Circumcision and Holy Name of Jesus - Year A

Sermon Notes from the Church’s Ministry Among Jewish People

RCL Readings – Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 8; Galatians 4:4-7 or Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 2:15-21

ACNA Readings – Exodus 34:1-9; Psalm 8; Romans 1:1-7; Luke 2:15-21


Psalm 8. Though  David was king over Israel, Psalm 8 shows that David remained humble—GOD is his Lord. David was a mighty lord, a warrior poet. God can, and does, proclaim His power and majesty through the most helpless of humans. David uses two words for child, one is תינוק (tinok) which comes from the verb לינוק (linok, to suckle). The second word for infant, עוֹלָל (olel, little ones), is most commonly used for children that are harmed by those who are stronger than they are. It is from the one that is completely dependent on the goodness of another that defeats God’s foes. This is amazing, given that His power and majesty are also displayed in the grandeur of the universe.


David understands that he, and all the sons of Adam, seem insignificant compared to all that God created. Yet he is not so proud as to ignore what God has declared: God remembers us and visits us. This isn’t simply God dwelling among His people, as important as that is. To visit (פקד, pakad) became synonymous with God healing the sick and visiting those in prison—thus the common translation “care for”. 


This first appears in Genesis 21:1, where God visits Sarah and removes her shame by giving her a son. It continues through Scripture and is, perhaps, most clearly seen in Matthew 25:35-39, 43 where we are called to imitate what God has done and will be judged on our actions. This became known as the gemilut chasidim, (גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים) the acts of loving-kindness.


But God has done even more. Although He had no need, He raised humanity up and crowned us with glory and honour. This isn’t just about David as a king, it comes from Genesis 1:26. Even as a shepherd, David was crowned with the glory and honor God gave to humanity—dominion not only over sheep, but also over the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea—just like all made in the image of God, both male and female.


The author of Hebrews took Psalm 8:5-8 and used a common Hebraic writing style (גזירה שוה, gezerah shavah, which links texts sharing key words of phrases to deepen their meaning) to declare that Jesus has been given all authority. Jesus identified Himself as the Son of Man from Daniel 7, fulfilling a long-standing messianic hope that is woven throughout the Gospels. This son of man, in Daniel 7:13-14, would be given an everlasting dominion and kingdom over all people, nations, and languages. This son of man comes on the clouds of heaven but the author of Hebrews emphasizes that Jesus’ suffering led to His authority, and so draws from Psalm 8 to speak of Jesus’ descent to earth to live as a man while the angels—who the author just argued to be much less than Jesus—are in heaven.


David completes his psalm as he began it. Having both declared that we should be humble and also declaring that we have dominion, glory, and honour, David turns straight back to his Lord, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your Name in all the earth!”


Galatians 4:4-7.


Philippians 2:5-11 (Palm Sunday variety). This passage begins with Paul providing insight into the mind of Christ and suggests that we too should have the same mindset.[1] These verses openly declare the divinity of Jesus and his amazing sacrifice in becoming a man. As part of the Godhead, Jesus would be beyond the reach of death, yet he chose to become subject (obedient) to its power. 


The Greek uses the term μορφῇ θεοῦ, morphe theou, the “form of God,” which, despite many arguments to the contrary, does imply the preexistence of Jesus, the Messiah. The word morphe means the exact nature of something, having all the characteristics of the thing to which it is applied to, in this case to God. In contemporary Greek writings to Paul, μορφῇ can be used to speak of the form of a creature, plant, deity, or monstrous being. But it isn’t a created form or artistic rendition—it is the very thing that is spoken of.[2] Jesus had the form of God in every sense. Jesus was never trying to become God during His ministry as He already was, and is, God. 


Verses 5 and 7 provide an amazing contrast: having the form of God, Jesus chose to take the form of a servant. How was this possible? The idea of the divine choosing to become human is completely foreign to most other religions.[3] Just as Jesus was morphe theou, actual God, now he became morphen doulou, an actual servant. We, along with the Philippians, should be amazed that Jesus became a servant as a man—something which had never been done before. In verse 7 the Greek word to describe this process is ἐκένωσεν ekenosin, often translated as Jesus “emptying Himself”. The theological arguments surrounding kenosis are varied, as there isn’t a lot to work from, but also contentious. The clear and obvious purpose of the passage, however, is to state that we should act in humility as Jesus did and then to explain the vast depth of what the humility of Jesus looks like.


Going back to the context, if we should have the same mindset, we will find it's one thing to have an understanding of what Jesus was thinking and doing, it’s another thing to apply those lessons personally and intimately—to obey. Nonetheless, Paul encourages the Philippians towards this humility and is hopeful to hear good news regarding them.[4]


Finally, Paul gives additional hope and encouragement—having never before known death, Jesus willingly took the cross during his passion (suffering). The conjunction “therefore” (διὸ) in verse 9 reminds us that it was precisely this humility of Jesus that is the basis for his exaltation, with the Father giving him the name above all names. Jesus, though He took the form of a servant, is Lord.


Luke 2:15-21.


Hebraic Perspective.


Optional Context 1


ACNA Readings


Romans 1:1-7. Paul introduces himself to the Romans as “an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.” The gospel, in both Greek and Hebrew, is the good news of victory over an enemy. During most wars, the citizens of the nation must wait anxiously for news of whether their sons and husbands lived or died. They would wait to see if they should flee with as much as they could carry, leaving everything they had spent their entire lifetime (and the lifetime of their forefathers) behind. However, God’s victory was promised long ago through the prophets.


Paul specifically references the promised king descended from David. God made a covenant with David, promising: “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son…Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.”[5] God established Solomon as king after David,[6] but the Jewish people had long understood God’s covenant to point towards more than Solomon. They believed it pointed to a King, the Messiah, who would rule with great authority.


From the Psalms to Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel this promise is continued and expanded.[7] Jesus, and later Peter, quotes Psalm 110:1 in reference to the promised son—and Lord—of David.[8] Jeremiah states, “In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days, Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely…For thus says the LORD: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throng of the house of Israel.”[9]


Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a descendant of David and the one the prophets promised. Jesus came in the flesh, God incarnate. He suffered, was mocked, pierced, and died. But He was declared to be the Son of God through the resurrection from the dead. Paul quotes Psalm 2 after declaring that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is the good news that God promised to the fathers.[10]


It is through God’s anointed one, the resurrected Lord, that forgiveness of sins is proclaimed.[11] These promises of great victory given to Paul’s forefathers were extended among all the nations. And so Paul can speak to the Roman church, a mix of both Jews and Gentiles, and call them saints. 


Optional Context 2


Further reading.


Sources and Bibliography.


Seasonal Introduction. Christmas is not a day, it is a season. The Christmas season lasts 12 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 as God is a keeper of covenants and will never abandon His promises.


Common Theme.


Hebraic Context. In the first century, the Jewish people had a certain nostalgia and hope for redemption. And so, male children were named[12] after the Hasmonean family: Matthew (the father), Simon, Judah, Eleazar (or Lazarus), Jonathan and John. But the first commander of the Jewish army, Joshua (or Jesus), was also incredibly popular.[13] [Rachel Halili][14] states that as many as one out of every seven males were given the name Jesus according to the literary and archaeological evidence. But the first commander of the Jewish army, Joshua (or Jesus) was also incredibly popular. 


And, of course, Jesus’ name had significance, as seen in Matthew 1:21, “He will save his people from their sins.” But remember, we aren’t simply saved from something–our sins. Rather, Jesus is Immanuel, God with us–we are saved for something, communion with God.


Numbers 6:22-27.[15] Every week at the end of the service, the priest declares a blessing over the church. But let’s try an experiment. Write down or state the definition of blessing. How does God bless His people? We so often speak of giving a blessing (or grace) before a meal, although what we often mean is that we are recognizing the blessing, or grace, of God before a meal.[16]


But let’s take our earlier definition of blessing and see if we can apply it with that same definition when we are called to bless God?[17] Psalm 103 states that the angels of hosts of heaven should bless God, all of God’s creation should bless God, and, indeed, we too should bless God.


I will put my name upon the people of Israel and I will bless them…?


Blessing for all Israel, not just Nazirites?


Psalm 8. Deities of the ancient world were never omnipotent. Those that didn’t know the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob assumed that He was a god of a specific region.[18] But this Psalm of David recognizes that God is above all the earth–He made the heavens, moon and stars. Nonetheless, everyone in the ancient world understood the frailty of men–particularly babies and infants that could be discarded or sacrificed on a whim. Jesus’ coming surely tricked people and made fools of those in power. The powers and principalities didn’t understand God’s plan, “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Corinthians 2:8). Jesus didn’t come with a spotlight or celebrations. His coming was a great mystery, but one that established his strength over His enemies.


Galatians 4:4-7. It’s easy to think of the death and resurrection of Jesus as the pinnacle, the central pillar of our salvation. But this verse reminds us of the centrality of the incarnation. Without the incarnation, there is no life, no death and resurrection of Jesus, and there is no salvation. The incarnation isn’t about a single act, no matter how important, but God coming to dwell in human history.[19] 


It is common to understand that the Roman empire was the perfect time for Jesus to come into this world–a common peace, a roadway and Mediterranean sailing that allowed for travel. But peace was never a prerequisite for the time of the Messiah. Jesus started His ministry shortly after John the Baptist–a prophet that saw many in Israel repent. Additionally, the Jewish community was spread throughout the world (both Roman and Parthians)[20] and was fulfilling God’s calling to be a light to the gentiles as we can see many gentiles became God-fearers.[21]


also when the Jewish people had prepared the way for the Messiah–see John the Baptist and, in fact, the vast number of scholars throughout the 2nd Temple period. The roots of Judgment, morality, salvation, messiah, sin, all of it came out of the Jewish theologians studying Scripture. This happened in Jewish communities, although Gentiles were also able to join into the conversation. Also, up to 10% of the Roman Empire was Jewish–double check Gregory Bar Hebraeus. 13th century Syrian Orthodox Primate. Check total population of Rome against citizens of Rome, one estimate is that Gregory misread citizens, see census with Jews. However, the low estimates of only a half million doesn’t equate with the three major revolts, one of which was claimed, along, to have killed a half-million… Alexandria was well known for having a large Jewish population (as high as 30-40%, source), while also being one of, if not the largest, city in the empire…] with humans. In this time, God sent forth his son, born unto a woman, born under law to redeem those under the law.


[FN - Benjamin Sumner, “Bodies of God”

  • Orthodox Jew
  • God could take spiritual form.
  • Opposed to Maimonides
  • Understands the Christian argument
  • Difference is that a crucified man was the Son of Man.
  • Not that the Messiah could be God.]

Not Hebraic roots, but Roman Law and customs.

  • Adam is God’s son
  • Israel is God’s son
  • Jesus is God’s son


Slaves were often the adopted one, the slave was given the keys to the family.


Galatians 3:23-4:7. Paul had a very deep understanding of Hebraic thought and understandings of the Scriptures and commonly used them to build up his argument. The Torah, law, is never regarded as a bad thing in Scripture. The Hebraic belief that the Torah gives life is so strong, based on Leviticus 18:5 “You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the LORD” that if obedience of a law would directly and clearly lead to death—such as in the case of lying to save someone’s life during the holocaust or working in a hospital on Shabbat—then that law could be temporarily suspended in that particular case as God gave the Torah to provide life and not death. Psalm 119 is a beautiful ode to the Torah of God, “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD… Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day”. And Jesus even declared that he came to fulfill, or carry out, the law in Matthew 5:17. But there is something greater than the law—the lawgiver.


This leads to Paul’s central point: through Christ, God transforms our relationship with the law. The law, though good and life-giving, was never meant to be the ultimate source of redemption. Instead, it serves as a guide and a tutor, preparing humanity for the coming of the Messiah. In Galatians 4:1–7, Paul uses a metaphor familiar to his audience: adoption in Roman law. In Roman law, adoption was a transformative process that secured the status of an heir within a family. This could be done for non-biological children or adults.[22] Once this adoption was made, it was binding. Obviously, there are very real differences between Jew and Greek, as there are very real differences between male and female, but through the Messiah, our status as an heir could be secured in equal measures. Paul uses this concept to illustrate the spiritual transformation believers undergo. Obviously, there are very real differences between Jew and Greek, as there are very real differences between male and female, but through the Messiah our status as heirs is equal before God.


In this context, Paul makes a striking statement, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son.” Jesus was sent into human history to redeem those who were under the law. Paul emphasizes the incarnation and the perfect timing of God’s plan. While much attention is often placed on Jesus’ death and resurrection, Paul highlights the incarnation as the foundation of redemption. Paul’s argument is that God’s ultimate purpose is not only to demonstrate His power over life and death but to dwell among His people. Without the incarnation—God taking on human flesh—there could be no death, no resurrection, and no redemption. 


But Jesus was also sent at a specific time in history. When did the fullness of time come? The idea that this "fullness of time" was due to Roman infrastructure, such as roads or a period of peace, is misleading. The Roman Empire was far from peaceful, often at war and notoriously persecuting and enslaving their enemies, particularly the Jewish people. Jesus came when the Jewish people had prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah. John the Baptist preached about the kingdom of heaven and repentance and many came to the wilderness to prepare the way for the Messiah.


Millions of Jews lived in the Roman Empire, with the majority outside of the land of Israel.[23] With the spread of the Jewish people throughout the empire, issues such as the biblical understanding of judgment, morality, salvation, the messiah, and sin could be understood and take root in not only the Jewish communities but also the Gentile God-fearers who followed the Jewish faith. In this way, the world was prepared for the gospel and at this time God sent forth His Son.


Galatians 3:23-25, 4:4-7.[24] Paul had a very deep understanding of Hebraic thought and understandings of the Scriptures and commonly used them to build up his argument. The Torah, law, is never regarded as a bad thing in Scripture. The Hebraic belief that the Torah gives life is so strong, based on Leviticus 18:5 “You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the LORD” that if obedience of a law would directly and clearly lead to death—such as in the case of lying to save someone’s life during the holocaust or working in a hospital on Shabbat—then that law could be temporarily suspended in that particular case as God gave the Torah to provide life and not death. Psalm 119 is a beautiful ode to the Torah of God, “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD… Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day”. And Jesus even declared that he came to fulfill, or carry out, the law in Matthew 5:17. But there is something greater than the law—the lawgiver.


This leads to Paul’s central point: through Christ, God transforms our relationship with the law. The law, though good and life-giving, was never meant to be the ultimate source of redemption. Instead, it serves as a guide and a tutor, preparing humanity for the coming of the Messiah. In Galatians 4:1–7, Paul uses a metaphor familiar to his audience: adoption in Roman law. In Roman law, adoption was a transformative process that secured the status of an heir within a family. This could be done for non-biological children or adults.[25] Once this adoption was made, it was binding. Obviously, there are very real differences between Jew and Greek, as there are very real differences between male and female, but through the Messiah, our status as an heir could be secured in equal measures. Paul uses this concept to illustrate the spiritual transformation believers undergo. Obviously, there are very real differences between Jew and Greek, as there are very real differences between male and female, but through the Messiah our status as heirs is equal before God.


In this context, Paul makes a striking statement, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son.” Jesus was sent into human history to redeem those who were under the law. Paul emphasizes the incarnation and the perfect timing of God’s plan. While much attention is often placed on Jesus’ death and resurrection, Paul highlights the incarnation as the foundation of redemption. Paul’s argument is that God’s ultimate purpose is not only to demonstrate His power over life and death but to dwell among His people. Without the incarnation—God taking on human flesh—there could be no death, no resurrection, and no redemption. 


But Jesus was also sent at a specific time in history. When did the fullness of time come? The idea that this "fullness of time" was due to Roman infrastructure, such as roads or a period of peace, is misleading. The Roman Empire was far from peaceful, often at war and notoriously persecuting and enslaving their enemies, particularly the Jewish people. Jesus came when the Jewish people had prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah. John the Baptist preached about the kingdom of heaven and repentance and many came to the wilderness to prepare the way for the Messiah.


Millions of Jews lived in the Roman Empire, with the majority outside of the land of Israel.[26] With the spread of the Jewish people throughout the empire, issues such as the biblical understanding of judgment, morality, salvation, the messiah, and sin could be understood and take root in not only the Jewish communities but also the Gentile God-fearers who followed the Jewish faith. In this way, the world was prepared for the gospel and at this time God sent forth His Son.


Philippians 2:5-11.


Luke 2:15-21.


Hebraic Perspective.


Optional Context 1


ACNA Readings


Exodus 34:1-9. 


Romans 1:1-7. Jesus doesn’t like to use the term Son of David about himself, although the gospels often point out that Jesus is the son of David and that he rules as an ideal king (or, in the minds of some people, David was the ideal king…)


Jesus mentions that the prophets, the Old Testament, speaks about him…


Declared to be the son of God – this is a hard verse. It sounds like Arianism… 


Optional Context 2


Further reading.


Sources and Bibliography.



RCL Readings – Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 8; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:15-21

ACNA Readings – Exodus 34:1-9; Psalm 8; Romans 1:1-7; Luke 2:15-21


Introduction. The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ is a Christian celebration in the liturgical calendar which is important as it reminds us of the Jewishness of Jesus. Circumcision is called b’rit milah בְּרִית מִילָה in Hebrew and, according to Jewish tradition, is the day on which male children are given their name. The Roman Catholic Church calls this day the Feast of the Holy Name.


Common Theme. The account of the circumcision and naming of Jesus is given in only one verse in Luke 2:21. Matthew’s Gospel is the only other gospel to describe the naming of Jesus, and in Matthew 2:25 it is described without any ceremony. Many of the readings this week centre around the importance of the Name of God and less about the meaning and act of circumcision itself.


Numbers 6:22-27. The Bible, excluding the psalms, does not provide many written prayers that are meant to be recited regularly. The few that are have become very important in the community. Here Moses is commanded to instruct Aaron in blessing the Israelites. This ancient blessing is known as the Aaronic Benediction or the Priestly Blessing and, in modern Judaism, can only be said by a Cohen, a descendent of Aaron. The blessing itself is not actually a priestly blessing as it originated directly from God, and the priest was simply the conduit or mouthpiece for the divine words. These words have been found in inscriptions on ancient jewellery, attesting to their importance in Israelite antiquity. The blessing invokes the Name of the Lord (YHWH) three times. This is not an early trinitarian formula but reflects the importance of special numbers in Hebraic thought: Abraham is visited by three angels; the Hebrew Bible is divided into three sections of which the Torah was given at Sinai in the third month; there were three daily sacrifices in the temple and are three prayers a day in the synagogue, to show a few examples. The blessing is addressed to the community and yet the Hebrew grammar is written and pronounced in the singular. The phrase “The Lord bless you” is in the singular, which actually a grammatical error when addressing a group! This deeply personal blessing is pronounced on every individual while they are part of a community. The blessing is sealed through the application of the name of God. Through this blessing, God's name is connected to light, grace, guardianship, and peace. These are hallmarks of his kingdom which bears his name. The name of God is declared on his people, and we continue to bear that name, carrying it with us into every aspect of our lives as a witness, as individuals, and as a community.


Psalm 8. David directs his praise to the excellent name of God, beginning this psalm using the unpronounceable name of God (יהוה). God has many names in the Bible, most of them reflecting his power and character, but this one is his personal, private[27] name. As there are no vowels in ancient Hebrew, it is impossible to really know how to verbally pronounce YHWH. And as God’s name is particularly holy, the modern tradition has been to simply say, ‘Ha-Shem’ (literally ‘the Name’) so as not to take the Lord’s name in vain. In Christian tradition, we similarly do not pronounce the personal name of the Lord (though some may use the unlikely pronunciations Yahweh and Jehovah). In usual speech, we refer to God simply as God, which is not his name but straightforwardly what he is! We also call him Father, Redeemer, Friend, Saviour and Lord … etc. As in the Jewish tradition, all these are aspects of his character but not his actual name. This psalm is appropriate for the circumcision of Jesus due to the reference to babies and nursing infants in the second verse. In Hebrew, children who are nursing are called tinok תִינוֹק; it comes from the verb to suck, as that is usually what we find them doing most of the time at this age. Interestingly, one of the names of God is El-Shaddai which is typically translated as God Almighty. However, that is not a correct translation at all (Mighty God is El Gibbor). El Shaddai is quite literally God is my breast, which initially might seem a rather strange name to be calling the king of the universe! However, when we think about it, babies have only one natural recourse to gain all the sustenance they need to survive and grow and that is through the mother’s breast. As children of God, we too have only one source of truth, goodness and blessing, and that is the Lord Himself. God willingly gives of himself all his goodness, his grace, mercy and compassion, which we receive as children (literally תינוקות) and through which we grow under his care. As David directs his praise of God in this psalm, he describes in wonder how God shares his glory with mankind. Why would God do such a thing to people who are made lower than angels? Truly this is the grace and love of God. 


Galatians 4:4-7. This is a passage of Scripture that has been misinterpreted through a common misunderstanding regarding Gentiles and the Torah. Greek, unfortunately, translates the Hebrew word Torah with Law (nomos), giving it a nuance it does not deserve. Torah is derived from the verb to teach or instruct and thus means the teaching or instructions of God, which are good things! Law has the connotations of harsh rules and judgement. I hope you can see the difference. Paul declares that the Messiah is born under the ‘Law/Torah’ to redeem those under the ‘Law/Torah’. The question then is, who is under the Torah? The answer is quite simple; in the first century, it was the Jewish people. Gentiles were never directly under the Law as the Torah was given to Israel at Mount Sinai and not imposed on the Gentile world. This is probably the most common misunderstanding I encounter with pilgrims in Jerusalem. Gentiles were never “under the law”. “Under the Law” was the Hebraic terminology to signify under the guardianship of the Torah. The Messiah has come to redeem the Jewish people and now mediates the New Covenant with the House of Israel (as declared in Jeremiah 31). Gentiles, who were outside the covenants of God are now grafted into this New Covenant through the Messiah and do not have obligations to the Torah. Both Jews and Gentiles have all been slaves to sin, but that is not the same thing as having the obligations of the Torah upon you. This was heavily debated by the believers in Jerusalem in Acts 15 but solved; James ruled that the Torah doesn't apply to Gentile followers of Jesus. Instead of receiving the obligations of Torah, Gentile believers find themselves in the same position as Jewish believers in Jesus, not under the Torah but with Torah written on our hearts (Jer 31:32-34). Paul here describes the grafting in of the Gentile believers as being adopted into the family of God, giving us the joy of being called sons of God and able to call on the name of the Lord with the gentle word Abba. 


Luke 2:15-21. Luke had previously described the shepherds as being out in the fields guarding their flocks at night. This has led many preachers to declare that this could not have been wintertime as it would have been too cold for outdoor animal husbandry and thus Jesus was clearly not born at Christmas. However, anyone who actually is involved in sheep farming knows that sheep are never housed indoors even during snow. The flocks are simply too big. I was in England recently and personally witnessed flocks outside in the fields grazing in -3 C (27 F) degrees snow and rain. The current temperature in Israel at night is a cool 12 C (54 F) degrees but certainly not low enough to require bringing animals inside. Sheep are hardy things, and so are shepherds. In antiquity, shepherds were the lords of clans and held in high esteem. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were wealthy and respected shepherds. Following urbanization, the shepherding profession was relegated to the poorer classes as the elite established homes in cities, thus the first witnesses to the good news of the birth of the Messiah were the poor and overlooked. All who hear the shepherds share their angelic visitation are amazed. The text is unclear who and how many are the “all” in Bethlehem. It could refer simply to the immediate family of Joseph and Mary who have their own experiences of angelic visitors. Interestingly everyone who had thus far met the infant Jesus engaged with angels. 


The Gospels note that Jesus is born into a pious devout Jewish family. So when the eighth day arrived, as described in the book of Leviticus 12:3, they circumcised him according to custom and gave him the name of Jesus. We often have to be reminded what the name Jesus means, God saves. In Hebrew, it’s a bit easier as the name is Yeshua and is easily identified as coming from the verb hoshia which means to deliver or to save. The name of Yeshua is essentially a shortened form of the name of the biblical figure of Joshua. Yeshua was a fairly common name in the first century with the name appearing on many inscriptions around ancient Judea. The Septuagint, written several hundred years before Jesus, had translated the word Joshua יְהוֹשֻׁעַ into Ἰησοῦς Iesous from which we derive the English word Jesus. Jesus is not named after the Greek god Zeus which looks like this in Greek, Ζεύς, which as you can see is very different from Ἰησοῦς. The circumcision and naming of Jesus squarely put him in his Jewish context and not in the Greek world.


ACNA Readings 


Exodus 34:1-9. This portion of Exodus recounts the creation of the second tablets of the Ten Commandments. The first ones were destroyed by Moses in rage at seeing the Israelite worship the golden calf. For these new tablets, Moses will chisel new stones but the Lord himself will write the commandments. Heaven and Earth will both be involved in this new creation. As the Lord appeared before Moses, he announced his name and in so doing also declared his character. Exodus 34:5-7 are known in Jewish tradition as the 13 attributes of God. During the modern synagogue service, this passage is read allowed as part of the liturgy declaring the character of God.


Romans 1:1-7. Paul is likely writing to a Gentile audience that is worshipping with Jewish believers in Rome. The Gospel is referred to in Romans as “the Gospel of God” and not, as we might expect, as the Gospel of Jesus. This good news of Jesus was promised through the Prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures and proven to be true through the resurrection. The Gospel of God, Paul declares, is now accessible to Gentiles who are called to obedience through faith (clearly faith and works – obedience – are linked together and should never be separated). This was for his name’s sake. The name of God and the name of Jesus are linked with the promised good news and the salvation that comes through the resurrection. God’s name is connected to his promises in the Hebrew Scriptures. And God is no liar. He has spoken truly. The message of the New Testament is a witness to the truth of God, to the Gospel of God and to the great name of God.


About the author. The Rev. Aaron Eime is a deacon at Christ Church Jerusalem and a teacher for CMJ Israel. Aaron studied in the master’s program at Hebrew University with a focus on early Jewish and Christian interpretation of the Bible. He also studied psychology and sociology at Queensland University in Australia. Aaron is a dedicated Bible teacher exploring the Hebraic roots of the Christian faith. He reads Aramaic and ancient Greek and is fluent in German and Hebrew. He has taught internationally, including in Europe, North America, Hong Kong, and China. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife and three children.

Endnotes

[1] Many scholars have suggested that the apostle Paul is quoting from an early Christian hymn or creed, referred to in the theoretical as Carmen Christi, rather than composing something new in these verses. This argument, while interesting, does not make this passage any less true. We do know that hymns and creeds were important parts of the liturgy of the early church and 2nd Temple period (our passage later, in Mark 14:26 mentions that Jesus and the disciples sang a hymn before going to the Mount of Olives).

[2] See Strabo Geography 1.2.11 or 5.4.13

[3] There are instances when a god or goddess would descend to take the form of a man, woman, or beast but it was invariably to fulfill a lust or matter of pride. Ephesians 2 speaks to Jesus doing the exact opposite.

[4] Epaphroditus, in Ephesians 2:25-29, is an example of someone who was willing to follow Jesus’ example, though ultimately spared death.

[5] II Samuel 7:12-16. See also: Psalm 89:3-4, 19-37; I Chronicles 17:11-14.

[6] II Samuel 7:14 also speaks of iniquity and discipline, something very familiar to the kings of Judah as they continuously rebelled, were disciplined, and turned back to God.

[7] Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 11:1-10; Ezekiel 34:23-24; Ezekiel 37:24-25 

[8] Matthew 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42-43; Acts 2:34-35

[9] Jeremiah 33:14-17

[10] Acts 13:30-37; Psalm 2:2, 7. Paul had not yet visited Rome when he sent this letter. However, the opening of Romans 1 matches the arguments he also made in Antioch-in-Pisidia

[11] Acts 13:38-39

[12] The Jewish custom of naming children at the circumcision is actually first mentioned in today's readings. The Mishnah and Talmud may pick up on the concept but they are written well after Luke’s writing.

[13] The princesses of the Hasmonean family were also quite popular names for female children, as in Miriamne/Miriam.

[14] Rachel Halili, book, page

[15] Part of the Aaronic Blessing was discovered in a first temple period tomb just outside Jerusalem (Ketef Hinnom) on a silver Scroll in 1979. At the time of its discovery, it was the earliest known written passage of a Biblical text.

[16] In Hebraic thought, we aren’t simply to thank God for His blessing nor are we to bless the food–it has already been blessed by God’s provision of rain, soil, and workers. We are to bless God because He has already blessed us. This blessing comes after the meal (Deuteronomy 8:10) when we have fully tasted and seen that the Lord is good. It is clear from the context that the way we bless God is to keep His commandments (מצות).

[17] Mirriam Webster states that ‘to bless’ is: to hallow or consecrate by religious rite or word; to invoke divine care; to praise or glorify. Can we make God holy by our words? Can we invoke divine care towards God when we bless Him? And if the definition is to praise or glorify, is that what God is doing for us. In the Hebrew language, words have a large breadth of meaning. Certainly, God makes his people holy and shows his divine care for his people and we, His creation, are called to glorify God but there is also always an element of action in a blessing and not simply words. We can bless God by how we act, even as God blesses us by how God acts.

[18] Ben Hadad, of Syria, chose to fight in the plains as he thought the God of Israel was a hill-country deity, I Kings 20:23-25, 28. Rabshakah, of Assyria, compared the God of Israel to the other regional gods of the lands, II Kings 18:22, 28-35.

[19] Immanuel, God with us. God’s plan was always to dwell among His people. From spending time in the garden with Adam and Eve to the Exodus to the prophets. When Jesus went to prepare a place that we can dwell with him–God sent the Holy Spirit to dwell among us even as He works.

[20] One source, the Syrian Orthodox Primate Gregory Bar Hebraeus, from the 13th century, thought that upwards of 10% of the Roman Empire was Jewish. This was likely a misreading of the percentage of people who lived under the Roman Empire and the number of actual Roman citizens, just under 10% (roughly 6 million Roman citizens in Claudius’ census from 48 CE). Nonetheless, there was a large number of Judeans in the Roman Empire (and, according to Josephus, Israelites in Parthia). Alexandria, one of the larger cities in the Roman Empire, was a major Jewish centre with upwards of 35% of its population being Jewish. From 66-136, between the three great Jewish revolts, an estimated 1.6 million Jews were killed.

[21] In the 1st century, many of the synagogues throughout the world included Gentiles (Acts 13:43, 17:1-4). One synagogue, excavated in Aphrodisias, Turkey, had an inscription including 69 Jewish donors but also 54 among those who were ‘God-fearers’, or Gentilic followers of God. Gentilic inclusion in the worship of the Jewish God was part of the difficulty of the early church as they sorted out how to apply God’s statutes and commandments given to the Jewish people and Israel (see Isaiah 56 and Acts 15).


[22] The status of biological children could be secured through the legal declarations of wills.

[23] One source, the Syrian Orthodox Primate Gregory Bar Hebraeus, from the 13th century, thought that upwards of 10% of the Roman Empire was Jewish. This was likely a misreading of the percentage of people who lived under the Roman Empire and the number of actual Roman citizens, just under 10% (roughly 6 million Roman citizens in Claudius’ census from 48 CE). Nonetheless, there was a large number of Judeans in the Roman Empire (and, according to Josephus, Israelites in Parthia). Alexandria, one of the larger cities in the Roman Empire, was a major Jewish centre with upwards of 35% of its population being Jewish. From 66-136, between the three great Jewish revolts, an estimated 1.6 million Jews were killed. Cassius Dio, in Roman History 69.14, wrote after the Bar Kokhba revolt, “Five hundred and eighty thousand men were slain in the various raids and battles, and the number of those that perished by famine, disease and fire was past finding out.” 

[24] ACNA includes Galatians 3:26-4:3

[25] The status of biological children could be secured through the legal declarations of wills.

[26] One source, the Syrian Orthodox Primate Gregory Bar Hebraeus, from the 13th century, thought that upwards of 10% of the Roman Empire was Jewish. This was likely a misreading of the percentage of people who lived under the Roman Empire and the number of actual Roman citizens, just under 10% (roughly 6 million Roman citizens in Claudius’ census from 48 CE). Nonetheless, there was a large number of Judeans in the Roman Empire (and, according to Josephus, Israelites in Parthia). Alexandria, one of the larger cities in the Roman Empire, was a major Jewish centre with upwards of 35% of its population being Jewish. From 66-136, between the three great Jewish revolts, an estimated 1.6 million Jews were killed. Cassius Dio, in Roman History 69.14, wrote after the Bar Kokhba revolt, “Five hundred and eighty thousand men were slain in the various raids and battles, and the number of those that perished by famine, disease and fire was past finding out.” 

[27] This is a modern Hebraism. In Hebrew, Israelis ask for my family name (shem mishpacha) and for my private name (shem prati), that is my personal name.