涩里番

Luke Week 1

Birth Announcements: Luke 1 and 2

Today, young couples exercise great creativity to make birth announcements memorable. The pregnancy that led to our first grandchild was announced by his parents in a surprise visit 鈥� from Southern California to 涩里番. After we鈥檇 caught our breath from their appearance at our door, the parents-to-be presented us with a pair of tiny moccasins symbolizing the baby to come.

Nothing, however, can top the unusual announcements Luke describes in his opening two chapters. But more about that in a moment.

The church鈥檚 season of Christmas, rather than being bound by a secular and commercial calendar, continues past the holiday into the season of Epiphany. Thus, in this Lectio, rather than putting Christmas away till the following December, we relive some of the warmth and joy of Luke鈥檚 great story and wonderful songs.

During the month leading up to Christmas, you鈥檝e likely heard a sermon, a reading, or a song based on the Gospel of Luke. While Matthew鈥檚 gospel tells the story of Jesus鈥� birth more from Joseph鈥檚 perspective, Luke tells of Jesus鈥� birth from Mary鈥檚. And it鈥檚 Luke who gives us the much-loved vision of angels, shepherds, and babe-in-a-manger that has shaped many of our beloved carols.

Before moving into the story, here are some introductory observations about the Gospel of Luke as a whole:

• Unique among the gospels, Luke鈥檚 gospel is addressed to a person, to Theophilus, meaning 鈥淟over of God鈥� (). Some scholars think Theophilus is a symbolic recipient of Luke鈥檚 鈥渙rderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us鈥� (). Some take the designation 鈥渉onorable鈥� to refer to a Roman official or someone of wealth and position
• This gospel is the first of a two-part story, with Luke鈥檚 sequel in the Acts of the Apostles, which begins, 鈥淚n the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught 鈥︹�� ().
• Luke writes in the style of classical rhetoric with similarities to other writers of ancient times.
• In church tradition, Luke is understood to be 鈥渢he beloved physician,鈥� companion and co-worker with the Apostle Paul (; ). Scholar and churchman N.T. Wright observes of this gospel鈥檚 author that, 鈥淗e was an educated and cultured man, the first real historian to write about Jesus. His book places Jesus not only at the heart of the Jewish world of the first century, but at the heart of the Roman world into which the Christian gospel exploded 鈥�.鈥� [Author鈥檚 Note 1] While the specific date of writing is subject to debate, Luke was likely written in the aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in 70 A.D.
• Luke depicts Jesus in his short-lived ministry as deeply compassionate, caring for the poor and oppressed, and those not highly regarded by that culture 鈥� such as Samaritans, Gentiles, and women.
• Luke places special emphasis on the Holy Spirit and on prayer. Watch for how often these themes are highlighted in this gospel.
• Some of the most powerful parables are uniquely from Luke: 鈥淭he Good Samaritan鈥� (), 鈥淭he Rich Fool鈥� (), 鈥淭he Prodigal Son鈥� (), 鈥淭he Rich Man and Lazarus鈥� (), 鈥淭he Persistent Widow鈥� (), and 鈥淭he Pharisee and the Tax Collector鈥� ().
• Luke describes Jesus on the road. He gives us a longer 鈥渢ravel narrative鈥� than the other gospels (). On his extended journey to Jerusalem, Jesus heals, teaches, and disciples his followers. Then Luke鈥檚 book climaxes with Jesus on the road to Emmaus ().

: Birth Announcements and Babies

Half of Luke鈥檚 first chapter describes the remarkable birth announcement of John the Baptizer.

In , a devout, older couple is going about their everyday lives. They鈥檝e not been able to have children in a culture in which childlessness was shamed and mocked. The man, Zechariah, isn鈥檛 among the chief priests who lived in Jerusalem, but is of a lesser order of priests from the hill country of Judea. So when the time comes for him to serve in the temple, Zechariah likely expects to make the journey, render his service, and return home to his wife, Elizabeth. But, through an angel, God intrudes into the everyday life of this older couple.

From the angel, Zechariah hears that his wife will bear a son. He is stunned, and says to the angel, 鈥淗ow will I know that this is so? For I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years?鈥� (). Because Zechariah has a hard time getting his head around this amazing news, the angel strikes him mute 鈥� until Zechariah鈥檚 son is born.

The old priest comes out of the temple鈥檚 inner court and tries to explain to worshipers what has happened, but, as Luke says, 鈥淗e kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak鈥� (). Zechariah goes home, breaks the news to Elizabeth, and watches mutely as she indeed begins to show signs of being pregnant.

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Next, Luke鈥檚 storyline moves to Galilee for another birth announcement (). This time, an angel encounters a Nazareth girl, who is, like Zechariah, totally unsuspecting. There鈥檚 a tradition among the Greek Orthodox that the annunciation to Mary took place at the Nazareth spring, where girls like Mary would regularly come to collect the family鈥檚 supply of water. When I was in Israel, our guide took us to an ancient Nazareth church built over a still-gurgling spring, where we pondered the impact of God鈥檚 intrusion into the daily chores of a Galilean teenager.

Though only betrothed to Joseph, Mary is told, 鈥淵ou will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus鈥� (). Mary responds to the angel, 鈥淗ow will this happen since I haven鈥檛 had sexual relations with a man?鈥� (). Both Matthew and Luke make this matter-of-factly clear without belaboring or sensationalizing the issue.

These gospel writers are not making virginity morally better than marriage, or denigrating sex. They are simply reporting the miraculous conception of Jesus as a sign of God鈥檚 involvement. Of greater importance to Luke is who this baby would be.

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High .鈥� He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end ().

I used to expend lots of energy trying to prove why the so-called 鈥淰irgin Birth鈥� had to be. But it鈥檚 increasingly clear to me that this is not about sex or science, but about a sign 鈥� a sign for all to see that this was not just another Galilean baby, but God in the flesh, with God the Spirit at work accomplishing God鈥檚 own purposes through an unsuspecting upcountry girl.

Mary鈥檚 remarkable response to God鈥檚 call is, 鈥淗ere am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word鈥� (). While this is God powerfully at work, Mary is a willing instrument. For this we honor her as a most remarkable woman.

: Mothers-to-Be Meet, Greet, and Sing Their Joy

Two pregnant women, related to one another, one young and one older, meet at Elizabeth鈥檚 home in the hill country of Judea. With the baby leaping in her womb, Elizabeth is full of the Holy Spirit and erupts with loud, joyful song, blessing her younger relative (). But the song we especially remember is Mary鈥檚 (). We call it the “Magnificat,鈥� after its opening Latin words, which are translated 鈥淢y soul magnifies!鈥�

While it is sometimes read solemnly and set to classical music, surely the 鈥淢agnificat鈥� should be heard as an almost giddy, dancing overflow of a mind and heart schooled in her Scripture. Mary鈥檚 song, along with the other two songs of Luke 1 and 2, is filled with Old Testament allusions and quotations. Much of Mary鈥檚 song echoes the song of Hannah, mother of Samuel ().

This is a stunning, even revolutionary declaration of what kind of God has brought about Mary鈥檚 supernatural pregnancy. This is a God who has put down the proud rulers of this earth. 鈥淸H]e has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty鈥� ().

Mary shares in common with Elizabeth the great dream of God鈥檚 ancient 涩里番, a dream that God would fulfill the promise to Abraham to bless the whole world through Abraham鈥檚 descendants, a dream proclaimed by the Hebrew prophets. For this to happen, the powerful of the world, such as Herod and Caesar, would have to be brought low, and humble 涩里番 like Mary, Elizabeth, and their babies lifted high.

: Zechariah鈥檚 Jubilant Song

Zechariah, newly liberated from silence and 鈥渇illed with the Holy Spirit鈥� (), praises God and blesses the child he has insisted be named John, not Zechariah as would be expected.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel 鈥�. He has raised up a mighty savior for us. 鈥� And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 鈥� to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death 鈥� (, , ).

Take a moment to look back and reflect on a few points:

• God uses humble, unsuspecting, but available human instruments to bring amazing things to life. That鈥檚 the way God works!
• God intervenes in everyday life through the Spirit to accomplish divine purposes, which have a countercultural, world-revolutionary impact.
• When God intervenes this way, the outcome is irrepressible joy for those who believe and are willing instruments for God鈥檚 purposes.
• This story of God鈥檚 intervention in human affairs is good news and needs to be told and retold. That鈥檚 what Luke is doing.

: Birth Announcements Build

鈥淚n those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered鈥� (), or 鈥渆nrolled in the tax lists鈥� (). Now we meet Joseph, who is a descendant of David and thus required to make the 80-mile journey from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem, 鈥渢he city of David鈥� (), near Jerusalem. Historians puzzle over fitting this required registration into ancient records. What is clear is that, at the command of Caesar, world ruler of that time, Joseph and his pregnant, newly wed wife [Author鈥檚 Note 2] set out for Bethlehem, where the Son of God, ruler of another kingdom, would be born. These two powers and kingdoms, God鈥檚 and this world鈥檚, have collided throughout history and still do.

: The Most Famous Birth Announcement of All Time Comes to Sleepy Shepherds Outside Bethlehem

Shepherds, who heard the good news of a savior 鈥渂orn today in David鈥檚 city鈥� (), were not cuddly guys decked out in terrycloth bathrobes as in church Christmas pageants. First-century shepherds were poor, labeled unclean, and occupied lower rungs of the social ladder. But this greatest birth announcement of all time comes to them rather than to folks in Herod鈥檚 palace or in the high priest鈥檚 family in nearby Jerusalem. The theme of God revealing good news to the poor and outcasts continues.

Shepherds decide to go into town and see for themselves. They are told to look for 鈥渁 baby lying in a manger鈥� (), a feeding trough for animals. Three times in Luke鈥檚 story the manger is mentioned (, , ). The shepherds find Mary, Joseph, and the baby in the ground floor of someone鈥檚 house, where animals are kept at night, instead of in an upstairs guestroom. [Author鈥檚 Note 3M] And, as they have been told, the newborn is 鈥渋n a manger.鈥�

Yes, a feeding trough was a humble place for the Son of God to be born. But a manger was also a sign to guide the shepherds to the child whose birth announcement they had so dramatically received. On their way back to their flocks of sheep, the shepherds gossip the good news through town.

: Don鈥檛 Forget the Seniors!

Luke鈥檚 story of birth announcements also includes senior adults. In fact, Luke鈥檚 story runs the gamut of age and stage in life 鈥� from young Mary to an 84-year-old widow-prophet named Anna; from rowdy shepherds to Simeon, the elder Spirit-led watcher after the One promised by God. 鈥淭he Holy Spirit revealed to him that he wouldn鈥檛 die before he had seen the Lord鈥檚 Christ.鈥� ()

Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple for his eighth-day ritual of circumcision. The couple fulfills the requirements for sacrifice. In that setting, Simeon and Anna receive birth announcements leading them to praise God, and, in Simeon鈥檚 case, to offer the final song of this opening Lectio.

Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all 涩里番s, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your 涩里番 Israel. ()

: The Boy Whose Birth Was Announced 鈥淕oes to Church鈥�

Every year, Jesus鈥� parents would take him to Jerusalem for Passover. Now that Jesus is 12, they may also be celebrating Jesus鈥� bar mitzvah, when Jesus becomes a full member of the synagogue. Returning home, they mistakenly assume Jesus is in the pilgrim crowd. He is separated from them for three days, until they find the boy Jesus in the temple engaging in discussion with religious teachers. 鈥淒id you not know that I must be in my Father鈥檚 house?鈥� Jesus tells them (). Joseph and Mary don鈥檛 understand. Would we?

But the story of Luke 1 and 2 concludes with Mary 鈥渢reasur[ing] all these things in her heart,鈥� Jesus obeying his parents like any good Jewish child, and Jesus increasing 鈥渋n wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor鈥� ().

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