The fourth Sunday in Advent reminds us of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and we light the pink candle in her honor. Timothy Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, in his book, Hidden Christmas, The Surprising Truth Behind the Birth of Christ, points out that Matthew’s Gospel begins with a “seemingly tedious genealogy.” In ancient family-oriented societies your pedigree constituted your résumé. You included all your prominent ancestors and left out the dodgy ones. But Matthew does the very opposite with Jesus. It is a unique family history that tells us some very important truths about the coming of Jesus.
It includes five women as mothers of Jesus. This was unheard of in a patriarchal society. Women had no legal rights in both Greek and Jewish culture. She could not inherit property or give testimony in a court of law. She was completely under her husband’s power. She was seen less of a person than as a thing. This is still the case in Muslim society. This genealogy reinforced the value of women in the history of salvation and in the life of the church. Jesus treated women with respect and honor. In addition three of these women were Gentiles: Tamar, Rahab and Ruth – Canaanites and a Moabitess. They were ethnic outsiders who would not be allowed to worship in the temple.
Keller remarks that their inclusion recalls “some of the most sordid, nasty and immoral incidents in the Bible.” Tamar initiated an immoral relationship with Judah her father-in-law and bore him two sons: Perez and Zerah. Jesus was descended from Perez. The Messiah came out of that dysfunctional family.
Rahab was the prostitute who aided the Israelites in spying out Jericho. Matthew makes a point that Solomon’s mother had been Uriah’s wife. Uriah was one of David’s Mighty Men who risked everything for him when he was outlawed by King Saul. Later he arranged to have Uriah killed in battle in order to marry his wife Bathsheba. Matthew could have omitted mention of Uriah and simply designated Solomon as the son of David by Bathsheba but he makes the point that “out of that dysfunctional family, and out of that deeply flawed man, that the Messiah came.”
Mary was an outsider in her society. She was a nobody from an obscure village in a distant part of the mighty Roman Empire. Yet God chose her to come into the world. She was aware of the great things he had done for her.
“He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.” (Luke 1:51-53)
When you consider yourself an outsider, a moral failure, ashamed of your past, inconsequential in the scheme of things, lacking an aristocratic pedigree or accomplishments, at the end of your usefulness, and of little value in the eyes of the world, remember the mothers of Jesus. I am reminded of the outsiders St. Paul lists:
“Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. AND THAT IS WHAT SOME OF YOU WERE. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor.6:9-11).
Jesus came to save sinners. He came to minister to those who are sick, not those who are whole. Not one of us can claim to deserve salvation on the basis of our merits. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Not one of us can afford to be superior to others, to look down upon others, to think that we are better than others. Moral superiority is usually a cloak for hypocrisy. We are enjoined by James never to show favoritism to the rich, and to the elite of any kind (James 2:1-10).
The Gospel is for everyone. No one is excluded from the family of Jesus. “He came to his own but they did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11,12). Jesus welcomed the Samaritan woman at the well who was on her sixth marriage. He allowed the woman who had lived a sinful life anoint his feet, wipe them with her hair, and kiss them. He said that her many sins had been forgiven as she showed by her love.
The present interest in genealogy, family history and ancestry may be selective as people embellish their antecedents and polish their pedigrees. God is not impressed with our credentials but our hearts. He wants to know whether we will receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord. What is our spiritual genealogy? He is more interested in knowing whether we are children of God who come to the Cross praying:
“Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to thy Cross I cling;
naked come to thee for dress,
helpless look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me Savior, or I die.” (Augustus M. Toplady)
Advent Wreath Prayer:
God our Father, the angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary that she was to be the mother of your Son. Though Mary was afraid, she responded to your call with joy. Help us, whom you call to serve you, to share like her in your great work of bringing to our world your love and healing. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the Light who is coming into the world.
Lord Jesus, Light of the world, blessed is Gabriel who brought good news, blessed is Mary your mother and ours. Bless your Church preparing for Christmas; and bless us your children who long for your coming. Amen.
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