NL 315: Jesus’ Birth Announced - Luke 1:26-45 [46-56]
image: “Embraced by Grace” by Lawrence OP (Flickr)
December 20, 2020
Luke 1:26-38
Initial Thoughts
This is the passage the Beatles “Let It Be” was based on
Bible Study
The Nature of Mary
Perfect and sinless
Catholic interpretation
Immaculate conception refers to Mary, not to Jesus. Mary had to be sinlessly conceived in order to be without original sin
Eternally Virginal (apparently Jesus’ brothers and sisters were conceived by the Holy Spirit as well)
Ordinary and faithful
Priesthood of believers
God makes the ordinary extraordinary
“Mary is our model, our example, our witness, our sister who voices for us a pattern of Christmas expectancy and Christmas response. She embodies our Christmas feelings, our Christmas questions, our Christmas ponderings, not only in response to the time leading up to Christmas but also in our post-Christmas reality.” (Karoline Lewis, Working Preacher)
Mary is selected.
Mary is confused.
Mary questions
Mary commits.
“Mary’s witness in the season of Advent invites us move outside our liturgical constraints to imagine the meaning of a liturgical season beyond its weeks; beyond our propensities to locate responses to faith, living out faith, understanding faith that are inextricably tied to events established by religious institutions. Mary’s response is honest and truthful. It marks time. It acknowledges that the activity of God in our lives cannot acquiesce to easy assent or understanding, that God coming to us will set in motion a course of life, a series of events, a believing trajectory over which we will have little control. In this sense, in Mary’s sense, Advent establishes a way of life. A way of faith life. “
Manipulated and subjugated...raped?
Mary, #metoo, and the Question of Consent by Kira Schlesinger
“I am wary of reading our present-day cultural standards and mores into an ancient document, but as preachers, teachers, and leaders, we should also be aware of how this story sounds in our present cultural moment to people in the pews. We should be prepared to wrestle with what this text means to us today. In the least charitable reading, God preys on a young, pubescent girl and forces her into carrying a pregnancy to term despite the shame and embarrassment that it brings upon her and her family.”
“By approaching the conception and birth of Jesus with a critical eye in light of our current conversations, we must not throw the baby out with the bath water. The parts of the story that make our modern sensibilities uncomfortable should be examined, but by ignoring or skipping over this story, we lose a testament of hope in God’s plan, of submission to God’s will even through uncertainty, of the power of the incarnation and a conception and birth that demands we sit up and pay attention.”
Mary does not seem to have a choice in the matter - Gabriel informs her of her fate, but does not ask
Overshadowed by Mary’s response “Let it be” but her acknowledgement of being in an “impossible” situation does not mean she condoned it.
Could this (has this) been used as an example of a male figure (God) imposing his will on a woman without her knowledge or consent - seems shady…
Virgins
Not simply a misinterpretation - yes regarding Isaiah 7, not here - Greek literally says, “I do not known a man”
Typical of stories in ancient literature detailing the sons of God
gods and demi-gods born of virgins:
Maia, mother of Sakia
Yasoda, mother of Krishna
Celestine, mother of the crucified Zunis
Chimalman, mother of Quexalcote
Semele, mother of the Egyptian Bacchus
Minerva, mother of the Grecian Bacchus
Prudence, mother of Hercules
Alcmene, mother of Alcides
Shing- Mon, mother of Yu
Mayence, mother of Hesus,
Not about sex? about relationship with God.
“Looking at the Bible, we see another image. The evangelist Luke does not exalt Mary as a goddess, or as a mother, or even as a woman. He thinks she has a more important role, as the ideal Christian. In the Third Gospel, Mary becomes the model for Christian discipleship, the person who all people, men and women alike should emulate, especially if they wish to follow her son.” (Mark Allen Powell, Working Preacher)
Without a relationship with God, just peace, the Kingdom of God, love- all these things are impossible
They are only possible through a relationship with God. Jesus models that relationship for us.
Mary opens herself up to being in relationship with God
“But in Luke, Mary is the most Christ-like human being in the story. Her words to the angel, cited in this week's text, are a direct parallel to what Jesus later prays in the garden: "Let it be with me according to your word" (Luke 1:38) = "Not my will but yours be done" (Luke 22:42). In both cases, the ideal response to God is presented as a combination of humble trust and obedient service.” (Mark Allen Powell, Working Preacher)
How can this be?
The question echoed by every person in the congregation at some point in life
Can be both positive or negative - honestly does Mary even know at this point?
Whatever this is - the “power of the most high” will overshadow you - God will be with you
Contrast with Zechariah
Mary is confused by the angel but nor afraid - which is unusual
Mary expressed confusion where Zechariah
Thoughts and Questions
Don’t strip this story of its miracle. You can explain the historical, but only insofar as you retain the mystery
Cynthia L Rigby - Just as Mary was incapable to conceive (because she was a virgin), we are incapable to accomplish God’s will alone. “We are all, in this sense, virgins”. In order to bring about God’s will, we need God. a kingdom of justice and peace without God is impossible, but “nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37)
If you want to move into the Magnificat, that is certainly understandable. Here, after Mary has a visit with Elizabeth, she is able to make bold claims about her own agency and the justice of God.
When the angel tells her what is going to happen, there is only resignation. When a woman she knows tells her what is happening, Mary is able to make a bold proclamation of praise.
Luke 1:39-56 - Mary Visits Elizabeth + Magnificat
Initial Thoughts
Lectionary is actually v. 39-56 - not as long as you may think
Decide what you want to do- Elizabeth and Mary or Magnificat- there is a lot here so don’t try and do a shotgun sermon (one with 12 points and no focus)
Reading the whole passage contextualized Mary’s song
Might need to give a little background (vv. 35-38)
Bible Study
Whole passage is commonly known as the visitation and Magnificat
both affirm God’s sovereignty as a God who is with Mary and Elizabeth (and God’s people) and a God who keeps God’s promises (v.43)
Vv.39-44 The Visitation
Beautiful art by SanctifiedArt.org https://sanctifiedart.org/visual-art/draw-near-advent
Mary goes to be with Elizabeth both of whom have received “unexpected blessings”
beautiful vision of companionship- similar to Naomi and Ruth
Two unexpectedly pregnant women seeking and offering support to one another
Contrast of one too young and one too old- yet both are blessed with the gift of new life
“Elizabeth, though not given a title, functions as a prophet. ‘Filled with the Holy Spirit,’ she praises Mary as ‘blessed among women,’ for her belief. Elizabeth makes the first and only Christological confession by a woman in the Gospel: ‘Why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me,’ ‘Lord’ is for Luke here a Christian title for Jesus.” (Jane Schaberg and Sharon Ringe, Women’s Bible Commentary, p. 502)
Contrast between John and Jesus
John, the elder, will serve Jesus, the younger (much like Esau and Jacob).
John will end an age and Jesus will usher in a new age (much like Esau and Jacob)
“The theological point is that prenatal activity, because it precedes all merit or works, witnesses to the sovereign will of God.” Craddock, Interpretation: Luke.
Contrast between Elizabeth and Mary
Elizabeth is from the line of Aaron
Elizabeth is described as righteous
Elizabeth lives in Jerusalem
Elizabeth is married to a priest
Mary is a descendant of no one worth mentioning
Mary is not described as righteous or blameless
Mary lives in Nazareth (can anything good come from there?)
Mary is unmarried
Mary’s pregnancy lowers her status - will most likely lead to her being socially marginalized and ostracized by her community, if nor exiled or stoned to death
Elizabeth’s pregnancy raises her status - her “disgrace” have been removed
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit kicks them into an awareness of God as work with and within Mary and Elizabeth
Mary is blessed because:
She is the mother of God
She believed God’s word
We all need the Holy Spirit to kick us into an awareness of God’s action in and around us
God’s blessing falls upon old and young- all will be made new with these births (Acts 2/Joel 2- The young will see visions and the old will dream dreams)
Rethinking Virginity (all below are ideas from Jane Schaberg and Sharon Ringe, Women’s Bible Commentary)
Matthew and Luke’s stories are very different, but have enough commonality to think they may trace back to a common oral tradition that was shaped differently in their communities. Similarities:
Mary and Joseph raised Jesus. Joseph was of Davidic descent.
Mary’s pregnancy occurred time between betrothal and “home-taking” or completion of marriage.
Joseph was not biological father.
Angel announces role of Holy Spirit, gives the name Jesus, and predicts role of Jesus in history of Israel.
Allude to Deuteronomy 22:23-27, the law concerning seduction or rape of a betrothed virgin.
Birth took place after the couple had started to live together.
Birth took place in Bethlehem during the reign of Herod the Great.
There was joy and acceptance by the just and pious from birth.
The meaning of Mary’s virginity
“Homage is given to the mother of Jesus as ‘the Virgin Mary’ (maternal, but not erotic; honored for the unuse of her sexuality) and development of her image and legend in Christian imagination and devotion have made her a figure that functions in many ways like a goddess, Christianity’s adaption of the feminine dimension of the Divine. Luke 1 is the major New Testament source for that development, which has had both positive and negative effects on women’s spirituality, self-understanding, and political empowerment.”
Virginity is not explicit in Luke
“Conception with Joseph as the biological father is not expressly denied in Luke 1 or 2. However it is denied in 3:23.”
Gabriel’s response is not an explanation of how the pregnancy is to come about but a statement of reassurance.
“Come upon” and “overshadow” promise empowerment, but are not exclusive to ordinary biological conception - “these verbes have no sexual or creative connotations.”
vv.45-56 - Magnificat
Magnificat, the first word of this song in Latin, is the common name of Mary’s song and alludes to the opening line, “My soul magnifies the Lord”
“The Magnificat is the great New Testament song of liberation - personal and social, moral and economic - a revolutionary document of intense conflict and victory… Key themes for the Gospel that follows are introduced here, especially the proclamation of good news to the poor. Marhy’s song is precious to women and other oppressed people for its vision of their concrete freedom from systemic injustice.” (Jane Schaberg and Sharon Ringe, Women’s Bible Commentary, p. 504)
No mention of birth- possibly adapted from Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2:1-10
Perhaps Mary uses Hannah’s song to express her joy
There are many references to passages in the Hebrew Bible, but these are more like proclamation and reaffirmation about who God is, than connections to specific past events.
“This is more than a literary borrowing, There is a theological perspective behind such borrowing” Justo Gonzalez, Luke
Like Hannah, Mary interpretes what God is doing in her life, based upon what God has done
Matt Skinner, Sermon Brainwave, “Prophecy is making sense of God in our current circumstances. I'm light of bigger existing understanding of who God is”
Affirms the sovereignty of God and God’s saving actions
This song is less about specific actions that God has done and is more about who God is.
Matt Skinner on the Sermon Brainwave Podcast says, “Prophecy is making sense of God in our current circumstances. I'm light of bigger existing conduct understanding of who God is” This is how we should understand the Magnificat- a prophetic song about who God is and what God is doing in our world and in our lives.
is the response to Elizabeth’s blessing - recognition warrants a response
The anthem of Advent - prediction of what God is doing and will do because of what God has already done.
Greek in is the aorist tense which expresses what is timelessly true: past, present, and future without differentiation.Craddock, Interpretation: Luke
“To be sure, to speak of what God has done is to announce what God will do; the pattern is a familiar one.” Craddock, Interpretation: Luke
The singer, Mary, is so confident in what God will do (establishing a Kingdom of Justice and Peace) that the future vision of the kingdom is described to in the past tense.
Very different from most Advent texts which predict what God will do- this song is about what God has done
Mary’s song foreshadows the ministry of Jesus and the coming Kingdom, but in a way which links it to what God has done- God is not going to turn the world upside down-in choosing Jacob, Moses, Mary God continues turning the world upside down - the hungry will be filled and the full will go hungry!
Thoughts and Questions
Share a time when the Holy Spirit has “kicked” you out of shock, surprise, self-pity or fear into a new perspective of thankfulness and blessing
Both Elizabeth and Mary have moments of recognition - Elizabeth recognized that Mary is pregnant with the son of God and responds, Mary recognizes her condition as one of blessing and responds. How do we respond when God’s grace is revealed around us?
Mary’s song is similar to Hannah’s song- perhaps she was moved like Hannah to offer celebration and joy using the words she had learned. How are we equipping people with the songs and texts to express their hearts and souls to God?
What has God in your community worthy of praise and humble celebration?
God chooses a teenage nobody from nowhere, in Mary’s song we hear that God works with the nameless, the poor, the marginalized, the hungry- this is where God’s good news will be manifest - not among the corridors of power or the vaults of economic wealth, but among people - ordinary people.
When Mary is caught in the messiness of life she turns to familiar themes and perhaps a familiar song to remind her of who God is and who she is. What are the songs we sing in our hearts during this time of pandemic, separation, and economic hardship?
Opening music: Misirlou, One Man 90 Instruments by Joe Penna/MysteryGuitarMan at MIM
Closing Song by Bryan Odeen