THE BIBLE – DISCOVERY YEAR O7
COMMENT FOR ADVENT 2 – 10-12-06
Malachi 3: 1-4
Under Persian rule from 539 to 332 BCE, the remnant kingdom of Judah became the province of Yehud, and the people – Judahites – were known as Yehudim, or Jews (Finkelstein and Silberman p297). A question arose “why has God not protected the throne of David?” Malachi has a message of promise – God has not forgotten His people but they had forgotten Him and neglected the spiritual depths and the justice implications of their covenant. With forgiveness will come restoration.
Luke 1: 68 – 79
This song of Zechariah, which we know as the Benedictus, celebrates the birth of John the Baptist. It ranges over the religious history of the Hebrew people, probably giving the way Luke’s readers thought at that time. There is great poetry in the last three verses. This heightened awareness of God lifts the human spirit to seek peace for the human family.
Philippians 1: 3-11
This congregation was the first in Greece established by Paul about 52 CE. It was quite a story, see Acts 16; 11-40. Now in prison in Rome, Paul thanks them for some gifts they sent and for their loving sharing in the work of the Gospel. He uses the phrase “all of you” as he responds to this vital community. For the gifts of the spirit offer true unity within otherwise distinctly different persons
Luke 3: 1-6
This dramatic passage begins by marking out a time and place in history as John fulfils the prophecy of Isaiah 40: 3-5. John appears from the wilderness of human conflict; as the creative spirit cuts through the confusion of deceit, evens out the disparity between rich and poor, exposes crooked dealings, and aids the weak and vulnerable in their rough life experiences, and the whole human race can see the salvation of the spiritual energies of God. This is at the heart of the Advent discovery.
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