The Book of Isaiah is the second most quoted book of the Old Testament (after the Book of Psalms) in the New Testament. A portion of this passage is quoted in the Gospel of Matthew today. It is used by the Church as a foretelling of the virgin birth of Jesus. There are two versions of this passage, the Hebrew and the Greek. Instead of “virgin,” the Hebrew uses a less definite word, which could be translated as “virgin,” but would more correctly be translated as “young woman.” There is another Hebrew word that explicitly makes reference to a virgin, but it is not used in this passage from Isaiah.
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Most exegetes believe that this passage is referring to a birth at the time of Isaiah. One suggestion is the announcement of the birth of the son of King Ahaz in the line of Davidic kings. His son, Hezekiah, is one of the three “good” kings of Judah. The prophecy may refer most directly to a son of Isaiah, since the name of that child was prophetic of the impending threat to the people in Is 8:3. The use of the Greek translation of the Old Testament in the New Testament is one of the reasons that Augustine of Hippo urged Jerome to translate the Old Testament from the longer Greek version, rather than the Hebrew. Augustine considered it to be a more refined revelation by God that superceded the Hebrew text.
This birth is announced as a “sign from the Lord.” It is more than just an indication about what was going to happen. It is the beginning of the change, which was taking place. Thus, it demonstrated what the name of the child meant, “God is with us.” The change is brought about by the power of God, not by human influence.
Second Reading: Romans 1:1-7
The Epistles have a general application to all followers of Jesus, although they may have had a specific audience at the time of their writing. The reference to “the beloved of God in Rome” does not appear in all ancient copies of this letter. From the earliest days, it was intended to be more than just a personal greeting to an individual community of faithful.
Paul introduces himself to a church that he did not found or visit yet. These seven lines are one long sentence. He begins this letter by referring to himself as “an apostle,” one who was sent by God. It was not an office that he claimed on his own. He was “called” by God. His authority come through “Jesus Christ our Lord, through [whom] we have received the grace of apostleship.” Paul was a Jew, and “the holy Scriptures” refer to the Old Testament. The coming of Jesus was a fulfillment of the prophecy that was contained in Scripture. The invitation to join the people of God was now extended “among all the Gentiles.” They could now belong to “the beloved of God.”
The terms, “grace and peace,” are the combined formal greetings for both Greeks and Hebrews. “Peace” translates the Hebrew, shalom. It is more than just the absence of war. It includes a wish for complete well-being and security.
Gospel: Matthew 1:18-24
David is mentioned in all three readings. He symbolizes a new beginning in kingship in Israel, since he replaced Saul, who was the first king. He was not a perfect model for behavior, but he submitted himself with all his sinfulness to God. He confessed, “I have sinned. . .,” three times in 2 Samuel (12:13; 24:10,17). God forgave him, just as God forgave Israel for all its transgressions throughout their history.
Joseph, the son of Jacob, in the Book of Genesis received dreams to save people. A new Joseph, “a righteous man,” received a dream to take Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus, into his home. Jesus “will save His people from their sins.” God’s plan of salvation continued to unfold. The name, Jesus, comes from the Hebrew that means “God [Yahweh] saves.” The evangelist tells the reader what the name Emmanuel means. It is the description of a role, rather than a proper name.
The Gospel of Matthew uses the dreams of Joseph to reveal the identity of the child to be born. Dreams were used in the Old Testament as a medium for God’s messages to mankind. In the Gospel of Luke, Mary receives the prophetic vision of an angel. In both cases, the identity of the child is revealed to them by a divine messenger. The principal lesson of this passage is the pronouncement of Jesus’ birth and the giving and meaning of His name. Jesus is the fulfillment of the hopes and promises of Israel, the people of God, as recorded throughout the Scriptures.
My dreams are far different from the people of the Old Testament. But my hopes are the same. I just want to find happiness in life by doing the will of God. Although I never saw an angel, I know someone who has seen one – my mother! She mentioned it only once to me, and she was very reticent at first about telling me. There was just the two of us in the room.
She was a young girl at the time. But she assured me that it was not just a dream or another human being. This apparition had a unique radiance. The vision gave her a feeling of great comfort and security. It was many years ago, when I was a small child, that she told me this. As she told the story with such feeling and conviction, I wanted to see the same thing. Maybe I did – in her.
God sends us His message in many ways. Those whom God sends into our life are part of His gift to us. I learned the foundations of my faith at home. I don’t know whether mother ever completed high school, since she was also very guarded about talking about that, too. But she had a deep faith that I saw and learned from her – and I am still trying to imitate it! Whose coming into your life has revealed the meaning of God’s purpose and plan for you?
Fr. Richard C. Macey is pastor of Our Lady of the Woods Parish, Woodhaven.
