What happens when we read the Magnificat with the Benedictus?
The lectionary gospel reading for Appearance 4 in Year C is Luke 1.39-45, with the option of reading on to Luke 1.46-55. Do please accept the option of reading the Magnificat; reading the first half without the 2d would be like going to a Michelin-starred restaurant for dinner and leaving after the starter!
Information technology is oft claimed that Luke emphasises the gospel for the poor, or that he focusses on women and their roles, in item the contribution of the wealthy women in Luke 8.1 who contribute to the fiscal underwriting of the ministry of Jesus and his entourage.
In fact, Luke is rather more than subtle than that. Felix Just offers this helpful table of parallel stories of men and women in Luke's gospel. They are listed equally a pair in the gild the they occur, rather than putting the stories and texts nearly men in one column and the stories and texts about women in the other, so we can see that sometimes the men come up start, whilst at others the women come kickoff. In the pairing of Mary and Zechariah, there is a kind of chiasm, in that the narrative of Zechariah comes before the story of Mary, only Mary's anthem of praise comes before Zechariah'south.
| Angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah (1:8-23 – L) | Angel Gabriel appears to Mary (1:26-38 – L) |
| Canticle of Mary (Magnificat; 1:46-55 – L) | Canticle of Zechariah (Benedictus; one:68-79 – L) |
| Simeon encounters the infant Jesus & his parents in the Jerusalem Temple (2:25-35 – Fifty) | Anna cheers God & prophesies almost Jesus in the Jerusalem Temple (2:36-38 – L) |
| Widow of Zarephat & Israelite widows (iv:25-26 – L) | Naaman the Syrian & Israelite lepers (4:27 – L) |
| Exorcism of a Demoniac at Capernaum (four:31-37 – Mk) | Healing of Simon's mother-in-constabulary at Capernaum (4:38-39 – Mk) |
| Centurion's slave is healed (7:ane-10 – Q) | Widow of Nain's son raised from the expressionless (7:11-17 – Fifty) |
| Naming of the twelve apostles of Jesus (half dozen:12-16 – Mk) | Naming of women who accompanied Jesus (8:i-three – L) |
| Jairus' daughter is raised to life (viii:41-42, 49-56 – Mk) | Bleeding woman is healed (8:43-46 – Mk) |
| Parable of the Good Samaritan (10:25-37 – Fifty) | Examples of Martha and Mary (10:38-42 – 50) |
| A neighbor asks for breadstuff at midnight (11:5-8 – L) | A widow asks for justice persistently (eighteen:1-11 – Fifty) |
| A woman in a crowd shouts out to Jesus, "Blessed is the womb that bore you…" (11:27 – L) | A man at a dinner tells Jesus, "Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" (14:15 – Fifty) |
| The Queen of the South (xi:31 – Q) | The Ninevites (11:32 – Q) |
| A crippled woman is healed (xiii:10-17 – L) | A lame man is healed (14:1-half dozen – L) |
| "Daughter of Abraham" reference (13:xvi – L) | "Son of Abraham" reference (19:9 – 50) |
| Parable of a man planting a mustard seed (13:xviii-19 – Mk) | Parable of a woman mixing yeast & flour (xiii:20-21 – Q) |
| Parable of a shepherd looking for a lost sheep (fifteen:3-seven – Q) | Parable of a woman looking for a lost money (15:8-10 – L) |
| Example of two men together asleep (17:34 – Q) | Example of 2 women grinding meal (17:35 – Q) |
| A servant girl questions Peter (22:56-57 – Mk) | 2 men as well question Peter (22:58+59 – Mk/L) |
| Simon of Cyrene carries Jesus' cross (23:26 – Mk) | Jesus meets women on the way to Calvary (23:27-29 – L) |
| Joseph of Arimathea buries Jesus' trunk (23:50-53 – Mk) | Women see where Jesus is buried (23:55-56 – Mk) |
| Women notice Jesus' tomb empty (24:1-11 – Mk) | Two disciples journeying to Emmaus (24:13-35 – L) |
Literary Sources: L = only in Luke; Q = Luke and Matthew, but not Marking;Mk = from Mark (and usually besides in Matthew)
But more than noteworthy is the fact that, of these 21 paired stories, nine have both halves unique to Luke (designated by an 'L'), and a further vii have 1 half unique to Luke, making a total of 16. Of the remaining five, iii are pairs of stories too plant in Mark, and the other two are combinations of Mark, Luke and Matthew. In other words, about of this 'pairing' phenomenon is distinctive to Luke and (we may infer) part of his deliberate system of his source fabric gathered from his research (Luke 1.ane).
This certainly means that, when reading or preaching on these stories, we should wait for the connections with the other one-half of the pair, and explore either points of commonality or points of deviation betwixt the two. And it means that for Luke the gospel isn't 'merely' for the poor, the adult female, the marginal—it is for rich and poor alike, for women and men akin, for the marginal and the central akin, and for the religiously respectable and religiously scandalous alike. This is a both/and gospel, and not an either/or gospel.
I particular example is the starting time in this list, the pairing of Zechariah and Mary. It is not uncommon to hear exposition of the contrasts, which flow naturally out of the mutual verbal response to Gabriel 'How can I exist sure of this/How can this be?' (Luke 1.xviii, 34) which turns out to exist a statement of dubiousness for Zechariah but a statement of faith for Mary. Simply it is less mutual to compare the Magnificat (from now on referred to as Yard) with the Benedictus (referred to equally B), to run across any points in common and whatsoever contrasts of focus. Given Luke's concern with pairings, surely this is a practiced idea. (I am not aware of whatsoever other comparative studies of the two canticles; do let me know in comments if y'all take come beyond one.)
Information technology is first worth noting the things that the two canticles have in mutual. The virtually obvious is the language of 'remembering' and the mention of Abraham. Both canticles also draw extensively on Quondam Attestation texts and ideas, though in rather different ways. Joel Green (in his NIGTC p 101) notes the links in the Magnificat with the Songs of Moses (Ex xv.one–18), Miriam (Ex xv.19–21), Deborah (Judges 5.one–31), Asaph (one Chron xvi.8–36) and particularly Hannah (one Sam 2.1–x). 'Every bit others accept noted, Mary's vocal is a virtual collage of biblical texts'. Come across here a list of the echoes of scripture in the Benedictus—though this analysis doesn't note thedifferences introduced (like the 'forgiveness of sins') and then presses the text too much into a political framework. And conspicuously the Benedictus is not simply making a collage in the mode that the Magnificat is.
And at present we begin to encounter some of the differences. At first sight, Thou is much more personal, focusing on what God has done for Mary as an private. To this extent, it echoes the language of the personal psalms of victory and commemoration, and repeatedly follows their structure of beginning articulating praise and then going on to requite the reason for that praise ('My soul glorifies…for he has…'). By dissimilarity, B focusses on what God is doing for his people Israel, and to that extent is more corporate and more formal in its celebration. The contrast is not quite and so elementary though: M does lead from the personal to the corporate, ending with a commemoration of what God has washed for Israel; and B moves in the opposite direction, in the (widely recognised) 2d half moving to what God will accomplish through the particular individual John, Zechariah's promised son.
This leads to ii further observations nearly the departure. We echo the M so often that we might not realise the strangeness of the tenses: all of the action is ready in the aorist (past) tense, and is a commemoration ofwhat God has already done. If y'all don't think that is odd, but call back where in the wider narrative of Luke this comes! Strictly speaking, God hasn't notwithstanding washed very much! Jesus has non nevertheless been built-in, and in a context of high infant bloodshed, this is no mere item! In her song, Mary's agreement of God'due south deliverance is highly realised, and she sees the pattern of God's redemption as already anticipated in his gracious dealing with her. It is rather startling that (in contrast to B) in that location is admittedly no mention of what this promised child will do. Mary here becomes less of a means of God's saving action, and instead a blueprint and a model for information technology. Past contrast, B is largely focussed on the hereafter; God has washed something ('raised upwards for us a horn of conservancy/mighty saviour') but this is with the intention of enacting salvation, which has non nonetheless happened. The second one-half, focussing on John, is all in the future tense. So God'south action here is less ablueprint of salvation and more ameans by which salvation will come.
The second thing flowing from this basic difference in orientation is the unlike focus. M takes upward a frequent theme in the psalms and the wisdom literature, that of justice in Israel and God's reversal of the current order of rich and poor. Although at that place is 'assistance [for] his servant Israel], that 'aid' is all about the reforming and reneweal of the people; the focus is internal. But in B, the focus is outward; salvation comes to give Israel security from those who threaten and oppress her, to permit the nation to worship God in peace. At that place is a shared focus on God's forcefulness, and both describe on the theological tradition of God equally warrior. But in M God is a warriorin Israel on behalf of the poor and opposing the oppressor within the nation; in B God is a warriorfor Israel, rescuing her from her external enemies. Both canticles include the idea of covenant renewal, merely they accept quite singled-out elements of that covenant in view.
Finally, both include themes that volition exist picked up and elucidated further in Luke's gospel. Mary's theme of reversal occurs most notable in Luke'south version of the Beatitudes (Luke 6.20–26), and the theme of feeding the hungry with good things and sending the rich away empty is virtually dramatically illustrated in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16.19–31). The connections in B are harder to spot merely equally of import: the language most God 'coming' to his people and the dawn from on high 'coming' to us both utilize the verbepiskeptomai 'to visit'. This visitation brings blessing if received—just sentence if refused. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem in Luke 19.44 because the people 'did not recognise the time of God'southward visitation (episkope)'.
And then, in this 'both/and' gospel, salvation is both personal and corporate. It renews God's people in justice and righteousness, and it saves them from their enemies. Information technology is both realised and nevertheless to come, both incorporating and adapting God's promises from of former. It brings both grace and (if that grace is refused) judgement, focussing both on God'due south own initiative and the invitation to answer. And information technology is recognised by an one-time, priestly man and a immature lay woman. Let us gloat all of these this Christmas.
(Previously posted in 2018. The picture at the top is The Annunciation past Fra Angelico from around 1445.)
If you enjoyed this, practice share it on social media (Facebook or Twitter) using the buttons on the left. Follow me on Twitter @psephizo. Like my folio on Facebook.
Much of my piece of work is done on a freelance footing. If you lot have valued this mail, yous tin brand a single or repeat donation through PayPal:
Comments policy: Proficient comments that engage with the content of the mail, and share in respectful debate, can add real value. Seek start to understand, and so to be understood. Brand the nigh charitable construal of the views of others and seek to learn from their perspectives. Don't view debate equally a conflict to win; address the statement rather than tackling the person.
Source: https://www.psephizo.com/biblical-studies/what-happens-when-we-read-the-magnificat-with-the-benedictus/
0 Response to "What happens when we read the Magnificat with the Benedictus?"
Post a Comment