The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation during Advent
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Isaiah 2:1-5
The book of Isaiah is actually three “books,” each written during a different time in Israel’s history.
Isaiah I: shape up or else; exile is coming 1-39
Isaiah II: Book of Consolation, comfort in captivity 40-55 Deutero Isaiah (suffering servant songs)
Isaiah III: going home 56-66 Trito Isaiah; struggle for a new temple and new leadership
I did the math one time. In a 3 year cycle of Sundays, the Old Testament reading is from Isaiah 25% of the time. We hear from Isaiah a lot!
This passage references the mountain of the Lord’s house – Mount Zion. For ancient peoples, mountains were the home of the gods and the higher the mountain, the greater that god. For the Jewish people, Mount Zion was the place of the giving of the law; the place where God dwells. In Exodus, Moses goes up to the mountain to meet with God and receive the law.
In this Isaiah passage, for the eschatological banquet at the end of time, all people go up to the mountain to be in God’s presence. “Eschatological banquet” is a symbol for eternal happiness in God’s presence throughout prophetic literature such as Isaiah.
Isaiah looks to a future world where wars and preparing for wars will cease. Peace will reign. Dare we buy into this vision?
I love this image – everyone is streaming towards God and everyone is welcome on the mountain of the Lord. All are welcome!
Romans 13:11-14
Chapters 12-13 are a catechetical unit. They’re not really an ethical treatise but rather a rambling and rather unsystematic reflection on ethics. These chapters imply that the Jewish Mosaic law doesn’t really bind Christians. Rather, Christians are bound by a law deeper and more demanding. In general, these chapters are about the relation of Christians to the society in which they live.
Paul refers to “time” – kairos time. This reading gives us a picture of how we’re called to live in this kairos time: in the light, avoiding those things that would put us back into darkness. Paul has a list here that mattered in his day and age. I imagine we could come up with a quite different but much more relevant list for ourselves today. We’re to be so much like Christ, it’s like we’re “wearing” him; as though someone would see us and not know if it’s me or Christ they are seeing.
Matthew 24:37-44
This being Year A, we enter the book of Matthew.
This passage calls for us to be on high alert. For what? For Christ’s coming. Remember that the coming is not only future but in the here and now. How can we order our lives so that we are always watchful, always awake and looking for the coming of Christ in the here and now?
Questions to ponder
For what or whom are you waiting?
How can you order your days this Advent season to stay awake, be prepared, and truly look for Christ’s coming?
Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
© 2023 Kelly Sollinger