Christmas - Year A
Sermon Notes from the Church’s Ministry Among Jewish People
RCL Readings – Jeremiah 31:7-14 or Sirach 24:1-12; Psalm 147:12-20 or Book of Wisdom 10:15-21; Ephesians 1:3-14; John 1:1-18
ACNA Readings[1] – Jeremiah 31:7-14; Psalm 84; Ephesians 1:3-14; Matthew 2:1-12
Seasonal Introduction. Christmas is the greatest Jewish story ever told. It is about the God who created the universe and breathed life into man’s nostrils, humbled Himself to dwell among the people He created. God then provided a way that we can dwell with Him. As such, Christmas is not a day, it is a season that incorporates many parts of life. The Christmas season lasts twelve days beginning on 25th December and ends with the Epiphany Eve on January 5th. The Christmas season includes celebrating or remembering: the first coming of the Messiah and the life He chose to live among men; the evil of mankind in the death of the innocents of Bethlehem; and the circumcision of Jesus—for God is a keeper of covenants and will never abandon His promises.
Common Theme. We may not know everything about God or His plans—it can be a mystery—but His will and His grace bear witness of His plan. God has blessed us, choosing us as sons and daughters.
Hebraic Context. There are several major eschatological characters in the Hebrew Scriptures for whom Israel waited: The prophet, like Moses, through whom God would speak; the ruling king, who would rule on David’s throne; and the Messiah. A brief reading into the gospels makes it clear that the prophet, king, and Messiah were, in fact, not three separate people but one—Jesus, the Messiah. However, the Tanakh never declares that the three roles are all to be found in the same person. So where did this understanding come from?
4Q252, a commentary on Genesis from the Dead Sea community, already combined the idea of the king and the Messiah in relation to Genesis 49:10, “A sovereign shall [not] be removed from the tribe of Judah... There will [not] lack someone who sits on the throne of David… Until the messiah of justice comes, the branch of David.”[2] Although, many kings were also messiahs (without being the hoped-for Messiah) such as: Saul, David, Jehu, and even Cyrus.
Nonetheless, the King, as spoken of in II Samuel 7:12-16 will reign forever. This separates him from all other kings who reigned for only a brief time—even David who, as Paul states in Acts 13:35-37, died and was placed in a grave with his fathers. Matthew makes it clear that scholars already recognized that the Messiah and King were the same. King Herod, upon being asked “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?” immediately went to the chief priests and scribes to ask where the Messiah was to be born.
Their reply returned not to one of the many passages about the Messiah but to Micah 5:2-5a, a passage about the King. However, they followed neither the Hebrew nor the Greek translation of Micah 5. “And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” They seem to use a popular method of quotation in Hebraic thought, combining multiple Scriptures through the common word in the two passages. The ruler and shepherd are connected in several promises and prophecies in Scripture and can be connected to the messiah, such as Jeremiah 23:4-5 and Ezekiel 37:24.
Another word in Micah 5:2, מִקֶּדֶם (mikedem), describing this ruler’s origin as being "from antiquity" or "from ancient times" was also connected to a theological argument that was developing in the 1st century. This ruler’s origin was not solely tied to Bethlehem. The Talmud records the final Jewish iteration of the argument. According to the Talmud, seven things were created before the world: the Torah, repentance, the Garden of Eden (Paradise), Gehinnom, the Throne of Glory, the Temple, and the name of the Messiah.[3] The rabbis derived the pre-existence of the Messiah from the use of mikedem in Micah 5:2 interpreting it as evidence that the Messiah was part of God’s eternal plan—existing before creation itself. This understanding affirms the messianic nature of the ruler, or king, in this context, distinguishing it from a mere political ruler.
A king who would reign eternally would not only be a threat to King Herod, who was perpetually paranoid, this king would also be an affront to Herod’s megalomania. King Herod worked hard to make his name last in the history books, building grand monuments—such as the Temple and his eventual burial site, the Herodian. And, at his death, Josephus states that King Herod contrived to kill the principal men of the Jewish nation in order that the land would be in great mourning during his funeral rather than being welcomed cheerfully by all men. King Herod’s desire to kill Jesus as an infant was not out of character for him, but the Messiah is also beloved of God and would not suffer death until the time of His own choosing.
Matthew’s reference to Jesus as a Nazarene also seems to refer to His role as the King. Both Jeremiah 23:5-6 and Isaiah 11:1-5 connect the righteous branch (נצר, netzar) to the line of David and the king who would judge with justice and righteousness.
Interestingly, Psalm 84 also connects God as king to the temple and the altar. While Jesus could not be a Levitical priest, being born as a man from the tribe of Judah, the author of Hebrews does end up connecting Jesus to the priesthood—just in the line of Melchizedek.
Jeremiah 31:7-14. The passage is a profound proclamation of hope, restoration, and God’s unfailing love for His people. In a time when exile seemed to mark the end of Israel’s story, God called His people to sing with gladness, to shout aloud and praise Him, and to ask for His salvation. Exile was a chapter, not the conclusion, of God’s plan for His chosen people. Restoration was promised, and it would be a reason for great rejoicing.
This call to joy might seem premature. After all, the restoration had not yet occurred. Yet, the people were to celebrate in faith, trusting God’s faithfulness. The children of Jacob, the remnant of Israel were not to sing with gladness because of their current situation but were to “raise shouts for the chief of the nations.” Who is the chief of the nations? It seems like the obvious answer should be God. But the phrase is only used here and in II Samuel 22:44.[4] The chief of the nations in II Samuel 22:44 was David, “You delivered me from strife with my people; you kept me as the head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me.”
Even through their request for salvation, the remnant of Israel were to praise God. God was due this praise as He was going to restore them to the land, but the chief of the nations, the king, would also likewise be restored. The remnant of Israel could look back on God’s previous acts of deliverance and understand that His promises would not fail. Indeed, God Himself would gather His people from the farthest corners of the earth. No one would be excluded—not the weakest, not those with disabilities, nor those burdened with sorrow. This promise stands in stark contrast to what Jesus declared in Matthew 24. There will come a day when the people will not listen to the true Messiah, the descendant of David, but rather they will listen to false Messiahs.[5] In that day, woes will befall the pregnant women. But here, as the people rejoice in their king and praise the LORD, all will return.
The Hebrew word for return, יָשׁ֥וּב (yeshuv) (31:8), is deeply tied to the concept of repentance throughout Scripture. This is no mere physical movement; it signifies a spiritual turning back to God.[6] And the imagery is striking: From weeping to rejoicing, from walking from the north country and the farthest parts of the earth to dancing. And God is the one who makes it all possible—He creates the paths for even the weakest to travel, He is the father, the shepherd, and redeemer.
God’s role in this restoration is both majestic and intimate. As the sovereign King, He executes judgment and orchestrates redemption. Yet, He is also the loving Father and shepherd, guiding His people so they will not stumble again. This duality is a testament to His unique relationship with Israel, encapsulated in His declaration: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you” (31:3).
Israel’s restoration is not a private matter. The nations are instructed to witness this act of redemption. God scattered His people in judgment; now He gathers them in mercy. This serves as a powerful statement of His sovereignty over all nations, underscoring that what happens to Israel carries global significance. If God’s faithfulness to His chosen people is unwavering, how much more should the nations recognize His authority?
The blessings accompanying this restoration are abundant and comprehensive. Verses 12-14 paint a vivid picture of joy and renewal: a well-watered garden symbolizing fruitfulness, dancing, and singing replacing mourning, and priests experiencing an overflow of bounty. The restoration is not just physical but spiritual and communal, reflecting the depth of God’s love and care.
Jeremiah, often called the weeping prophet, stood firm in delivering this message of hope despite the rejection he faced.
His perseverance reminds us that God’s promises are not thwarted by human disbelief. Just as Jeremiah trusted in God’s faithfulness, so too can we rejoice in the assurance that mourning will be turned into joy (31:13). God, who brought judgment, will also bring redemption—a truth that continues to resonate through the ages.
Sirach 24:1-12.[7] Folly and wisdom are often seen as opposites within Hebrew wisdom literature—most notably through poetic personification. This is most strongly seen in Proverbs 8-9. However, Sirach and Baruch continue this tradition. Sirach 23 speaks of a woman, like Folly, who does not fear God and commits adultery.[8] She brings disgrace upon herself and her children will not bear fruit. Conversely, Luke 7:35 states that “wisdom is justified by all her children.”
Proverbs 8:12-31 has been used to argue that there was a co-creator with GOD almighty—”Wisdom.” In the First and Second Centuries, an offshoot of Gnosticism would argue that sophia (wisdom) was a goddess.[9] Gnosticism believed the universe was both physical and spiritual but they differed with both Judaism and Christian theologians by arguing that the created, material world (or matter) was evil, or at least corrupt, and therefore the material was in opposition to the world of the spiritual and that only the spirit was good. The Hebraic worldview found in the Scriptures does not see the material world as evil, rather God called His creation good!
Within Jewish interpretation, wisdom was not understood to be a goddess standing alongside God.[10] Baruch 4:1 states that wisdom “is the book of the commandments of God”—the Torah.[11] According to Proverbs, Sirach, and Baruch, wisdom comes from God: “I came forth from the mouth of the Most High.”[12] Some Christian interpreters have stated that the wisdom spoken of in Proverbs 8:12-31 is Jesus.
Passages such as Isaiah 48:12-16 can be interpreted suggesting a co-creator with the Lord GOD. John 1:1-4 and Colossians 1:15-17 state explicitly, “All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.” Arias of Alexandria, however, turned to Proverbs 8:22, which in the Septuagint states, “The LORD created me at the beginning of His ways,” to argue: if wisdom was brought forth in time, and if Jesus is identified with that wisdom (being the creator), then Jesus must have been created at some point in time.
While Isaiah 48, John 1, and Colossians 1 are clear, Proverbs 8, Sirach 24, and Baruch 3-4 may be better viewed as a personification of wisdom, or even as Torah, as Baruch states. Sirach’s main expansion of Proverbs 8 was two-fold. First, that wisdom (as important as it is) comes from God and is subservient to God. Second, that wisdom came to dwell in a specific location.
Wisdom is described with regal and almost god-like terms. It has a throne in a pillar of cloud—reminescent of the cloud where God’s presence dwelt during the Exodus. It traverses the heights and the depths of creation and holds power over every people and nation. However, wisdom is only in the assembly of the Most High, along with all the other hosts of God. When God gives a command, wisdom obeys—for it was created by God and comes from the mouth of God.
Wisdom, or the Torah of Moses, was an inheritance for the congregation of Jacob.[13] It was established in Zion. But whether in turning away from folly or turning towards wisdom, Sirach is clear that, “Nothing is better than the fear of the Lord and nothing sweeter than to heed the commandments of the Lord.”
Psalm 147:12-20. Psalm 147 was likely composed in the post-exilic period and reflects the restoration of Israel under Nehemiah. The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, treats Psalm 147 as two separate psalms, with verse 12 marking the beginning of the second psalm.[14] This division, along with the additional superscription, “of Haggai and Zechariah,” ties it to the prophetic era of rebuilding Jerusalem. Understanding this historical context highlights the psalm’s message: even amid adversity and struggle, joy arises from God’s sovereignty and faithfulness.
Both Psalm 147:1 and Psalm 147:12 begin with the imperative, “Praise the LORD!”[15] Both also provide many reasons to worship God. Psalm 147:1-11 celebrates God’s care for creation and His sovereign power over nature. God’s care and love is not only for humanity but for all creation.[16] This care of nature, and power over it, reminds us that humanity is not the sole focus of God’s attention, even though we are made in His image and beloved by Him. When the Lord casts His eyes towards mankind it is the humble of heart that takes His attention. The wicked, those with pride instead of humility, are driven into the ground.
The interplay between humility and pride is a recurring biblical theme. Proverbs declares, “The LORD detests all the proud of heart,”[17] and both Hannah’s and Mary’s prayers celebrate God’s lifting of the humble. In Psalm 147, the psalmist affirms that God’s favor rests on those who fear Him, rather than on human strength or achievements. Moses, described as “very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth,”[18] was allowed to speak face to face with God, something the Scriptures attributes to no one else. This humility, as the psalmist suggests, is key to drawing near to God.[19]
Now, in Psalm 147:12, Haggai and Zechariah once again give the imperative, “Praise the LORD!” But this imperative is for Jerusalem, Zion, to praise God. God’s power over creation and protection of His people are connected in Psalm 147:18-20. The words spoken to create the world are still used to order nature today. And those same words were used to speak to Israel. For the returning exiles, the words of God—the statutes represented God’s ongoing presence and guidance—were a source of hope and joy as they rebuilt their community. In this, Psalm 147 reflects an enduring truth: God is both the Creator and Sustainer of all things, sovereign over the universe yet deeply involved in the lives of His people.
Book of Wisdom 10:15-21. The author of the Book of Wisdom turns to God and, as a servant with little understanding of judgment and laws, asks God for wisdom.[20] Unlike Proverbs, the author doesn’t write that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God. Rather he states: “The beginning of wisdom is the most sincere desire for instruction.”[21]
Like many Second Temple scholars, the author would have known Proverbs 1:7 but instead started with Proverbs 1:2-6, assuming that the reader would understand the context. What does wisdom—learning God’s Torah in order to obey God—do? Wisdom rescues those who listen to it while those who do not listen will perish.
In the Book of Wisdom 10:15-21, the author focuses on God’s salvation of Israel from Egypt. Because of wisdom, Moses was able to stand before great kings. Because of wisdom, the people had shelter and guidance—but their enemies were cast into the sea. Because of wisdom, the people praised God. Yet the author recognizes that, while the beginning of wisdom is the desire for God’s instructions, the wisdom that rescues us is something so much greater.
Having spoken of all the times that wisdom rescues people, the author didn’t neglect that this was all God’s doing. He states:
“It is always in your power to show great strength, and who can withstand the might of your arm? Because the whole world before you is like a speck that tips the scales and like a drop of morning dew that falls on the ground. But you are merciful to all, for you can do all things, and you overlook people’s sins, so that they may repent. For you love all things that exist and detest none of the things that you have made.”[22]
Ephesians 1:3-14. Paul opens his letter to the Ephesians with a deeply theological discussion on the actions of God the Father and Jesus, the Messiah. However, because it is so theologically dense, Ephesians 1 can sometimes be read without noticing this rich and joyous exposition is ultimately about God’s great blessings. Every blessing and action is directly related back to God and Jesus. Paul’s emphasis throughout the passage is relational: it shows how God works personally in the lives of His people. Hearing and understanding the Hebrew Scriptures, as Paul continuously did, teaches us that a personal relationship with the Lord is what counts throughout Scripture. Therefore, Paul begins his letter with a Hebraic blessing regarding our relational God before immediately declaring all that God provides.
Paul continues by stating that our relationship with the Lord starts before the creation of the world. In a letter where Paul desired to unite both Jews and Gentiles into “one new man”, there is a clear understanding that God chose us even as He chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In this, Paul used a grammatical change to make a strong argument that would have been understood by many Jewish scholars in the Second Temple period.
Paul speaks of “us” in Ephesians 1:3-10. It can be easy two-thousand years later to think that he meant us, the saints whom God chose before the foundation of the world (or even the Church). But Paul speaks of the saints who are in Ephesus as “you.” This might not seem like an important point, but the grammar of Scripture was examined minutely by Jewish scholars and was also used by the writers of the New Testament to convey clear theological points.[23] So who is Paul speaking of if not the Church?
The first disciples were all Jewish. This was not a coincidence but by God’s choice and will. God continuously declared that Israel was His inheritance.[24] But Psalm 33:10-18 expands beyond Israel to all the inhabitants of the earth—on those who fear Him and hope in His steadfast love. Isaiah 19:25 speaks of Israel in the same sentence it speaks of Egypt, God’s people, and Assyria, the work of His hands—this in relation to the worship of God by all three nations.
While God worked through Israel, Paul isn’t the first to include those outside of Israel. Throughout Scripture, all those who fear God and turn to Him can become saints. Paul continues to emphasize God’s great blessing for both Jews, who “were the first to hope in Messiah,” and Gentiles, who “when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” This sealing signifies a unity of believers across ethnic and cultural lines.
John 1:10-18. The Gospel of John does not begin with the earthly birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, as Matthew and Luke do, nor does it leap into His adult ministry, as Mark does. Instead, it begins with a profound statement: “In the beginning.”[25] These words echo the opening of Genesis 1:1 in the Septuagint.[26] This connection immediately situates John's Gospel within the broader story of creation and establishes the eternal nature of the Logos.
Where Genesis 1 continues, “In the beginning, God,” John introduces the divine Logos (λόγος), declaring, “In the beginning was the Word.” This Logos is a concept deeply rooted in both Jewish and Greek thought. For the Greeks, from Heraclitus to the Stoics, Logos was the rational principle ordering the universe, often described by the Stoics as the logos spermatikos, or the seed-bearing rationality underlying creation. For the Jewish tradition, however, Logos (or מֵימְרָא, Memra, in Aramaic) carried a more dynamic and personal dimension, often identified with God Himself in the Targums, the Aramaic translations and interpretations of Hebrew Scriptures. For example, in Genesis 28:21, Memra replaces the divine name, indicating God’s active presence in the world.[27]
While many accepted the idea of the Logos as divine, John introduces an unprecedented assertion: “The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This raises a question: How can the Logos be with God and simultaneously be God? The answer becomes clear in John 1:14-18, where the Logos is identified as Jesus Christ. While this idea may initially seem like a radical theological leap, the Hebrew Scriptures themselves anticipate such a relationship within the Godhead.
Isaiah 48:12-16 is particularly significant as a backdrop to John's introduction. In this passage, Isaiah introduces the creator of the heavens and the earth who declares, “I am the first, and I am the last.” Clearly this is God. Yet this same figure, who is “the first and the last,” is sent by the Lord GOD and His Spirit. The creator of the heavens and earth was sent by God. Just as John introduces Jesus in John 1 as the creator and also as God, Jesus concludes in Revelation 22:13, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end”, once more connecting Himself to the creator in Isaiah 48.
John also describes Jesus as “the true light, which gives light to everyone.”[28] This motif of light and darkness originates in the Genesis creation narrative and resonates deeply with Jewish exegesis of the Second Temple period. The Dead Sea community famously divided humanity into the "sons of light" and the "sons of darkness." But God’s light shining in salvation in the face of darkness and death is also of great importance throughout Isaiah. By identifying Jesus as this true light, John aligns Jesus with God's salvific work, continually influencing the world even after His ascension.[29]
John’s statement, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,”[30] is firmly rooted in Hebraic theology. Unlike the distant gods of pagan mythology, who resided atop mountains or in inaccessible realms, the God of Israel has always desired to dwell among His people. From walking with Adam in the Garden of Eden to commanding the construction of the Tabernacle,[31] God’s closeness with creation is a recurring theme. Notably, the Hebrew text of Exodus 25:8 indicates that God desired to dwell “within them,” emphasizing intimacy over separation, and not simply within the tent they were building.[32] Seen in this light, Jesus coming to dwell among us as the Messiah is the reaffirmation of His desire to be intimately involved in the life of His creation—a theme that continues with the sending of the Holy Spirit after the ascension.
ACNA Readings
Psalm 84. Numbers 16 details the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Moses, by the command of God, told the congregation to “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins… And Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, together with their wives, their sons, and their little ones.”[33] We don’t hear about the families of Dathan and Abiram in the Scriptures after the ground opened up and swallowed those who remained in the tents of those wicked men.[34]
However, we do hear about the sons of Korah. The sons of Korah were a Levitical family who physically had to remove themselves from the tents of wickedness against all cultural standards. They shamed their family by walking away from their father’s tent to join Moses and the congregation of Israel.[35]
Psalm 84 reflects the understanding of men who left their familial fidelity—rarely done in ancient Middle Eastern culture and almost always seen in a negative light. Yet they found something even greater—a living God, a king, and a protector. Having abandoned their father, Korah, the sons of Korah would have been without the protection of their patriarch. They may have even been seen as traitors to their family by anyone who might have taken them under their protection. But God became their shield. He also became their new dwelling place.
The chief gatekeeper of the house of God was Shallum, the descendant of Korah.[36] David made Heman, a descendant of Korah, one of the three chief musicians, possibly in charge of the morning liturgy.[37] They didn’t just open the gates every morning, stand at the gates and sing, and let people into the Tabernacle and Temple. The Korahites “were entrusted to be over the chambers and the treasures of the house of God.”[38] Mattithiah, Shallum’s son, was in charge of the grain offerings as the chief cultic baker[39]—the most common offering in the Temple.[40] Some of the descendants of Korah also served as David’s mighty men.[41]
Despite their challenging history—and indeed because of it—the goodness of God was shown to the Korahites who placed their trust completely in God rather than in their rebellious forefather. But it is also important that the sons of Korah did not stop giving thanks to God for His provision in all things.[42] God provided a new dwelling for them after losing their old one in service to Him. And so, the sons of Korah continued to praise and humbly worship God long after attaining prestigious positions.
Hebraic Perspective. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He often acts in similar ways and the Scriptures reflect this constancy as they often return to the same themes and patterns. However, sometimes the expectation of those hearing the word of God are subverted as the pattern is subtly reversed—albeit, generally in a way that strengthens our understanding of how God acts rather than breaking it.
Sometimes these patterns are clear, whether through repetition or study. For instance, Jeremiah 31 states an oft-repeated message in the Scriptures: those who go out weeping shall return with joy. Psalm 84:6 provides a visual picture of this message as those approaching Jerusalem first travel through the valley of tears before the blessing of God comes. However, this clarity shouldn’t diminish the message. Jeremiah repeatedly warned Judah that their rebellion and independence from God would lead them to exile—this wouldn’t just passively happen. God states “I myself will fight against you with outstretched hand and strong arm.”[43] God would send Israel into exile but it would also be God that would gather Israel and shepherd them.
And yet, weeping could also return. While Jeremiah mentions “the pregnant woman and she who is in labor… shall return here… in a straight path in which they shall not stumble”. Matthew 24:19-22 mourns for the pregnant and nursing mothers who will have to flee in exile. Luke 23:29-30 states that the mothers of Jerusalem should weep as they will one day wish for the mountains to fall on them. But from the depths of the ground, one of the greatest stories of salvation was displayed.
The son of Korah should have been swallowed up by the earth, and yet God reversed the expected outcome of a father’s rebellion against Him simply by doing the exact thing God promised—“The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”[44] By turning to God, the sons of Korah were invited to dwell where the God of the universe dwelled.
Matthew 2 displays the pattern of God’s faithfulness even as the subtle differences accentuate His purposes. The story of Jesus’ early life mirrors the Exodus narrative, one of the most celebrated and familiar events in the Jewish calendar. Soon after Moses’ birth, the king of Egypt desired to kill him; now it was King Herod who wished to kill Jesus. Moses was saved by the faithfulness of His family and the providence of a foreigner—the princess of Egypt who didn’t worship the same God but refused to give up the Hebrew child to the executioners. The Magi, warned by God, did not return to Herod to tell him where the Hebrew child lay. The Egyptians provided the children of Israel many gifts as they fled Egypt while the magi provided Jesus (and Joseph and Mary) many gifts as they fled to Egypt. For Moses, Egypt was a place of bondage, but for Jesus, it became a refuge—a reversal that reclaims Egypt’s role in God’s purposes.
Herod’s actions, as he slaughtered the male infants in Bethlehem, also shows the pattern of men. From the King of Egypt to King Herod even to this day our pride and fear causes death. Without a saviour and redemption we would continuously live in this pattern. Finally, while Matthew doesn’t state if the magi turned to God or remained pagan, they certainly had the opportunity to believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob even all Egypt had that opportunity and a multitude from Egypt did join with Israel to serve God.
If we are dealing with myths and typologies, these patterns, correlations, and reversal of expectations would make for beautiful literature but a dubious history. Surely Matthew exaggerated the situation to emulate the Jewish myths that came before—Luke doesn’t even mention Joseph and his family moving to Egypt for a time. But the Scriptures don’t speak of happenstance, they speak of a God who “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.” It shouldn’t be surprising that the God who exists eternally can create these braids of literature in reality nor that He will act in similarly faithful ways that He has already done, and promised He will do.
Matthew 2:1-12. The birth of Jesus did not go unnoticed in the world. While the Holy Spirit moved some to prophesy (such as Elizabeth, Zechariah, Simeon, and presumably Anna)[45] and angels visited others (such as Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds in Bethlehem)[46] God worked in a very different way to the east.
At the beginning of Matthew’s gospel, magi (a specific term for the priests of the Zoroastrian religion) declared that there was a king of the Jews. These magi seem to have followed their pagan beliefs (they were almost certainly gentile)[47] by following a star and yet they still arrived in Jerusalem. Once in Jerusalem, they inquired as to the location of the “king of the Jews”. Interestingly, Matthew’s Gospel later ends with another Gentile, Pilate, inquiring about Jesus as the “king of the Jews” before ultimately declaring Him so.
The Hebrew Scriptures never strictly equate the hoped-for Messiah with either the King, from the line of David, or the Prophet, one like Moses. Yet, by the 1st century, these three roles had largely merged into one expectation—the personhood of the Messiah. When Herod was asked about the king of the Jews, he didn’t ask the scribes about a king but rather where the Messiah was to be born. In response, the scribes and priests return to the ruler of Judah and shepherd of Israel—a ruler and shepherd just like King David—by quoting Micah 5:2.
The story returns to its very Jewish roots as an evil king, Herod, attempted to destroy the child born to save His people.[48] This parallels the Pharaoh of Exodus, who sought to destroy Israel’s male infants. In the story of the Exodus, precious commodities were given to the fleeing Israelites by gentiles who had seen the power of God. Much has been made of the three specific gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh—leading to the idea of three wise men—but no specific reason for those particular gifts are given in the Bible.[49] It is quite possible these gifts, besides being gifts to worship the Messiah, were the spiritual reminder of the redemption out of Egypt and the physical providence of God that Joseph used in their time in Egypt.
In the end, the pagan magi are actually visited by God in a dream, even as God visited the righteous man of Judah, Joseph, in a dream. In a mirror of Exodus and the story of Moses, the evil King ruled in Jerusalem and the Hebrew family had to flee to Egypt. This is significant as Deuteronomy, Isaiah, and Jeremiah all speak of Israel not returning to Egypt except as a punishment.[50] And yet, Isaiah 19:19-25 also speaks of a highway that will connect Assyria, Israel, and Egypt together as they worship God and become “a blessing in the midst of the earth.” God actively directs Joseph to take his family to Egypt for safety, not to be under the protection of the Pharaoh but as a sign of trust in God’s word. In fact, in the 1st century many Jews lived in Alexandria Egypt, with upwards of 35% of its population being Jews.
Endnotes
[1] ACNA alternate gospel: Luke 2:41-52
[2] García Martínez, Florentino. The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated: The Qumran Texts in English. Translated by Wilfred G. E. Watson, 2nd ed., Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996. Pg. 215
[3] Pesachim 54a
[4] II Samuel 22 was also included as Psalm 18 in the prayerbook and hymnbook of the Jewish people—the Psalms.
[5] Another phrase, very similar to “chief of the nations” is also used in Scripture, “First among the nations.” However, both times this phrase is used, it is in a very negative context: Numbers 24:20, “Amalek was the first among the nations, but its end is utter destruction” and Amos 6:1, “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountains of Samaria, the notable men of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel comes!”
[6] The word, of course, can refer to the physical but it means more than just a physical return. Genesis 3:19 states, “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” This is a physical return, but it has a deeply spiritual facet that should not be divorced as physical or spiritual, but rather both physical and spiritual. In Judges 2:19, the term is used as the people repent from their brief time of obedience to God and return to other gods. One of the primary uses of the word שׁוּב֙ (shuv) was to return to the land, whether Abraham and Jacob as they returned to Canaan to those who were removed from the congregation due to sin—such as accidental manslaughter. However, in following the pattern set in Deuteronomy 4:29-30, the prophets continuously use the word to speak of returning to God: Joel 2:12; Hosea 12:6; Isaiah 55:6-7; Jeremiah 4:1; II Chronicles 7:13-14; Zechariah 1:3-4; even James 4:8 uses the same Greek word as translated in the Septuagint. Israel’s return to the land was also commonly kept in relationship with a return to God, as also spoken of in Deuteronomy.
[7] The reading from the Old Testament this week is from one of the “other books” mentioned in article VI of the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religions in 1571,” sometimes called the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical books. The book was originally written in Hebrew by Jesus (Joshua) son of Sira sometime around 200-175 BC and was translated by his grandson into Greek around 117 BC. While fragments of the Hebrew were found amongst the Dead Sea scrolls and the Cairo Genizah, the text we have today is the Greek translation.
[8] While Sirach 23 does not mention her as Folly, she has similar attributes to those seen in Proverbs.
[9] Sophia has, at various times, been seen as a goddess, the (other) mother of Jesus, an abstract personal endeavour, the Holy Spirit, Jesus Himself, or even a loathsome aspect of God who created physical matter (Gnosticism often sees everything that is physical as bad, and thus creation of the world was perverse).
[10] Prior to exile, idolatry was very common in Israel. Arad, a city in southern Israel, had two altars in its ancient temple—one for God and one for His consort, Asherah.
[11] See also: Sirach 24:23.
[12] Sirach 24:3
[13] Sirach 24:23
[14] Psalm 147:1 and Psalm 147:12 have the superscription “αλληλουια Αγγαιου και Ζαχαριου.”
[15] The word ‘Hallelujah’ הַלְלוּיָה as an imperative to ‘Praise the Lord’ begins eleven psalms: 106, 111-113, 117, 135, 146-150. Hallelujah is also the final word of twelve psalms: 104-106, 113, 115-116, 135, 146-150. These have come to be known as the Hallel psalms.
An imperative is an exhortation or command, such as saying to someone, “Sit” or “Stand up!” It is not inconceivable that, during the Temple service, the conductor of worship would shout Hallelujah, and the worshippers present would then respond to the instruction and join with the Levites in praising the Lord.
[16] God provides rain for beasts, birds, and people.
[17] Proverbs 16:5
[18] Numbers 12:3
[19] James will write the same, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” While Paul provides an example to follow, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:35).
[20] The Book of Wisdom is later called the Wisdom of Solomon. From the Book of Wisdom 6:21-9:12, the author expands on Solomon’s appointment to the throne of the kingdom and his prayer for wisdom.
[21] Book of Wisdom 6:17
[22] Book of Wisdom 11:21-24
[23] For instance: Exodus 19:1-2 and Acts 2 regarding unity or Exodus 3:6 and Matthew 22:32 (Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37), along with Exodus 6:4, Numbers 18:28, and Deuteronomy 11:21 to speak of the resurrection.
[24] Deuteronomy 4:20; Deuteronomy 9:26-29; Deuteronomy 32:9; I Kings 8:51-53; Psalm 28:9; Psalm 74:2; Psalm 94:5; Jeremiah 10:16; Joel 2:17
[25] John 1:1
[26] The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures widely used in the time of Jesus and the early church, uses the identical first words as John 1:1’s ἐν ἀρχῇ in Genesis 1:1.
[27] Genesis 28:21 in the Targum “וְאֵתוּב בִּשְׁלַם לְבֵית אַבָּא וִיהֵא מֵימְרָא דַיְיָ לִי לֵאלָהָא” (so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the מֵימְרָא [LORD] shall be my God.”); Exodus 19:17 also connects מֵימְרָא (Memra, word) to the divine, “וְאַפֵּיק משֶׁה יָת עַמָא לְקַדָמוּת מֵימְרָא דַיְיָ מִן מַשְׁרִיתָא וְאִתְעַתָּדוּ בְּשִׁפּוֹלֵי טוּרָא” (“Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet מֵימְרָא [God], and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain.”)
[28] John 1:9
[29] The Greek present participle in John 1:9 suggests that the true light is continually coming into the world. Even after His ascension, Jesus’ light remains, influencing and dispelling darkness.
[30] John 1:14
[31] Exodus 25:8
[32] Exodus spends more chapters describing the construction of the Tabernacle than it does describing the actual exodus from Egypt—which was also so God could dwell among them according to Exodus 29:45-46. God is in the details. The construction of the tent is obviously important, otherwise why spend so much time talking about it. The material used to make the inner sanctuary was called ‘tachash’, a mysterious type of skin. Some versions of the Bible translate this as badger skin or some other animal. Regardless of which animal is being described, the point is that the material is skin. Exodus also tells us it took 9 months to complete the construction of the Tabernacle. It is an ancient Hebrew tradition that says God chose to reside inside a structure made of skin that took nine months to fashion.
[33] Numbers 16:26-27
[34] Dathan and Abiram are mentioned only in relation to their rebellion, whether in Numbers 16 and 26, Deuteronomy 11, or Psalm 106.
[35] Numbers 16:26-27; Psalm 84:10, “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”
[36] I Chronicles 9:17-19
[37] Beyond being a descendant of Korah and Samuel the prophet, Psalm 88 states that Heman was an Ezrahite. This term (האזרחי) is only mentioned in relation to the singers (I Kings 4:31; Psalm 88:1, 89:1) standing before the Tabernacle (I Chronicles 6:31-33, 44; 15:19). Perhaps this is his title because Heman, and Ethan with him, was designated to sing at dawn (זרח). Alternatively, they could have been stationed at the Eastern (מזרח, from the dawn—east) gate.
[38] I Chronicles 9:26-27
[39] The job of Mattithiah is slightly unclear in the Hebrew, however the Greek Septuagint clarifies it. See Leviticus 2:5; Leviticus 6:21; Leviticus 7:9; II Samuel 6:19; and I Chronicles 9:31. He would bake the unleavened cakes brought for sacrifices. Meanwhile, his kinsmen baked the weekly showbread.
[40] Grain offerings, as detailed in Leviticus 2, were offered with most other sacrifices in the Temple. The grain offerings could be brought before God throughout the year. They were also offered twice daily along with the whole burnt offerings. In addition, while many assume that blood offerings were the most common sacrifice, Leviticus 5:11-13 specifies that a grain offering could even be used for a sin offering before God.
God promised, in Deuteronomy 18:1-2, that He would feed the Levitites who served Him. The Grain offering was one of the most important offerings of the people to fulfill the promise of God. Deuteronomy 12:19 and 14:27-29 served as a warning to Israel regarding the provision of the Levites. In Joel 1:9, one of the charges against Israel that led to exile was that the grain offerings and drink offerings were cut off and the priests were in mourning—almost certainly because they were starving. with neither offerings nor working fields.
[41] The Levitical cities were stationed in important economic, cultural, and military corridors. Many Levites worked in their cities and fields, but some were expected to go out and teach the Torah, as seen in II Chronicles 17:8-9, combating cultural and religious invasion along with apostasy. While the Levites weren’t counted among the tribal military units, they lived in strategic locations. On multiple occasions, they demonstrated their military prowess. I Chronicles 12:6 mentions Korahites among David’s mighty men. II Chronicles 23 records the Levites serving as guards for the newly crowned young king in a successful coup. When Uzziah tried to force his way into the Temple, II Chronicles 26:17 speaks of 80 priests, “men of valor”—the term for the commanders of the army and elite troops—who were able to stop even the king.
[42] Not all the sons of Korah continued to worship God. Heman’s father, Joel, had a position of authority, but used it for his own gain, taking bribes while turning away from God. Joel was removed from authority, but his son was reinstated because he turned to God with all his heart.
[43] Jeremiah 21:5
[44] Ezekiel 18:20. That isn’t to say that consequences can’t be felt for sin through multiple generations as pointed out in Exodus 34:7 and Numbers 14:18.
[45] Luke 1:41-45, 67-79, 2:25-32, 36-38
[46] Luke 1:11-23, 26-38; Matthew 1:20-25; Luke 2:8-15
[47] The most likely theories about the Magi was that they were either Medes or Chaldeans, both of whom resided in the Parthian empire. The original term for Magi seems to come from the Medo-Persian languages. Zoroastrianism, and Mithraism, was an extremely popular religion in the Parthian empire. Strabo mentions the Magus, or Magi, in Geography 15.3.13-16 as a priestly class of the Persians.
Zoroastrianism was known for their sanctuaries of burning fire. Strabo states in Geography 15.3.16, “To whatever god they intend to sacrifice, they first address a prayer to fire.” Fire and light were a symbol of truth to fight darkness and evil. They also had a Messiah figure who they seemed to seek through the study of the movement of the bright stars. Interestingly, in scripture the Medes were the lone empire that God did not prescribe judgment against as they treated the Jewish people with kindness. From their midst came the only Gentile that God called a messiah, Cyrus—king of the Medo-Persian empire (Isaiah 45:1). They too may have been influenced by the Jewish writings, such as Daniel, even as their own beliefs sometimes influenced a form of gnostic dualism in a few communities within Judaism and Christianity. However, the Magi mentioned in Matthew 2 do not seem to know some of the common prophecies that the elders of the Jews would know.
Alternatively, they may have been in the tradition of the Chaldeans, a people that were known to hear the voice of God. We first read about the Chaldeans with Terah and Abram, who heard the voice of God. Daniel also speaks of this special people who were summoned amongst magicians, astrologers, and sorcerers to explain dreams. But while Chaldeans were known to hear the voice of God, they were also a people who often fought against God (Job 1:17; II Kings 24-25; Jeremiah; Habakkuk 1:6). Nonetheless, these visitors from the East were the first non-Jews to bear witness to the King of the Jews and the redeemer of the world.
This is another example of the Biblical pattern in which beginnings and endings often occur in the same way and using the same people. The people of Israel began with the call of Abram the Chaldean and concluded with exile back to the land they were called out from. However, from exile, they would once more be called to the land of Israel.
[48] The death of King Herod gives us information on the time of Jesus’ birth as Herod died in 4 B.C. Scholarship generally gives a date for Jesus' birth sometime between 6-4 B.C.
[49] Strabo, in Geography 16.3.7, specifically mentions frankincense as being a particularly valuable trade commodity from Persia. Although Strabo also mentions Egypt as a source of these goods while Diodorus mentions Arabia as a source for frankincense and myrrh in Bibliotheca Historica 3.46.
[50] Isaiah 30:1-3, 31:1; Jeremiah 42:15-18; Deuteronomy 17:16, 28:68