Into What Context Did
Jesus Arrive?
Matthew 1-2; Luke 2
What
was the world like when Jesus was born?
Caesar Augustus was entitled Lord,
Son of God, Bringer of Peace and Saviour of the World by self- proclamation and
use of the kingdom’s people.
But the words of the angels give
Jesus these names and more—Son of the Most High, Son of God, (Nazareth 1:32,35)
Saviour, Lord and Peace- (2:11,14). And then we see the response of Roman rule
onto Galilee, who is this Jesus?
Even
the genealogies that Matthew and Luke state differ in their location and
direction. Matthew’s genealogy comes at the start of Jesus’ public life after
his baptism and outside the birth story. Luke starts with Jesus and goes
backwards to Adam but no mothers are mentioned. Why are these details important
to our understanding of the infant in the stable?
Some
would say it does not matter for if we truly have faith and believe in the
incarnation of Chrsit, God descending to earth as a human baby, God had it planned
out where, when and through whom. Prophets had lined up what was to come
and history was lived out as God
intended from Adam to Jesus. Yet there are those who cannot believe that God
would have planned history after giving to humans, the gift of reasoning,
thinking and discernment. But what about you?
Have
you thought about he contextual matrix—the time period into which Jesus came?
How necessary was it that the Jewish people needed a messiah? What about the
Gentiles? Were lives threatened because of uncertainty of faith in God? Why was
Jesus born then? Herod seemed threatened by the birth of this infant and even
asked the Wise Men to find the baby and report back to where He was. But these
men were wise and knew that Herod really just wanted to kill the baby. He was
afraid of the newborn king, born of the Jews,
Not
only was Jesus born to Mary and Joseph away from the familiar community where
family and friends lived, he was born during a time when the ruling Caesar felt
threatened by a helpless dependent infant. When Jesus was born the time was
right. Prophecy had been fulfilled, The Wise Men had witnessed a star which was
a sign for them of the new messiah. And when God had spoken to Mary- it was
real. She really was pregnant and she was carrying God’s Son, the Saviour
REFLECTION:
Mary was chosen to bear Jesus.
Joseph had to be told to stay with Mary and everything would be all right.
Their faith lead them throughout this whole process parenthood, marriage and
living God’s way while raising a family, and particularly God’s Son. Do you
think Jesus’ birth occurring in any other time than 1st century
Roman Empire/Jerusalem state have the same outcome- of Jesus’ crucifixion
/death and resurrection? Why?
We anticipate Jesus’ coming again- but he will
not come as an infant but in all his glory as God’s Son. Will we know him? Did Mary really know what her Son would
experience in his life?
PRAYER
God of Advent and Christmas we
praise you for your gift to us in Jesus. Help us to understand the world into
which Jesus was born over 2000 years ago. Help us to understand our world today
when we anticipate again the celebration of Emmanuel—God with Us.
Bless us in this journey we call
Advent waiting and preparation. Show us your way to love and live as faithful
believers of the One born to us in Bethlehem, died on a cross and rose to new
life through the resurrection. Hear our prayers we ask. Amen
This reflection is based upon ideas
of by Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan in The First Christmas: What the Gospels
Really teach About Jesus’ Birth. New York: Harper One,1989, p.81-98, ch.4.
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