BAPTISM OF THE LORD- 1st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

Homily for the 1^st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

Based on Mt 3:13-17 (Gospel), Is 42:1-4,6-7 (First Reading) and Ac 10:34-38 (Second Reading)

From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”

BAPTISM OF THE LORD

The gospel narrative for this 1^st Sunday in Ordinary Time is Mt 3:13-17. The Title  is “Jesus is baptized”. The parallel texts are:

1.       Mk 1:9-11 - It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John (v. 9). No sooner had he come up out of the water than he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him (v. 10). And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favor rests on you’ (v. 11).

2.       Lk 3:21-22 - Now when all the people had been baptized and while Jesus after his own baptism was at prayer,^j heaven opened. And the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily shape, like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favor rests on you’^k Footnote ^j  says “Jesus at prayer is a favorite theme of Lk., cf. 5:16; 6:12; 9:18,28-29; 11:1; 22:41.”; and Footnote ^k  says “Var. ‘You are my Son, today I have become your father’ (Ph 2:7). In Lk and Mk, unlike Mt, the voice addresses Jesus.”

Verse 13 and 14 says: Then Jesus appeared: he came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John (v. 13). John tried to dissuade him. “it is I who need to be baptized by you’ he said ‘and yet you come to me.’ (v. 14).

Parallel text for verse is Jn 13:6 14 says: He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Verses 15 and 16 says: But Jesus replied, ‘Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that righteousness demands’.^j At this John gave it to him.^k As soon as Jesus was baptized he came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened^l and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him.^m  Footnote ^j  says “Though sinless (Jn 8:460, Jesus is determined to submit to John baptism because he seas it as a part of God’s design (Lk 7:29-30) and the last act preparatory to the messianic era (Mt 3:6+); by accepting it he expresses his wish to satisfy the saving ‘righteousness’ of God that governs the whole plan of salvation. Mattew is probably thinking not only of the act of baptism but of the new ‘righteousness’ which, through Christ, is going to fulfil and perfect that of the old Law, cf. 5:17,20”; Footnote ^k  says “At this point an apocryphal legend has been inserted into two MSS of Vet. Lat. ‘And while he was being beptised a great light came out of the water so that all the bystander were filled with fear’; Footnote ^l  says “Add ‘for him’, i.e. before his eyes; and  Footnote ^m says “The Spirit which hovered over the waters at the first creation (Gn 1:2) now appears at the beginning of the new creation. It has two functions; it anoints Jesus for his messianic mission (Ac 10:38) which it is guide (Mt 4:1 p; Lk4:14,18: 10:21; Mt 12:18,28), and, according to the patristic view, it sanctifies the water, thus preparing the way for Christian baptism, cf. Ac 1:5+.;

Parallel texts for verse 16 are:

1.       Is 11:2 - On him the spirit of Yahweh rests, ^b A spirit of wisdom and insight, A spirit of counsel and power, A spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh. ^c (The fear of Yahweh is in his breath.) Footnote  ^b  says “The ‘spirit of Yahweh’ or ‘holy spirit of Yahweh 42:1, 61:1f, 63:10-13, Ps 51:11, Ws. 1:5, 9:17, his ‘breath’ (‘breath’ and ‘spirit’ translate the same word ruah), is found active throughout biblical history. Before creation it rests on the abyss, Gn 1:1, and to it all creatures five’ life, Ps 104:29-30; 30:6; Gn 2:7,cf. Ex. 37:5-6,9-10. It inspires the Judges, Jg. 3:10, 6:34,11:29, and Soul, 1 S. 11:6.  It gives craftsmen their skill, Ex.31:3, 35:31, judges their discretion, Nb.11:17, Joseph his wisdom, Gn 41:38.  But especially it inspires the prophets, Nb 11:17, (Moses), 25-26;24-2, 1 S 10:6,10, 19:20,2 S 23. 23:2 (David); 2k 2:9 (Elijah), Mt 3:8; Is 48:16, 61:1, 2c 7:12, 2 Ch. 15:1, 20:14, 24:20, whereas false prophets follow their own spirit of the prophets will be bestowed in the Messiah; Jl. 3:1-2 later foretells, that in the messianic era it will be poured out on all men, cf. Ac.2:16-17. Like the doctrine of wisdom cf. Pr.8:22+, Ws. 7:22+, the doctrine of the Spirit is to achieve  its perfect expression in the New Testament, cf. Jn 1:33, 14:16+ and 26+; Ac 1:8+, 2+,Rm 5:5+.; and Footnote ^c  says “The prophets spirit confers on the Messiah the outstanding virtues of his great ancestors: the wisdom and insight of Solomon, the heroism and providence of God characteristic of patriarchs and prophets, of Moses, of Jacob, of  Abraham, cf. 9:5. The list of these qualities as given in LXX and Vulg. (these add piety ‘ a repetition of the ‘fear of Yahweh’), has become the Christian’ seven gifts of the Holy Spirit’.”

2.       Dn 9:24  - ‘Seventy weeks are decreed^m for your people and your holy city, for putting an end to transgression, for placing the seals on sin, for expiating crime, for introducing everlasting integrity, for setting the sealⁿ on vision and on prophecy, for anointing the Holy of Holies.^o Footnote ^m  says “‘decreed’ Hebr.; ‘cut short’ Theod. And Vulg. The ‘weeks’ are ‘weeks of years’; the number 70 implies completion. The period is computed from the date of the revelation made to Jeremiah, cf. v. 25, to the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the return of the exiles, an event which 2 Ch 36:22-23 (=Ezr 1:1-2) sees as the realization of Jeremiah’s prophecy and dates 538 (the liberating decree of Cyrus).”; Footnote ⁿ  says “‘To seal’ means sometimes ‘to put an end to’, sometimes ‘to guarantee’; here it has the comprehensive sense of ‘fulfilling’.”; and Footnote ^o says “Either the altar (or Temple) or the high priest, cf. 1 Ch 23:13; the re-establishment of the priesthood is connected with the restoration of altar and Temple: in the prophetic perspective no distinction is made.”

3.       Jn 1:32-34 - John also declared, ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove^x and resting on him (v. 32). I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptize with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest in the one who is going to baptize with the Holy Spirit”^y(v. 33). Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God’^z(v. 34). Footnote ^x says “Om. ‘like a dove’’’; Footnote ^y says “This phrase sums up the whole purpose of the Messiah’s coming, cf. Jn 1:1+, namely, that mankind might be born again in the spirit: the O.T. had already foretold it,cf. Ac. 2:33+. The Spirit rests on him, Is. 11:12, 42:1, Jn 1:33, and so he can confer it on others baptism on the Spirit, cf. here and Ac 1:5+), but only after his resurrection, Jn 7:39,16:7,8,20:22; Ac.2. For Jesus came in the flesh, 1 Jn. 4:2, 2 Jn 7, flesh that was corruptible, Jn 1:14+, and it is only when he is ‘lifted up; and has gone to the Father that his body, glorified now, is fully endowed with divine, life-giving power. Thenceforward the Spirit flows to the world from his body as from an inexhaustible spring, Jn 7:37-39, 19:34, cf. Rm. 5:5+. For the water symbolism, cf. Jn 4:1+.”; and Footnote  ^z says “Var. ‘the Son of God.’”

Verse 17 says: And a voice spoke from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favor rests on him’ⁿ Footnote ⁿ - The immediate purpose of this sentence is to declare that Jesus is in truth the servant foretold by Isaiah, but the substitution of ‘Son’ for ‘servant’ (made possible by the double sense of the Greek word pais) underlines the relationship of Jesus with the Father, which is that of anointed Son, cf.4:3+.

Parallel texts for verse 17 are:

1.       Mt 12:18 - Here is my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved, the favorite of my soul.  I will endow him with my spirit, and he will proclaim the true faith ^e to the nations. Footnote ^e  says “‘true faith’; this gives the meaning of the Hebr. Term mishpat (and of its LXX translation krisis), often rendered ‘judgment’, which signifies the divine statute that governs the relationship of God with man in so far as it is known through revelation and the true religion that is founded on it.”

2.       Mt 17:5 - He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and from the cloud there came a voice which said, “This is my Son, the beloved, he enjoys my favor. Listen to him’

3.       Is 42:1 - First song of the servant of Yahweh:^a part one. Here is my servant^b whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have endowed with my spirit^c that he may bring true justice to the nations. Footnote  ^a says “The Book of consolation often speaks of Israel as a ‘servant of Yahweh’, chosen, set apart, saved to be God’s witness before the nations, cf. 41:8+. But the four ‘songs of the servant of Yahweh’, 42:1-9, 49:1-6; 50:4-11; 52:13-53:12, present a mysterious ‘servant’ who is some ways is like the servant-Israel of the other passages (a gloss in 49:5-6 actually identifies him with Israel); in 49:5-6 however he is distinguished from his servant-Israel and contrasted with him by other qualities which show that this mysterious servant is a particular individual. Called by Yahweh while still in his mother’s womb, 49:1,5 (cf. Jr 1:5), ‘formed’ by him, 42:6; 49:5, filled with his spirit, 42:1, the servant is  ‘disciple’ and Yahweh has opened his ears, 50:4-5, so that, by establishing justice on earth, 42:1,3, he may instruct mankind, 42:4; 50:4, sort them and judge them by his word, 50:10-11. He performs his task gently and  without display, 42:2-3; even appears to fail in it, 49:4. He accepts outrage and contempt, 50:5-6; 52:14; 53:2-3; he does not succumb because Yahweh sustains him, 42:4; 49:5; 50:7,9. The fourth song, some details of which may have been inspired by the life of Jeremiah (cf. also Ps 22), considers the suffering of this servant: like Job he is innocent, 53:9, but treated as an evil-doer whom God has punished, 53:4,12, condemned to a shameful death, 53:8-9. In fact, however all this is his own free offering for sinners whose guilt he takes on himself and for whom he intercedes, 53:4-5,8,11-12; and hitherto undreamed-of act of power, 52:15-53:1, from this atoning suffering Yahweh brings the salvation of all men, 53:6,10-12. Therefore, the servant will grow great, 52:13; he ‘will see a posterity’, 53:10, and hordes of his redeemed will be his, 53:12. He will not only ‘gather’ Israel, 49:5-6, but he will be the light of the nations, 42:6; 49:6, cf. 50:10. The New Testament, cf. Mt. 3:17+; Lk 4:17-21; Ac 3:13+; 8:32-33, sees Jesus as this servant in his person the attributes of the King-Messiah, Son of David, 2 S 7:1+; Is 7:14+, are united with those of the suffering servant.”; Footnote ^b  says  “Yahweh is speaking. He designates and consecrates the servant.”; and Footnote ^c  says “The spirit of the prophets, cf. Is 11:2+, the outpouring of which is the clearest sign of the messianic age, Jl 3:1-5, cf. Ac 2:16-21.”

4.       Is 49:3 - He said to me, ‘You are my servant (Israel)^b in whom I shall be glorified; Footnote ^b  says “This identification of the servant, hard to reconcile with vv.5,6, cf. 42:1+, is probably a gloss suggested by 44:21.”

The First Reading is from Is 42:1-4,6-7. The title is “First song of the servant of Yahweh:^a part one”. Footnote  ^a says: The Book of consolation often speaks of Israel as a ‘servant of Yahweh’, chosen, set apart, saved to be God’s witness before the nations, cf. 41:8+. But the four ‘songs of the servant of Yahweh’, 42:1-9, 49:1-6; 50:4-11; 52:13-53:12, present a mysterious ‘servant’ who is some ways is like the servant-Israel of the other passages (a gloss in 49:5-6 actually identifies him with Israel); in 49:5-6 however he is distinguished from his servant-Israel and contrasted with him by other qualities which show that this mysterious servant is a particular individual. Called by Yahweh while still in his mother’s womb, 49:1,5 (cf. Jr 1:5), ‘formed’ by him, 42:6; 49:5, filled with his spirit, 42:1, the servant is  ‘disciple’ and Yahweh has opened his ears, 50:4-5, so that, by establishing justice on earth, 42:1,3, he may instruct mankind, 42:4; 50:4, sort them and judge them by his word, 50:10-11. He performs his task gently and  without display, 42:2-3; even appears to fail in it, 49:4. He accepts outrage and contempt, 50:5-6; 52:14; 53:2-3; he does not succumb because Yahweh sustains him, 42:4; 49:5; 50:7,9. The fourth song, some details of which may have been inspired by the life of Jeremiah (cf. also Ps 22), considers the suffering of this servant: like Job he is innocent, 53:9, but treated as an evil-doer whom God has punished, 53:4,12, condemned to a shameful death, 53:8-9. In fact, however all this is his own free offering for sinners whose guilt he takes on himself and for whom he intercedes, 53:4-5,8,11-12; and hitherto undreamed-of act of power, 52:15-53:1, from this atoning suffering Yahweh brings the salvation of all men, 53:6,10-12. Therefore, the servant will grow great, 52:13; he ‘will see a posterity’, 53:10, and hordes of his redeemed will be his, 53:12. He will not only ‘gather’ Israel, 49:5-6, but he will be the light of the nations, 42:6; 49:6, cf. 50:10. The New Testament, cf. Mt. 3:17+; Lk 4:17-21; Ac 3:13+; 8:32-33, sees Jesus as this servant in his person the attributes of the King-Messiah, Son of David, 2 S 7:1+; Is 7:14+, are united with those of the suffering servant.

‘

Verse 1 says: Here is my servant^b whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have endowed with my spirit^c that he may bring true justice to the nations. Footnote ^b says “Yahweh is speaking. He designates and consecrates the servant”; and Footnote ^c  says The spirit of the prophets, cf. Is 11:2+, the outpouring of which is the clearest sign of the messianic age, Jl 3:1-5, cf. Ac 2:16-21.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Mt 12:18-21- Here is my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved, the favorite of my soul.  I will endow him with my spirit, and he will proclaim the true faith ^e to the nations (v. 18) He will not brawl or shout, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets (v. 19). He will not break the crushed reed, not put out the smoldering wick till he has led the truth to victory (v. 20); in his name the nations will put their hope (v. 21). Footnote^e  says “‘true faith’; this gives the meaning of the Hebr. Term mishpat (and of its LXX translation krisis), often rendered ‘judgment’, which signifies the divine statute that governs the relationship of God with man in so far as it is known through revelation and the true religion that is founded on it.”

2.       Is 11:1-10 - The coming of the virtuous king^a. A shoot  springs from the stock of Jesse, a scion thrusts from his roots (v. 1): on him the spirit of Yahweh rests, ^b a spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh.^c  (The fear of Yahweh is in his breath.) (v. 2). He does not judge by appearances, he gives no verdict on hearsay (v. 3), but judges the wretched with integrity, and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land. His word is a rod that strikes the ruthless,^d his sentence bring death to the wicked (v. 4) Integrity is the loincloth^e round his waist, faithfulness the belt about his hips (v. 5). The wolf lies with the lamb,^f the panther lies down with the kid, calf and lion cub feed^g together with a little boy to lead them (v. 6) The cow and the bear make friends,^h their young lie down together. The lion eats straw like the ox (v. 7). The infant plays over the cobra’s hole; into the viper’s lair the young child puts his hand (v. 8) . They do no hurt. No harm, on all my holy mountain, for the country is filled with the knowledge of Yahweh as the waters swell the sea (v. 9). That day, the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples. It will be sought out by the nations and its home will be glorious (v. 10). Footnote ^a  says “A messianic poem describing in some detail the salient characteristics of the coming Messiah of Davidic stock: v. 1, he will be filled with the spirit of the prophets, v. 2, will establish among men that ‘integrity’ which is the reflection of God’s sanctity on earth, vv. 3f; cf 1:26+ and 5:16+; he will restore the peace of Eden, vv. 6-8, which is the fruit of the knowledge of God, v. 9”; Footnote ^b says “The ‘spirit of Yahweh’ or ‘holy spirit of Yahweh 42:1, 61:1f, 63:10-13, Ps 51:11, Ws. 1:5, 9:17, his ‘breath’ (‘breath’ and ‘spirit’ translate the same word ruah), is found active throughout biblical history. Before creation it rests on the abyss, Gn 1:1, and to it all creatures five’ life, Ps 104:29-30; 30:6; Gn 2:7,cf. Ex. 37:5-6,9-10. It inspires the Judges, Jg. 3:10, 6:34,11:29, and Soul, 1 S. 11:6.  It gives craftsmen their skill, Ex.31:3, 35:31, judges their discretion, Nb.11:17, Joseph his wisdom, Gn 41:38.  But especially it inspires the prophets, Nb 11:17, (Moses), 25-26;24-2, 1 S 10:6,10, 19:20,2 S 23. 23:2 (David); 2k 2:9 (Elijah), Mt 3:8; Is 48:16, 61:1, 2c 7:12, 2 Ch. 15:1, 20:14, 24:20, whereas false prophets follow their own spirit of the prophets will be bestowed in the Messiah; Jl. 3:1-2 later foretells, that in the messianic era it will be poured out on all men, cf. Ac.2:16-17. Like the doctrine of wisdom cf. Pr.8:22+,  Ws. 7:22+, the doctrine of the Spirit is to achieve  its perfect expression in the New Testament, cf. Jn 1:33, 14:16+ and 26+; Ac 1:8+, 2+,Rm 5:5+.; Footnote ^c says “The prophets spirit confers on the Messiah the outstanding virtues of his great ancestors: the wisdom and insight of Solomon, the heroism and providence of God characteristic of patriarchs and prophets, of Moses, of Jacob, of  Abraham, cf. 9:5. The list of these qualities as given in LXX and Vulg. (these add piety ‘ a repetition of the ‘fear of Yahweh’), has become the Christian’ seven gifts of the Holy Spirit’.; Footnote ^d says “‘the ruthless’ corr.; ‘the earth’ Hebr.”; Footnote ^e says “‘the loincloth’ versions.”; Footnote ^f says “Man’s rebellion against God, Gn 3, had broken the harmony between man and man, Gn 4. The prophets foretell war and oppression as the punishment for the sins of Israel. The messianic era, however, with the forgiveness  of sin, its reconciliation with God, its reign of justice, will establish peace that results from these: it will pay to till the land, Am 9:13-14; Ho 2:20,23-24; weapons of war will all be set aside, Is 2:4; 9:4; Mi 4:3-4; 5:9-10; ZC 9:10; there will be lasting peace, Is 9:6; 32:17; 60:17-18;  Zp 3:13; Zc 3:10; Jl 4:17. The new covenant is a covenant of peace, Ezk 34:25; 37:26. The messianic kingdom is a kingdom of peace, Zc 9:8-10; Ps 72:3,7. Here the messianic age is symbolically described as a return to the peace of Eden”; Footnote ^g says “‘feed’ corr.”; and Footnote ^h  says ‘make friends’ corr.”

3.       Is 44:3 - For I will pour out water on the thirsty soil, streams on the dry ground. I will pour out my spirit on your descendants, my blessings on your children.

4.       Is 61:1 - The mission of the prophet^a.  The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for Yahweh has anointed me. He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up hearts that are broken. Footnote ^a says “This poem may have originally formed part of the collection, ch. 60-62, or may have been added by a disciple.”

5.       Ps 89:21…my hand will be constantly with him, he will be able to rely on my arm.

6.       Mt 3:16 - As soon as Jesus was baptized he came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened^l and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him.^m Footnote ^l says “Add ‘for him’, i.e. before his eyes”; and Footnote ^m says “The Spirit which hovered over the waters at the first creation (Gn 1:2) now appears at the beginning of the new creation. It has two functions; it anoints Jesus for his messianic mission (Ac 10:38) which it is guide (Mt 4:1 p; Lk4:14,18: 10:21; Mt 12:18,28), and, according to the patristic view, it sanctifies the water, thus preparing the way for Christian baptism, cf. Ac 1:5+.”

7.       Lk 2:25 - Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man: he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him.

8.       Jn 1:32-34 - John also declared, ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove^x and resting on him (v. 32). I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptize with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest in the one who is going to baptize with the Holy Spirit”^y(v. 33). Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God’^z (v. 34). Footnote ^x  says “Om. ‘like a dove’”. Footnote ^y  says “This phrase sums up the whole purpose of the Messiah’s coming, cf. Jn 1:1+, namely, that mankind might be born again in the spirit: the O.T. had already foretold it,cf. Ac. 2:33+. The Spirit rests on him, Is. 11:12, 42:1, Jn 1:33, and so he can confer it on others baptism on the Spirit, cf. here and Ac 1:5+), but only after his resurrection, Jn 7:39,16:7,8,20:22; Ac.2. For Jesus came in the flesh, 1 Jn. 4:2, 2 Jn 7, flesh that was corruptible, Jn 1:14+, and it is only when he is ‘lifted up; and has gone to the Father that his body, glorified now, is fully endowed with divine, life-giving power. Thenceforward the Spirit flows to the world from his body as from an inexhaustible spring, Jn 7:37-39, 19:34, cf. Rm. 5:5+. For the water symbolism, cf. Jn 4:1+”’ and Footnote ^z says “Var. ‘the Son of God.’

Verse 2, 3, 4 and 6  say: He does not cry out or shout aloud, or make his voice heard in the streets. He does not break the crushed reed, nor quench the wavering flame. Faithfully he brings true justice; He will neither waver, nor be crushed^d until the true justice is established on earth, for the islands are awaiting his law. I, Yahweh, have called you, to serve the cause of right; I have taken you by the hand and formed^e you; I have appointed you as covenant of the people and light of the nations, Footnote^d says “‘nor be crushed’ Greek and Targ.: ‘he will not run’ Hebr. The servant is contrasted with the lamp-flame and the reed of v. 3.”; and Footnote ^e says “In Hebr. The same word as in Gn 2:7 to describe Yahweh, ‘modeling’ the body of the first man.”

Parallel texts for verse 6 are:

1.       Is 49:8 - Thus says Yahweh: At a favorable time I will answer you, on the day of salvation I will help you. (I have formed you and have appointed you as covenant of the people.) I will restore the land and assign you the estate that lie waste.

2.       Lk 2:31-32…which you have prepared for all the nations to see (v. 31), a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel (v. 32).

3.       Jn 8:12 - When Jesus spoke to the people again, he said: ‘I am the light of the world; anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark; he will have the light of life’.

Verse 7 says: To open the eyes of the blind, to free captives from prison, and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.

Parallel text for verse 7 is Jn 9:1-47 that says:

1.       As he went along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi , who sinned, this man or his parents, for him to have been born blind? ‘Neither he nor his parents sinned,’ Jesus answered ‘he was born blind so that the works of God^a might be displayed him. ‘As long as the day lasts I must^b carry out the work of the one who sent me; the night will soon be here when no one can work.^c As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world.’^d Having said this, he spat on the ground, made a paste with the spittle, put this over the eyes of the blind man, and said to him, ‘Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam^e (a name that mean ‘sent’). So the blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored. His neighbors and people who earlier had seen him begging said, ‘Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some said, ‘Yes, it is the same one’. Others said, ‘No, he only looks like him’. The man himself said, ‘I am the man’. So they said to him, ‘Then how do your eyes come to be open? ‘The man called Jesus’ he answered ‘made a paste, daubed my eyes with it and said to me, “Go and wash at Siloam”; so I went, and when I washed I could see.’ They asked, ‘Where is he?’ ‘I don’t know’ he answered. They brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. It had been a sabbath day when Jesus made the paste^f and opened the man’s eyes, so when the Pharisees asked him how he had come to see, he said, ‘He put a paste on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see’. Then some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man cannot be from God: he does not keep the sabbath’. Others said, ‘How could a sinner produce signs like this?’ And there was disagreement among them. So they spoke to the blind man again, ‘What have you to say about him yourself, now that he has opened your eyes?’ ‘He is a prophet’ replied the man. However, the Jews would not believed that the man had been blind and had gained his sight,^g without first sending for his parents and asking them, ‘Is this man really your son who say was born blind? Is so, how is it that he is now able to see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know he is our son and we know he was born blend, but we don’t know how it is that he can see now, or who opened his eyes.^h He is old enough: let him speak for himself.’ His parents spoke like this out of fear of Jews, who had already agreed to expel from the synagogue anyone who should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ. This was why his parents said, ‘He is old enough; ask him’. So the Jews again sent for the man and said to him, ‘Give glory to God!ⁱ For our part, we know that this man is a sinner. The man answered, ‘I don’t know if he is a sinner; I only know that I was blind and now I can see’. They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ He replied, ‘I have told you once and you wouldn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it all again? Do you want to become his disciples too? At this they hurled abuse at him: ‘You can be his disciple,’ they said ‘we are disciples of Moses: we know that God spoke Moses, but as for his man, we don’t know where he comes from’. The man replied, ‘Now here is an astonishing thing! He has opened my eyes, and you don’t know where he comes from! We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but God does listen to men who are devout and do his will. Ever since the world began it is unheard of for anyone to open the eyes of a man who was born blind,^j if this man were not from God, he couldn’t do a thing.’ ‘Are you trying to teach us,’ they replied ‘and you sinner through and through, since you were born blind; if this man were not from God, he couldn’t do a thing.’ ‘Are you trying to teach us,’ they replied ‘and you a sinner through and through, since you were born!’ And they drove him away. Jesus heard they had driven him away, and when he found him he said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied ‘tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You are looking at him; he is speaking to you’. ^kThe man said, ‘Lord, I believe’, and worshipped him. Jesus said: ‘It is for judgment that I have come into this world, so that those without sight may see and those with sight^l turn blind’. Hearing this, some Pharisees who were present said to him, ‘We are not blind, surely?’ Jesus replied: ‘Blind? If you were,^m you would not be guilty, but since you say “We see”, your guilt remains. Footnote ^a  says “‘Signs’, cf. 2:11+”;  Footnote ^b  says “Var, ‘we must’”; Footnote ^c  says “The life of Jesus is compared to a day’s work, 5:17, ending with the night of death. Cf. Lk 13:32.”; Footnote ^d  says “Before the miracle takes place its significance is pointed out, cf. 9:37; Footnote  ^e  says “The water drawn from here during the feast of Tabernacles symbolized the blessings of the messianic age. Henceforth, the source os these blessings is Jesus himself. ‘The envoy’, or ‘the one sent’, is one of Jn’s favorite names for Christ, cf. 3:17,34; 5:36, etc.”; Footnote ^f  says “Such work was forbidden on the sabbath.”; Footnote ^g  says “Om. ‘that the man had been blind and had gained his sight’”; Footnote ^h  says “Add. ‘ask him’”; Footnote ⁱ  says “A biblical phrase putting a person under oath to tell the truth and to make reparation for his insult to the divine majesty, cf. Jos 7:19; 1 S 6:5”; Footnote ^j  says “There are many points of resemblance between ch. 9 and 3:1-21, and it is probable that to the evangelist’s mind the cure of the man born blind is a symbol of the new birth through water and the Spirit, 3:3-7; Footnote  ^k  says “Om. All v. 38 and first two words of v. 39”; Footnote ^l  says “The complacent who trust to their own ‘light’, cf. vv. 24,29,34, as opposed to the humble, typified by the blind man. Cf. Dt 29:3; Is 6:9f; Jr 5:21; Ezk 12:2.’ ; and Footnote ^m  says “I.e if you knew you were blind, as blind men do.”

2.       Is 49:9 - I will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out’, to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves’.

3.       Jn 8:32…you will learn the truth and the truth will make you free.’

4.       Ps 107:10 - Some were living in the gloom and darkness, fettered in misery and irons.

5.       Lk 1:79…to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

6.       Ac 26:18…to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light,^f from the dominion of Satan to God, and receive, through faith in me, forgiveness of their sins^g and a share in the inheritance of the sanctified.

Footnote ^f says “Paul’s missionary vocation is described here in OT terms used about two great prophetic figures, Jeremiah and the Servant of Yahweh.”; and Footnote ^g says “In 9:17-18, Paul, his sight restored, passes from darkness to light; in 22:16 (cf 9:18) Paul is ordered to wash away his sins by baptism. Thus his own experience is a symbol of his mission to others.”

The Second Reading is from Ac 10:34-38.  Verse 34 says: Then Peter addressed them: ‘The truth I have now come to realize’ he said ‘is that God does not have favorites,

Parallel texts are:

1.       Dt 10:17- For Yahweh your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, triumphant and terrible, never partial, never to be bribed.

2.       Rm 2:11 - God has no favorites.

3.       Ga 2:6 - As a result, these people  who are acknowledged leaders -  not that their importance matters to me, since God has no favorites - these leaders, as I say, had nothing to add to the good News as I preach it.^e  Footnote ^e says “Lit, ‘laid down nothing more for me’, cf. v.2.”

4.       1 P 1:17 - If you are acknowledging as your Father one who has no favorites and judges everyone according to what he has done, you must be scrupulously careful as long as you are living away from your home.

Verses 35 and 36 say: But that anybody of any nationality who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him^..ⁱ It is true, God sent his word^j to the people of Israel, and it was to them that the good news of peace was brought by Jesus Christ –but Jesus Christ is Lord of all men. Footnote ⁱ says “The language of sacrifice (cf. v. 4). The unblemished victim and its offerer are both ‘acceptable’ to God, Lv 1:3; 19:5; 22:19-27. Isaiah (56:7) had prophesized that when the fullness of time came, the pagan’s sacrifice would be acceptable to God; see Ml 1:10-11; Cf. Rm 15:16; Ph 4:18; 1 P 2:5”;’ and Footnote ^j – says “Var. ‘The word that God has sent.’”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Is 52:7 - How beautiful on the mountains, are the feet of one who brings good news,^f who heralds peace, brings happiness, proclaim salvation, and tells Zion, “Your God is king!”^g Footnote^f says“The Book of Consolation is a ‘gospel’, good news, cf. Mk. 4:23+”; and Footnote ^g says “The return from exile ushers in a new age under the rule of not so much a human king as of Yahweh himself, ruler in Zion and over the entire world. This reign, foretold in Mi. 2:13; 4:7; Zp. 3:15; Jr 3:17; 8:19; Ezk. 20:33 (cf. 33:11f); Is. 43:15; 24:23; Ob 21; Zc 14:9, forms the subject of the Psalms of the Kingdom’ Ps 47;93;96;97;98;99.

2.       Na 2:1 - See, over the mountains the messenger hurries! ‘Peace” he proclaims, Judah, celebrate your feasts, carry out your  vows, for Belial  will never pass through you again; he is utterly annihilated.^a Footnote^a  says “We read v. 2 after v. 3.”

3.       Rm 10:12…it makes no distinction between Jews and Greeks: all belong to the same Lord who…

Verse 37 says: You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea,^k about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism.^l Footnote ^k says “Vv. 37-42 sums up the gospel story, cf. 1:21-22; 2:22+, emphasizing the same points as Luke brought out in his own gospel”; and Footnote ^l says “Lit. ‘Jesus from Nazareth, how he began (var. ‘how it (all) began’) in Galilee after the baptism proclaimed by John’.”

Parallel text isLk 4:44 that says: And he continued his preaching in the synagogues of Judaea.^l Footnote ^l says “Mk reads ‘Galilee’. Lk uses ‘Judaea’ in the wide sense: the land of Israel. So also in 7:17; 23:5 (?); Ac. 10:37; 28:21.”

Verse 38 says: God has anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ac 1:8- But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on youⁱ , and then you will be my witnesses^j not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth’.^k Footnote ⁱ  says “The Holy Spirit is a favorite theme of Luke (Lk 4:1+); he talks mostly about the Holy Spirit as a Power, Lk 1:35; 24:49;Ac 1:8;10:38; Rm 15:13,19; 1 Co 2:4,5; 1 Th 1:5; Heb 2:4, sent  from God by Christ, Ac 2:38, to broadcast the Good News. 1. The Spirit gives the charismata, 1 Co 12:4f, that guarantee the message; the gift of tongues, Ac 2:4+, of miracles, 10:38, of prophecy, 11:27+; 20:23; 21:11, of wisdom, 6:3,5,10:2, the Spirit fives strength to proclaim Jesus as Messiah in spite of persecution 4:8,31; 5:32; 6:10;cf. Ph 1;19 and to bear witness to him, Mt. 10;20p; Jn 15:26; Ac 1:8; 2 Tm 1:7f,cf. following note; 3. The Spirit guides the Church in her major decisions: the  admission of pagans, Ac 8:29,40; 10:19,44-47; 11;12-16; 15:8, without obligation to observe the  Law, 15:28; Paul’s mission to the pagan worlds, 13:2f; 16:6-7; 19:1 (Western Text) cf. Mt. 3:16+,Ac also mentions the Spirit  as received in baptism and forgiving sins, 2:38, cf. Rm 5:5+”; Footnote ^j says “The primary functions of the apostles is to bear witness: not only to Christ’s resurrection, Lk. 24:48, Ac 2:32, 3:15, 4:33, 3:32, 24:48,13;31, 22:15, but also to the whole of is public life, Lk 1:21, Jn 15:27, Ac. 1:22, 10:39f.”; Footnote ^k says “nothing can limit the apostolic mission.”

2.       Ac 4:27 - ‘This is what has come true: in this very city Herod and Pontius Pilateⁱ made an alliance with the pagan nations and the peoples of Israel, against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed.^j Footnote ^h says‘ Anointed’ ; the Greek word is ‘Christ’; it is explained here, v. 27. According to its etymological sense.”;  Footnoteⁱ  says “Representing respectively the ‘kings’ and ‘princes’ the Psalm mentions. For ‘Herod’, cf. Lk. 23:6-16.”; and Footnote ^j says “The ‘anointing’ that has constituted him King Messiah, ‘the Christ’, cf. Mt. 3:16+.

3.       Is. 61:1 - The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh has been given to me, for Yahweh has anointed me. He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up hearts that are broken; to proclaim liberty to captives, freedom to those in prison…

4.       Mt. 3:16 - As soon as Jesus was baptized he came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened^l and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him.^m  Footnote ^l says “Add ‘for him’, i.e. before his eyes”; and Footnote ^m says “The Spirit which hovered over the waters at the first creation (Gn 1:2) now appears at the beginning of the new creation. It has two functions; it anoints Jesus for his messianic mission (Ac 10:38) which it is guide (Mt 4:1 p; Lk4:14,18: 10:21; Mt 12:18,28), and, according to the patristic view, it sanctifies the water, thus preparing the way for Christian baptism, cf. Ac 1:5+.”

5.       Ac. 2:22 - Men of Israel, listen to what I am going to say;ⁿ Jesus of Nazareth was a man commended to you by God by the miracles and portents and signs that God worked through him when he was among you, as you all know. Footnote ⁿ  says “The content of the earliest apostolic preaching (the ‘kerygma’) is here summarized for the first time; cf. the five discourses of Peter, Ac. 2:14-39, 3:12-26; 4:8-12, 5:29-32, 10:34-43, and the discourse of Paul. 13:16-41. The kerygma is 1. a witness, 1:8+, to Christ’s death and resurrection, 2:24+, and to his exaltation, 2:33+; 2:36+, 2. It also provides certain details of Christ’s ministry; how it was heralded by John the Baptist, 10:37, 13:24, inaugurated by teaching and miracle, 2:22, 10:38, completed by the appearances of the risen Christ, 10:40,41, 13:31, and by the gift of the Spirit, 2:33, 5:32. 3. It places this story in its wider setting: it appeals to the past, adducing the OT prophecies, 2:23+; 2:35+, and it surveys the future, the advent of the messianic era, inviting Jews and pagans to repentance, 2:38+, so that Christ’s glorious return may come the sooner, 3:20-21. The gospels, which are development of the primitive preaching, adopt the same theme.”

6.       Mt. 8:29 - They stood there shouting, ‘What do you want with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before the time?’^j Footnote  ^j  says “Until the day of Judgment, the demons are to some extent free to work their mischief on earth, Rv. 9:5; they do this normally by taking possession of men, 12:43-45+. Such possession brings disease with it because disease- consequence of sin, 9:2+- is another manifestation of Satan’s dominion, Lk. 13:16. It is for this reason that the gospel exorcism though sometimes described simply as expulsions, cf. 15:21-28p; Mk. 1:23-28p; Lk. 8:2, often take the form of cures, 9:32-34; 12:22-24p; 17:14-18p; Lk. 13:10-17. By his power over the devils Jesus destroys Satan’s empire, 12:28p; Lk. 10:17-19; cf. Lk.4:6; Jn. 12:31+, and inaugurates the messianic era of which, according to the prophets, the gift of the Holy Spirit is the distinctive mark, Is. 11:2+; Jl. 3:1f. Man may refuse to recognize it, 12:24-32, but the demons see it all too well, cf. this passage and Mk. 1:24p; 3:11p; Lk. 4:41;Ac. 16:17; 19:15. This power to exorcise is given by Jesus to his disciples simultaneously with the power of miraculous healing, 10:18p, with which it is connected, 8:3+; 4:24; 8:16p; Lk. 13:32.

‘

THREE KINGS- Epiphany Sunday (Cycle A)

Homily for the Epiphany Sunday (Cycle A)

Based on Mt 2:1-12 (Gospel), Is 60:1-6 (First Reading) and Eph 3:2-3, 5-6 (Second Reading)

From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”

THREE KINGS

“Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.” (Mt 2:11)

The Gospel narrative for this Epiphany of Our Lord Sunday (Cycle A) is from Mt 2:1-12.

Verse 1 says: After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod,^a some wise men came to Jerusalem from the East. Footnote ^a says “About 5 or 4 BC. Herod was king of Judaea, Idumea and Samaria from 37-4 BC, Cf. Lk 2:2.”

Parallel text is Lk 2:1-17 that says: The birth of Jesus and the visit of the shepherds – Now at this time Caesar Augustus^a issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken (v. 1).This census – the first^b – took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria (v. 2), and everyone went to his own town to be registered (v. 3). So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and travelled up to Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was of David’s House and line (v. 4), in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child (v. 5). While they were there the time came for her to have her child (v. 6), and she gave birth to a son, her first born.^c She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn (v. 7). In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took it in turns to watch their flocks during the night (v. 8). The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified (v. 9), but the angel said, ‘Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people (v. 10). Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; he is the Christ the Lord^d (v. 11). And here is a sign for you; you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger (v. 12). And suddenly with the angel there was a great throng of the heavenly host, praising God an singing (v. 13): ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace to men who enjoy his favor’^e (v. 14). Now when the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us’ (v. 15). So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger (v. 16). When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him (v. 17)… Footnote ^a  says “Roman emperor from 30 BC to 14 AD.”; Footnote ^b  says “The first of a series. The translation sometimes given, ‘The census preceded that which was held when Quirinius was governor of Syria’ is difficult to justify grammatically. The historical circumstances are little known. Most scholars put the census of Quirinius in 6 AD, but the only authority for this is Josephus who is doubtfully reliable in this matter, cf. Ac 5:37+. The most probable explanation is that the census which was made with aview to taxation took place about 8-6 BC as part of a general census of the empire, and that it was organized in Palestine by Quirinius who was specially appointed for the purpose. Quirinius mighthave been governor of Syria between 4 and 1 BC and if so Lk’s expression would then be a rough approximation. Jesus was born certainly before Herod’s death (4 BC), possibly in 5-6 BC. The Christian Era, established by Dionysius Exiguus (6^thCentury) is the result of a false calculation, cf. note to Lk 3:1.”; Footnote ^c  says “In biblical Greek, the term does not necessarily imply younger brothers but emphasizes the dignity and right of the child.”; and Footnote ^d  says  “He is, therefore, the expected Messiah; but he is also called ‘Lord’, a title the OT reserves for God. A new era is beginning.”

Verse 2, 3 and 4 say: ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose^b and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,^c and inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. Footnote ^b  says “Alternative translation (Vulg. ‘in the east’. Same alternative for v. 9.””; and Footnote ^c says “Doctors of the Law; usually, but not always, from the ranks of the Pharisees (3:7+). Together with the high priests and the elders they constituted the Great Sanhedrin.”

Parallel text is Nb 24:17 that says: I see him-but not in the present, I behold him-but not close at hand; a star^g from Jacob takes the leadership, a scepter arises from Israel. It crushes the brows of Moab^h the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.ⁱ Footnote ^g says “In the ancient East a star signified a god and, consequently, the deified king. See also Is. 14:12. Here the word seems to refer to the Davidic dynasty from which the Messiah was to come.”; Footnote ^h  says “For ‘sceptre’ the Greek reads ‘a man’; for ‘brows’ it has ‘chiefs’. The same Hebr. word means ‘sides’ (of the head) and ‘frontiers’. “; and Footnote ⁱ  says “Here referring to Bedouin tribes. The poem goes on to enumerate those of Israel’s enemies who lived on the borders of Canaan.”

Verse 5 says: ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him ‘for this is what the prophet wrote:

Parallel text is Jn 7:42 that says: Does not scripture say that the Christ must be descended from David and come from the town of Bethlehem?^t  Footnote ^t  says “Add. ‘where David was’, ‘of David’, or ‘where he was’. Only Christ’s intimates knew that he had been born in Bethlehem.

Verses 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 say: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward and halted in over the place where the child was.^d The sight of the star filled them with delight,

Footnote ^d says “Obviously the evangelist is thinking of a miraculous star; it is futile to look for a natural explanation, but obviously there is a mystical explanation found in Lk 2:9 .”

Parallel text for verse 6 is  Mi 5:1 that says: But you, (Bethlehem) Ephrathah, the least^a of the clans of Judah, out of you will be born for me the one who is to rule over Israel; his origin goes back to the distant past, to the days of old.^b  Footnote ^a  says ‘the least’ Greek; ‘small’ Hebr.; Hebr. and Greek  add ‘to be.’; and Footnote ^b  says “Ephrathah (to which Micah apparently attaches the etymological meaning of ‘fruitful’, connecting it with the birth of the Messiah) originally indicated a clan related to Caleb, 1 Ch. 2: 19,24,50 and settled in the district of Bethlehem, 1 S. 17:12, Rt. 1:2; the name later came to be used of the town itself, Gn. 35:19; 48:7; Jos. 15:59; Rt. 4:11, hence the gloss in the text. Micah is thinking of the ancient origin of the dynasty of David, 1 S 17:12; Rt. 4:11, 17, 18-22; in ‘(Bethlehem) Ephrathah’ the evangelist will recognize an indication of the Messiah’s birthplace.”

Verse 11 says:  And going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.^e Footnote  ^e says “The wealth and perfumes of Arabia (Jr 6:20; Ezk 27:22). The Fathers see in them symbols of the royalty (gold), divinity (incense), passion (myrrh) of Christ. The adoration of the Magi fulfills the messianic prophecies of the homage paid by the nations to the God of Israel, cf. Nb 24:17; Is 49:17; Is 60:5f; Ps 72:10-15.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ps 72:10-15…the kings of Tarshish and of the islands will pay him tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts (v. 10); all the kings will do him homage, all the nations become his servants (v. 11). He will free the poor man who calls to him, and those who need help (v. 12), he will have pity on the poor and feeble, and save the lives of those in need (v. 13). He will redeem their lives from exploitation and outrage, their lives will be precious in his sight. (Long may he live, may gold from Sheba be given him!)^I  Prayer will be offered for him constantly, blessings invoked on him all day long.^j Footnote ⁱ says “Probably a prayer for the Messiah added later.”; and  Footnote j says  “Another translation ‘He (the Messiah) will pray (intercedes) for him (the poor man) and bless him.’”

2.       Is 49:23 - Kings will be your foster fathers, their queens your nursing mothers. They will fall prostrate before you, faces to the ground, and lick the dust at your feet. You shall then know that I am Yahweh; and that those who hope in me will not be put to shame.

3.       Is 60:5f  - At this sight you will grow radiant, your heart throbbing and full; since the riches of the sea will flow to you, the wealth of the nations come to you.

Verse 12 says: But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.

Parallel text is 1 K 13:9 that says: …for I have had Yahweh’s order: ‘You are to eat or drink nothing, nor return by the way you came’.

The First Reading is from Is 60:1-6, which is under the title:  The glorious resurrection of Jerusalem^a Footnote ^a  says “The poem of ch. 60 and 62 for a whole. In style and thought they resemble ch. 40-55 and must have been composed either by the author of the Book o Consolation or at least by one of his immediate disciples.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Is 45:14 - Thus says Yahweh: The peasants of Egypt and the traders of Cush, and the tall men of Seba, will submit to you and be yours; they will follow you in chains. They will bow down before you, they will pray to you: ‘With you alone is God, and he has no rival; there is no other god’.

2.       Tb 13:9 -Jerusalem, Holy City, God scourged  you for your handiwork. Yet still will take pity on the sons of the upright.

3.       Rv 21:9-27 - I saw the holy city, and the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of the heaven, as beautiful as a bride all dressed for her husband^d (v. 2). One of the seven angels that had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came to speak to me, and said, ‘Come here and I will show you the bride that the Lamb had married’ (v. 9). In the spirit, he took me to the top of an enormous high mountain and showed me Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down from God out of heaven^j (v. 10). It had all the radiant glory from God and glittered like some precious jewel of crystal-clear diamond (v. 11). Footnote ^d  says “The new and joyful wedding of Jerusalem and her God has taken place, cf. Is 65:18; 61:10; 62:4-6; the Exodus ideal has at last been achieved, cf. Ho 2:16+; and Footnote ^j  says “i.e. the renewal in these present, messianic times; the transformation of humanity by an act of God.” 

Verse 1 says: Arise, shine out, for your light has come, the glory of Yahweh is rising on you…

Parallel texts are:

1.       Is 2:5 - House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of Yahweh.

2.       Tb 13:11 - A bright light shall shine over all the regions of the earth; many nations shall come from far away. From all the ends of the earth, to dwell close to the holy name of the Lord God, with gifts in their hands for the King of heaven. Within you, generation after generation shall proclaim their joy, and the name of her who is Elect shall endure through the generations to come.

3.       Ps 102:16 - When Yahweh builds Zion anew, he will be seen in glory;

4.       Ba 4:24 - as the new neighbors of Zion now witness your captivity so will they soon see you rescued by God who will intervene, in the great glory and splendor of the Eternal.

5.       Ep 5:14 - and anything illuminated turns into light.^b That is why it is said:^c Wake up from your sleep, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you Footnote ^b  says “The wrong sort of way to talk about sexual immorality is the way that leaves the subject in a dangerous obscurity, v. 3. To talk about it in such a way however that it is recognized for what it is will lead to its being corrected: this sort of light is the light of Christ that puts an end to darkness.”

Verse 2 says: though night still covers the earth and darkness the peoples. Above you Yahweh now rises and above you his glory appears.

Parallels are:

1.       Is 9:1 - The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shown.

2.       Ex 24:1 6 - …and the glory of Yahweh^f settled on the mountain of Sinai, for six days the cloud covered it, and on the seventh day Yahweh called to Moses from inside the cloud. Footnote ^f  says “In the Priestly tradition, cf. 13:22+, the ‘glory of Yahweh’ is the manifestation of God’s presence. This ‘glory’ is a fire clearly distinguished (here and in 40:34-35) from the cloud that accompanied and surrounds it. The fire and the cloud are images borrowed from the great theophanies with a thunderstorm for their setting, 19:16+, but they have a more profound significance: the brilliant light (which needs no storm for appearance  33:22, and which  later leaves is glow on face of Moses, 34:29) stands for God’s unapproachable majesty. It fills the newly erected tabernacle, 40:34-35, and will fill the Temple of Solomon, 1 K 8:10-11, On the eve of the destruction of Jerusalem Ezekiel saw the glory leaving the city, Ezk 9:3; 10:4,18-19, 11:22-23; later he sees it returning to the new Temple, Ezk 43:1f; for Ezekiel the ‘glory’ assumes a shining, human form, Ezk. 1:26-28. In other texts, and particularly in the Psalms, the glory of Yahweh simply expresses God’s majesty and the honor due to him, often with eschatological overtones; or else it indicates God’s miraculous power, Ex. 15:7, cf. the ‘glory’ of Jesus, Jn 2:11; 11:;40.”

Verse 3 says:  The nations come to your light and kings to your dawning brightness.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Rv 21:24 -The pagan nations will live by its light and the kings of the earth will bring it their treasures.

2.       Ps 102:22 - Nations and kingdoms will be united and offer worship to Yahweh together.

Verse 4 says: Lift up your eyes and look round; all are assembling and coming towards you, your sons from far away and your daughters being tenderly carried.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Is 49:18-22 - Thus speaks the Lord Yahweh: I beckon to the nations and hoist my signal for the people.^k They will bring back your sons in the cloak,^l they will take your daughters on their shoulders. Footnote ^k  says “In 5:26, this signal called in the invader, now it proclaims salvation”; and Footnote ^l  says “As babes are tenderly carried.”

2.       Tb 14:7 - …and will bless the God of the ages by upright conduct. All the Israelites spared on those days will remember God in sincerity of heart. They will come and gather in Jerusalem and thereafter dwell securely in the land of Abraham, which shall be their own. And those who sincerely love God shall rejoice. And those who commit sin and wickedness shall vanish from the earth.

3.       Ba 5:5-6 - Arise, Jerusalem, stand on the heights and turn your eyes to the east: see your sons reassembled from west to east at the command of the Holy One, jubilant that God has remembered them (v. 5).  Though they left you on foot, with enemies for an escort, now God brings them back to you like royal princess^b carried back in glory (v. 6). Footnote ^b  says “Lit. ‘sons of the kingdom’ Vulg. And some Greek MSS; ‘as (on) a royal throne’ Greek. On this second Exodus, cf. Is 40:3+”.

Verse 5 says: At this sight you will grow radiant, your heart throbbing and full; since the riches of the sea will flow to you, the wealth of the nations come to you;

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ps 45:12 - Daughter of Tyre will solicit your favor with gifts, the wealthiest nation.

2.       Ps 72:10 - …the kings of Tarshish and of the islands will pay him tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts (v. 10);

3.       Mt 2:11 - And going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.^e Footnote ^e  says “The wealth and perfumes of Arabia (Jr 6:20; Ezk 27:22). The Fathers see in them symbols of the royalty (gold), divinity (incense), passion (myrrh) of Christ. The adoration of the Magi fulfills the messianic prophecies of the homage paid by the nations to the God of Israel, cf. Nb 24:17; Is 49:17; Is 60:5f; Ps 72:10-15.”

Verse 6 says: Camels in throngs will cover you, and dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; everyone in Sheba will come, bringing gold and incense and singing the praise of Yahweh.^b Footnote ^b  says “The riches of the sea (i.e. of the maritime powers. Phoenicia and Greece) come by ship from the west. The riches of the East and of Egypt come by caravans across the desert of Syria and Sinai respectively. Midian, Ephah and Sheba are people of Arabia. The liturgy applies this text to the visit of the Magi, Mt 2:1-12; the immediate significance of the text is somewhat different but its worldwide outlook, cf. Is 45:14+, makes the application apt.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ex 2:15 - When Pharaoh heard of the matter he would have killed Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and made for the land of Midian.^f And he sat down beside a well. Footnote ^f  says “Midian lies to the south of Edom and to the east of the gulf of Aqaba. Gn 25:1-4 connects the Midianites with a group of Arab tribes descended from Abraham’s wife Keturah. These nomads frequent the highways of Palestine, Gn 37:28,36, and of the Sinai peninsula, Nb 10:29-32; they raid  as far afield as Moab Gn 36:35, where they later come to blows with the Hebrews, Nb 22:4,7; 25:6-18; 31:1-9, Jos 13:21. They were to be soundly beaten by Gideon, Jg 6-8; cf. Is 9:3; 10:26; Ps 83:9. At ‘the end of times’10:29-32; Midian will come and pay homage to Yahweh, Is 60:6”.

2.       1 K 10:1 - The queen of Sheba visits Solomon^a  Now the fame of Solomon having reached the queen of Sheba^b she came to test him with difficult questions. Footnote ^a – says “The kingdom of Sheba was the SW portion of the Arabian peninsula, but the queen mentioned ruled more probably over one of the Sabaean settlement of N. Arabia. The Hebr. Bible distinguishes between the more usual Sheba (used here)and Seba which it associates more closely with Cush, or Ethiopia, Gn 10:7; Is 43:3; 45:14. The name Seba came to be used for the far S., just as Tarshish stand for the W. limits of the earth, Ezk 38:13 and Ps 72:10. Sheba is several times mentioned in association with Dedan, another Arabian group, Gn 10:7; 25:3; Ezk 38:13, figuring as one of the great tribes of traveling merchants, Ezk 27:20f; Jr 6:20; Jl 4:8; Jb 6:19. This far-off people will come to do homage to the future king, Ps 72:10,15, in the new Jerusalem, Is 45:14 and 60:6f, cf. Mt 2:11”; and Footnote ^b  says “Unintelligible, lit. ‘for the name of Yahweh’; phrase absent from 2 Ch 9:1.”

The Second Reading  is from Ep 3:2-3,5-6, under the title Paul, a servant of the mystery.

Parallel text is Col 1:24-29 that says: It makes me happy to suffer for you, as I am suffering now, and in my own body to do what I can to make up all that has still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church. ^m I became the servant of the Church when God made me responsible for delivering God’s message to you, the message which was a mystery hidden for generations and centuries and has now been revealed to his saints. It was God’s purpose to reveal it to them and to show all the rich glory of this mystery to pagans. The mystery is Christ among you, your hope of glory:ⁿ this is the Christ we proclaim, this is the wisdom I which we thoroughly train everyone and instruct everyone, to make them all perfect I Christ.  Footnote ^m  says “Lit. ‘all that is lacking from the sufferings of Christ…Church’. Jesus suffered in order to establish the reign of God, and anyone who continues his work must share this suffering. Paul is not saying that he thinks his own sufferings increase the value of his redemption (since that value cannot be increased) but that he shares by his sufferings as a missionary in those that Jesus had undergone in his own mission, cf. 2 Co. 1:15, Ph. 1:20+. These are the sufferings predicted for the messianic era, Mt. 24:8, Ac. 14:22, 1 Tm. 4:1+, and are all part of the way n which God had always intended the Church to develop. Paul feels that, being the messenger Christ has chosen to send to the pagans, he has been especially called on to experience those sufferings”; and Footnote ⁿ says “Previously, when it had seemed (to the Jews) that pagans could never be saved, as salvation was restricted to ‘Israel’, pagans had seemed to be without a Messiah and consequently to be deprived of all hope, Ep. 2:12. The ‘mystery’ or secret of God that had now been revealed was that the pagans too were, and had been, all called to be saved through union with Christ, and so to reach eternal glory , cf. Ep. 2:13-22; 3:3-6.”

Verse 2 says:  You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace^a he meant for you… Footnote ^a  ays “V. 1 (continued by v. 15) breaks off abruptly, the parenthetical  development of vv 2-14 being suggested by the mention of pagans in v. 1. On the grace of being apostle of the pagans, cf. 3:7f; Rm. 5:1; 15:15f; 1 Co. 3:10; Ga. 2:9.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ep 4:1- I, prisoner in the Lord, implore you therefore to lead a life worthy of your vocation.

2.       Ph 1:13 - My chains, in Christ, have become famous not only all over the Praetorium ^a but everywhere… Footnote ^a  says “If Paul is writing from his house-arrest in Rome, this must refer to members of the Praetorian guard (two were quartered just outside the city wall). If Paul is writing from Ephesus or Caesaria, he is referring to the staff of the Praetorium which was the name of the official residence of the governor in each of those cities.”

3.       Col 4:18 - Here is a greeting in my own handwriting-Paul. Remember the chains I wear. Grace be with you.^f Footnote ^f  says “Add. (Vulg.) ‘Amen’, cf. Ph 4:2.”

4.       2 Tm 2:9…it is on account of this that I have my own hardships to bear even to being chained like a criminal-but they cannot chain up God’s news

Verse 3 says: and that it was by a revelation^b that I was given the knowledge of the mystery, as I have just described it very shortly. Footnote ^b   says “Cf. 2 Co 12:1,7. The immediate reference is what was revealed to Paul on the way to Damascus, cf. Ga. 1:16; Ac. 9:15;  22:21; 26:16-18.”

Parallel text is Rm 16:25 that says: Doxology^j Glory to him who is able to give you the strength^k to live according to the Good News I preach, and in which I proclaim Jesus Christ, the revelation of a mystery^l kept secret for endless ages… Footnote ^j  says “Most authorities place this doxology here, but in some it appears at the end of ch. 15 or 14; others omit. A solemn presentation, cf. Ef 3:20; Jude 24-25, of the main points of the letter”; Footnote ^k  says “Firmly grounded in doctrine and strong in Christian practice. Cf. 1:11; 1 Th 3:2,13; 2 Th 2:17; 3:3; 1 Co 1:8; 2 Co 1:21; Col 2:7; and  ^l  says “The idea of a ‘mystery’ of wisdom, v. 27; 1 Co 2:7; Ep 3:10; Col 2:2-3, long hidden in God and now revealed, v. 25; 1 Co 2:7,10; Ep 3:5,9f; Col 1:26, is borrowed by Paul from Jewish apocalypse, Dn 2:18-19+, but he enriches the content of the term by applying it to the climax of the history of salvation: the saving cross of Christ, 1 Co 2:8; the call of the pagans, v. 26; Rm 11:25; Col 1:26-27; Ep 3:6, to this salvation preached by Paul, v. 25; Col 1:23; 4:3; Ep 3:3-12; 6:19, and finally the restoration of all things in Christ as their one head, Ep 1:9-10. See also 1 Co 4:1; 13:2; 14:2; 15:51; Ep 5:32; 2 Th 2:7; 1 Tm 3:9,16; 2 Tm 1:9-10; Mt 13:11p+; Rv 1:20; 10:7; 17:5,7.”

Verse 5 says: This mystery that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets^c was unknown to anyone in past generations…Footnote ^c  says “The NT prophets, cf. 2:20+. The OT prophets had only an obscure and imperfect knowledge of the mystery of the Messiah, cf 1 P 1:10-12; Mk 13:17”.

Parallel texts are:

1.       1 Co 7:40 - She would be happier, in my opinion, if she stayed as she is-and I too have the Spirit of God,^l I think. Footnote ^l  says “Var. ‘of Christ’”.

2.       2 Co 11:5 - For a woman, however, it is a sign of disrespect to her head^v if she prays or prophesies unveiled; she might as well have her hair shaved off. Footnote  ^c  says “I.e. her husband, since she seemed to be claiming equality with her husband. A woman’s veil was a sign of subjection, v. 10.”

Verse 6 says: It means that pagans now share the same inheritance,^d that they are part of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Christ Jesus, through the gospel.

Footnote ^d  says “I.e. as the Judeo-Christians, cf. 2:19.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ep 4:11 - And to some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; ^h Footnote ^h  says “Paul limits his list to charisms that relate to teaching and which are the only ones that apply in this context, vv. 13-15.”

2.       Jh 14:26 - But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you. ^r  Footnote ^r  says “In place of the departed Christ, the faithful will have the Spirit, 14:16, 17; 16:7, cf. 1:33+. He is the ‘parakletos’  who intercedes with the Father, cf. 1 Jn. 2:1, and whose voice is heard in human courts, 15:26,27, cf. LK. 12:11p., Mt. 10:19-20p. Ac. 5:32. He is the Spirit of truth, leading men to the very fullness of truth, 16:33, teaching them to understand the mystery of Christ – fulfillment of the scriptures, 5:39+, the meaning of his words, 2:19+, of his actions, and his ‘signs’, 14:26, 16:13, 1 Jn. 2:20f,27, all hitherto obscure to the disciples, 2:22, 12:16, 13:7, 20:9. In this way the Spirit is to bear witness to Christ, 15:26, 1 Jn. 5:6,7, and shame the unbelieving world, 16:8-11”.

3.       Ep 2:12-19…do not forget, I say, that you had no Christ ^g and were excluded from membership of Israel, aliens with no part in the covenants with their Promise, ^h you were immersed in the world, without hope ⁱ and without God.^j But now in Christ Jesus, you that used to be so far apart from us have been brought very close, by the blood of Christ.^k (v. 13) For he is the peace between us, and has made the two into one and broken down the barrier which used to keep them apart,^l actually destroying in his own person the hostility (v. 14). Caused by the rules and decrees of the Law. m This was to create one single New Man n in himself out of the two of them and by restoring peace… (v. 15).Through the cross, to unite them both in single Body^o and reconcile them with God. I his own person he killed the hostility (v. 16) Later, he came^p to bring the good news of peace, peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near at hand (v. 17). Through him, both of us have  in the one Spirit^q our way to come to the Father (v. 18). So you^r are no longer aliens of foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s households. Footnote  ^g  says “I.e. ‘you had no Messiah.’; Footnote ^h  says “The successive covenants made by God with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David etc.; cf. Ex 19:1+; Lv 26:42,45; Si 44-45; Ws 18:22; 2 M 8:15; Rm 9:4.”; Footnote ⁱ  says “The pagans had many gods but not the one true God, 1 Co 8:5f.; Footnote ^j  says “The wall separating the court of the Jews from the court of the pagans in the Temple, cf. Ac 21:28f.’ Footnote ^k  says “The crucifixion of Christ that brought together Jews and pagans vv 14-15, and reconciled both with the Father vv. 16-18. Footnote ^l - The wall separating the court of the Jews from the court of the pagans in the Temple, cf. Ac. 21:28f. Footnote ^m- The Mosaic Law gave the Jews a privileged status and separated them from pagans. Jesus abolished this Law by fulfilling it once for all on the cross, Col. 2:14+”; Footnote ⁿ  says “This new man is the prototype of the new humanity that God recreated (2Co. 5:17+) in the person of Christ, the second Adam (1 Co. 15:45) after killing the sinfully corrupt race of the first Adam in the crucifixion (Rm. 5:12f, 8:3, 1 Co. 15:21). This New Adam has been created in the goodness and holiness of the truth, 4:24, and he is unique because in him the boundaries between any one group and the rest of the human race all disappear, Col. 3:10f, Ga. 3:27f). Footnote ^o – This ‘single Body’ is both the physical body of Jesus that was executed by crucifixion, Col 1:22+, and the Church or ‘mystical’ body of Christ in which, once they were reconciled, all the parts function in their own place, 1 Co 12:12+”; Footnote ^p  says “Through the apostles who in his name preached the Good News of salvation and peace”; Footnote ^q  says “The one spirit that gives life to the single body (of Christ who is one with his Church) is the Holy Spirit who has changed the form of the body now it has risen, and by doing so has come down on each of the parts of which it is made up. The Trinitarian structure  of this section is repeated in v. 22”; and Footnote ^r says “Paul inserts vv. 14-18 (how Christ has united pagans and Jews) between his contrasting descriptions of pagans before (vv. 11-13) and after (19-22) conversion.”

Zeitgeist, the movie, has an interpretation concerning the ‘Three Kings’, which interpretation was  refuted in an article in King David8.com, both of which we thus freely quote here:

Zeitgeist On Sirius And Orion

Zeitgeist Says, "First of all, the birth sequence is completely astrological. The star in the east is Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, which, on December 24th, aligns with the 3 brightest stars in Orion's Belt."

Actually, it always aligns with Orion's Belt.  There's nothing significant about it aligning this way on 12/24.  It aligns the same way every day of every year.

And how is Sirius "the star in the east"?  Like all natural stars, it's in the west just as often as it is in the east.  Stars can reside exclusively in the north or south, but never exclusively in the east or west, due to the rotation of the Earth.

"These 3 bright stars are called today what they were called in ancient times: The Three Kings."

First, the three stars were NOT called "The Three Kings" in ancient times.  The name appears to date to no earlier than the 17th century A.D.  Secondly, the Bible says nothing about Jesus' visitors being "Three Kings".  They're a group of magi, not kings, and (contrary to popular belief) the Bible doesn't say there are three of them.  Also, they did not visit Jesus on the day He was born, but at His home when He was probably around one year old.

"The Three Kings and the brightest star, Sirius, all point to the place of the sunrise on December 25th. This is why the Three Kings "follow" the star in the east, in order to locate the sunrise -- the birth of the sun."

Orion's belt and Sirius appear in the sky about 6 P.M. in December.  Over the course of the night, the earth's movement makes it so that this line points to almost every point on the eastern horizon, as well as the southern horizon.  Yes, this includes the area where the sun rises.  But since it points to so many other areas, this is essentially meaningless.

Also, the stars in Orion's belt don't "follow" Sirius.  Stars move east-to-west across the sky, and Sirius is located EAST of Orion's belt.  Therefore, it trails along behind them as they go across the sky.