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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
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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
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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
63
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
72
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
74
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.
77
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
80
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.
81
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