Patrick Comerford
Next Sunday, 8 December 2019, is the Second Sunday of Advent. We are now in Year A in the readings in the Revised Common Lectionary, and during Year A we are working our way through Saint Matthew’s Gospel.
Throughout Advent, the Sunday readings as adapted for use in the Church of Ireland, provide for only one set of readings on the Sundays.
The Readings: Isaiah 11: 1-10; Psalm 72: 1-7, 18-19; Romans 15: 4-13; Matthew 3: 1-12.
There is a link to the readings HERE
Introducing the Readings:
The Old Testament reading (Isaiah 11: 1-10) looks to the promise of the Coming Messiah, filled with the Spirit of God, ushering in a kingdom in which the wolf shall live with the lamb, the calf with the lion, ‘and a little child shall lead them’ (verse 6) – a Messianic image that has inspired poets, painters and hymn writers throughout the generations.
There are resonances of these images in both the Psalm (Psalm 72: 1-7, 18-19) and the Epistle reading (Romans 15: 4-13).
The Gospel reading develops these themes. It may seem out of place in some parishes using the Advent Wreath, for it is customary to recall Saint John the Baptist on the Third Sunday of Advent; the sequence for the Advent Wreath normally follows this pattern:
Advent 1: The Patriarchs;
Advent 2: The Prophets;
Advent 3: John the Baptist;
Advent 4: The Virgin Mary;
Christmas Day: Christ.
But the Gospel reading for the following Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent [15 December 2019] returns to John the Baptist, and explains how his mission has pointed to Christ (see Matthew 11: 2-11).
On the other hand, this Gospel reading links with the Old Testament reading by once again prophesying, anticipating the coming of the Messiah, telling us that the Kingdom of Heaven has come near (see verse 2), and quoting the Prophet Isaiah.
Isaiah 11: 1-10:
The Prophet Isaiah is speaking soon after Tiglath-pileser III became king of Assyria in 745 BC and then set out to conquer all the lands to the west, including Israel. But instead of war and conquest, Isaiah looks forward to the promise of the Peaceable Kingdom.
Jesse was the father of King David. Isaiah promises a new kingdom ruled by a new king who is descended from Jesse and David. But instead of a strong, warrior king, this is going to be a new kind of king.
God will send his spirit to give this king six gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge ‘the fear of the Lord’ (verses 2). This new king shall take special delight in this last-named gift, ‘the fear of the Lord’ (verse 3).
In his decision-making, the new king will not be swayed or prejudiced by what is shown to him or what is said to him. Instead, he shall show justice that is marked by righteousness and equity, putting into practice what Bishop David Sheppard described in one of his books as ‘God’s Bias to the Poor’ (London: Hodder, 1984), bringing good news to the meek and the poor, and putting down their oppressors, the wicked. His weapons strengths are his righteousness and faithfulness.
The promised peace is so all-pervading that the animals shall live in harmony with one another; even dangerous creatures and poisonous snakes such as asps and adders snakes are no longer threatening.
No one and no place in God’s domain – from God’s holy mountain at Jerusalem to the whole earth – will be in danger or under threat, because has better plans for the earth than the kings of this world.
Psalm 72: 1-7, 18-19:
Psalm 72 is a prayer for God’s guidance and support for the king. It may have been sung a coronation or at an annual liturgy celebrating the anniversary of the coronation.
This psalm confirms the king in name, as a king’s son, and in deed, as one who is blessed by God; but both legitimations are so that the king may bring righteousness to the people and justice to the poor.
He is to defend the poor, deliver the needy, crush the oppressor. If these mark his style of kingship, then he may have long life and the earth will be blessed with rain and growth, justice and peace.
But all this is only possible because of God’s blessings. ‘May his glory fill the whole earth’ (verse 19).
Romans 15: 4-13:
Saint Paul his readers that ‘whatever was written in former days,’ the books of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament, were ‘written for instruction’ so that we might be encouraged and have hope, and so that we may give glory to God.
He then urges us to welcome one another, just as Christ has welcomed us in fulfilment of the promises to the Patriarchs of old.
To emphasise this teaching, he then quotes from Scripture drawing on Psalm 18: 49-50, II Samuel 22: 50; Deuteronomy 32: 43; Psalm 117: 1; and Isaiah 11: 10, the closing verse of our Old Testament reading.
He ends this section by asking God may fill us with joy, peace and hope.
Matthew 3: 1-12:
The introductory verses (1-3) emphasise John’s preaching, not his baptising. John first and foremost is a preacher, calling us to repentance, μετάνοια (metánoia), true conversion, turning around and reorienting ourselves (see verses 1-2). Compare this with Mark 1:4, ‘John the baptiser appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism if repentance for the forgiveness of sin.’
John is the one described by Isaiah who is ‘the voice … crying out in the wilderness’ (verse 3). Yes, we go on to hear a description of John’s baptising, but this reading does not include the verses describing the Baptism by John of Christ; instead, it places a greater emphasis on the meaning of that baptism and on the message of John.
In this passage, parallels are drawn constantly between Saint John the Baptist and the Old Testament prophets, particularly Isaiah, as we have seen, and Elijah.
The description of John’s clothing of ‘camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist’ (verse 3) draws on descriptions of Elijah as ‘a hairy man, with a leather belt around his waist’ (see II Kings 1: 8). Although John positively denies that he is Elijah (see John 1: 21), later in this Gospel, Christ speaks of John in terms of the ‘Elijah who is to come’ (Matthew 11: 14; compare with Matthew 17: 10-13).
Unlike Elijah, though, John performs no miracles; it is because of his preaching that John is identified as a latter-day Elijah. He fearlessly confronts the powers of the day, both secular (compare Ahab and Herod) and religious (compare the prophets and priests of Baal with the Pharisees and Sadducees). But John also heralds the coming Day of the Lord – which is part of the prophesy drawing on Elijah at the very end of the Old Testament (see Malachi 4: 5-6). In this way, John acts as a bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament.
John’s preaching emphasises the coming of the Kingdom of heaven (βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν, basileía tou ouranou, see verse 2). The Greek word for kingdom, βασιλεία (basileía), points first and foremost to God’s rule or reign, not to the realm over which he rules. As the Lord’s Prayer reminds us, where God’s will is done, there his kingdom comes (see Matthew 6: 10).
When God’s kingdom comes, his will indeed shall be done on earth as in heaven, and justice shall be firmly and truly established. And Advent is a time to prepare for, to anticipate, to look forward to the coming of those days.
Because the kingdom is at hand, John calls those who hear him to repentance (verse 2). The Greek word for repentance, μετάνοια (metánoia), means a change of direction, a change of heart, a change of mind. Those who take John’s preaching seriously must reorient their thinking, their priorities. Their whole outlook must changed once realise the nearness and the demands of God’s reign.
They express that change by confessing their sins and being baptised (verse 6).
What about the Pharisees and Sadducees who come to the baptism (see verse 7). Did they receive John’s baptism?
The phrase ἐπὶ τὸ βάπτισμα αὐτοῦ (epí tó báptisma autou, verse 7) means literally ‘to his baptism’ rather than ‘coming for baptism’ (NRSV) or ‘to where he was baptising’ (NIV).
Were they spectators, or were they baptised?
Did they receive the baptism to signal that they were ready for the coming of the Kingdom of God, or were they hypocrites who had failed to repent?
Is John trying to shock them Pharisees and Sadducees out of their false sense of security (verse 9), and into spiritual awareness by the strong language he uses: ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?’ (verse 7).
Christ has not yet arrived at the Jordan, but John’s message already is not primarily about himself, but about the one who is to come (see verse 11-12), who is spoken of in apocalyptic images of the final judgment.
Some questions for reflection:
Did Isaiah actually prophesy anything about the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God?
At what point in the life of Christ does Saint Matthew place these events?
Is this timing significant?
Why?
What was the content of John’s preaching? How does John’s preaching compare to Christ’s?
Do confession and repentance prepare people for the coming of the kingdom?
What does the coming of the kingdom have to do with making the Lord’s paths straight (see verse 3)?
How do we make the Lord’s paths straight?
Is John too judgmental of the Pharisees and Sadducees?
Would you be so harsh with people who come to church to look and learn?
Why did Jesus have to be baptised?
Did he have to be baptised for repentance?
Matthew 3: 1-12 (NRSVA):
1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2 ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 3 This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight”.’
4 Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9 Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 ‘I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’
Liturgical Resources:
Liturgical Colour: Violet
The Collect of the Day:
Father in heaven,
who sent your Son to redeem the world
and will send him again to be our judge:
Give us grace so to imitate him
in the humility and purity of his first coming
that when he comes again,
we may be ready to greet him with joyful love and firm faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Advent Collect:
Almighty God,
Give us grace to cast away the works of darkness,
and to put on the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life,
in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;
that on the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and ever.
This collect is said after the Collect of the day until Christmas Eve
The Collect of the Word:
God of all peoples,
whose servant John came baptising and calling for repentance:
help us to hear his voice of judgment,
that we may also rejoice in the word of promise,
and be found pure and blameless in the glorious day when Christ
comes to rule the earth as Prince of Peace;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
The Post-Communion Prayer:
Lord,
here you have nourished us with the food of life.
Through our sharing in this holy sacrament
teach us to judge wisely earthly things
and to yearn for things heavenly.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Liturgical resources for Advent:
The liturgical provisions suggest that the Gloria may be omitted during Advent, and it is traditional in Anglicanism to omit the Gloria at the end of canticles and psalms during Advent.
These additional liturgical resources are provided for Advent in the Book of Common Prayer (2004):
Penitential Kyries:
Turn to us again, O God our Saviour,
and let your anger cease from us.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Show us your mercy, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Your salvation is near for those that fear you,
that glory may dwell in our land.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Introduction to the Peace:
In the tender mercy of our God,
the dayspring from on high shall break upon us,
to give light to those who dwell in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1: 78, 79)
Preface:
Salvation is your gift
through the coming of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ,
and by him you will make all things new
when he returns in glory to judge the world:
Blessing:
Christ the sun of righteousness shine upon you,
gladden your hearts
and scatter the darkness from before you:
Isaiah 11: 1-10:
250, All hail the power of Jesu’s name
296, Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire
297, Come, thou Holy Spirit, come
263, Crown him with many crowns
481, God is working his purpose out as year succeeds to year
161, I know a rose–tree springing
133, Long ago, prophets knew
49, Lord, bring the day to pass
431, Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour
636, May the mind of Christ my Saviour
135, O Come, O come, Emmanuel
197, Songs of thankfulness and praise (omit verse 4)
Psalm 72: 1-7, 18-19:
688, Come, bless the Lord, God of our forebears
353, Give to our God immortal praise
481, God is working his purpose out as year succeeds to year
125, Hail to the Lord’s anointed
97, Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
166, Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
706, O bless the God of Israel
365, Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
140, The Lord will come and not be slow
Romans 15: 4-13:
250, All hail the power of Jesu’s name
263, Crown him with many crowns
381, God has spoken – by his prophets
382, Help us, O Lord, to learn
161, I know a rose–tree springing
383, Lord, be thy word my rule
384, Lord, thy word abideth
385, Rise and hear, the Lord is speaking
386, Spirit of God, unseen as the wind
387, Thanks to God, whose word was spoken
372, Through all the changing scenes of life
Matthew 3: 1-12:
126, Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding
303, Lord of the Church, we pray for our renewing
136, On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
200, The sinless one to Jordan came
204, When Jesus came to Jordan
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition copyright © 1989, 1995, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org
Material from the Book of Common Prayer is copyright © 2004, Representative Body of the Church of Ireland.
The hymn suggestions are provided in Sing to the Word (2000), edited by Bishop Edward Darling. The hymn numbers refer to the Church of Ireland’s Church Hymnal (5th edition, Oxford: OUP, 2000).
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