There is a richness of scriptural resources for reflecting on our faith at Christmas. These resources come from the developing traditions of Christmas worship in the early centuries of Christianity. This post concerns especially some passages from the prophet Isaiah that are proposed by the Revised Common Lectionary for our Christmas worship celebrations.
In the ancient Roman church, a Christmas Mass was originally celebrated as a vigil service at the manger of St Mary Major in Rome. It was a small service originating under Pope Sixtus III, and was known as The Angel’s Mass, as the story was told of the angels appearing to the shepherds in the fields (Luke 2:1–14).
In time, a large public service was added at the church of St Peter on the morning of Christmas Day, presided over by the Pope. This practice continues to this day. This service was known as The Shepherd’s Mass, for the story of the shepherds coming to visit the newborn child (Luke 2:8–20).
A third service, The Mass of the Divine Word, was added in the fifth century, originally to celebrate St Anastasia, whose body, it was said, rested in the palace church of the Byzantine Governor in Rome. The focus of this service shifted, over time, from a veneration of the saint’s remains, to a celebration of the Incarnation. The Gospel read at this service was John 1:1–14.
These three Gospel passages were retained in the Common Lectionary when it was created in 1983, drawing on the ancient Roman practices, and continued on in the Revised Common Lectionary of 1992. To the three Gospel passages were added nine additional readings—three psalms, three from the prophets, and three from the epistles. The three options are identified as Nativity of the Lord Proper I, Proper II, and Proper III.
Alongside the Gospel passage and the prophetic passage for each of the three traditional services for Christmas (Nativity of the Lord I, II, and III), there is a psalm offered for each service, as well as a passage from the book of Isaiah. We would do well to use them to guide our response at Christmas, as we hear the story and celebrate the birth of Jesus.
The three psalms (Psalms 96, 97, and 98) come from a sequence of songs offering praise—a note that is entirely suitable for the Christmas season! The three passages from the book of Isaiah come from the three different sections of that large prophetic book, each offering words of hope.
The book of Isaiah comprises three sections, which most scholars believe originated in three different periods during the history of Israel. The first section (chs. 1–39) is located in Judah in the eighth century BCE, as the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and attempted to gain control of the southern kingdom, but that effort failed.
The second section of Isaiah (chs. 40–55) dates from the time of exile for the southern kingdom, after the people of Judah had been conquered by the Babylonians in 587 BCE; it offers words of hope as the people look to a return to the land. Then, the third section (chs. 56–66) is dated to a time when the exiles had returned to Judah, sometime after 520 BCE. By convention, the three parts are known as First Isaiah, Second Isaiah, and Third Isaiah.
The first of these three passages from the book of Isaiah proposed as Christmas readings is an oracle in the early part of the first section (chs.1—39). Here, the prophet is looking forward to the birth of a child (Isa 9:6). This, of course, is a most appropriate theme for Christmas. Yet the child of whom Isaiah of Jerusalem spoke was not Jesus, but rather, a royal child, already announced at Isa 7:14.
This child would be born in difficult circumstances (Isa 9:4–5), for the people were under attack by the Assyrians to the north (as reported in 2 Kings 16). The hope that the prophet holds out is of darkness in light, joy in the midst of hard work, release from oppression, and the establishment of justice and righteousness.
Is not that what we hope for, pray for, and work for, through the coming of Jesus which we celebrate at Christmas? Although the prophet did not “predict Jesus”, yet we can see how Jesus invites us to work with him for this desired result.
The second reading from Isaiah comes from the third section of the book (chs. 56—66). It comprises a set of prophecies delivered many decades after the prophet Isaiah of Jerusalem himself lived. As the people returned to the land of Israel, hopes were high. The anonymous prophet whose words are collected in the book of Isaiah speaks about justice and deliverance (56:1), with light illuminating the darkness (60:1–3) and the Spirit inspiring leaders “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour” (61:1–2). The security that is foreseen (Isa 62:8–9) and the celebration that takes place (v.10) is marked with names that signal to the people how God has been at work (v.12).
In the same spirit of hope, we prepare for the annual celebration of the coming of Jesus, in whom we surely find the Spirit at work, bringing salvation, proclaiming God’s way “to the end of the earth” (v.11). Once again, the prophet is not specifically forthtelling the coming of Jesus; but as we have experienced Jesus and know him in our lives, we can see how he brings to fruition these hopes, held firm from centuries ago, still alive for our own times.
The third reading from the book of Isaiah offered for Christmas is a rather short reading (Isa 52:7–10). It comes from the middle section of the book (chs. 40—55). a set of prophecies delivered to people from Judah who had been in exile in Babylon for some decades. This section of the book begins with a clear signal of the great hope of the time: “prepare the way of the Lord … every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain made low” (40:3–4).
A key figure at that time was the Servant, called to lead the people with teaching and example. (The resonances with Jesus are frequently noted; but the prophet was not speaking directly about Jesus.) This passage speaks about those who “announce peace, bring good news, announce salvation” (52:7); all activities that we associate with Jesus, through the Christmas story and the Gospel narratives.
However, this particular herald, some eight centuries before Jesus, would bring comfort to the exiled people, assuring them of their redemption when they return to the land. This good news must surely be made known “before the eyes of all the nations”, so that “all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God” (v.10). These sentiments surely correlate with how we, joyfully and hopefully, regard Jesus, in our Christmas celebrations.
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An Informed Faith 