Isaiah 62:1-5,10-12

The Vindication and Salvation of Zion

62:1 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,

and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest,

until her vindication shines out like the dawn,

and her salvation like a burning torch.

2 The nations shall see your vindication,

and all the kings your glory;

and you shall be called by a new name

that the mouth of the LORD will give.

3 You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD,

and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

4 You shall no more be termed Forsaken,

and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;

but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,

and your land Married;

for the LORD delights in you,

and your land shall be married.

5 For as a young man marries a young woman,

so shall your builder marry you,

and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,

so shall your God rejoice over you. (Isaiah 62:1-5, NRSV)

10 Go through, go through the gates,

prepare the way for the people;

build up, build up the highway,

clear it of stones,

lift up an ensign over the peoples.

11 The LORD has proclaimed

to the end of the earth:

Say to daughter Zion,

"See, your salvation comes;

his reward is with him,

and his recompense before him."

12 They shall be called, "The Holy People,

The Redeemed of the LORD";

and you shall be called, "Sought Out,

A City Not Forsaken." (Isaiah 62:10-12, NRSV)

The following comments are based on comments of January 1, 2008 (Tuesday in the week of the First Sunday after Christmas, Festival of the Holy Name, Year Two), comments on Isaiah 62:6-7, 10-12 from December 28, 2008 (the First Sunday after Christmas, Year One), comments on Isaiah 62:6-12 from December 28, 2008 (the First Sunday after Christmas, Year One), and earlier comments as noted there:

Isaiah, chapters 60-62, are considered a unit, which Joseph Blenkinsopp calls “the glory and destiny of Zion” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Isa. 60-62). Similarly, John N. Oswalt, explains:

The theme introduced in 61:4-11 (and paralleling that of 60:1-22) continues here. It is introduced in 62:1 with a declaration of God’s intent for Zion. The paralleling of ‘righteousness’ and ‘salvation’ is significant in two ways. (1) It reminds the reader that Israel’s righteousness is only possible because of the saving activity of God; it is not something Israel can produce on her own. (2) At the same time, the combination makes it plain that the only goal of God’s saving activity is unmistakably righteous living. (Isaiah, The NIV Application Commentary, 2003, p. 655, on Isa. 62:1-12).

The prophet, it seems, cannot contain himself. “For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, / and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, / until her vindication shines out like the dawn, / and her salvation like a burning torch” (Isa. 62:1). Joseph Blenkinsopp calls the speaker here “the seer whose voice is heard in 61:1-4,” and adds that he “will continue the mission until Jerusalem is vindicated and restored” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Isa. 62:1-5). “The nations,” says the prophet, “shall see your vindication, / and all the kings your glory; / and you shall be called by a new name / that the mouth of the LORD will give” (v . 2; boldface emphasis added). In the church year, this text is related to the Feast of the Holy Name of Christ. James Kiefer explains:

On January 1st, we celebrate the Circumcision of Christ. Since we are more squeamish than our ancestors, modern calendars often list it as the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, but the other emphasis is the older. Every Jewish boy was circumcised (and formally named) on the eighth day of his life, and so, one week after Christmas, we celebrate the occasion when Our Lord first shed His blood for us. It is a fit close for a week of martyrs, and reminds us that to suffer for Christ is to suffer with Him. (Web site for the Feast of the Holy Name of Christ, http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Holy_Name.htm accessed again December 30, 2009; copy and paste the URL in your browser.)

The feast celebrates our Lord, of course, but the passage from Isaiah has reference to six names for Jerusalem, including two, Forsaken and Desolate that are replaced by My Delight Is in Her and Married (Isa. 62:4), followed by two more new names in verse 12: "The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD"; "Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.” Other descriptive phrases are not treated as names, but add to the picture of a redeemed and restored city: “a crown of beauty” and “a royal diadem” (v. 4), and “bride” (v. 5).

The prophet continues with the LORD’s promises for Jerusalem. “You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, / and a royal diadem in the hand of your God” (v. 3). After giving the names in verse 4 (above) he gives matching names to God, whose bride is Jerusalem. “For as a young man marries a young woman, / so shall your builder [i.e., the LORD] marry you, / and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, / so shall your God rejoice over you” (v. 5).

In the interval between the two parts of today’s reading, the LORD says he has posted “sentinels” (v. 6), that is, prophets (cf. Blenkinsopp on 56:10, with ref. to 21:6-9, 11-12; Ezek. 3:17; 33:2, 6-7). God designates Ezekiel as a “sentinel”: “whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me” (Ezek. 33:7). This time, the message is good news, “to remind Jerusalem of her imminent salvation, the certainty of which the LORD’s oath (vv. 8-9) underscores” (Victor R. Gold and William L. Holladay, NOAB, 2^nd ed., on Isa. 62:6-9). Blenkinsopp notes that the term “sentinels” often refers to prophets, citing “[Isa.] 21:6-9, 11-12; 62:6; Ezek. 3:17; 33:2, 6-7; cf. Hab. 2:1-3" (on Isa. 56:10). These sentinels intercede for Jerusalem (Blenkinsopp, op. cit., on Isa. 62:6-9). “all day and all night / they shall never be silent. / You who remind the LORD, / take no rest, / and give him no rest / until he establishes Jerusalem / and makes it renowned throughout the earth” (vv. 6c, d, e, f, 7). J. J. M. Roberts, who says of verses 1-5 that “The prophet will not cease reminding God of the Lord’s promise to redeem Zion (vv. 6-7) until God has vindicated the city before the whole world” (The HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Isa. 62:1-5), says of these “sentinels” that “the prophets must remind God of his sworn promise to glorify Jerusalem” (ibid., on vv. 6-9).

The LORD’s voice emerges again. He has “sworn by his right hand / and by his mighty arm (v. 8a, b), saying: “I will not again give your grain / to be food for your enemies, / and foreigners shall not drink the wine / for which you have labored; / but those who garner it shall eat it / and praise the LORD, / and those who gather it shall drink it / in my holy courts” (vv. 8c, d, e, f, 9). So the LORD’s oath is repeated in verses 8 and 9. Moses had spelled out the consequences for Israel of obeying the LORD and of not obeying (Deut., chap. 28). “But if you will not obey the LORD your God . . .,” says Moses (Deut. 28:15), a number of consequences (“curses”) will follow, including the following: “You shall plant a vineyard, but not enjoy its fruit. Your ox shall be butchered before your eyes, but you shall not eat of it” (Deut. 28:30b, 31a). Blenkinsopp sees this consequence as reversed here. “The response of the LORD is that Judah will no longer be plundered by foreign powers, the reversal of a familiar treaty and covenant curse (cf. Deut. 28:30, 39; Am. 5:11)” (loc. cit.).

As today’s reading resumes, the prophet says, “Go through, go through the gates, / prepare the way for the people; / build up, build up the highway (hl0!s9m4, m ^esillāh), / clear it of stones, / lift up an ensign (sn2, nēs) over the peoples” (Isa. 62:10). This call for a “highway” and an “ensign” echoes 35:8, “highway” (lUls4m1 , maslûl), and 49:22, “ensign” (sn2, nēs). Benjamin D. Sommer comments on the earlier reference: “The road is for the use of Judeans who remain in exile but also for the divine Presence (v. 11). Cf. 40:3; 49:11” (The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, p. 908, on Isa. 62:10). According to the prophet, God now proclaims Zion’s salvation: “The LORD has proclaimed / to the end of the earth: / Say to daughter Zion, / ‘See, your salvation (j`f2w4y9, yiš‘ē k) comes; / his reward is with him, / and his recompense before him’ ” (62:11). For “salvation” (fw1y2, yēša‘ ), the recent Jewish translation has “Deliverer” (Isa. 62:11 NJPS 1985, 1999, cf. “Savior” TNIV). According to John N. Oswalt, “For MT [i.e., the traditional Hebrew text] yiš‘ē k, the ancient versions all read ‘your Savior’ (i.e. môšî‘ēk), which is probably interpretive” (The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 40-66, NICOT, 1998, n. 53, p. 587, on Isa. 62:11). The prophet continues with new names for the people of Judah and for Zion: “They shall be called, ‘The Holy People, / The Redeemed of the LORD’; / and you shall be called, ‘Sought out, / A City Not Forsaken’ ” (v. 12). These “names” hold promise for better times, for redemption. They remind us of Hosea’s use of names, “Not Pitied” (Lo-ruhamah, Hos. 1:6) and “Not My People” (Lo-ammi, v. 8) which are changed to “My People” (Ammi, Hos. 2:23) and, implied, “Pitied” (“And I will have pity on Lo-ruhamah, Hos. 2:23). Compare the use of the names “My People” (Ammi) and “Pitied” (Ruhamah) in Hos. 2:1, and Paul’s use of these texts in Romans 9:25-26 regarding “a remnant” (v. 27) “from them,” that is “from the Jews” (v. 24). God has made “known the riches of his glory for the objects of mercy . . . including us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles” (Rom. 9:23-24).

John D. W. Watts sees “the challenge posed in [Isa.] 62:1-7 [as answered] in two ways”:

First, Yahweh [i.e. the LORD] responds by reviewing the situation: in vv. 8-9 Yahweh swears that the fields will not be pillaged again; in v. 10 he calls for the work on roads to continue; in v. 11 a-d the fact is cited that news is out that Zion has a patron; and in vv. 11e-12c one notes that everyone knows that restoration is funded and that Jerusalem’s functioning sanctuary is a reality. (Isaiah 34-66, Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 25, 1987, p. 317, on Isa. 62:8-63:6).

Revelation 19:11-16

The Rider on the White Horse

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, "King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 19:11-16, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from November 13, 2009 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 9, Year One), when comments were based on those of November 12, 2008 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 9, Year Two), when comments on Revelation 19:12-21 were based on those of November 16, 2007 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 9, Year One), and earlier as noted there.

John reports a truly decisive moment in his vision of the future. He describes “the victory of Christ and his heavenly armies over the beast and his cohorts” (Bruce M. Metzger, NOAB, 2^nd ed., 1994, on Rev. 19:11-21). “Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war” (Rev. 19:11). David E. Aune says, “Then I saw heaven opened [is a] stereotypical introduction to revelatory visions (see Ezek. 1:1; Mt. 3:16; Jn. 1:51; Acts 7:56; 10:11)” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Rev. 19:11). He adds that “the white horse symbolizes victory” (ibid.). John continues the report of his vision. “His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself” (v. 12). This of course is Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Jean-Pierre Luiz says that, “many diadems [is] in contrast to the diadems of the dragon (12:3)” NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Rev. 19:12). For “a name . . . that no one knows,” Metzger explains, “the greatness of Christ surpasses human knowledge (Mt. 11:27)” (op. cit., on v. 12). Luiz says it “implies that Christ’s power is sovereign and unlimited (cf. 2:17)” (loc. cit.). The description continues. The rider, that is, Christ, “is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word ( oJ lovgoV, ho logos) of God” (v. 13; cf. Jn. 1:1, 14). The words, “robe dipped in blood,” says Aune, refer to “the garment of a warrior stained with the blood of his enemies (see Isa. 63:1-6) and perhaps also an oblique reference to his atoning death (see 1:5; 7:14)” (op. cit. on v. 13). “As revealer of God,” says Metzger, “he is called The Word of God (Jn. 1:1, 14)” (op. cit., on v. 13; so Luiz, op. cit., on v. 13).

The white horse and rider will lead the “armies of heaven”: “And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses” (v. 14). “Armies,” says Metzger, refers to “the angelic host (see Lk. 2:13 note j )” (op. cit., on v. 14). By “note j,” he refers to the NRSV text note that defines “the heavenly host” as “army.” With a similar explanation, Aune adds, “a common Hebrew name for God is “Lord of hosts,” referring to angelic armies under his command” (op. cit., on v. 14). “From his mouth,” says John, that is, from the mouth of Christ, the rider of the white horse, “comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron” (v. 15a). For the sword, Metzger refers to Revelation 1:16, and for the rod of iron, to Psalm 2:9 (op. cit., on v. 15). For the sword, Ruiz adds Revelation 2:12, 16; 19:21 (op. cit., on v. 15). John continues, “he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty” (v. 15b). To that we may compare Isaiah 63:1-6). “On his robe,” we are told, “and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, ‘King of kings and Lord of lords’ ” (v. 16). Metzger refers to 17:14, where the Lamb is called “Lord of lords, and King of kings,” and to Deuteronomy 10:17, where Moses tells the Israelite people, “the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing” (Deut. 10:17-18). We are reminded of the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah.

In the continuation (beyond the reading specified for today), an angel summons the birds: “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of the might, the flesh of horses and their riders–flesh of all, both free and slave, both small and great” (vv. 17-18). This “battle-feast” is a foil for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (vv. 6-9). The scene seems set for battle: “Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against the rider on the horse and against his army” (v. 19; cf. 16:13-16). But no drawn out battle or struggle is reported. The following verse reports the capture of “the beast” and “the false prophet who had performed in its presence the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image” (v. 20). These two, says Metzger, were thrown into “the lake of fire” which “is Gehenna” (ibid., on v. 20), and the birds that had been summoned (vv. 17-18) “were gorged” with “the flesh” of the beast’s army (v. 21).

Matthew 1:18-25

18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

23 "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel,"

which means, "God is with us." 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

The following comments are repeated here from December 24, 2009, eight days ago. Sources in previous comments are indicated there.

The Gospel reading is Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth (Mt. 1:18-25). He reports the engagement of Joseph and Mary, and also, what for some must have been a surprising development: “Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit” (Mt. 1:18). J. Andrew Overman points out what we, and Mary, though apparently not yet Joseph, know. “Mary is a virgin, though pregnant (Lk. 1:34)” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Mt. 1:18). In reference to the word “engaged,” Dennis C. Duling says, “Marriage was not based on romantic love, but on a contract between families in which family status and economics played a role (e.g., dowry; bride-price). Marriageable age for girls was normally puberty, at which time the girl was contracted to her future husband (v. 19; see Deut. 20:7)” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Mt. 1:18). “Before they lived together,” he says, “was the betrothal period,” and he adds, “to be with child before marriage dishonored the families, especially the males, and was grounds for Joseph’s dismissing her (see v. 19; ancient law even permitted her execution by stoning; cf. Deut. 22:13-21)” (ibid.). Joseph is presented as concerned, but compassionate. “Her husband Joseph, being a righteous (divkaioV, dikaios) man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly” (v. 19). “Henceforth,” says Duling, “Joseph (the man) dominates the story (cf. Lk. 1-2). “Righteous,” says Duling, “here meaning ‘law (Torah) abiding,’ and righteousness (3:15) are favorite Matthean terms (see note on 3:15; 13:17, 43; Lk. 1:6). In his later note, Duling says, “Righteousness [is] a favorite term of ‘Matthew.’ Here [i.e., in 3:15] it means right conduct, correct observance, in accord with God’s will as revealed in scripture” (ibid., on Mt. 3:15). Overman says, “only in Matthew’s Gospel is the character and the role of Jesus’ father developed” (op. cit., on v. 19).

But, for Joseph, the story takes a surprising turn–a “development,” as we might say. “But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife’ ” (v. 20a). The words “son of David” remind us of, and connect with, the genealogy. “Angels and dreams,” says Overman, “frequently communicate God’s plan in Matthew” (ibid., on v. 20). Upon brief inspection, it appears that Overman is correct for a few instances in the Infancy Narratives (chaps. 1, 2), for example, Matthew 1:20, 24; 2:13, 19. Angels “wait on” Jesus after the temptation (Mt. 4:11), and an angel appears at the empty tomb on Easter morning (28:2, 5). But other instances of “angel” or “angels” in Matthew are limited to Jesus’ teaching, not dreams or manifestations. For the word “dream,” Duling says it is “a means of divine communication [and] recalls Joseph the dreamer (Gen. 37:5-11) and dream interpreter (Gen. 40:41)” (op. cit., on v. 20). The angel who appears to Joseph is not named, but possibly Gabriel (whose name appears in the Bible only in Dan. 8:19; 9:21; Lk. 1:19, 26, and Tobit 1:14). Matthew is clear about the fact that Jesus is not the physical son of Joseph, for “the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (v.20b, cf. “Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born,” v. 16). Of “the Holy Spirit,” Duling says he is “creative divine agency (see. v. 20; 3:16; 22:43; 28:19; Lk. 1:35)” (ibid., on v. 18).

“She [i.e., Mary] will bear a son,” says the angel, “and you are to name him Jesus [ =Ihsou:V, Iēsous], for he will save his people from their sins” (v. 21). The name =Ihsou:V (Iēsous, ‘Jesus’) is the Greek form of the name Joshua, and is translated as “Joshua” in Hebrews 4:8 where it refers to the Joshua of the Old Testament, who led Israel in the conquest of the promised land as reported in the Book of Joshua. The Hebrew name f1wuOhy4 (y ^ehôšu ^a‘ ; Aramaic f1Uwy2, yēšû ^a ‘, Ezra 3:2) is related to the hifil form of the verb fwy (y-š-‘ ), which, according to William L. Holladay, means “help, save, rescue” (A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, 1971, 10^th corrected impression 1988, s.v. fwy, y-š-‘ , hifil, meaning no. 2). The angel’s interpretation, “he will save his people from their sins,” is well taken.

Matthew says that this is in fulfillment of prophecy. “All this took place,” he says, “to fulfill what had been spoken by (uJpov, hypo) the Lord through (diav, dia) the prophet” (Mt. 1:22). This is the introductory formula that introduces what the prophet, in this case, Isaiah, said, that is to be quoted. “Look, the virgin (parqevnoV, parthenos) shall conceive and bear a son, / and they shall name him Emmanuel” (v. 23). This is the first of a series of what have been called “formula quotations.” For most of them, the introductory formula is abbreviated, omitting the “by the Lord” phrase, though, with the pattern set by Matthew 1:22, it is clearly understood. For example, “Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah” (Mt. 2:17), introduces the quotation from in relation to the slaughter of the innocents of Bethlehem, “A voice was heard in Ramah, / wailing and loud lamentation, ‘ Rachel weeping for her children; / she refused to be consoled because they are no more” (Mt. 2:18, quoting Jer. 31:15). Consistent use of the preposition through (diav, dia), that is, “through the prophet,” shows that spoken “by (uJpov, hypo) the Lord” is understood, though not repeated again (except in 2:15). Duling lists fourteen such quotations “introduced with almost identical formulas; see 2:5b-6; 2:15b; 2:;17-18; 2:23b; 3:3; 4:14-16; 8:17; 12:17-21; 13:14-15; 13:35; 21:4-5; 26:56 (see 26:54); 27:9-10” (op. cit., on 1:22-23). “These formula quotations,” he adds, “emphasize that events fulfill prophecy, and thus God’s will” (ibid.). Thus, “This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah” (Mt. 12:17), continues the formula as first set in 1:22. The word of the Lord comes through the prophet Isaiah, but it is the word spoken by the Lord. The prophet is not a mere channel, God’s typewriter, so to speak. His personality and capabilities are involved. As we understand Jesus to be fully divine and fully human, so do we understand inspired scripture. There is a human side to Isaiah’s life and work, including his prophecy. And as a man of the eighth century B.C., he probably focused mainly on the immediate threat to Jerusalem

In the first of these formula quotations, Matthew quotes Isaiah, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman (hmAl4fahA, hā‘almāh, ‘the young woman’; LXX hJ parqevnoV, hē parthenos, ‘the virgin’; Aquila, Symmachus and Theodotion hJ nea:niV hē neanis, ‘the young woman’) is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel (lxe Unm0A%f9, ‘immānû ’ēl, lit. ‘God [is] with us’; LXX Emmanouhl, Emmanouēl )” (Isa. 7:14). As is well-known, Matthew’s use of the word “virgin” (parqevnoV, parthenos) in 1:23 is based on the Septuagint text of Isaiah 7:14; in the Hebrew text the prophet used the word hmAl4fa (‘almāh), which means “young woman,” as is recognized by the later Greek translations of Aquila, Symmachus and Theodotion with nea:niV (neanis, ‘young woman’). I should perhaps point out that the Christian doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus depends on the clear statements of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament, and is not affected by what Isaiah said in 7:14 (though the latter is often brought into the discussion).

But there are some important considerations in reference to Isaiah’s text. In the context of Isaiah 7:14, the prophet is responding to the concerns of King Ahaz of Judah about the Syro-Ephramite war. “In the days of Ahaz son of Jotham son of Uzziah, king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram [i.e., Syria] and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel went up to attack Jerusalem, but could not mount an attack against it” (Isa. 7:1). In the context the real military threat to Judah was not this alliance between Israel and Syria, which would be short-lived, but the military might of the rising superpower to the east, Assyria. Speaking for the LORD, Isaiah offers a sign.

Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. Then Isaiah said: ‘Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted. The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on your ancestral house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah-the king of Assyria.’ (Isa. 7:11-17, NRSV)

But God spoke through Isaiah of the birth of Jesus centuries later. “Look, the virgin (parqevnoV, parthenos) shall conceive and bear a son, / and they shall call him Emmanuel” (Mt. 1:23, citing Isa. 7:14 LXX). The Isaiah text has hm!l4f1h! (hā‘almāh), which William L. Holladay translates as “girl (of marriageable age), young woman (until the birth of first child)” (A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, 1971, 10^th corrected impression 1988, s.v. hm!l4f1, ‘almāh). When Joseph awoke he followed the angel’s command (Mt. 1:24) and when Jesus was born, “he named him Jesus” (v.

The child to be born within months is the sign for Ahaz. “For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good,” in other words, while he is still very young, “the land before whose two kings [i.e., Syria and Israel] you are in dread will be deserted” (Isa. 7:16). So the reference to the “young woman” in Isaiah 7:14 is to someone alive at the time, in the eighth century before Christ. But, according to a theological principle, the sensus plenior, or the “fuller sense” of scripture, there is a higher level of meaning, of which God was fully aware, but Isaiah the prophet was likely not fully aware. Matthew clearly applies this text to the birth of Jesus, and makes no reference to a child born in the days of Ahaz and Isaiah. As Christians we must accept what Matthew has said. It seems to me that the principle of the sensus plenior (i.e., the fuller sense) of scripture, provides a way to understand this quotation and its application to Jesus.

In addition to the meaning of the name Jesus, we are presented here with the name Emmanuel (v. 23). As indicated above, the phrase means “God [is] with us.” This, too has a double meaning. God is with the kingdom of Judah under Ahaz in the time of Isaiah when faced with serious military threats. Or he would be if they only trust him. But the coming of Christ as the Savior of the world means, in the “fuller sense,” that God is with us all.

“When Joseph awoke from sleep,” says Matthew, “he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her [i.e., Mary] as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until ( e{wV, heōs) she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus” (Mt. 1:24-25). So, as in the case of Mary (Lk. 1:26-38), Joseph responds to the angel’s announcement accordingly. Based on the word “until” ( e{wV, heōs), Duling says, “The author’s birth narrative does not seem to imply the perpetual virginity of Mary (see also 13:55)” (op. cit., on v. 25).

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net