Matthew 3:1-12

The passage has two sections. First, read vv. 1-6. How does the Isaiah passage quoted, John's message, and John's appear and activities all correspond to each other? All of John's life seems open to the future -- that which is to come, and he seems to see this future in a particular type of way.

It has become stereotypical to criticize the "Pharisees and Sadducees" as the "religious leaders" of Judaism in the time of Jesus. Such does not really fit the description. These were the rulers who ran the Temple economy and made sure that it branched out to the villages. Of course, they learned to run the Temple economy for their own benefit. John is quite harsh in his criticisms -- what is the basis of his criticisms? What does John want out of them? Why does John speak as he does about coming judgment? Who is the one who will judge?

Isaiah 11:1-10

Isaiah 11 comes at the end of a unit in the Book of Isaiah that begins with Isaiah 1 -- look over Isaiah 1 and notice the difference between it and ch. 11. The time frame of ch. 11 is ambiguous -- note it looks to the future. Has this future arrived yet? What are the characteristics of this One who is to Come? What shall he do? What is the imagery that results from his presence/his future coming? What is the relationship between what this "shoot" who the shoot is and what it does in vv. 1-5 and the description of creation that follows as a result in vv. 6-10. How does the two sections of Isaiah correspond to the two sections of the Matthew passage?

Romans 15:4-13

What is the function of the OT from Paul's perspective in Romans? How does this allow us to life in harmony with one another -- an instruction for the congregation, not society in general. What is the purpose of this harmony?

Read the benediction of v. 13. How does it follow from everything else that our passages say?

The passages combine to push us in this Advent season to hope. Hope always presupposes a particularity in that which is the basis and that for which one hopes -- there is no instance of just a general hope. How do these passages define the basis and the content of that for which we hope as believers in Jesus Christ?

Benedict XVI last week released a second Encyclical. In it he writes: "we see as a distinguishing mark of Christians the fact that they have a future: it is not that they know the details of what awaits them, but they know in general terms that their life will not end in emptiness. Only when the future is certain as a positive reality does it become possible to life the present as well. So now we can say: Christianity was not only good news, the communication of a hitherto unknown content. In our language we would say: the Christian message was not only informative; but performative. That means: the Gospel is not merely a communication of things that can be known; it is one that makes thnigs happen and is life-changing. The dark door of time, of the future, has been thrown open. The one who has hope liveds differently; the onewho hopes has been granted the gift of a new life."

What is the new life that these passages call us to perform?

Have a blessed Advent!