Light enters into darkness
Commentary
Object:
An older woman is homebound because of a bad hip. She sits in her rocking chair, gazing out the window at the various signs of life in her neighborhood. Parents and children are riding their bikes together. The neighbor is working on his garden. Another woman is climbing up a tree to fix a birdhouse. This older woman sits and ponders whether getting a hip replacement is worth the stress of facing surgery, therapy, medications, and visits to the doctor. She prays to God for guidance.
Finally, one day she sees another older woman whom she knows to have bad knees outdoors taking out the trash and playing with her grandchildren. So this woman decides to take the risk and get the hip surgery. It was all of the things she thought it would be in terms of doctor and hospital visits as well as the surgery itself. But the physical therapist showed this woman body exercises and movements that she can practice so she too can resume a normal life. For once, this woman did not have to go back to her pain pills. If she keeps up on her therapy and maintains her daily routine, she now has the normal life of going shopping on the senior citizen bus. She now is part of the crowd who walks in the local shopping mall in the mornings. Somehow the wintry day of seeing another lady who had knee surgery playing with her grandchildren was the light that entered into her darkness. Here is an example of a person who was walking in the painful darkness who has seen a great light (Isaiah 9:1).
Isaiah 9:1-4
It is generally accepted that Isaiah was writing this to the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the years 734-732 BCE under the Assyrian ruler Tiglath-Pilesar III. Some recurring themes in all of the Isaiah works include that there will emerge a messianic king whose reign will be eternal. Also, his reign does not need violence to enforce the peace that he brings to all people. Such a people are made whole spiritually, physically, and economically as a community. Isaiah, like all of the prophets, speaks to a collective community, not necessarily to just individuals, though it remains accurate that individuals can find practical application from the prophet. Next, Isaiah believes that God works through a small group or remnant of believers. So if the major rank and file choose to assimilate, jump ship on the community, or seek other gods, the God of Abraham continues to work with the small remnant who is left. This should be a living word of encouragement to modern communities of faith who find their worship and Sunday school attendance numbers dwindling with time.
God is capable of reversals, especially the termination of hated political, military, and economic empires that use force and power to get their own way and remain the dominant influence of community and global concerns. Two metaphors are made here. First, the light enters into darkness. This hope can elicit an unrestrained rejoicing for those who yearn for the end of the yoke that is currently imposed on them. The older woman in the above illustration has the yoke that results in the physical limitations of a bad hip. Yet, this yoke could include some form of unemployment, underemployment, financial difficulty, or unresolved issues with various family members.
Isaiah believes that God can use a historical agent to reverse the current trends of discomfort, despair, and dread in any era. "Light" for Isaiah is linked to God's splendor, majesty, and sovereignty. It is disputed whether the new messianic king would be Hezekiah, possibly Josiah in a latter era, or Jesus as Messiah as the New Testament writers argued. The point is that God can deliver all people from the current darkness in which they presently reside. There is real reason for authentic hope, because Isaiah affirms a providential God whose ways remain mysterious but whose love is unconditional. This God keeps the promises made to the people of faith.
Second, the agricultural metaphor is used in verses 3-4. Today, the rough equivalent might be a metaphor for the source of economic income, security, and a future. This could apply to an industrial, academic, small business, agricultural, or any sort of community that has limited avenues to sustain its income base. This continues to make texts such as this a "Living Word" -- regardless of the modern, even post-modern times we live in. God is capable of multiplying options for opportunity to grow and prosper as a community. The old yoke or constraints that might have made people feel "trapped" in a given work, family, school, or community situation can be broken. Today's oppressor can become tomorrow's bad dream that people wish to forget.
Regardless of any bad or dark situation Christians may find themselves in, God is fully capable of terminating it and ushering in a new era of peace and possibilities of growth. Such texts as this can be reheard with different ears to those in the period of Saint Matthew where Rome is the oppressor, just as easily as these words can be heard today or in any time or place where a military force, corporate entity, financial empire, or a bully boss on the job seems to dominate people's lives as well as blocking their peace and serenity. [Source: Walter Brueggemann, Isaiah 1-39 (Westminster John Knox, 1998)]
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Imagine a first-century version of a modern political pundit's talk show on one of the national news channels. This is essentially what Paul walked into in the urban city of Corinth. There might be people with strong Type-A, extrovert personalities, all trying to talk above the other people's voices saying, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas" or "I belong to Christ" (1:12). As with most of these aggressive debates, the people raise their voices and point their fingers at one another, as well as cut the other person off in mid-sentence. Everybody is staking a claim of legitimacy based on their own experience and ideas. So imagine the reaction if one were to talk about how God acts in the lives of humans with Paul's final verse of this text: "For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1:18).
This verse might be a helpful interpretative lens for this text as well as other readings in the Corinthian correspondence. It is also a reminder that Paul would probably not even be invited onto the program with all of the shouting pundits because he himself was perceived as being full of eloquent wisdom (1:17). He would not be "camera-friendly" for his day (unless he was on COPS).
Along with other cities of the times, Corinth craved wisdom and power. Some people thought they had found it by following one particularly charismatic or popular leader within the Christian movement. This resulted in division within the church, as well a poor witness to the community at large. Paul reminds the readers that God deliberately sets his saving activity against all of the perceived power brokers of the ages, that being wisdom and signs from heaven. God reveals God's presence in the form of a crucified messiah, rather than the political king many Zealots and others expected. This was a scandal (Greek word: skandalon). This means it was an offense to both Judeans and Gentiles. A crucified messiah was seen as an oxymoron (contradictory term) of that time. God takes human wisdom and power and turns it into folly, and shows strength in weakness. Paul will elaborate on this point later in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25. For the purposes of this week's lectionary text, there is to be no division of loyalties within the Christian church. It is all about Jesus Christ, his crucifixion, and the power of that crucifixion in how God meets us in our weakness, despair, sin, and difficulties in life. This is not the final word. There is new life (1 Corinthians 15).
Paul's objective in writing this text is stated in verse 10: "There be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose." We as Christians might disagree over any number of doctrinal, worship practice, social, and moral issues. We might even have a strong passion about our views. Paul's encouragement is for Christians of all times not to take our eyes off the cross of Christ. This is the source of the power of the church. Paul does not want any Christian to forget that this whole Christian church movement began with a rejected, crucified messiah. This cross is where God chose to show God's power.
How are divisions overcome? How is community built? These are the two questions that Paul would want any congregational council or church mission outreach effort to engage in. For those in the world who walk in the darkness of various personal, financial, and family issues in their lives, the Christian church should shed light into the lives of such people with one common confession of being saved by the power of Christ on the cross. The cross remains a universal symbol of God's presence with those who are in the darkest of dark nights of their soul. Where is God? God is right next to them suffering with them, but pointing them to new light. This is the gospel of any Christian church, from the essential theology of Paul in 1 Corinthians 1. [Source: Ben Witherington III, Conflict & Community in Corinth: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1995)]
Matthew 4:12-23
A dark moment is announced with John the Baptist being arrested. His ministry is effectively over! "Jesus left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum" (4:13). Matthew alone reports a hint that Jesus is cutting ties with his hometown and family. He does ministry in the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali, which were among the first to be conquered by the Assyrian ruler Tiglath-Pilesar III around 732 BCE (Isaiah 9:1-7). In Matthew, Jesus does have priorities for ministry. Just as the Jews receive the good news before the Gentiles, so also the lands (Zebulun and Naphtali) that were swallowed up (or suffer) first are also the first visited with the good news of this new messiah. For Matthew, Jesus' ministry fulfills God's purpose from the Hebrew Bible. Jesus is the light from Isaiah 9. Matthew believes his use of the prophet is an acceptable fit or complements Isaiah's prophecy. Matthew is not doing violence or taking such a text out of context, but simply suggesting that an interface with these two texts is compatible and makes sense to the readers at Matthew's time of writing this gospel. [Source: Robert Smith, Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament: Matthew (Augsburg Fortress, 1989)]
Jesus begins to preach repentance for the kingdom of heaven. Matthew is unique in labeling this reign of God as a "kingdom of heaven." It is disputed as to whether Matthew did not like using the specific names of "God" or "Lord" out of reverence, or if he was trying to find another name for "dominion or reign" that might have had political connotations at the time. This reign is different, as is its teacher.
Typical rabbis had students approach them to become followers or disciples. Jesus goes out and calls his own disciples. They may not have had the proper temple or religious preparation that a Jewish rabbi's student may have had. However, Jesus knew that his disciples would never "graduate," but that it would be a lifelong journey even beyond the grave. It is disputed as to whether the disciples left home for good, or if they were able to return home to attend to family business between missionary journeys. Most scholars opt for the latter option as more reasonable. There were visits to Peter's home (Matthew 8:14).
Jesus' kingdom of heaven is more than a passing on of information; requires a transformation of the heart. It is a lifestyle. It entails proclaiming the message elsewhere, even into unchartered lands of the Gentiles (Mathew 28:16-20). One practical observation for today is whether many people actually want to do the "missionary ministry." Has the consumer-driven society so conditioned people of many generations to simply show up and plug in to an already developed program or ministry, then move on with positive feelings until the next "experience or event"? Do people of faith really want to return to "missionary days" of setting up tables, chairs, coffee pots and donuts, then cleaning up afterward? Would a small worship service with a percussion instrument or a simple guitar be "good enough" in an age where people are connected with cyberspace 24/7? Any of these "call to be a missionary" texts raise this challenge in a western culture that prefers to watch past missionary pioneers rough it to blaze a new trail in a rustic frontier, while they themselves prefer to watch a movie of missionaries of the past.
Who is willing to go out into the darkness without much high-tech equipment? This might be one direction to go with this text. Also, which ministries are ending before our very eyes, and what glimmers of hopeful new light are we seeing? As many mainline churches struggle with budgets and worries about a lack of younger people to fill the Sunday school wings of the church, Matthew 4 suggests that Jesus still goes to those lands with people who sat in darkness (v. 16).
Application
It could be a dark, hidden secret in any family. Some family health care plans might try to create endless red tape of applications, approvals, and paperwork before covering it. Not many families, regardless of education or social status, are immune from this deeply hidden secret. That is mental illness and often addiction of many kinds intermixed into a family member's public behavior. Family matriarchs and patriarchs often have shame. Other family members are critical and judgmental. Mental illness and addiction can serve to darken career plans, sabotage family activities, and isolate those who are part of the "inner loop" of knowing what is really going on. Isaiah 9 reminds believers that God is capable of shining light into any darkness, if only the people own the reality of a fallen humanity. God can usher in a new era for such families.
God also suffers alongside all family members who experience mental illness and addictions. To worry about a loved one in such conditions feels like a cross on a body, as one feels the tense muscles from the shoulders out onto the hands, as well as leg muscles that are in constant tension from worrying about when the next emotional outburst or addiction rage will erupt. God is there alongside such family members to identity and comfort them. God also provides power in the refined faith and strength that is built up, as well as the authentic hope one finds in the resurrection. But it still hurts! This might be an application of the 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 text.
Matthew reminds faithful people of all times that God calls us not only to learn information about certain situations that bring darkness into the lives of families, but to work toward the transformation of such lives by pointing them and all people to the light that Jesus shines in the resurrection. Being called as a disciple can lead people into many types of valleys of darkness in terms of health, economic, family, or community hidden secrets.
An Alternative Application
Anybody can keep peace with the use of power and violence as an enforcement mechanism that is, to use weapons, money, rank, family name status, or manipulation to maintain an orderly community. True peace flows naturally, as light draws people out of darkness (Isaiah 9). A messiah who suffers alongside or works alongside those who are in the trenches earns more credibility than constantly pulling rank such as the Roman empire military might. Catching people through witnessing of what new life after death in the kingdom is, is to be preferred to any human-made traps or nets. Jesus' disciples did not have to spear or throw nets over people in darkness. They were drawn by the message of the Emmanuel who saves the people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).
Finally, one day she sees another older woman whom she knows to have bad knees outdoors taking out the trash and playing with her grandchildren. So this woman decides to take the risk and get the hip surgery. It was all of the things she thought it would be in terms of doctor and hospital visits as well as the surgery itself. But the physical therapist showed this woman body exercises and movements that she can practice so she too can resume a normal life. For once, this woman did not have to go back to her pain pills. If she keeps up on her therapy and maintains her daily routine, she now has the normal life of going shopping on the senior citizen bus. She now is part of the crowd who walks in the local shopping mall in the mornings. Somehow the wintry day of seeing another lady who had knee surgery playing with her grandchildren was the light that entered into her darkness. Here is an example of a person who was walking in the painful darkness who has seen a great light (Isaiah 9:1).
Isaiah 9:1-4
It is generally accepted that Isaiah was writing this to the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the years 734-732 BCE under the Assyrian ruler Tiglath-Pilesar III. Some recurring themes in all of the Isaiah works include that there will emerge a messianic king whose reign will be eternal. Also, his reign does not need violence to enforce the peace that he brings to all people. Such a people are made whole spiritually, physically, and economically as a community. Isaiah, like all of the prophets, speaks to a collective community, not necessarily to just individuals, though it remains accurate that individuals can find practical application from the prophet. Next, Isaiah believes that God works through a small group or remnant of believers. So if the major rank and file choose to assimilate, jump ship on the community, or seek other gods, the God of Abraham continues to work with the small remnant who is left. This should be a living word of encouragement to modern communities of faith who find their worship and Sunday school attendance numbers dwindling with time.
God is capable of reversals, especially the termination of hated political, military, and economic empires that use force and power to get their own way and remain the dominant influence of community and global concerns. Two metaphors are made here. First, the light enters into darkness. This hope can elicit an unrestrained rejoicing for those who yearn for the end of the yoke that is currently imposed on them. The older woman in the above illustration has the yoke that results in the physical limitations of a bad hip. Yet, this yoke could include some form of unemployment, underemployment, financial difficulty, or unresolved issues with various family members.
Isaiah believes that God can use a historical agent to reverse the current trends of discomfort, despair, and dread in any era. "Light" for Isaiah is linked to God's splendor, majesty, and sovereignty. It is disputed whether the new messianic king would be Hezekiah, possibly Josiah in a latter era, or Jesus as Messiah as the New Testament writers argued. The point is that God can deliver all people from the current darkness in which they presently reside. There is real reason for authentic hope, because Isaiah affirms a providential God whose ways remain mysterious but whose love is unconditional. This God keeps the promises made to the people of faith.
Second, the agricultural metaphor is used in verses 3-4. Today, the rough equivalent might be a metaphor for the source of economic income, security, and a future. This could apply to an industrial, academic, small business, agricultural, or any sort of community that has limited avenues to sustain its income base. This continues to make texts such as this a "Living Word" -- regardless of the modern, even post-modern times we live in. God is capable of multiplying options for opportunity to grow and prosper as a community. The old yoke or constraints that might have made people feel "trapped" in a given work, family, school, or community situation can be broken. Today's oppressor can become tomorrow's bad dream that people wish to forget.
Regardless of any bad or dark situation Christians may find themselves in, God is fully capable of terminating it and ushering in a new era of peace and possibilities of growth. Such texts as this can be reheard with different ears to those in the period of Saint Matthew where Rome is the oppressor, just as easily as these words can be heard today or in any time or place where a military force, corporate entity, financial empire, or a bully boss on the job seems to dominate people's lives as well as blocking their peace and serenity. [Source: Walter Brueggemann, Isaiah 1-39 (Westminster John Knox, 1998)]
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Imagine a first-century version of a modern political pundit's talk show on one of the national news channels. This is essentially what Paul walked into in the urban city of Corinth. There might be people with strong Type-A, extrovert personalities, all trying to talk above the other people's voices saying, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas" or "I belong to Christ" (1:12). As with most of these aggressive debates, the people raise their voices and point their fingers at one another, as well as cut the other person off in mid-sentence. Everybody is staking a claim of legitimacy based on their own experience and ideas. So imagine the reaction if one were to talk about how God acts in the lives of humans with Paul's final verse of this text: "For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1:18).
This verse might be a helpful interpretative lens for this text as well as other readings in the Corinthian correspondence. It is also a reminder that Paul would probably not even be invited onto the program with all of the shouting pundits because he himself was perceived as being full of eloquent wisdom (1:17). He would not be "camera-friendly" for his day (unless he was on COPS).
Along with other cities of the times, Corinth craved wisdom and power. Some people thought they had found it by following one particularly charismatic or popular leader within the Christian movement. This resulted in division within the church, as well a poor witness to the community at large. Paul reminds the readers that God deliberately sets his saving activity against all of the perceived power brokers of the ages, that being wisdom and signs from heaven. God reveals God's presence in the form of a crucified messiah, rather than the political king many Zealots and others expected. This was a scandal (Greek word: skandalon). This means it was an offense to both Judeans and Gentiles. A crucified messiah was seen as an oxymoron (contradictory term) of that time. God takes human wisdom and power and turns it into folly, and shows strength in weakness. Paul will elaborate on this point later in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25. For the purposes of this week's lectionary text, there is to be no division of loyalties within the Christian church. It is all about Jesus Christ, his crucifixion, and the power of that crucifixion in how God meets us in our weakness, despair, sin, and difficulties in life. This is not the final word. There is new life (1 Corinthians 15).
Paul's objective in writing this text is stated in verse 10: "There be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose." We as Christians might disagree over any number of doctrinal, worship practice, social, and moral issues. We might even have a strong passion about our views. Paul's encouragement is for Christians of all times not to take our eyes off the cross of Christ. This is the source of the power of the church. Paul does not want any Christian to forget that this whole Christian church movement began with a rejected, crucified messiah. This cross is where God chose to show God's power.
How are divisions overcome? How is community built? These are the two questions that Paul would want any congregational council or church mission outreach effort to engage in. For those in the world who walk in the darkness of various personal, financial, and family issues in their lives, the Christian church should shed light into the lives of such people with one common confession of being saved by the power of Christ on the cross. The cross remains a universal symbol of God's presence with those who are in the darkest of dark nights of their soul. Where is God? God is right next to them suffering with them, but pointing them to new light. This is the gospel of any Christian church, from the essential theology of Paul in 1 Corinthians 1. [Source: Ben Witherington III, Conflict & Community in Corinth: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1995)]
Matthew 4:12-23
A dark moment is announced with John the Baptist being arrested. His ministry is effectively over! "Jesus left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum" (4:13). Matthew alone reports a hint that Jesus is cutting ties with his hometown and family. He does ministry in the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali, which were among the first to be conquered by the Assyrian ruler Tiglath-Pilesar III around 732 BCE (Isaiah 9:1-7). In Matthew, Jesus does have priorities for ministry. Just as the Jews receive the good news before the Gentiles, so also the lands (Zebulun and Naphtali) that were swallowed up (or suffer) first are also the first visited with the good news of this new messiah. For Matthew, Jesus' ministry fulfills God's purpose from the Hebrew Bible. Jesus is the light from Isaiah 9. Matthew believes his use of the prophet is an acceptable fit or complements Isaiah's prophecy. Matthew is not doing violence or taking such a text out of context, but simply suggesting that an interface with these two texts is compatible and makes sense to the readers at Matthew's time of writing this gospel. [Source: Robert Smith, Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament: Matthew (Augsburg Fortress, 1989)]
Jesus begins to preach repentance for the kingdom of heaven. Matthew is unique in labeling this reign of God as a "kingdom of heaven." It is disputed as to whether Matthew did not like using the specific names of "God" or "Lord" out of reverence, or if he was trying to find another name for "dominion or reign" that might have had political connotations at the time. This reign is different, as is its teacher.
Typical rabbis had students approach them to become followers or disciples. Jesus goes out and calls his own disciples. They may not have had the proper temple or religious preparation that a Jewish rabbi's student may have had. However, Jesus knew that his disciples would never "graduate," but that it would be a lifelong journey even beyond the grave. It is disputed as to whether the disciples left home for good, or if they were able to return home to attend to family business between missionary journeys. Most scholars opt for the latter option as more reasonable. There were visits to Peter's home (Matthew 8:14).
Jesus' kingdom of heaven is more than a passing on of information; requires a transformation of the heart. It is a lifestyle. It entails proclaiming the message elsewhere, even into unchartered lands of the Gentiles (Mathew 28:16-20). One practical observation for today is whether many people actually want to do the "missionary ministry." Has the consumer-driven society so conditioned people of many generations to simply show up and plug in to an already developed program or ministry, then move on with positive feelings until the next "experience or event"? Do people of faith really want to return to "missionary days" of setting up tables, chairs, coffee pots and donuts, then cleaning up afterward? Would a small worship service with a percussion instrument or a simple guitar be "good enough" in an age where people are connected with cyberspace 24/7? Any of these "call to be a missionary" texts raise this challenge in a western culture that prefers to watch past missionary pioneers rough it to blaze a new trail in a rustic frontier, while they themselves prefer to watch a movie of missionaries of the past.
Who is willing to go out into the darkness without much high-tech equipment? This might be one direction to go with this text. Also, which ministries are ending before our very eyes, and what glimmers of hopeful new light are we seeing? As many mainline churches struggle with budgets and worries about a lack of younger people to fill the Sunday school wings of the church, Matthew 4 suggests that Jesus still goes to those lands with people who sat in darkness (v. 16).
Application
It could be a dark, hidden secret in any family. Some family health care plans might try to create endless red tape of applications, approvals, and paperwork before covering it. Not many families, regardless of education or social status, are immune from this deeply hidden secret. That is mental illness and often addiction of many kinds intermixed into a family member's public behavior. Family matriarchs and patriarchs often have shame. Other family members are critical and judgmental. Mental illness and addiction can serve to darken career plans, sabotage family activities, and isolate those who are part of the "inner loop" of knowing what is really going on. Isaiah 9 reminds believers that God is capable of shining light into any darkness, if only the people own the reality of a fallen humanity. God can usher in a new era for such families.
God also suffers alongside all family members who experience mental illness and addictions. To worry about a loved one in such conditions feels like a cross on a body, as one feels the tense muscles from the shoulders out onto the hands, as well as leg muscles that are in constant tension from worrying about when the next emotional outburst or addiction rage will erupt. God is there alongside such family members to identity and comfort them. God also provides power in the refined faith and strength that is built up, as well as the authentic hope one finds in the resurrection. But it still hurts! This might be an application of the 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 text.
Matthew reminds faithful people of all times that God calls us not only to learn information about certain situations that bring darkness into the lives of families, but to work toward the transformation of such lives by pointing them and all people to the light that Jesus shines in the resurrection. Being called as a disciple can lead people into many types of valleys of darkness in terms of health, economic, family, or community hidden secrets.
An Alternative Application
Anybody can keep peace with the use of power and violence as an enforcement mechanism that is, to use weapons, money, rank, family name status, or manipulation to maintain an orderly community. True peace flows naturally, as light draws people out of darkness (Isaiah 9). A messiah who suffers alongside or works alongside those who are in the trenches earns more credibility than constantly pulling rank such as the Roman empire military might. Catching people through witnessing of what new life after death in the kingdom is, is to be preferred to any human-made traps or nets. Jesus' disciples did not have to spear or throw nets over people in darkness. They were drawn by the message of the Emmanuel who saves the people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).
