[ Today's Readings ]
Jesus has a family tree. This is something we are asked not to take for granted. He is not merely God who puts on a human costume. Rather he becomes fully human in addition to his divinity. He comes at a specific point in history. He has s specific face and a specific voice. He receives the DNA his mother passes to him. He comes in the fullness of time as part of the plan the Father has from the beginning.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.
He is the son of Adam just as all of us are. He comes to set right what Adam ruined. As the new Adam he is obedient where the old Adam disobeyed. He stretches out his hands on the cross to pay for the one who wicked stretched out his hand to take the fruit.
He is the son of David whose kingdom will truly have no end. David is a man after God's own heart. Even so, he still makes some serious mistakes. He can not lay the foundation of an everlasting kingdom. The kingdom of David sputters on weakly until ultimately collapsing. Yet God does promise a kingdom without end. It is a promise fulfilled in Christ.
Judah was meant to be like a lion who is victorious over all his enemies.
Judah, like a lion’s whelp,
you have grown up on prey, my son.
He crouches like a lion recumbent,
the king of beasts–who would dare rouse him?
Like David we see the promise a scepter and a rule and homage from the people that does not end. But again, like David, Judah is too flawed to be made this cornerstone. It is as if God says, 'I would make you this if you would let me but instead you choose sin.' This is why only Jesus can be the true lion of Judah. Adam, Judah, David and all who come before prove unworthy to open the scroll of God's promise to his people. Only Jesus can do so.
“Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
The genealogy reminds us that Jesus does not address these problems as an outsider. Rather he takes our fallenness and failure and transforms it in himself. Because he does so as man we who are men and women can truly be transformed ourselves. We ourselves can truly share in the victory.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
No comments:
Post a Comment