Advent's long promises
Commentary
The lectionary permits an easy move from the end of one church year to the beginning of another. Like the lessons for the recent Sundays, those for the first Sunday in Advent show an interest in the eschaton, or better, the second advent of Christ.
If beginning with the final outcome seems to put things in reverse order, it helps to realize how an ultimate perspective provides a context for contemplating the earthly life of Jesus. We need to remember that Jesus' messiahship, as it developed over the first advent, did not fulfill popular expectations. He did not become an earthly king to whom all nations yielded allegiance. He did not establish a world-wide kingdom of peace. What Christians have learned as hope for a second advent, the people of Jesus' time were expecting at the first advent.
Without the eternal and universal context, Jesus' first advent could be deemed a failure. The "Little Apocalypse," which is developed in Luke 21, provides the backdrop for Jesus' earthly life and for understanding its meaning in its full scope. Predictions of the second advent prepare us for contemplating the first advent from the perspective of God's eschatological purpose.
The large picture, as big as the universe and eternity, made credible those Renaissance paintings that presented ruins of human structures such as broken arches, to serve as the setting for portrayals of biblical stories. A broken world was combined with inexplainable wonders. The art expressed a faith too deep to fully probe and a sense of reality too fast to adequately comprehend.
The ancient prophets had spoken out of a similar context. They understood the will of God to transcend present failures and successes, as they envisioned a Messiah whose power and glory would defy the aspirations of worldly monarchs. A righteousness that was divine in origin and expression was needed.
Likewise, after the time of Jesus, apostles like Paul nurtured new believers with ultimate promises of Christ's return. As the first generation was passing, the understanding of the date for the eschaton had to be delayed. The essential question was not, "When?" "Who?" was crucial. As the promise had come from God and Christ, the time for fulfillment could not be set on human clocks, but only on an eternal horizon. Then Christians could concentrate on endurance and love this side of the horizon.
OUTLINE I
Who is right?
Jeremiah 33:14-16
A. vv. 14-15a. The right king. At the time Jeremiah wrote, the king in Judah was probably Zedekiah (597-587 B.C.), an appointee and puppet of Babylon. Believing the divine will for the unity of God's people, he spoke not only of Judah but also of Israel. The center of his hope, however, was messianic - a branch from the family tree of David. The word for "branch" might be better translated "shoot" or "sprout." The idea is expressed best in Isaiah 11:1, but also in Zechariah 3:8 & 6:12. Knowing the trouble with identifying the Messiah in Jesus' time, we can appreciate Jeremiah's concern for the "righteous" or "right branch." In fact, we can understand that concern from the continuing need to identify the right leadership always.
B. vv. 15b-16a. The king who is right. Now "righteousness" is mentioned in connection with "justice" and refers to the king's actions. In the Hebrew Bible, "righteousness" is often connected with making things right, rectifying injustice, effecting vindication or justification. So here it is followed with salvation, which is followed by living in safety or quietness.
C. v. 16. God is right. The name Zedekiah meant "Yahweh is my righteousness." The prophet referred to Judah and Jerusalem, but more particularly to the inhabitants and used a plural pronoun: "Yahweh is our righteousness." Ultimately it was the righteousness of God that mattered for sending a Messiah to bring righteousness to the people.
OUTLINE II
Living by faith
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
A. vv. 9-11. These verses summarize the letters up to this point. The themes have been 1. Thanksgiving (1:2; 2:13), 2. Joy (1:6; 2:19) and 3. Contact with Thessalonica (2:17-18; 3:1-7).
The letter is dominated by personal fondness and concern. Paul calls the Thessalonians his children, or brothers and sisters. He has a particular concern whether their faith will endure the persecution they are suffering.
Paul's own faith is expressed by addressing prayer to "our God and Father and our Lord Jesus." The plural pronoun shows his perception of more than an individual relationship and a vital identification with the community of all believers. He thinks of God as Father, the way he spoke of himself as father to those he had nurtured in faith (2:11). He expects God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus to work in concert. He prays to both at the same time.
B. vv. 12-13. In addition to praying to visit the Thessalonian Christians, Paul prays for:
1. Growth in love among the Christians in Thessalonica and beyond. He assures them of his own love for them. The word is agape, a word used more commonly by Christians than others and more regularly by them for the love of God.
2. Preparedness for the return of "our Lord Jesus" by "holiness," i.e., consecration to God.
All of these topics are developed in the rest of the letter, especially the return of Christ.
OUTLINE III
Who is expected?
Luke 21:25-36
A. vv. 25-28. The Redeemer. With the disturbing reminders about insecurity of earthly life, the need for redemption becomes more crucial. The ancient words have modern parallels. Although many remedies may be developed on earth, much is left undone. Built upon the imagery of Daniel 7:13-14, Christ promised his return, a second advent, for an ultimate redemption.
B. vv. 29-31. The One who brings God's kingdom. It would not be correct to speak of the outcome as the "new world order." Structure will not be so important in the coming kingdom. Everything depends upon the king, God and the messianic Son of Man, with the power and glory to rule.
C. vv. 32-33. A teacher of eternal words. Since Jesus was reluctant to identify himself as an earthly king, it was all the more significant that he emphasized the teachings that developed during his first advent. These would survive and nurture his followers until the second advent.
D. vv. 34-36. A Son of Man worth waiting to meet. Time has been important throughout the lesson: signs of the second advent (vv. 28, 31, cf. 17:20), budding trees (vv. 29-30), the passing generation and universe (vv. 32-33). The wait may grow tiring. Even Christians need reminding to be diligent and enduring, rather than self-indulgent. We have learned enough from Jesus about redemption and the rule of God to remain faithful until the fulfillment.
If beginning with the final outcome seems to put things in reverse order, it helps to realize how an ultimate perspective provides a context for contemplating the earthly life of Jesus. We need to remember that Jesus' messiahship, as it developed over the first advent, did not fulfill popular expectations. He did not become an earthly king to whom all nations yielded allegiance. He did not establish a world-wide kingdom of peace. What Christians have learned as hope for a second advent, the people of Jesus' time were expecting at the first advent.
Without the eternal and universal context, Jesus' first advent could be deemed a failure. The "Little Apocalypse," which is developed in Luke 21, provides the backdrop for Jesus' earthly life and for understanding its meaning in its full scope. Predictions of the second advent prepare us for contemplating the first advent from the perspective of God's eschatological purpose.
The large picture, as big as the universe and eternity, made credible those Renaissance paintings that presented ruins of human structures such as broken arches, to serve as the setting for portrayals of biblical stories. A broken world was combined with inexplainable wonders. The art expressed a faith too deep to fully probe and a sense of reality too fast to adequately comprehend.
The ancient prophets had spoken out of a similar context. They understood the will of God to transcend present failures and successes, as they envisioned a Messiah whose power and glory would defy the aspirations of worldly monarchs. A righteousness that was divine in origin and expression was needed.
Likewise, after the time of Jesus, apostles like Paul nurtured new believers with ultimate promises of Christ's return. As the first generation was passing, the understanding of the date for the eschaton had to be delayed. The essential question was not, "When?" "Who?" was crucial. As the promise had come from God and Christ, the time for fulfillment could not be set on human clocks, but only on an eternal horizon. Then Christians could concentrate on endurance and love this side of the horizon.
OUTLINE I
Who is right?
Jeremiah 33:14-16
A. vv. 14-15a. The right king. At the time Jeremiah wrote, the king in Judah was probably Zedekiah (597-587 B.C.), an appointee and puppet of Babylon. Believing the divine will for the unity of God's people, he spoke not only of Judah but also of Israel. The center of his hope, however, was messianic - a branch from the family tree of David. The word for "branch" might be better translated "shoot" or "sprout." The idea is expressed best in Isaiah 11:1, but also in Zechariah 3:8 & 6:12. Knowing the trouble with identifying the Messiah in Jesus' time, we can appreciate Jeremiah's concern for the "righteous" or "right branch." In fact, we can understand that concern from the continuing need to identify the right leadership always.
B. vv. 15b-16a. The king who is right. Now "righteousness" is mentioned in connection with "justice" and refers to the king's actions. In the Hebrew Bible, "righteousness" is often connected with making things right, rectifying injustice, effecting vindication or justification. So here it is followed with salvation, which is followed by living in safety or quietness.
C. v. 16. God is right. The name Zedekiah meant "Yahweh is my righteousness." The prophet referred to Judah and Jerusalem, but more particularly to the inhabitants and used a plural pronoun: "Yahweh is our righteousness." Ultimately it was the righteousness of God that mattered for sending a Messiah to bring righteousness to the people.
OUTLINE II
Living by faith
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
A. vv. 9-11. These verses summarize the letters up to this point. The themes have been 1. Thanksgiving (1:2; 2:13), 2. Joy (1:6; 2:19) and 3. Contact with Thessalonica (2:17-18; 3:1-7).
The letter is dominated by personal fondness and concern. Paul calls the Thessalonians his children, or brothers and sisters. He has a particular concern whether their faith will endure the persecution they are suffering.
Paul's own faith is expressed by addressing prayer to "our God and Father and our Lord Jesus." The plural pronoun shows his perception of more than an individual relationship and a vital identification with the community of all believers. He thinks of God as Father, the way he spoke of himself as father to those he had nurtured in faith (2:11). He expects God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus to work in concert. He prays to both at the same time.
B. vv. 12-13. In addition to praying to visit the Thessalonian Christians, Paul prays for:
1. Growth in love among the Christians in Thessalonica and beyond. He assures them of his own love for them. The word is agape, a word used more commonly by Christians than others and more regularly by them for the love of God.
2. Preparedness for the return of "our Lord Jesus" by "holiness," i.e., consecration to God.
All of these topics are developed in the rest of the letter, especially the return of Christ.
OUTLINE III
Who is expected?
Luke 21:25-36
A. vv. 25-28. The Redeemer. With the disturbing reminders about insecurity of earthly life, the need for redemption becomes more crucial. The ancient words have modern parallels. Although many remedies may be developed on earth, much is left undone. Built upon the imagery of Daniel 7:13-14, Christ promised his return, a second advent, for an ultimate redemption.
B. vv. 29-31. The One who brings God's kingdom. It would not be correct to speak of the outcome as the "new world order." Structure will not be so important in the coming kingdom. Everything depends upon the king, God and the messianic Son of Man, with the power and glory to rule.
C. vv. 32-33. A teacher of eternal words. Since Jesus was reluctant to identify himself as an earthly king, it was all the more significant that he emphasized the teachings that developed during his first advent. These would survive and nurture his followers until the second advent.
D. vv. 34-36. A Son of Man worth waiting to meet. Time has been important throughout the lesson: signs of the second advent (vv. 28, 31, cf. 17:20), budding trees (vv. 29-30), the passing generation and universe (vv. 32-33). The wait may grow tiring. Even Christians need reminding to be diligent and enduring, rather than self-indulgent. We have learned enough from Jesus about redemption and the rule of God to remain faithful until the fulfillment.
