Episcopal Church of
the Incarnation
Christmas (C)
1st Mass: Isaiah 9.2-4, 6-7 Psalm 96 Titus 2.11-14 Luke 2.1-20
2nd Mass: Isaiah 62.6-7, 10-12 Psalm 97 Titus 3.4-7 Luke 2.1-20
3rd Mass: Isaiah 52.7-10 Psalm 98 Hebrews 1.1-12 John 1.-14
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The first thing that must be
noticed about the lessons for the Feast of the Holy Nativity (Christmas) is
that there are three sets of lessons, because there are three distinct Masses
celebrated for this feast. For this reason, this Bible
Study summary will group the texts to be reviewed.
Old
Testament lessons: Isaiah
1) All of the Old Testament
lessons for the Christmas Masses are taken from Isaiah. However, the different sections read are most
likely the work of different authors.
a) Chs. 1-39 of Isaiah are
known as “First Isaiah” or “Proto-Isaiah,” written by a prophet in and around
b) Chs. 40-55 are “Second
Isaiah” or “Deutero-Isaiah,” with chs. 56-66 being “Third Isaiah” or
“Trito-Isaiah.”
i)
Second Isaiah is addressed to the exiles in
c) All of Isaiah reflects a
unified editorship.
2) Ch. 9 (in the First Mass) is
from the concluding section of Isaiah’s memoirs.
a) Isaiah here looks for a
successor to Ahaz, in whom the promise of the Davidic dynasty would be
realized.
i)
He looks for the righteous reign of the coming king.
ii) The “yoke,” “staff” and
“rod” (v. 4) symbolize Assyrian oppression.
iii) “Wonderful Counselor” (v.
6): the new king will have no need of
advisors, such as those who led Ahaz astray.
iv) However, the reference is not just
to a human:
(1) The Hebrew phrase hiplî’
'ēşâ parallels references to the Lord (10.21; 28.29).
3) Ch. 62 (Second Mass) is from
the Third Isaiah oracle concerning a glorious new
a) The reference to “watchmen”
on the walls of
i)
These are sentinels of the Lord who are to remind all of the mercy of
the Lord.
b) Vv. 10-11 are
filled with imperative verbs, paralleling the excitement found at Isa. 40.11
(which refers to how the Lord
will care for His flock,
i)
The parallels in Hebrew reflect the editorial hand referred to above at
1(c).
c) Vv. 10-12 comprise
a final reflection ending the oracle of the glorious new
i)
4) Ch. 52 (Third Mass) is from
the Second Isaiah section speaking comfort to
a) The verses refer to a
messenger of salvation. (Cf. Isa. 40.9;
2 Sam. 18.19-33. In Pss. 47; 93, 96-99,
the Lord is referred to in
similar terms.)
b) The structure of these
verses in Hebrew reflects a staccato spoken rhythm; verses to be spoken aloud
in excitement.
c) Vv. 9-10 comprise
a thanksgiving hymn.
Psalms
1) All of the psalms used in
the Masses for the Feast of the Holy Nativity are “enthronement” hymns.
a) Each emphasizes the Lord as ruler over all the earth.
b) Psalm 96 is very unusual for
having a “missionary” character, in which God’s people are commanded to make
his glory known throughout the whole world (i.e., not just within
Israel).
i)
V. 10 proclaims that “the Lord reigns!” to all nations.
c) Psalm 97 also emphasizes the
kingship of the Lord over all the
earth, with a “theophany” (the coming of God) being described in dramatic
terms.
i)
“[A]ll gods bow before him” (v. 7) is a
reference to God’s rule over all the powers of heaven.
d) In Psalm 98 the key term is
“victory,” which may also be translated as salvation.
i)
The saving acts which the Lord has
done for
ii) The references to musical
instruments connote worship in the
(1)
(a) Jesus changes the focus
outward.
The Epistles:
Titus and Hebrews
1) The letter to Titus is
addressed to a specific pastor, or shepherd, and relates to church life and
practice. It is thus known as one of
Paul’s “pastoral” letters (with 1 & 2 Timothy).
a) Titus had been one of Paul’s
closest companions. He was a Gentile
convert who came with Paul to the
2) Ch. 2 focuses on Christian
duties within the household, with what the Christian leader is to teach.
a) Vv. 1-10 are
concerned with what household members are to do.
b) Vv. 11-14 focus on the
reason for these actions: God’s saving
action.
i)
We are able to live as we ought due to the saving power of God.
c) V. 13 “our great God and
Savior, Jesus Christ”: one of the
highest titles; the highest “Christological view.”
i)
This demonstrates the utter nonsense of an assertion (like that
found in Dan Brown’s novel, The Da Vinci Code) that Christianity was
somehow “invented” in the fourth century, A.D., and that the earliest
Christians considered Jesus to be a teacher, but not God.
3) The opening of the letter to
the Hebrews focuses on the ways in which God has made Himself known to humans,
both in the past and through Jesus Christ.
a) Jesus is superior to angels,
for He is the pre-existent Word. He is
not a created being, but Creator.
b) “[I]n these last days” (v.
2): There is here no implication of how
long this age shall last, only that the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus
inaugurated the final age.
i)
This reflects the Neo-Platonic worldview of the author of Hebrews, that the world exists in successive ages.
c) Vv. 5-14 reflect the enthronement
of the Son, and thus parallel (particularly for the Hebrew recipients of the
letter) the enthronement psalms (e.g. 96-98) referring to the reign of
the Lord.
i)
The Son is God.
The Gospels:
Luke and John
1) Luke again provides an
historical context (“when Quirinius was governor of
a) Luke weaves into the history
of the birth of Jesus the theological themes of food, grace, joy, lowliness,
peace, salvation, today, universalism.
The section may be outlined as:
i)
Vv. 1-7: the setting for and
birth of Jesus.
ii) Vv. 8-14: angelic pronouncement of the meaning of
Jesus.
iii) Vv. 15-20: responses to the angelic pronouncement.
b) Luke makes a subtle contrast
between Caesar Augustus, under whom all the world is be enrolled, and Jesus, a
babe in a manger in an out-of-the-way town.
i)
Caesar was fabled by the Romans to be the inaugurator of peace (the
“Pax Romana”).
ii) The wrapping of Jesus in
“bands of cloth” (“swaddling clothes”) echoes the birth of Solomon (cf. Wis.
7.4). The Davidic heir bears the marks
of humility.
iii) The shepherds also echo the
humble origin of David (1 Sam 16.1-13).
c) God’s salvation is not at
some distant, future time, but today.
(“I am bringing good news of great joy ...”)
i)
Luke reiterates this theme throughout his Gospel: e.g., 4.21; 5.26; 12.28; 13.32; 19.6;
22.34; 23.43.
ii) The good news is for “all
people.”
d) Mary “ponders” the angels’
words, even though they echo the announcements made to her by Gabriel and
Elizabeth.
i)
Luke follows a trajectory of the journey of Mary’s faith: 2.19; 8.19-21; Acts 1.14).
2) In contrast to Luke, John
focuses on the pre-existence of Jesus; on His uncreated pre-eminence as the
eternal Word, as God.
a) The Savior is also the
Creator: “All things came into being
through him ...” (v. 3).
i)
God is one God in three persons, not modes of action. The Savior is also the Creator.
b) The key “Christmas” message
in this passage is in v. 14: “And the
Word became flesh and dwelt among us ...”
i)
“dwelt” in the Greek is eskeinosin
(“tabernacled”): [became] present
physically in our midst.
(1) God becomes present in the
“flesh” (the human nature) of Jesus: His
glory, his grace (redeeming love), and His truth (faithfulness to promises).