaysIthoughttocheckmyownexegesis

inlightofsomeoftheBiblecommentariesIhaveonmybookshelf.SomehowIdidn't

findmostofthemterriblysatisfying.Manyofthemcontainedagooddealoftechnical

informationbut,althoughnewandsophisticated,weresomewhatabstractandobtuse,

andnotmuchfocusedonunderstandingthespiritualmeaning.Ieventuallypulled

AdamClarke'svolumeonRomans.AdamClarke(1760-1832)wasaBritishMethodist

theologianandBiblicalscholar.Hissix-volumecommentaryonthewholeBibletook

him40yearstocompleteandwasaprimarytheologicalresourceforpastorsfornearly

twocenturies.ItwasoneofmyfirsttwocommentarieswhenIwasayoungministerial

student.Ihaven'tconsultedmysetonanythingfordecades.Thepagesevensmelled

musty.ImeannoonetodayisgoingtobeimpressedwithaquotationfromAdam

Clarke.ButwhileClarke'sstyleisdatedandhislanguagenowsoundssomewhatstilted,

hiscommentonRomans5:5isclearandgoesdirecttothepoint."Butourhopeisofa

differentkind;itisfoundonthegoodnessandtruthofGod;andourreligious

experienceshowsusthatwehavenotmisappliedit;norexerciseditonwrongor

50

improperobjects."20IwouldelaborateonClarketosayGodistruthandgoodness,God

isgraceandlove.ItisallthereintheprayerofSaintJohnofKronstadt:

O Lord, You are everything to me:

You are the strength of my heart

and the light of my mind.

You incline my heart to everything good;

and You strengthen it;

You give me good thoughts;

You are my rest and my joy;

You are my faith, hope and love;

You are my food and drink,

My raiment, my dwelling place.

WhenthegroundofhopeisGod'slovingpresencepouredintoourheartshowcouldit

everdisappointorletusdown?

Ofcourse,whatPaulhasinmindhereisnothopeasatheory,ortheological

explanation,oramentalidea,buthopeasapersonal,livedexperience.Aleksandr

SolzhenitsynsurvivedtenyearsinStalin'sGulagArchipelago.Andbecausehedidhe

wassentencedautomaticallytoanotherten.Prisonerswerenotexpectedtosurvivethe

cold,thestarvation,thedeprivationandthebrutalityofthefirsttenyears.Inhis

massivetrilogySolzhenitsyntalksaboutthedehumanizationmanyprisoners

experienced,butthenhemakesasharpturnandspeaksoftheamazingspiritual

transformationthatoccurredinothers.ItwasinthecampsthatSolzhenitsyn,an

atheisticintellectualandcommunist,becameaChristian,notbywayofclever

argument,butbywayofwisdomexperiencedinthecrucibleofterriblesuffering.

20 Adam Clarke, A Commentary and Critical Notes Volume II––Romans to Revelation (New

York, Nashville: Abingdon Press), 66.

51

Inhisbookhenotesthatmanyreformersandactivisthavegiventheiropinionson

prisonlifeandwhatitmaydotoaperson,andthenhesayssomethingabsolutely

astounding.Hesays:

In the intoxication of youthful successes I had felt myself to be

infallible, and I was therefore cruel . . . It was only when I lay there

on rotting prison straw that I sensed within myself the first stirrings

of good . . . That is why I turn back to the years of my

imprisonment and say, sometimes to the astonishment of those

about me: “Bless you, prison!” I . . . have served enough time there.

I nourished my soul there, and I say without hesitation: “Bless you,

prison, for having been in my life!21

HowdidSolzhenitsyncometoknowthisAdventhopeand––thisglory,thispresence?

Notbythoughtaloneforitencompassessomethinggreaterthanthought.Notby

feelingaloneforitislargerthanfeeling.Andnotbyintuitiveinsightaloneforitisbigger

thanhumanintuition.Itismysteriouslyandineffablymorethanallthese.Itisgrace––

sheergift.ThegiftofGod'sownself.Wecannotmakegracehappen,whatwecandois

toentertheAdventSeasonasatimeofprayerfulwaiting,attentiveness,opennessand

receptivity."TheheavensareshoutingthegloryoftheLord;andtheheavensare

singingofthebeautyandwonderofGod'shandiwork"(Psalm19:1).Yes!Yes!Yes!

Canyouhearit?

21 Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Thomas P. Whitney (trans.), The Gulag Archipelago 918-1956: An

Experiment in Literary Investigation, Volume 2 (New York, Evanston, London: Harper and Row,

1974), 615-617.

52

2) Whatisgrace?WhatisthesupremegiftGodoffers?Whyisfaithascompletetrust

essentialtothereceptionofgrace;and,therefore,thethresholdofhope?Whatdoesit

mean,then,tosaythatthegraceofGodisthechiefgloryoflife?Whatisgloryandhow

isitrelatedtograce?

3) AcharacterinoneofSolzhenitsyn’snovelssaysthatsufferingshouldbeconsidereda

treasure,especiallywhenitcomesfromthosewhowanttohurtus,andthatthe

spiritualgrowthofthepersonisindirectproportiontothesufferingencountered.Do

youbelievethat?Whathasbeenyourexperience?

4) Doyouknowanyonewhosepatience,endurance,fortitudeorperseverancehas

turnedsomethinghardortragicintosomethingbeautifulandglorious?

5) Whichdoyouthinkismostimportant,ourexperiencesorwhatwedowithour

experiences?Whatischaracter?Andhowisitshapedbywhatyoudowithyour

experiences?

6) Inwhattwowaysisgracedescribedhereasthegroundofhope?Howdoyou

experience,ifatall,graceasthegroundofyourhopeandbeing?

7) IfwehavefaithinGodandstillnothingchangesinouroutwardcircumstanceshow

canwesayhopedoesnotdisappointus?Doyouagreethathopeincludesthewi

Questions for Individual and Group Reflection

1) Why is it necessary, in T. S. Eliot's words, to wait without hope? And, how does waiting

without hope paradoxically become waiting in hope?

53

Chapter Four

And Mary Said

ButIwantnowtoaccessthepositivedimensionsofthe"greatjoy"inthewidespacesof

theGodwhoisclosertousthanwecanguess.Joyisstrengthforliving,the

empowermenttolove,thedelightinacreativebeginning.Itwakesusup,andmakesus

alivefromwithin.HowdoweexperiencethisforceinthepresenceofChrist?Howdo

wesotuneourlivesthattheyresonatewiththeinexhaustiblejoyofGod?Arewe

capableofhappinessatall?22

–– JürgenMoltmann

The Reading––Luke 1:46-56

146AndMarysaid:

“MysoulmagnifiestheLord,47AndmyspirithasrejoicedinGodmySavior.48ForHehasregardedthelowlystateofHismaidservant;

Forbehold,henceforthallgenerationswillcallmeblessed.49ForHewhoismightyhasdonegreatthingsforme,

AndholyisHisname.50AndHismercyisonthosewhofearHim

Fromgenerationtogeneration.51HehasshownstrengthwithHisarm;

Hehasscatteredtheproudintheimaginationoftheirhearts.

22 Jürgen Moltmann, The Living God And the Fullness of Life), 88.

54

52Hehasputdownthemightyfromtheirthrones,

Andexaltedthelowly.53Hehasfilledthehungrywithgoodthings,

AndtherichHehassentawayempty.54HehashelpedHisservantIsrael,

InremembranceofHismercy,55AsHespoketoourfathers,

ToAbrahamandtohisseedforever.”56AndMaryremainedwithElizabethaboutthreemonths,andreturnedtoherhouse.

The Reed of God

Maryispregnantandunmarried,andsoshedoeswhatcountlessgirlsinher

situationhavedonewhentheycannolongerhidetheyarecarryingachild,shehurries

offtostaywithfamily.Shegoestohercousin'shouseinthehillcountryofJudeawhere

sheisnotwellknown.AssheentersthehomeofhercousinElizabethandElizabeth's

husbandZechariah,thebabyinsideElizabeth,whoisalsopregnant,"leaps"inwhat

Elizabethbelievesisasignofdivinejoy.Thetwopregnantwomenareecstatic.

ElizabethblessesMary,"AndMarysaid,"perhapsrecitingpartofaJewishhymnof

praise,"MysoulmagnifiestheLord,AndmyspirithasrejoicedinGodmySavior.'"

Mary'sresponsetotheAngelGabriel'smessageisoneofcompletetrust:"Yes,Iseeit

allnow:I’mtheLord’smaid,readytoserve.Letitbewithmejustasyousay"(1:38

MSG).ToserveGod,inthewordsoftheBookofCommonPrayer,"isperfectfreedom"––

itisperfectfreedom,confidence,andjoy.InastonishingsimplicityMarymakesherself

entirelyavailablefortheaccomplishingofGod'sgreat,andtoher,unknownmysterious

purpose.Weshouldnotmisstheparadoxhere:Marywhoisfullwithchildisentirely

emptyandsurrendered.Poor,powerless,andvulnerableMaryisnotonlygiven

freedom,isnotonlysaved,byGod;but,Godisherfreedom,isherjoy,andher

55

salvation.Marywouldnotbethefirstwomantobeblissfullyhappyeventhoughsheis

unmarriedandpregnant.Motherhoodisformanyastateofblissinandofitself.Mary

findsinherpregnancyapromise,ahope,ameaningthatextendsbeyondherself.The

lifequickeninginheristhelifeandlightofthewholeworld(John1:4).Godisnotonly

mysteriouslyinvolvedinthelivesofindividuals;but,throughindividualsatworkinthe

lifeoftheworld.

InaretreatpresentationinthelittleEnglishvillageofPleshy,thetwentieth

centuryBritishChristianmysticandauthorEvelynUnderhillsaidtothosegathered:

"OurwholelifeistobepoisedonacertaingladexpectancyofGod;takingeach

moment,incident,choiceandopportunityasmaterialplacedinourhandbytheCreator

whosewholeintricateandmysteriousprocessmovestowardthetriumphofCharity,

andwhohasgiveneachlivingspiritatinypartinthisvastworkoftransformation."23

Underhill'swordscertainlyspeakofwhatwascharacteristicofMary,butbeyondthat

theyaremeanttobetakenasuniversalintheirapplication.Maryhasbeencalled"the

reedofGod."Ahollowreedcanbemadeintoasimpleflutewhichwhenthebreathis

blownthroughitproducesmusic.Whenweareopen,simple,andemptywetoo

becomethereedthroughwhichtheSpiritmayblowandthemagicalmusicofGodplay.

Mary's Song

Scholarsemployingmodern"critical"methodologies,suchasRedaction

Criticism,donotthinkthatMarycouldhavepossiblycomposedasongassophisticated

astheMagnificatwithwhichLukesayssherespondedtohercousinElizabeth.Andthat

maybe.ItcouldbethatLuke,aswascommonintheancientworld,madenotesofwhat

Mary,orherfamilytoldhim,andthencomposedasonghethoughtfittheemotional

depthofthemoment.Butwealsoknowtherewereactuallymanysuchsongs,or

23 Evelyn Underhill, The School of Charity: Meditations on the Christian Creed (Harrisburg, PA:

Morehouse Publishing, 1991), 108

56

hymns,ofpraise,awe,andhopethatthepeopleofthetimesang––mostofwhichare

nowlosttous.TheMagnificatofMaryisverylikelyonesuchsong;or,moreaccurately

partofonesuchsongknownatthetime.Many,many,yearsagotwoelderlywomenin

achurchwhereIservedaspastordecidedtogoonanAlaskancruise.Oneofthem

becameillandwasunabletogo,buttheother,Rita,aJewishChristianrefugeefrom

DusseldorfGermanyandfiercelyindependent,decidedshewouldmakethecruiseon

herown.Whenshereturnedshewasstillinecstaticwonderatallthebeautyshehad

seen.Shetoldmethatastheshiphadsailedintoaglacialbayandshesawtheice

tumblingintothebluesea,shebegantosingatthetopofhervoice:

O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder

Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made

Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

"PeopleprobablythoughtIwascrazy,"shesaid,"butIcouldn'thelpit."Theonly

appropriateresponsetomomentsofawe,wonder,grace,andmystery,whetherlarge

anddramaticorsubtle,isgratitudeandpraise.Withoutasenseofgratitudeand

wonderthereisnosuchthingasChristianspirituality.Tobespirituallyawakeistobe

capableofexperiencingimmensegratitude.Withoutgratitudetheremaybe

conformitytothedoctrinalformulationofaparticularchurchgroup,butthereisno

spiritualdepthorreality.NoticethatRitadidnotcomposeahymnonherown,

somethingthatwouldhavebeenwellbeyondhermusicalability,butrathersangone

shealreadyknewthatexpressedherfeelingsoftheimmensityofDivinebeauty.There

isnoreasontothinkMarydidnotdothesamesortofthingthatdayinthehomeof

ElizabethandZechariah.But,inmyopinion,suchquestionsareadistractionfromthe

spiritualmeaningofthetext.

57

A Song of Awakening

Mary'ssongexpressesthejoyofbeinglovedbyGod:"Rejoice,myspirit,inGod

mySavior;sotenderlyhashelookeduponhisservant,humbleassheis....So

wonderfullyhashedealtwithme,theLord,theMightyOne"(Luke1:47-49);and,it

assertsconfidenceinthefuture––faithinanewrealitywhichisliterallyawakeningin

her.Thereisnothing,absolutelynothing,thathasthepowertodoyougoodlike

knowingyouarelovedbythe"MightyOne,"theOne"bywhomallthingsvisibleand

invisiblewerecreated,andinwhomallthingssubsist"(Colossians1:16-17).Thisisnot

merelysometransitorysentimentalnotionlike,"IfGodhadawalletyourpicturewould

beinit."Itis,recognizedornot,thegroundandrealityofyourverybeing.Butitisnot

onlythetruthofyourownpersonalexistence,itistherealityofeverymanandevery

womanwhohaseverlivedonearth.So,notonlyistherenothingthathasthepowerto

doyougoodliketheloveofGod,nothing,absolutelynothing,hasthepowertodo

goodtoallothersthroughyouliketheloveofChrist.

Radical Spirituality

Asasongofhopeandconfidenceinthefuture,inaneworderofexistence,the

Magnificatisbotharadicalstatementofpersonalspiritualityandsocialrevolution.

DuringtheBritishoccupationandruleofIndia,eventhoughtheEnglishchurchand

stateareone,itwasforbiddentoreadorsingtheMagnificat.In1980itwasbannedin

Guatemalaasasubversivedocument.AndtheMothersofthePlazadeMayo––whose

childrenwere"disappeared"duringthe1976-1983DirtyWarofArgentina,putup

posterswiththewordsoftheMagnificatalloverthecapitalplaza.

Thepolitical,economic,andsocialdimensionsofMary'ssongareobvious.It

upendseverything.Weknowthatwehavecorrectlyunderstooditwhenitleadstoa

transvaluationofallourvalues."ThehungryGodhassatisfiedwithgoodthings,therich

58

sentawayempty."Christianspiritualityisaspiritualityofajusticethatispoliticalas

wellasreligious,forultimatelythepracticeofjusticetranscendssuchcategoriesas

politicalandreligious."Thefuture,"ithasbeensaid,"belongstothepoorand

exploited."24Theworkofliberationhasitsbasisininthespiritualityoftheanawim.

Anawim(pronouncedann-a-weem)isaHebrewwordfromtheOldTestament

whichdescribesthe“poorones”whoremainfaithfultoGodintimesofgreatdifficulty.

Theyarethepoorofeverysort:thevulnerable,themarginalized,andthesocio-

economicallyoppressed.TheyarewhattheScripturemeansbythe"humbleand

lowly."Withoutstatus,influence,ortheresourcestodealwithviolenceorfamine,their

onlyoptionistotrustGod.Theanawimactuallyliveallovertheworldandareas

contemporaryastheyareancient.Whatthesepoorandoppressedofeverytimeand

placeseeintheMagnificatisabeautifulblessinggiventothehungry,thehomeless,

andthepowerless.

Maryisherselfoneoftheanawim,oneofthehumbleandlowlyones(1:48).

LukeTimothyJohnsonobserves:

Maryholdsnoofficialpositionamongthepeople,sheisnot"righteous"in

termsofobservingTorah,andherexperiencedoesnottakeplaceina

culticsetting.Sheisamongthemostpowerlesspeopleinhersociety:she

isyounginaworldthatvaluesage;femaleinaworldruledbymen;poor

inastratifiedeconomy.Furthermoreshehasneitherhusbandnorchildto

validateherexistence.Thatsheshouldhave"foundfavorwithGod"and

be"highlygifted"showsLuke'sunderstandingofGod'sactivityas

surprisingandoftenparadoxical,almostalwaysreversinghuman

expectations.25

24 Gustavo Gutiérrez, A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics, and Salvation (Maryknoll, New

York: Orbis Books, 1988), 120.

25 Luke Timothy Johnson, The Gospel of Luke, Sacra Pagina Series Volume 3 (Collegeville,

Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 1991), 39.

59

Maryishumbleandlowlyinthatsheisfreeoftheself-willandarrogancethatafflicts

thosewhoareproudintheimaginationoftheirownheart,sheis"theservantof

Yahweh"(1:51).Shelives,aswillherson,onlytodoGod'swill.Inthissheisblessed.

ButMaryisalsolowlyinthatsheisphysically,materially,oneoftheanawhim––

literallypoorandwithoutstatus.InLuke'stextsheis,infact,consideredas

representativeofthepeopleofIsrael.Themercyshownhersignifiesthemercyshown

toIsraelbeingledbyherhandoutofslavery,throughthehardshipsandsufferingofthe

desert,outofthegriefofexile,andrescuingherfromcatastrophicwars,defeats,and

oppression.Buttoplaywiththewordsofthetext,onlythehumbleinheartcan,of

course,recognizethattheyarequiteliterallylowlyandinneedofmercy.AsEvelyn

Underhillputit,"Itislikeaquietvoicespeakinginourdeepestprayer:'TheLordiswith

thee"...andcallingforththeoneandonlyanswer,'BeholdthehandmaidoftheLord,

beituntomeaccordingtoThyWord.'"26Humbleself-abandonmentcreatesakindof

freedomandaninnerspaciousnessinwhichwemaydiscoverandfeelGod'sgrace.

Withoutthissimplicityofsoulthereisnoprogressmadeinthespirituallife.

ThereseofLisieux(1873-1897)enteredtheCarmeliteConventofLisieux

determinedtobecomeasaint,butsixyearsasaCarmelitesisterbroughttotheyoung

nuntherealizationthatbothherpersonandherowneffortswerefartoosmalltoreach

heraspiration.Shesawhowveryfarshewasfromtheself-emptying,self-sacrificing,

loveofChrist.OnedaywhilemeditatingontheOldTestamentshewasgraspedby

Proverbs9:6whichsays,"Whoeverisalittleone,letthemcometome."Inamomentof

unusualspiritualclarityshesawthatthespiritualpathliesalongthelinesofwhatHenri

J. M.Nouwencalledthepathof"downwardmobility."27Nouwennotedthatinasociety

inwhichupwardmobilityistheideal,downwardmobilityseemsfoolish,stupid,and

26 Evelyn Underhill, The School of Charity, 42.

27 Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Selfless Way of Christ: Downward Mobility and the Spiritual Life

(Notre Dame: Ave Maria Press, 1974), 39.

60

evencrazy.Yetitisindownwardmobilitythatlifethatreallyislifeisdiscoveredaswe

praywithsimpleandopenhearts.Itisinthisdownwardmobilitythatthe

compassionatelife,whichisthelifeofChrist,isdiscovered.The"littleway"ofSaint

ThereseofLisieuxandNouwen'spathofdownwardmobility,then,isthewayalready

takenbyMaryofNazareth.Initthereisnoambitionformoneyorpower,noristhere

thedesiretobeknownasasaint,sage,socialactivist,orgreatcontemplative.Ifthatis

therewardyouseekyouwillneedtofollowadifferentpath.Thisway,ishardertofind

andmoredifficulttofollowinthatitrequireslongandcarefulattentiontothepractices

ofself-surrender,simplicity,andservant-hoodinthelivingofeverydaylife.

Demythologizing Peasant Life

Thelifeoftheancientandmedievalpeasantclasshasoften,especiallyinfilm,

beenidealized.Thepeopleofpeasantsocietiesareimaginedaslivinglives

uncomplicatedbythesmallandlargeproblemsanddemandsofmodernliving.While

theyknownothingoffinedining,theydoeatgeneroushelpingsofhomecookedmeals

withplentyofredwinetodrink;and,intheeveningstheylaughandsinganddance

aroundabonfiretothehappymusicofafiddle.Theirfamiliesarecloseandhappy,

withparentsandgrandparentsandchildrenalllivingharmoniouslyinsimplehousesor

cottagesthatarewarmandcozyinthewinterandopentothesunshineandsmellof

wildflowersandfreshlymowedhayinthesummer.Inrealitythelifeofthepeasant

classinanyageisdifficultandnoteasyorcarefree.

Marywasapeasantgirl.Shedidnotliveacloisteredlifeprotectedbychivalrous

knightsorsocialconvention;orknowthesecurityofastableeconomyandcropsthat

neverfailed,orofahousewifewhosehusbandhadagoodunionjob.Marywasa

peasantgirlwhowaspartofthepeasantcultureofancientIsrael––alifethatwas

alwaysfraughtwithdifficulties,andsometimesbrutal.Inmanywaysitwasnotvery

differentfromthelifeofthepoorinourpostmodernworld.

61

ThepeasantclassoffirstcenturyIsraelincludedpersons,whoregardlessoftheir

occupation,wereenculturatedinthatwayofthinkingandlife––landlessworkersin

general,butforthemostpartsubsistencefarmersdependentonthelastharvestfor

survival,somesecuresmallfarmers,andperhapsevenafewlargerlandholders.Rome

rewardeditsofficialsandmilitaryleaderswithvastholdingsinconqueredterritories.

Theselargeholdingsthentendedtoexpandattheexpenseofsmallfarmerswho,

particularlyintimesofcropshortagesandfamine,borrowedfromtheminorderto

survive.Itiscalculatedthatamereonetotwopercentofthepopulationmayhave

consumedfiftytosixty-fivepercentoftheagriculturalproduce,andthatnineoutoften

peopleeitherlivedclosetoorbelowsubsistencelevel.TheMediterraneanworldwas

Romanbythistime,andtheRomansystemwasbasedoninequality.Thementality

intowhichthepeasantclasshadbeenenculturatedwasonethatassumedthatthiswas

justthewaythingsshouldbe;or,naturallyorinevitablyare.

Actually,honor(publicreputation)wasmoreimportantthanwealthitself.

However,honorwassocialratherthanindividualistic––honoroffamily,kind,villageor

tribewasmoreimportantthanthatoftheindividual.Honorgrantedaccessto

resources.Becomingpoorcarriedwithitalossofhonor,andlossofopportunity.The

poorwereshameful,andiftheycouldn'tpaytheirdebts,werefurtherhumiliatedand

theirlivesendangeredbyimprisonment.TheSadduceeswerethearistocratsoffirst

centuryJewishsociety,andthePhariseestherich.Both,therefore,hadavested

interestinperpetuatingtheideathatthewealthywerewealthybecausetheyhadbeen

blessedbyGodduetotheirgoodness.ThisiswhyJesus'sdisciplesaresoshockedbyhis

responsetotherichmanandblurtout:"Iftherichwon'tbesavedthenwhointheworld

canbe?"(Luke19:16-26).

Butthiscultureofhonorandshameworkedtooppressthepoorinotherwaysas

well.PuritycodeslikethoseofancientIsrael(whichshouldnottobeconfusedwiththe

organizedeffortofmodernconservativeChristianstopromotesexualabstinence

62

amongteenagers),althoughoriginallyintroducedforsanitary,hygieneandhealth

reasons,became,intime,awayofmarginalizingpeople.Ifawomancannotevenbe

accidentallytouchedinthemarketplace,ormustbeexcludedfromfullparticipationin

communalworshipbecausesheis"unclean;"ifhertestimonyisnotvalidinacourtof

lawsimplybecausesheisawoman,thensheispushedratherforciblytotheedgeof

society.Ifcertainoccupations,likethatofshepherd,bytheirverynaturerenderpeople

unclean,technicallyuntouchable,thentosaythattheyaremarginalizedisa

euphemism.

Rigidadherencetothepuritycodeactuallyworked,asJesusfrequently

observed,todefeatthehighermoraldemandsofcompassionandjusticeinmuchthe

samewayitdoesamongultraconservativeandlegalisticChristianstoday.TheLevite

andpriestwhoignoredthebloodiedrobberyvictimlyingonthesideofJerichoRoad

wereprobablynotwithoutallfeelingsofcompassion,buttheirnaturalhumanconcern

wasnullifiedbytheirlegalisticdeterminationtostrictlyfollowthepuritycode.So,they

maintainedtheirlegalandritualisticpuritybynottouchingthebloodyvictim,but

defiedthedivineimperativeandGod-givenspiritualinstincttoshowlovewithout

whichthereisnoescapefromoppression.

Nothingcontributedanymoretooppressioninthefirstcenturythanonerous

taxation.Thefirstobligationevenforpeasantswasthetraditionaltithesthatlavishly

supportedthetempleandpriestlyestablishmentinJerusalem.Originallymuchofwhat

wasbroughtintothetempletreasurywasusedforthecareofthepoor,butfromthe

timeofNehemiah,andthereturnfromBabylonianexile,moreandmorewasdevoted

tomaintaininginstitutionalJudaism.Itisdifficulttocalculatetheextentofthetax

burdenontheJewishpeople.Butfarmersappeartohavepaid,inadditiontothe

TempleTax,taxesleviedbyHerodtopayforconstructionofthesecondtemple,the

buildingofnewcities,apolltax,varioustolls,andasmuchasfortypercentoftheir

cropsintributetaxestoRome.AnyresistancetoRome'staxdemands,ortribute,was

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metwithruthlessbrutality.Wholecitieswerelooted,burnedtorubble,andtheir

populationsslaughteredortakenasslavesforeithertheirrefusalorinabilitytopay.

Increasingly,then,smallfarmershadtheirholdingsabsorbedbypredatorylenders.

RichardHorsleyinhisbook,Bandits,Prophets&Messiahs,connectsthecrushing

burdenoftaxesand"vulture"economics,withthepoliticaloppressionandviolenceof

thetime.IndoingsoHorsleyquotestheancienthistorianJosephusonHerodtheGreat,

themurderouspuppetkingoftheRomanswhoslaughteredtheinnocentsof

BethlehemafterJesus'sbirth:

They resented Herod's engaging in such (oppressive) pursuits since

for them it amounted to the dismantling of their religion and the

changing of their customs. These matters were widely discussed

because they were constantly being provoked and stirred up. But

Herod treated this situation very carefully, removing any occasion

for unrest and ordering them to keep their nose to the grindstone.

He disallowed public gatherings, groups walking about or normal

community life; all activity was watched. The punishments given to

those caught were harsh, and both openly and secretly many were

brought to the fortress Hyrcania and executed. Both in the cities

and on the open roads there were men who spied on those who met

together. . . Those who obstinately refused to adapt to such

constraints Herod punished in all kinds of ways. . . and those who

showed some spirit and were indignant at his forcing [the loyalty

oath] he got rid of in any way possible. (Ant. 15.365-69)28

Maryandherfamily,immediateandextended,herfriendsandeveryonesheknew,

livedinthissystemdominatedbythewealthyandpowerfulelite.

28 Richard A. Horsley with John S. Hanson, Bandits, Prophets,& Messiahs (Harrisburg, PA:

Trinity Press International, 199), 33.

64

The"urbanelite,"therulingandgoverningclass,veryrarelyeverexceededmore

than2%ofthepopulation.InPalestinethisurbanelitewouldhaveincludedthe

religiousestablishmentinJerusalem.Theretainerclass(professionalsoldiers,army

officers,householdservants,andotherpersonalretainers)wereperhaps5%ofthe

population.Theartisanclass,skilledworkersandtradespeople,probablymadeup3%-

7%ofthepopulation,andwereeconomicallyclosetothepeasantclass,butoftenwith

lowerincomes.Althoughsomemembersofanemergingmerchantclassmighthave

beenwealthierthanthelessermembersofthegoverningclass,theyremained,forthe

mostpart,amongthepoor.Thepeasantclass,towhichMarybelonged,constitutedthe

substantialmajorityofthepopulation,andhadtheburden(thatintheendwouldprove

unbearableandbecomeafactorinthecollapseoftheRomanEmpire)ofsupportingthe

stateandtheprivilegedclasses.Belowthepeasantclassweretheuncleanand

degradedwhooccupiedapositioninferiortothatofthemassesofcommonpeople;

and,finally,theexpendables,atthebottomoftheclasssystem,consistingofpetty

criminals,outlaws,beggars,andunderemployeditinerantworkers.Slaves,whose

actualconditionvariedwidelydependingontheirassignedtask,werelegally

consideredtobethings(chattelorproperty)ratherthanhumanbeings,andtherefore

underthesoleandcompletecontroloftheirowners.

ThiswastheeverydayworldofMarythemotherofJesus.Thoughitmaysound

likeadifficultandoftenharshworld,itwasnotinagreatmanyrespectsterribly

differentthanthatofthetwenty-firstcentury––theinjusticeperpetratedbythe

wealthyeliteandthedominanceofthefewvaryingfromcountrytocountryonlyby

degree.

Mary's Magnificat as Prophetic Song

Mary'ssongisthesoundofapropheticvoiceinwhathasbeencalleda"domination

system."Dominationsystemsarehumanlycontrivedsocialsystemsdeliberately

65

designedandbuilttocreateandmaintainpowerbyafewatthetopoverthemany

belowthem.Theyexisttoperpetuatethepowerofdominatorsoverthosedominated.

Sincedominationsystemsareinherentlyself-servingtheyproviderationalizationsfor

whyitisnecessarytotransferwealthfromworkersuptheladdertothefewobscenely

wealthypersonsatthetopofthepyramid.

IntheU.S.thepeoplearerecruitedandenculturatedintothismindsetbytheuse

ofsuchimagesandnotionsas"theAmericandream"––whichissoobviously

materialisticratherthanethicalorspiritualthatitoughttobe,butisnot,abhorrentto

everyChristian.In2018,thethreemenatthetopofForbesMagazine'slistofthe

richestpeopleinAmerica—AmazonfounderJeffBezos,MicrosoftfounderBillGates,

andinvestorWarrenBuffett—heldcombinedfortunesworthmorethanthetotal

wealthofthepooresthalfofAmericans.Overthepastthreedecades,America’smost

affluentfamilieshaveaddedtotheirnetworth,whilethoseonthebottomhavedipped

into“negativewealth,”meaningthevalueoftheirdebtsexceedsthevalueoftheir

assets.Morethan37millionpeoplestruggledwithhungerintheUnitedStates,

includingmorethan11millionchildren.Whilethecoronavirushasdrivenmillionsof

peopleoutofwork,thereboundinstockandotherassetpriceshaspushedupthe

wealthoftherichdramatically––increasingeconomicdisparityaswellassocialand

politicalinstabilityinAmerica.Wealthypoliticalandreligiousconservativessoundmore

andmoreliketheeliteoftheMiddleEasternrulingclassofthefirst,second,orthird

millenniumB.C.E.indefining"liberty"and"justice"asthoselawsandpolicieswhich

enabletheobsceneacquisitionandretentionofmaterialgoodsandresources.

Butthereisstillmoreinvolvedintheenculturationofthepoorandoppressed.

Therewerenearly2.2millionincarceratedpersonsintheUnitedStatesin2016,

includinghundredsofthousandsofnonviolentoffenders.Adisproportionatenumberof

thoseinourprisonsandjailsareAfricanAmericans,Latinas,otherminorities,andthe

poor.FairWayneBryantwasgivenalifesentencein1997forstealinghedgeclippers

66

fromacarportstoreroomatahomeinShreveport,Louisiana.Bryantreceivedthis

harshsentenceunderahabitualoffenderlaw––hehadbeenconvictedofattempted

robberyin1979,possessionofstolenitemsin1987,attemptedforgeryofa$150check

in1989,andsimpleburglaryin1992.Previousappealsofthesentenceasexcessive

havebeenturneddown.ButChiefJusticeBernetteJohnson,theonlyBlackmemberof

Louisiana’sSupremeCourtinherdissentcalledhabitualoffenderlawsamodern

manifestationoflegislationpassedaftertheCivilWartomakeiteasiertoconvict

formerslavesandtheirdescendantsofminorcrimesandsentencethemharshly.Those

laws,shesaid,wereanattemptto"re-enslaveAfricanAmericans.29

Thereare,then,anumberofindicatorsthattheUnitedStatesisitselfa

dominationsystem,andlikealldominationsystemsitiscritiquedandchallengedby

theprophetictraditionoftheBible––includingtheMagnificat.

Allusions and Echoes

Mary’sSongisacollageofbiblicalallusions,particularlyofthehymnsofpraise

bywomenintheOldTestament––Miriam,Deborah,Judith,andmostimportantly,

Hannah.ThelanguageandmotifsLukeusesevokesastrongsenseofOldTestament

faithintheultimatefulfillmentofGod'spromisesofhelp,deliverance,andgoodnot

onlytothepeopleofIsrael,buttoallhumanity.Mary,likeHannah,expressesgratitude

foramiraculouspregnancy,andbothsingintheprophetickeyofagreatreversalin

whichthehumblewillbeexaltedandthegreat"highandmighty"willbebroughtlow;

andthosewhohavegorgedthemselvesatsumptuoustablesoffoodtothedetriment

ofthepoorwillbesentawayhungry.Furthermore,Hannah’ssong,whichfurnishes

significantcontextforunderstandingtheMagnificat,isalludedtoinPsalm113andis

intertwinedwiththePassoverandallitspropheticandtypologicalimplications.

29 cbsnews.com fair-wayne-bryant-bernette-johnson-black-man-life-sentence-stealing-hedge

clippers-shot-at-freedom, page (Accessed 09/04/2020).

67

However,beforepursuingthoseimplicationssomethingneedstobesaidabout

propheticwisdomasthepracticeofthepresenceofGod.

Prophetic Spirituality

"Theprophet,"notedAbrahamJoshuaHeschel,theJewishscholar,rabbi,and

mystic,"isapersonwhofeelsfiercely.Godhasthrustaburdenontheprophet'ssoul."

Andthatburdenistheintensepassionforjustice.30"Frightfulistheagonyof

humanity;"writesHeschel,"nohumanvoicecanconveyitsfullterror.Prophecyisthe

voicethatGodhasleanttothesilentagony,totheplunderedpoor,totheprofaned

richesoftheworld."31Thereisnosocietyanywhereinthetwenty-firstcenturyworld,

Heschelnotes,wherethewordsoftheprophetAmosdonotapply:

8 4Hear this, you who swallow up the needy,

And make the poor of the land fail,

5 Saying:

“When will the New Moon be past,

That we may sell grain?

And the Sabbath,

That we may trade wheat?

Making the ephah small and the shekel large,

Falsifying the scales by deceit,

6 That we may buy the poor for silver,

And the needy for a pair of sandals—

Even sell the bad wheat?”

30 Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets: An Introduction (New York: Harper and Row, 1962),

5.

31 Ibid.

68

Weareallwitnessestothisgreedandcallousnessandviolenceandinjustice;yet,we

expendvastamountsofenergyjustifyingitandarguingdown,shoutingdown,

propheticvoicesofconscience.Butweareallcomplicit––complicitinthesufferingof

humanity.Wearecomplicitinthepeople,values,andthingsweidolize.Thecallofthe

prophetsistoletallthesegoandreturninourheartstotheTrueandLivingGodwho

createdusandlovesus.

Injusticeisnotrivialmattertotheprophetsforultimatelyitseparatesthe

individual,thechurch,thenation,theworldfromthepeace,power,andpresenceof

God.InthefifthchapterofhisprophecyAmos,speakinginthevoiceofGod,saysthat

worshipseparatefromthepracticeofjusticeisalie,useless,andalienatesusfrom

God'spresence.

514Seekgoodandnotevil,

Thatyoumaylive;

SotheLordGodofhostswillbewithyou,

Asyouhavespoken.15Hateevil,lovegood;

Establishjusticeinthegate.21“Ihate,Idespiseyourfeastdays,

AndIdonotsavoryoursacredassemblies.22ThoughyouofferMeburntofferingsandyourgrainofferings,

Iwillnotacceptthem,

NorwillIregardyourfattenedpeaceofferings.23TakeawayfromMethenoiseofyoursongs,

ForIwillnothearthemelodyofyourstringedinstruments.24Butletjusticerundownlikewater,

Andrighteousnesslikeamightystream.

69

NoticethatAmosurgesnotonlythatwehateevilbutthatwelovethegood,thatwe

energeticallyestablishjustice,workforjustice,andletrighteousnessrundownlikea

mightystreamofwater.ItisnolongersufficientforindividualChristians,orthechurch

asawhole,tofeedthehungryorclothethepoor,substantialeffortsmustbemadeto

rootoutthecausesofpoverty,racism,andinjusticeofeverysort.Christianspirituality

isnotanabsencebutapresence––thepresenceoftheHolyTrinity.“Righteousnessand

justicearethefoundationofGod'sthrone;steadfastloveandfaithfulnessgobeforethe

Lord.”(Psalm89:14).Godispeace,compassion,love.ThatissimplywhoGodis,like

waterishydrogenandoxygen––orwet.EvelynUnderhillwrotelikethisofcharity

(caritasoragape)asanopennesstoandutterdependenceonGod,andasthewholeof

ourlifeachannelthroughwhichcharityshouldthenflow:

OnepartofprayerassociatesuswiththecreativeandsupportingLove,

andrequiresustogiveourselvesasopenchannelsthroughwhichitcanbe

pouredoutonalllife;andtheotherpartofprayerkeepsusinhumble

awarenessofourowncompletedependence,plastictothepressureof

themoldingCharity.32

Justice,peace,loveandcompassionarenot,forChristianswhoareChristian,abstract

conceptsorideas,orhighermoralprinciples,butspiritualrealitiesoftheHolySpirit

whichisalwaysmovingthroughthem,inthem,andaroundthem.Ubicaritasetamor/

Ubicaritas/Deusibiest."Wherecharityandloveare,Godisthere."

The One Who Saves

Scripturenearlyalwaysmeansmorethanitsays;andso,whenitspeaksofliberation,of

deliverance,offreedom,itmostcertainlymeansactual,physical,literalpoliticaland

32 Evelyn Underhill, The School of Charity, 16.

70

socialfreedom.Butitjustascertainlymeansmuchmore.Jesusteachesustopraythat

God's"willbedoneonearthasitisinheaven"thatis,thejustice,harmony,peace,

mutualcaringandjoyofheavenmaybeastrueamonghumanbeingsonearthasitisin

heaven.Butitisaprayerthatmakessenseonlytothosewhoarecapableofconceiving

ofarealitythattranscends,notonlythephysicaldimensionsofthisworld,butits

moral,religious,andrelationaldimensionsaswell.

Ithinkitisimportanttosaythisandtocontemplateit,becauseanynumberof

scholarswritingonthepopularlevelforwell-educatedlaityadvocateexactlythe

opposite.Ifweweretoasktheperfectlylegitimatequestion,"WhatdidJesuscometo

liberateorsaveusfrom?"or,"ExactlywhatsortoffreedomisitthatChristoffers?"their

answerwouldlikelybethatJesuswasapoliticalandsocialactivist,arevolutionary,who

wantedtofreehispeoplefromacorruptandoppressivesystembyteachingthemto

livebyanewethicoflove.Christianityisnotabout"saving"peoplefromsin,itis

argued,nordoesithavetodowiththepromiseof"heaven."

TheeighthchapteroftheGospelofJohnmayfurnishasgoodacommentaryas

anyonthisview.Intheparagraphthatbeginsthereatversethirty-one,Jesusspeaks

directlytoagroupofpeoplewhohavecommittedtofollowhim,butwhosebeliefis

nominalandmerelyintellectual;and,therefore,unstableandpassing.ThepeopleJesus

addressesherementallyagreewithwhatheteaches,buttheyarenotwillingtoaccept

theimplicationsofJesusorhisteachingforthemselves.Disbeliefisnearlyalwaysas

much,ormore,ofaspiritualthanintellectualproblem.Theanswertothequestion,

"Whydomostscholarsandintellectualsnotbelieve?"isthatmostscholarsand

intellectualsdonotbelieveforthesamereasonthatnon-intellectualsdonotbelieve––

theydonotwanttoacceptwhatthatwouldmeanfortheirlife.AJesuswhowaslittle

morethanasocialactivisttragicallymurderedforhisidealismissomuchmoreeasily

domesticatedandmanagedthantheonewhoistheresurrectedLivingLord.

71

Truediscipleship,genuinefaith,requireslivingwithandinChrist'sword.What

preventsthatisourrelianceonmerethings––aswellasblindfaithinourselves.We

make,inthewordsoftheinsightfultheologianPaulTillich,whatisfiniteour"Ultimate

Concern"––ourfamilyorafamilymember,alover,ourwork,money,status,power,a

substance,somesetofrules,obsessivepoliticalcorrectness,atheologicalor

philosophicalsystem,adoctrineorsomeself-enhancingimagewehaveofourself.The

consequenceisconsistentlythesame.Weareunfulfilledandfettered.Unfulfilled

becauseourdesireisfortheinfinitesothatwhatisfinitecannotsatisfyourhungerfor

thesomethingmoreoflife.Fetteredbecauseweareeitherunwillingorunabletograsp

thedepthofourhumanpredicament.Thefreedomweprize,thefreedomthesepeople

prized,isillusory."Jesusansweredthem,"versethirty-four,“Youcanbecertainofthis,

whoevercontinuesinsinisaslaveofsin.Whoeverhabituallyassertstheirownwill,

thosewhoseprimaryconcerniswithpleasingthemselves,andliveaself-centeredlife

areslaves.OnlyiftheSonmakesyoufreewillyoutrulybefree."

Thefirststeponthepathtospiritualfreedomistoacknowledgeouraddictions,

compulsions,andobsessions;itistoacknowledgeourattachments(literallythethings

towhichwearenailed),andtoadmitourenslavement.OnlytheSonwhoexistsintotal

freedomcanshowthewaytofreedom.Ourfreedomisnotinadifficulttocomprehend

philosophy,atheologicaldoctrine,ornarrowlyprescribedbehaviors,butinChristwho

ishimselftheWord––thedivineLogosincarnate.Christisourlight,oursalvation,our

wisdom,andourfreedom.Whenwerecognizethis,whenweseeitinourheartandnot

justwithourmind,wehavebeguntomakespiritualprogress––toseethatChristian

spiritualityisnotaboutatruthbuttheonewhoistruth,andthat,asJohnwrites,the

onewhoistruthisourliberationandourfreedom.

NoticeinJohneightthatthiscrowdinarguingwithJesusinsiststhattheyarethe

physicalandspiritualdescendantsofAbrahamandSarah,and"haveneverbeen

enslavedtoanyone"(8:33).Itis,ofcourse,simplynotfactuallytruethattheyhave

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neverbeenenslaved.TheywereslavesinEgyptforfourhundredyears.In586(B.C.E.)

theBabyloniansconqueredJudea,destroyedJerusalemandthetemple,andcarriedat

leasttwenty-fivepercentofthepopulationintoexile.ThePersianscamenext.And

whiletheygrantedallwhowantedtopermissionandhelpinreturningandrebuilding

Jerusalem,JudearemainedunderthecontrolofthePersianEmpire.TheGreeks

followedthePersians,andwhiletherewasabriefperiodofindependenceafterthe

Maccabeanrevolt,theRomanssoonconqueredandoccupiedPalestinealongwiththe

entireMediterraneanworld.Theverydaythatthiscrowdclaimedtheyhadneverbeen

enslavedtoanyonetheircountrywasbeingoccupiedbytheRomanlegions.Theywere

payingtribute(taxes)toRome,theyobeyedRomanlaw,andtheirHighPriestwasan

appointeeofHerod,theRomansurrogatewhowasnotevenJewish.Thesignificanceof

thisdenialofthefactsoftheirhistoryisthatitdemonstratestheyunderstoodthat

freedomismorethanpoliticalautonomy,morethanrelieffromexcessivetaxation,

morethancivilrights,orforeignoccupation––thatfreedomisessentiallyspiritual.

Otherwisetheirassertionwouldmakenosense.Indeed,itisthisspiritualfreedomthat

givesthemoreliteralsortoffreedomandjusticetheirdeepersignificance.

Freedom From, For and To

Freedomissalvation.IfwetakeboththeHebrewandGreekmeaningsofthe

word"salvation"thenwecansaysalvationisthatwhichisspacious,large,expansive;it

isrescuefromdangerorperil,itishealingfromsickness;itisthemendingofwhatis

broken,itisbeingpreservedingoodcondition;itisfreedomfromanythingthat

narrows,diminishes,orconstrictslife.Wearebothsavedfromandsavedfor,given

bothfreedomfromandfreedomtoandfor.Tobefreeofresentment,malice,andill

willistobefreeforlove,kindness,andgenerosity.TobesavedfromwhattheBible

callssinissimultaneouslytobefreeforthehighesttowhichthehumanmindandheart

canaspire.Tobesavedfromdarkinnerforcesandself-destructivebehaviorsfreesusto

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liveconstructiveandcreativelives.Tobefreedfromfearliberatesustoliveheroically;

tobesavedfromdeath,actualphysicallycorruptingdeathinwhicheverythingseems

tocometoanend,freesustolive.

Blessed

WhenMaryarrivesatthehomeofhercousin,Elizabethgreetsherwiththe

exclamation:"Blessedareyouamongwomen!...Howblessedisthewomanwhohas

believed,becausethethingsspokentoherbytheLordshallcometofulfillment."There

isasubtledifferenceinElizabeth'sfirstandsecondexuberantuseof"blessed."

Elizabethfirstspeaksprophetically.SheknowsthatMaryhasbeenchosen,thatthe

childMarycarriesisspecial,thatMary'sunbornsonisthefulfillmentsofthehopeand

longingofhispeople.Butherseconduseisadifferentword,ratherthaneulogoumnene

sheusesmakariawhichdoesmeanhappy,butmorethanthatdenotesthepeaceand

happinessofalifelivedinthepresenceandgraceofGod.Thesenseofcontentment,

equanimity,poiseandpeaceusuallyassociatedwithMarycomesfromthisawareness

andattentivenesstothemysterious,butveryreal,presenceofGod.Theword

"blessed"inverseforty-fiveisthesamewordJesususedintheBeatitudesandsoisthe

blissofonewhofollowstheJesusway,andinthatfollowingdiscoverswhatcannotbe

told.Butnoblessingiseverfortheindividualalone.Itisalways,withoutexception,

meanttobemadeavailableforthehappinessandgoodofothers.Weareblessedin

ordertobless.

NoticethatMary'ssongisoneoftrust,confidence,certainty.Shespeaksofthe

futuregood,oftheblessednesstocome,inthepasttenseasifithasalreadyoccurred.

Hercanticleisin,whatisknownamongHebrewscholars,"thepropheticperfect.""But

asitiswritten,"saystheApostlePaul,“Eyehasnotseen,norearheard,Norever

enteredintothehumanheart.ThethingspreparedforthosewholoveGod.”Thebliss

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weseekisbeyondspaceandtime,andthefurthestreachesofhumanimagination;yet,

itispossibletotasteit,tofeelit,toknowitasifithadalreadycometofulfillment.

IendwithaquotefromViktorFrankl,theJewishpsychiatrist,whosurvivedfour

nightmarishyearsintheAuschwitzdeathcamp.Ithinkitcancaptureforpostmodern

peoplesomethingofthefeelingoftheMagnificat;or,atleastcangiveanadditional

perspectiveonMary'ssong.IguesswhatIreallyhopeisthatitwilldoforyouwhatit

doesformeeverytimeIreadit:

One day, a few days after the liberation, I walked through the

country past flowering meadows, for miles and miles, toward the

market town near the camp. Larks rose to the sky and I could hear

their joyous song. There was no one to be seen for miles around;

there was nothing but the wide earth and sky and the larks'

jubilation and the freedom of space. I stopped, looked around and

up to the sky––and then I went down on my knees. At that moment

there was very little I knew of myself or of the world–––I had but

one sentence in mind––always the same: "I called to the Lord from

my narrow prison and he answered me from the freedom of space."

How long I knelt there and repeated this sentence memory can no

longer recall. But I know that on that day, in that hour, my new life

started.33

33 Viktor Frankl, Man's Search For Meaning: An Introduction to Logo Therapy (New York:

Simon and Shuster, 1962), 90.

75

onething––theGood.BytheGoodhemeantvirtueandblissastheKingdomofGod.

ReadJames1:8;Philippians2:1-11;Matthew5:8;6:33;Luke22:24-26,andthenexplain

inyourownwordswhatitmeanstoimagineMaryas"thereedofGod."

2) CompareMary'sworldandhowitimpingedonthedailylivesofordinarymenand

womenwiththeworldinwhichyoulive.Asyoucontemplatethespiritualmeaningof

vice,virtue,ethicsandmoralitytrytoseeeverythingbothinrelationtoyourown

privateandpersonallife,andalsocommunally,socially,politically.

3) TheMagnificatisonemoreinstanceintheBiblewhereweseeacompletereversalof

thevaluesbywhichhumanbeingslive.WhatdiscrepancydoyouseebetweenMary's

songalongwiththeteachingsofJesus,andthevaluesbywhichpeopleactuallylivein

ourworldtoday?NotethatthequestionisnotthedifferencebetweentheChristian

Wayandthevaluesespousedbymostpeople,butbetweenthevaluespeoplesaythey

haveandthosetheyactuallylive.Inthinkingaboutthisquestionyoumightgoonline

andread"TheWesternCreed"byCharlesTart––itisonlyaboutapagelong.

4) Whatwoulditmeanforyoutolivemomentbymomentinthespiritualityofthe

propheticperfect––thealreadyandthenotyet?

5) WhatdoesitmeaninthetextwhenitsaysMaryisblessed?Areyoublessedamong

humankind?Fromthefourtextswehaveconsidered,whatwouldyousayisthe

essenceofChristianspirituality?

Questions for Individual and Group Reflection

1) ItisimpossibletothinkofMarywithoutthinkingofherhumility,hersimplicity,her

purityofheart.Thelatteris,unfortunately,oftenmisunderstoodassexualnaïveté.

SørenKierkegaardwasperhapsmorerealisticwhenhesaidthatpurityofheartistowill

76

Addendum

Turtles All the Way Down and the Prophetic Quandary

Pre-summary

Thisaddendum,whichseemstomeappropriatefortheAdventandChristmas

seasons,isareflectionontheNewTestamentuseofMessianicprophecy.Unlikethe

previousfourchaptersitisalittlebitmoreacademicasitdealswithwhatsomehave

seenasanintellectualproblemregardingthemessianicpropheciesoftheOld

Testament––thosepropheciesinterpretedbytheearliestChristiansashavingtodo

withtheadventofChrist.Frequently,theNewTestamentwritersappeartointerpret

andapplypropheticpassagesinawaythatseemmorethanalittlestrangetoreaders

immersedinmoderncriticalthinking.However,itispositedherethatwhenthe

hermeneuticalmethodsemployedintheNewTestamentareseenwithanappreciation

fortheirdisciplineandrigorofpractice,wemaynotonlycometounderstandthem

better,butalsobegintorecoverthatsenseofthe"propheticconsciousness"which

saturatedtheancientworldofIsrael.Itisfurtherconcludedthatinareflectionon

messianicprophecyitispossibletodiscernPaulRicoeur'svisionofahermeneutic

whichpossessesbothintellectualintegrityandspiritualdepth.This,Ricoeurthought,

involvedthreestagesoffaithdevelopment:precritical,critical,andpostcriticalleading

ultimatelytowhathedescribedasa"secondnaïveté."Myhopehere,then,isthatthis

addendummightmakesomecontributiontoyourowndevelopmentofabiblical

interpretationandtheologythatis,touseanotherofRicoeur'sfavoriteterms,

"restorative"––restorativeforyoupersonally,andthroughyouforthecommunity

offaith.

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Turtles All the Way Down

InhisnovelTurtlesAlltheWayDown,JohnGreen'smaincharacterisanolder

teenagegirl,AzaHolmes,whoistryingtoliveanormalteenagelifewhilesufferingthe

sometimes-debilitatingeffectsofanObsessive-CompulsiveDisorder.Atonepoint

Aza'sbestfriendDaisey,tryingtounderstandsays:"IwishIunderstoodit....Youjust,

like,hateyourself.Youhatebeingyourself?"Aza,whoisobsessedwiththethought

thatsheisnotreal,repliesthatwhenshelooksintoherselfthatit'smorelikethereisno

selftohate."It'slike,"shesays,"whenIlookintomyselfthereisnoactualme."She

feelslikeaRussiannestingdollwhichcanbeopenedtorevealahollowplaceinside

wherethereisanotherdollandanotherandanotheruntilyougettoonethatcannotbe

openedandthatissolidthroughandthrough.ButAzacannevergettoher"smallest,"

mostrealandsolidself.ThisremindsDaiseyofa"wisdom"storyshehasheardfromher

mother.Itisastorythatcanacthereinthislittleessayasakindofparable––althoughit

maynotmakecompletesenseassuchuntilwehaveprogressedaways.Itgoeslike

this:

A scientist is giving a lecture to a huge audience on the history

of the earth. He explains how the earth formed billions of years ago

from a cloud of cosmic dust. He tells how at first the earth was very

hot but over an unimaginable expanse of time cooled and oceans

formed. He tells how single-celled life emerged in the oceans, how

over billions of years life became more prolific and complex until

250,000 or more years ago humans evolved, and started using

more sophisticated tools until eventually they could build

spaceships, and cell phones, and everything.

As he approaches the end of his lecture the scientist asks if

there are any questions. An old woman in the back raises her hand.

"This is all very interesting," she says when acknowledged, "but the

truth is the earth is a flat plane resting on the back of a giant turtle."

78

Amused, the scientist asks, "Well, if that is so what is the giant

turtle standing on?"

And the woman replies, "It's standing on the shell of another

giant turtle."

At this point the scientist, who is beginning to become a little

annoyed, says, "And then what is that turtle standing on?"

And the old woman patiently replies, "Sir, you don't understand.

It's turtles all the way down."34

TheconclusiontowardwhichIwillbemovinginponderingthequandaryinvolvedin

howtheNewTestamentwritersuseOldTestamentmessianicprophecyis,thatit's

"turtlesallthewaydown."

Prophecy as Heilsgeschichte

JohannesChristianKonradvonHofmann,the19thcenturyBiblicalhistorianand

theologianatErlangen,isrecognizedasthepersonmostresponsiblefortheriseofthe

salvation-history(heilsgeschichte)schoolofthoughtasaformalapproachtobiblical

interpretation.Asaprincipleofinterpretation,salvation-historysimplyassertsthatGod

hasmadeaprogressiverevelationofthedivinenatureandwillinScripture.

Heilsgeschichtepositsamongotherprinciples,that:(1)God'ssalvificworkbeginsas

Godactsintime,andisseenthroughactualhappeningsandinhumanevents.(2)God's

salvificactwhichbeganintimeisbroughttocompletionwithinthehistoricprocesses

ofhumanactivity.(3)ThesavingworkofGodhaspast,present,andfuture

implications.

Iamnotatallsurewhyacademiasooftenfindsitnecessarytostatetheobvious

inratherelaboratefashion,butwhetherweadopttheformalhistoryofreligionschema

asanimportantwayofunderstandingtheuseofOldTestamentprophecybyNew 34 John Green, Turtles All the Way Down (New York: Dutton Books, 2017), 244-245.

79

Testamentwriters,orsimplyasabitofhelpfulcommonsense,thehistoricalcontextof

messianicprophecyisofenormoussignificance.Asnotedinthebasicoutlineabovethe

implicationsarenotonlypast,butalsopossess,forthoseseekingafaiththathas

intellectualintegrity,ramificationsthatarepresentandfutureaswell.WhatIam

suggesting,isthatunderstandingtheuseofmessianicprophecyintheNewTestament

requiresthatweexaminesuchusageholisticallyandfromtheperspectiveofsalvation-

history.

The Prophetic Quandary

ThedifficultyencounteredaswereadtheusewhichtheNewTestamentmakes

ofOldTestamentmessianicprophecyisthis––therefrequentlyappearstobea

discrepancybetweenwhatisclearlytheintendedmeaningofanOldTestamentauthor

andtheinterpretationgivenbyaNewTestamentauthor.Havinggrownupwiththe

frequentassurancethatnumerousandprecisemessianicprophecieshavefoundclear

fulfillmentinthelifeandworkofJesus,youngevangelicalstudentshaveoftenhadtheir

faithseverelyshakenbythediscoverythatnumerousOldTestament"predictions"

seemtohavefoundfulfillmentineventsclosertothetimeandsettinginwhichthey

wereoriginallymade.Infact,someprophecies,intheiroriginalsetting,donotlooklike

predictionsatall.Furthermore,uponacloserreadingtheinterpretationofaNew

TestamentwritermayseeminconsistentwithwhatthewriterofanOldTestamenttext

intended.

Perhapsoneofthebest-knownexamplesisMatthew'suseofIsaiah7:14-16as

propheticevidencethatJesusistheMessiah(Matt.1:21-23).InIsaiahtheKingdomof

JudahisabouttobeinvadedbythecombinedforcesofIsraelandSyria.TheProphet

tellsKingAhazofJudahthereisnothingtofear––remaincalm,focusedandfirm.Ahaz

willknowthisbenevolentpredictionisatrueprophecybythissign:inthetimeittakes

foravirgin(ayoungunmarriedwoman)tomarry,conceive,bearachild,andforthat

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childtobegineating"cheesecurdsandhoney,"Ephraim(Israel)andSyriawill

themselvesbedevastated.Isaiah'sprophecywasnotonlyfulfilledsomesevenhundred

yearsbeforethebirthofChrist,butseemstomakenomessianicreferenceatall.The

closestconnectionisthatinbothpassagesthechildisnamed"Immanuel"(Isa.7:14)or

"Jesus"(Matt.1:21)forGodiswithorsaveshispeople.Indeed,thismaybethe

singularityforMatthew.

Anynumberofotherpassagesmightserveasexamples.WhenMatthew

referencesthereturnoftheHolyFamilyfromtheirexileinEgyptasafulfillmentof

Hosea11:1whichsays,"AndoutofEgyptIcalledmyson,"itismorelikelytoappearto

thepostmodernmindasa"squeezing"ofthetextthanaspropheticfulfillment.G.K.

BealeprovidesachartofexamplesofallegedmisinterpretationsintheNewTestament

writers'useoftheOldTestament:

1.)Adhominemargumentation:theroleofangelsinrevealingthelawinGal.3:19;the

exodus"veil"themein2Cor.3:13-18;andthe"seed"ofGen.12:7(KJV)and22:17-18in

Gal.3:16

2:)Noncontextualmidrashictreatments:theunderstandingofbaptismandthe

"followingrock"in1Cor.10:1-4;Deut.30:12-14inRom.10:6-8;Gen.12:7(KJV)and

22:17-18inGal.3:16;Ps.68:18inEph.4:8;Hosea11:1inMatt.2:15.

3.)Allegoricalinterpretations:Deut.25:4in1Cor.9:9;theuseoftheOTinGal.4:24;

Gen.14inHeb.735

4.)Atomisticinterpretations,uncontrolledbyanykindofinterpretativerules:Isa.40:6-

8in1Peter1:24-25.

Bealegoesontonote,"Thusmanywouldconcludethataninductivestudyrevealsan

oft-occurringdisconnectionofmeaningbetweenNTwriters'interpretationsoftheOT

andtheoriginalmeaningofthatOTtext."36

35 G. K. Beale, Handbook on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids:

Baker, 2012), 2.

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Interpretive Methodologies of the Rabbis

Inwrestlingwiththisproblem,thequestionissometimeraisedastowhetherwe

shouldfollowthesameinterpretivemethodsoftheOldTestamentasthoseusedby

Matthew,andJohn,andPaulandotherwritersoftheNewTestament.Therealityis

thatourwayofthinkingissodifferentthatitwouldbeimpossibletoeverfullyreplicate

theirmannerofexegesis.However,thisdoesnotmeanthatsomeunderstandingof

howtheywentaboutthehermeneuticaltaskmaynotbehelpful.Withthisinmindit

shouldbenotedthattheirexegeticalworkwascharacterizedbyfourbasicmethods:

Literal:ParticularlyinregardtotheinterpretationofOldTestamentlaw,Judaism

frequentlyfollowedaratherliteralhermeneuticalmethodology.Longeneckernotes

thatevenwhilePhilobelievedcircumcisionshouldbeunderstoodallegorically,healso

thoughtitshouldbepracticedliterally.37Strangerstill,isthatitwasseriouslyarguedby

someRabbis,onthebasisofaliteralreadingofDeuteronomy6:7,thatinthemorning

theschemashouldberecitedstandingupbutintheeveningwhilelyingdown.The

intentoftheearlyRabbis,evenwhenusingliteralmethodology,wastomakeplainthe

essentialmeaningofthebiblicaltext.Consequently,itishelpfultokeepinmindthatto

thisendtheywerecomfortableinapplyingavarietyofinterpretativemethodologies––

bothliteralandnonliteral.

Allegorical:Allegoricalinterpretationlooksforadeepersymbolicmeaningtothetext.

"Itassumesthatamoresophisticatedinterpretationistobefoundbeneaththeobvious

meaning."38Galatians4:21-31isprobablythemostobvioususeofallegoryintheNew

Testament.TherePaulusesthefigureofHagarfromtheGenesisstorytosymbolize 36 Ibid.

37 Richard N. Longenecker, Biblical Exegesis in the Apostolic Period (Grand Rapids: William B.

Eerdmans, 1999), 16.

38 Johnathan Lounde, Introduction to Three Views of the New Testament Use of the Old

Testament. Walter C, Kaiser, Darrell L. Bock, and Peter Enns, contributors (Grand Rapids:

Zondervan, 2008), 29.

82

MountSinaiandtheearthlycity,andthereforeenslavementtotheLawofMoses,while

SarahrepresentstheheavenlycityoftheNewJerusalemandthepeopleoffreedom

andpromise.

Typological:Typologicalinterpretationismoreofawayofviewinghistorythanitisan

exegeticalmethod.Anearlierevent,person,orinstitutionisseenassomehow

"foreshadowing"alaterevent,personorinstitution––the"antitype."Typologyassumes

thatGodisatworkinhistory,thattherearereoccurringpatternsthatrevealthenature

ofGodandbothpredictandfulfilllaterreoccurrencesofthepatternindeeperand

largerways.FromthetypologicalperspectivehistoryitselfisseenaspropheticofGod's

ultimatepurpose.IfwethinkofCarlJung'sconceptofarchetypes,thenotionof

typologymayseemalittlemorecomprehensibleinacontemporarycontext.TheGreek

archemeansfirstandtype"imprint,""impress,"or"pattern."ForJunganarchetypewas

thereforeabasic,primordial,preexistingpattern.Jungbelievedtherewerepatternsof

circumstances,symbols,andthoughtthatreoccurconsistentlyenoughtobe

consideredasuniversalconceptsorevents.Thesearchetypesrepresentunseen

psychological(psychic)energyatwork––thepersonoftraditionalfaithwouldsayitis

themanifestationofspiritualforces.UntiltheEnlightenmentitwasthoughtthat

humanbeingshadthecapacitytoreceivemeaningfromtherealmofthespiritualand

formitintoinnerimagesthatcanthenbecometheobjectofreflectionandreason.The

well-knownJungiananalystRobertJohnsonmakesthissignificantobservation:

Thedisasterthathasovertakenthemodernworldisthecomplete

splittingoftheconsciousmindfromitsrootsintheunconscious.Allforms

ofinteractionwiththeunconsciousthatnourishedourancestors––

dreams,vision,ritual,religionexperience––arelargelylosttous,

dismissedbythemodernmindasprimitiveorsuperstitious.39

39 Robert A. Johnson, Inner Work: Using Dreams as Active Imagination for Personal Growth

(San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1986), 9-10.

83

Thepointissimplythatweshouldnottooquicklydismisstypologyasareadinginto

historicaleventsofsomethingthatisnotthere;and,evenmoreimportantly,recognize

howbiblicaltypologypointsustotherealityofthepropheticmessianicconsciousness

anditstrajectory.

Pesher:Hereatextisinterpretedwithintheframeworkofanevent.whichisa

mystery.Theattempttodiscoverthesolutiontothemysteryoftheevent,orofa

person,inScriptureis"pesher."Forexample,intheNewTestament,thesolutiontothe

strangeandpuzzlingeventsontheDayofPentecost(Acts2:17)isfoundinJoel2:28-29.

Midrash:Thetextratherthantheeventisthestartingpointformidrash,whichmeans

toseek.MidrashseekstoprovidepracticalinstructioninlivingGod'sWord,andshows

therelevanceofScripturetodailylife.Sevenrules,whichfollowhere,helpedtomake

earlyrabbinicalinterpretationreasonablystraightforward.

Qalwahomersaysthatwhatappliesinalessimportantcasealsoapplies

inamoreimportantcase,andwhatappliesinamoreimportantcase

appliesinalessimportantcase.

Gezerahshawasaysthatwherethesamewordsareappliedintwo

separatecasesthesameconsiderationsapply.

Binyanabmikathub'ehadinvolvesconstructingafamilyoftextsfrom

onepassage.Itstatesthatwheretextsaesimilar,aprinciplefoundinone

appliestotheothersaswell.

Binyanabmishenekethubimhastodowithconstructingafamilyoftexts

fromtwopassages,sothatasimilarprinciplederivedfromtwotextscan

beappliedtotheothers.

Kaalaluferatistheprinciplethatageneralrulemanybeappliedtoa

particularsituation.

84

Kayotsebobemaqom'aherestablishesthatatextmaybeinterpretedby

comparisonwithanothertext.

Debarhalamedm'inyanoisanexplanationestablishedfromthecontext.

KlyneSnodgrassnotesthatthesemidrashictechniquesareobservableintheNew

Testament."WhenJesusarguedthatifGodcaredforthebirds,surelyhecaredmuch

moreforhumans(Matt.6:26),hewasarguingingoodrabbinicfashionfromtheless

importanttothemoreimportant.Similarly,whenJesusjustifiedhisdiscipleseating

grainontheSabbathbypointingtotheeatingoftheshowbreadbyDavidandhismen,

hewasarguingonthebasisofanequivalentregulation..."40Itmayverywellbethat

whenMatthewquotedIsaiah7:14inreferencetothebirthandnamingofJesushetoo

wasinterpretingthetextonthebasisofthelessertothegreaterprinciple;thatis,

Matthewinterpretationwasnotnearlyasarbitraryasitatfirstsoundstwothousand

yearslater.Inshort,Mathewissayingsomethinglike:"Ifthiswastruethen,howmuch

moreitistruenow."

Testimonial:AttimeswefindtheNewTestamentwritersusingwhatappeartobe

collectionsofOldTestamenttextsforevidentiarypurposes.Indeed,theysometimes

notonlyusethesamecombinationofOldTestamenttexts,butevenagreeinwording

thatisdifferentfromtheSeptuagint.Forinstance,theagreementmightbenoted

between1Peter2:6-10,whichusesIsaiah28:16;Psalm118:22;Isaiah8:14;partsof

severalothertextsandafusionofIsaiah28:16and8:14;and,Romans925:33which

usesHosea2:23,othertextsfromIsaiahandacombiningofIsaiah28:16and8:14inthe

samenon-Septuagintformas1Peter2.Thismostlikelydoesnotrepresentonewriter

copyingfromanotherashassometimesbeenconclude,butmorelikelyisanexample

ofcollectionsofOldTestamentpassagesbeingusedapologeticallyastestimony.

40 Klyne Snodgrass in The Right Doctrine From the Wrong Texts? Essays on the Use of the Old

Testament in the New, Edited by G.K. Beale (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1994), 43.

85

Whateveronemaymakeoftheiruseofthetextstheyquotewhatremainsclearisthey

possessedacommonsenseofmessianicprophecyanditsfulfillment.41

What Manner of Person

ThegreatJewishBiblicalscholarandmystic,AbrahamJoshuaHeschel,inwhatis

certainlyoneofthebestbookseverwrittenontheprophets,insistedthatitisofcrucial

importancetoaskthequestion,"Whatmannerofpersonwastheprophet?"42Boththe

questionandtheanswerHeschelprovidedcontainenormousimplicationsforanyone

exploringthecorrespondencebetweenOldTestamentprophecyandclaimsoftheir

fulfillmentintheNewTestament.

AsHeschelnoted,theHebrewprophetswerenotonlyprophets,butpoets,

preachers,patriots,statesmen,socialcritics,andmoralistsaswell.Hewrote,"The

significanceofIsrael'sprophetsliesnotonlyinwhattheysaid,butalsoinwhatthey

were...Themomentsthatpassedintheirlivesarenotnowavailableandcannot

becometheobjectofscientificanalysis.Allwehaveistheconsciousnessofthose

momentsaspreservedinwords."43Theessentialtaskoftheprophetwastodeclarethe

wordofGodtothe"hereandnow."Thepropheticaimwasexhortationandnotmerely

prediction.Itwastoilluminatewhatisinvolvedinthepresent;thatis,todeclare"truth

asreflectedinthemindofGod."44

41 It now appears that authors in the Apostolic Age felt more free to use various translations, or to

offer their own, than what was once thought. See: R. T. France. Jesus and the Old Testament:

His Application of Old Testament Passages to Himself and His Mission (Vancouver, British

Columbia: Regent College Publishing, 1998), 25-28.

42 Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets: An Introduction (New York: Harper and Row,1962)

3-26.

43 Ibid., ix.

44 Ibid., 15,18.

86

Theliteraliststressingsupernaturalrevelationdeniestheroleoftheprophet's

ownselfinhisutterances,whileanemphasisonprophecyasapsychological,orentirely

inward,experience"disregardstheprophet'sawarenessofhisconfrontationwithfacts

notderivedfromhisownmind."45WhenHeschelspeaksof"factsnotderived"fromthe

prophet'sownmindhemeansmuchmorethantherawfactualityoftheliteralist,he

meanssomethinglikethe"consciousness"oftheprophet.Consequently,whilethe

prophetaddressesacontemporarysituationheorshe"isnotintoxicatedwiththehere

andnow,"butspeakswithavision,orconsciousness,ofanend.

AryehKaplan,anotherJewishscholarandmystic,saysinregardtothepersonof

theprophet:Thosewhosoughttopreparethemselvesforpropheticministrywere

knownas"thesonsoftheprophets,"andnormallyspentyearsinintensetrainingand

rigorousdisciplinelearningtoopentheirconsciousnesstothemindofGod.The

differencebetweentheOldTestamentprophetsandothermysticsisthattheprophets

weremorespecificandclearerintheirmessages."Thetrueprophet,"saysKaplan,"is

abletochannelthisspiritualpower,focusingitclearlyenoughtoobtainan

unambiguousmessage."46

Jesus's Use of Old Testament Predictions

ThewritersofthefourGospelsportrayJesusasacutelyawareofhiswords,his

actions,hispresenceasthefulfillmentofOldTestamentprophecy.47Heiscriticalofthe

twodespondenttravelersontheroadtoEmmausfortheirinabilitytograspthe

meaningofhislifeamongtheminlightoftheOldTestament."BeginningwithMoses

andwithalltheprophetsheexplainedthethingsconcerninghimselfinallthe 45 Ibid., ix.

46 Aryeh Kaplan. Meditation and the Bible, 30.

47 Form criticism's endless debate over what Jesus may or may not have actually said is not

entered into here, since the fact of the "prophetic consciousness" renders such argumentation

nearly irrelevant to this particular discussion.

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Scriptures"(Luke24:27).Jesus'sconsciousnessofwhohewas,asN.T.Wrightpoints

out,aroseoutofhissenseofvocation;thatis,hisbeliefthathewascalledto

accomplishonlywhatGodcanundertakeandcomplete.48Hispredictionsprimarily

lookedforwardtothedayofYahwehthathadbeenprophesiedintheOldTestament,

thedecisiveactofGodinwhichthepresentagewouldbebroughttoanendandanew

orderofpeace,justice,andwell-beinginitiated.JesususesPsalm110:1twicetoaccept

thepropheticdesignationofmessiah;however,indoingsohereinterpretswhatthat

means.WithJesusmessianismhasnothingtodowithearthlydominance,worldly

status,ormilitaryconquest,butwithhumility,withsacrificialsufferingandwithpriestly

andspiritualpowerconferredbyGodratherthangainedthroughpolitical

manipulation.Whatthispointstoonceagainistheexistenceofaprofoundprophetic

consciousnessamongthepeopleofIsraelintheSecondTempleera.

The Prophetic Consciousness

UltimatelywhatKaplanandHeschelaretalkingaboutisawayofthinking,awayoflife,

awayofbeing––thepropheticconsciousness."Theprophet,"saidHeschel,"ishuman,

yetemploysnotesoneoctavetoohighforourears."49WhatIamsuggestingisthatin

ordertounderstandmessianicprophecywemustbecapableofnotonlyengagingin

literaryandhistoricalanalysis,butofgoingbeyondsuchanalysissoastoexperience,as

bestwecan,thepropheticconsciousnessourselves.Weknowthatthisspiritual

consciousness,thismessianichope,thisattunementtowhatSaintPaulcalled"the

mysteryoftheageswhichisthehopeofChristinyou"(Colossians1:26),wasacute

amongtheheirsoftheHebrewprophetsearlyinfirstcenturyPalestine.

48 N.T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God: Christian Origins and the Question of God,

Volume Two (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996), 652-653.

49Heschel, The Prophets: Volume I, 10.

88

Amongthesayingsoftheprophetsthatmademessianicexpectationsburninthemwe

maycountthisshortlist:

• ThewholeworldwillworshiptheOneGodofIsrael(Isaiah2:11-17).

• HewillbedescendedfromKingDavid(Isaiah11:1)viaSolomon

(1Chronicles22:8-10,2Chronicles7:18).

• The"spiritoftheLord"willbeuponhim(Isaiah11:2)

• Evilandtyrannywillnotbeabletostandbeforehisleadership(Isaiah11:4)

• KnowledgeofGodwillfilltheworld(Isaiah11:0)

• Hewillincludeandattractpeoplefromallculturesandnations(Isaiah11:10)

• Deathwillbeswallowedupforever(Isaiah25:8)

• Therewillbenomorehungerorillness,anddeathwillcease(Isaiah25:8)

• Allofthedeadwillriseagain(Isaiah26:19)

• ThepeopleofGodwillexperienceeternaljoyandgladness(Isaiah51:11)

• Hewillbeamessengerofpeaceforthewholeworld(Isaiah52:7

• Weaponsofwarwillbedestroyed(Ezekiel39:9)

HowancientHebrewscholarsmayhaveinterpretedanyparticularpropheticpassage,

orevenhowmuchthyagreedastothedefinitivelistofmessianicprophecies,isnotthe

issuehere.ThepointhereisthatamongtheJewishpeopleoffirstcenturyPalestine,an

intensemessianicconsciousness,derivedfromtheHebrewprophetsofold,wasnot

onlymanifest,buthadreachedthatkairoticmomentofwhichtheApostlePaulspeaks

(Galatians4:4-7).

ThispropheticconsciousnessisexpressedinancientIsrael'seschatology.R.T.

France,PrincipalofWycliffeHall,Oxfordthereforewrites:

89

FromAmostotheExile,andbeyond,wefindfrequentexplicitpredictions

of"thedayofYahweh."Expressionssuchas"intheday"and"thedaysare

coming"givefurtherevidenceofacontinuingexpectationofthedayof

Yahweh,adecisivetimeofjudgment(onthenations,andonIsrael

herself)andrestoration.Whilesimilarphrasessometimesrefertodefinite

actsofjudgmentinthenearfuture,thiscannotbesaidofexpressionslike

"intheendofdays,"norofthepicturesofthecominggoldenagesuchas

occurinIsaiah11:1-9orZephaniah3:11-20;theuniversalcharacterofthe

workofGodsodescribeddemandsaneschatologicalfutureframeof

reference.Itmaynotbeeasy,orevendesirabletoseparatethehistorical

fromtheeschatological;theimmediateanddistantfuturearegenerally

tantalizinglytelescopedinasingleperspective.50

Francearguesthattherecan,therefore,benodoubtofaJewisheschatologywhichsaw

afuturedecisiveactofGodresultinginafinalendtothepresentorderandanew

beginning.51Althoughheseesmessianicexpectations,intermsofreferencestoa

specificagent,asformingonlyasmallpartofthiseschatologicalhope,itis,

nevertheless,entirelyreasonabletounderstandthiseschatologyasyetanotherangle

fromwhichtoviewwhatisherereferredtoasthepropheticconsciousnessofthe

peopleofSecondTempleIsrael.Toanyonewhothinksconsciousnessunrealitmightbe

pointedoutthatmanyquantumphysicistsbelieveconsciousnessistheonlyrealreality.

Miraculous Signs & Prophetic Consciousness

Afurtherindicationofthedepthandrealityofthepropheticconsciousnessisto

befoundinJesus'smiracles,or"signs,"asfulfillmentofOldTestamentpromiseandhis

50 R.T. France, Jesus and the Old Testament, 86.

51 Ibid.

90

responsetotheevilsofhumansuffering––illness,death,damnation,andcosmic

catastrophe.52ThelistingbyJesusofhismiraclesforthedisciplesofJohntheBaptistin

Matthew11:5asevidencethathewasindeed"theonetocome,"thehopedfor

messiah,canbelinkedtoIsaiah35:5whichforetellsthemarvelsoftheeschatological

agetocome.AllthestoriesofexorcismspointtoChrist'sfinalvictoryoverSatanicevil,

themiraclestoryoftheloavesofbreadinwhichthosewhohavefollowedJesusfarinto

thecountrysidearefed,stirimagesofthefeedingandsustainingoftheHebrewsin

theirfortyyearsofwanderinginthedesertwilderness,andthestillingofthestormon

LakeGalileespeaksofGod'spresence,peace,andpowerintimesofchaosand

desperation.WhenJesusgivessighttotheblind(John9:5),heshowshimselftobethe

illuminatinglightoftheword;whenhefeedsthefivethousand(John6:35)heisseen,

notjustasthebreadgiver,butthevery"breadoflife;"andwhenheraisesLazarusfrom

thedead(John11:25),heisknownas"theresurrectionandthelife"itself.Theprophetic

consciousnessthenisnotsomethingconfinedtoaparticularmomentoftimelongago,

butanawarenessthattravelsfromtheprophetsofancientPalestinetoeverymanand

toeverywomanopentoitintheirowntimeandplace.Itisariverthatbeginsinthefirst

chaptersofGenesisandflowspastRevelation.Evenifoneisdismissiveofthevery

notionofmiracles,westillmustcometotermswiththesubstantialfactthatthe

earliestChristiansbelievedJesustobethefulfillmentofthisancientconsciousness.

Conclusion

MichaelLangfordinhisUnblindFaith:ANewApproachfortheTwenty-FirstCentury,

writessimplyofthecomplexprocessofcomingtoanintelligentChristianfaith:

52 See: Prosper Grech, An Outline of New Testament Spirituality, Grand Rapids: William B.

Eerdmans, 2011, 9.

91

IhavearguedthatthereflectiveChristiancomestotheNewTestament

storiesinseveralstages;first,anawarenessoftheextraordinarynatureof

JesusofNazareth––relyingonperfectlyplausibleaccountsofhislifeand

characterandteaching;second,areasonablygroundedbeliefina

personalGodwhogenuinelyconveyedamessagethroughtheprophets;

third,adecisionthatthisJesusistheMessiahtowhomtheprophetic

traditionlookedforward;andthen,fourth,arereadingofthegospel

storiesinthelightofthesestepsthathavebeentaken.Inthiscontext,

withoutanygullibilityareflectivepersonmaybeunwillingtodismiss

outrightthehistoricalrealityofsomeactualeventsofanextraordinary

and,perhapsuniquenature,eventhoughtheyremainextremelypuzzled

aboutexactlywhathappened.53

ThispaperhasbeenwrittenwithLangford'sfour-stageprocessofbecoming

Christianinsight,inparticular,andwithsomesinglemindedness,ithasbeenan

explorationofthatstagewhichinvolvesthebeliefthatGodgenuinelyconveyed

throughtheprophetsthemessageofthecomingMessiah.However,ithasattempted

todosoinadynamicratherthanwoodenfashion.

ThosefamiliarwithPaulRicoeur'snotionofahermeneuticthattravelsfroma

precritcalnaïvetéinitsunderstanding,throughthedesertofthecriticalstage,and

finallyarrivesatthespringsofthepostcritical,willrecognizethisasthejourneytaken

here.ThepersonofChristianfaithmayatfirstreadthemessianicpropheciesutilizedby

theNewTestamentwritersasNostradamuslikepredictions.54ThisRicoeurreferredto

as"thefirstnaiveté."However,onceproblemsarerecognizedinatext,forexamplethe

intentoftheoriginalauthorseemsdifferentthanthewayanauthorusesitintheNew 53 Michael J. Langford, Unblind Faith: A New Approach for the Twenty-First Century (London:

SCM Press, 1982), 144.

54 Or what they imagine the supposed predictions of Nostradamus to be like.

92

Testament,ormultipletextsappeartohavebeencombinedinordertoproduceone

prophecy,ortheHebrewtextdoesnotlooklikeaprophecyatall,thenonemay

becomelostandwanderaimlesslyinawildernessofhypercriticism.Theymaybecome

expertatdebunkingthebiblicalnarrative,andfartoo"sophisticated"todiscoverthat

realityinherentanddiscernableonlyinaconditionofcompletesimplicity.But,ifthey

areabletoappreciatenotonlytheexegeticalmethodologyemployedanditsrigor,but

alsothemagnitudeandactualexistenceofwhathasbeenreferredtohereasthe

propheticconsciousness,thereisthepossibilitytheymayenterthatthirdstage––the

postcriticalphaseinwhichtheyrecognizethesortsofproblemssonsanddaughtersof

theAgeofReasoncannotignore;yet,simultaneouslymayseeinthemarealitythatis

transcendentandbeautiful,andatruththatismorethanmerelyemblematic.55

Sowhat,duringAdventandChristmas,mightbeourfinalreplytothosewhose

laboriousanalysisdismissesthepossibilityofOldTestamentprophecyasapartofthat

maturingofhistoryandspiritualconsciousnesswhichleadstothatkairoticmoment,to

that"fullnessoftime,"intowhichtheMessiahissent(Gal.4:4)?Perhapsweshould

simplyreiterate:"Youdon'tunderstand.It'sturtles,themysteryofpropheticMessianic

consciousness,allthewaydown."

55 Ricoeur has at times been criticized for moving too far towards a hermeneutic of subjectivism,

or even of mysticism, in his concept of the "second naiveté, and in his insistence that a text is not

truly understood until one lives into its meaning, but in what he thought of as a "hermeneutic of

suspicion" Ricoeur sought to integrate both art and science, both critical analysis and

experientially listening to the text. He said the interpreter must be critically open. See: G. D.

Robinson, "Paul Ricoeur and the Hermeneutics of Suspicion: A Brief Overview and Critique"

Premise Journal / Volume II / November 8 / September 27, 1995 / 2, 12.

About This BookAdvent Meditations for a World On the Brink is about hope – hope for individual men and women attempting to live as well and as happily as they can in a world, that although created good and beautiful, is full of difficulty and discouragement; and at the present moment clearly poised on the brink of apocalyptic catastrophe. It is a book written for Christian believers who wish to deepen their knowledge, wisdom, and awareness of Christ’s presence, which is always with us on both the worst and best of life’s roads; and, to do so in a way that does not compromise their intellectual integrity. The Biblical text for each of these four advent meditations is, therefore, examined in regard to those historical and linguistic elements that help shape its meaning, and that assist us in understanding the puzzling questions that swirl around messianic prophecy, the nativity, and how to live in a world on the brink. But more important, it encourages the sort of personal involvement with the texts without which no truly spiritual understanding or hope is possible.

The AuthorLarry Hart is the author of a number of books and articles. His latest work, A Grammar of Holy Mystery, will be ready for publication in early 2021. He holds graduate degrees in Counseling Psychology, Religion, Theology and Pastoral Care. He and his wife Brenda, along with their dog Jack, live a quiet and prayerful life near the Pacific.

Larry’s personal website spiritual-christian.com and blog awakeningheart.spiritual-christian.com