1 Samuel 2:1b-10

The Song of Hannah

"My heart exults in the LORD;

my strength is exalted in my God.

My mouth derides my enemies,

because I rejoice in my victory.

2 "There is no Holy One like the LORD,

no one besides you;

there is no Rock like our God.

3 Talk no more so very proudly,

let not arrogance come from your mouth;

for the LORD is a God of knowledge,

and by him actions are weighed.

4 The bows of the mighty are broken,

but the feeble gird on strength.

5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,

but those who were hungry are fat with spoil.

The barren has borne seven,

but she who has many children is forlorn.

6 The LORD kills and brings to life;

he brings down to Sheol and raises up.

7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich;

he brings low, he also exalts.

8 He raises up the poor from the dust;

he lifts the needy from the ash heap,

to make them sit with princes

and inherit a seat of honor.

For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's,

and on them he has set the world.

9 "He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,

but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness;

for not by might does one prevail.

10 The LORD! His adversaries shall be shattered;

the Most High will thunder in heaven.

The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;

he will give strength to his king,

and exalt the power of his anointed." (1 Samuel 2:1b-10, NRSV)

Given its place within the narrative of 1 Samuel, one is surprised to find the Song of Hannah classified as a “community song of thanksgiving” (Bernard W. Anderson, Out of the Depths; The Psalms Speak for Us Today, 2^nd ed., 1983, p. 236). In chapter 1 she is distressed about her barren condition (1 Sam. 1:5-8, 10-11), but Eli the priest comforts her, “Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him” (v. 17). So in the course of time a child is born whom she names Samuel, “for she said, ‘I have asked him of the LORD’” (v. 20). So one might expect her song to be an “Individual Song of Thanksgiving” such as Psalms 57, 85, 28 and others (cited by Anderson in chapter 4). Her personal situation of childlessness has been overcome. But the child she has born will be an important leader in Israel, the last judge, and the “king-maker” who anoints two kings, first Saul (1 Sam. 10:1; cf. 11:15). So perhaps it should not be surprising that Hannah’s song has the ring of a Community Song of Thanksgiving. Her hope is in God. “There is no Holy One like the LORD,/no one besides you;/there is no Rock like our God” (1 Sam. 2:2). She looks forward to help for the feeble (v. 4), the hungry and barren (v. 5) and the poor (vv. 7-8), which one might expect under good leadership. She even looks beyond the time of Samuel’s service as judge: “The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;/he will give strength to his king,/and exalt the power of his anointed” (v. 10).

Some of this is echoed in Mary’s Magnificat (Lk. 2:46-55, which is included in tomorrow’s Gospel reading). “He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts,/He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,/and lifted up the lowly” (Lk. 1:51b, 52). “He has filled the hungry with good things,/and sent the rich away empty” (v. 53). Mary too perhaps looked beyond the promised childbirth to what her son would do and be for the world at large. “Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed” (v. 48b).

Titus 2:1-10

Instructions about What Titus Must Teach

2:1 But as for you, teach what is consistent with sound doctrine. 2 Tell the older men to be temperate, serious, prudent, and sound in faith, in love, and in endurance.

3 Likewise, tell the older women to be reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be self-controlled, chaste, good managers of the household, kind, being submissive to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited.

6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.

9 Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to talk back, 10 not to pilfer, but to show complete and perfect fidelity, so that in everything they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior. (Titus 2:1-10, NRSV)

Paul instructs Titus to promote sound doctrine (Titus 2:15; cf. 1:9) as he did Timothy (1 Tim. 1:3, cf. 4:1-5). He has instructions for the older men (presbytas, Tit. 2:2, cf. presbyteros, 1 Tim. 5:1). They are “to be temperate, serious, prudent, and sound in faith, in love, and in endurance.” The older women (presbytidas, Tit. 2:3, cf. presbyteras, 1 Tim. 5:3) are “to be reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good.” There is a purpose in this: “so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good managers of the household, kind, being submissive to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited” (vv. 4-5). The motive here is not just good for goodness sake, but to live in a manner that will not discredit the Christian community.

The instructions for the younger men are quite brief (Tit. 2:6; cf. 1 Tim. 5:1). They are to be “self-controlled.” But Titus himself–the “yourself” of verse 7 is singular–is to be “in all respects a model of good works,” perhaps especially as a role model for the younger men. In his teaching he is to “show integrity, gravity, and sound speech that cannot be censured” (vv. 7-8), again for the purpose of not discrediting the Christian community at a time when they were a minority group and, if not yet, soon to come under severe and sustained persecution.

There is also instruction for slaves (Tit. 2:9-10; cf. 1 Tim 6:1-2). While we might wish that Paul could have prevented slavery in his world, he never addresses the issue directly, though he does encourage Philemon to accept Onesimus back “no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother” (Philemon 16). The slaves are “to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect” (Tit. 2:9). The slaves “are not to talk back, not to pilfer, but to show complete and perfect fidelity” (vv. 9b, 10a), again not merely for goodness sake, but “so that in everything they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior” (v. 10b).

There is, of course, intrinsic value in a Christian lifestyle that expresses mutual love and concern among fellow Christians. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (Jn. 15:12). “Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. . . . Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:8, 10). But one has a sense that the reading from Titus, perhaps especially in some of the details, is being as sensitive to how the Christian community appears to the world at large, the Roman Empire, as it is to how Christian love and respect would function in an ideal world.

Luke 1:26-38

The Annunciation

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" 35 The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God." 38 Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:26-38, NRSV)

The reading from Luke presents the Annunciation: the angel Gabriel visits Mary and announces the coming events, her conception (v. 31), when “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (v. 35), and the birth of Jesus (v. 31). “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David” (v. 32). “He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (v. 33). When Mary’s question wonders “how” this can happen (v. 34), the angel’s response explains what we have come to call “the virgin birth” (v. 35), but which some say we should call “the virgin conception.” “The child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God” (v. 35b).

Gabriel also tells Mary of Elizabeth’s good news, that she will give birth to a son (v. 36). Mary’s response is, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (v. 38). We would all do well to respond to the Lord’s callings and promptings as Mary did on this occasion. (Comments are repeated here with supplement and adaptation from Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2004, 4^th wk. Advent, Year 1.)

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

rworden@houston.rr.com