PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS

Tag: State of Humiliation

  • Notes and Useful Applications for Isaiah 42:1–9 from Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877)

    The following is my translation of the notes and useful applications for the Old Testament reading of the First Sunday after Epiphany, Isaiah 42:1–9, as they are found in Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877). Square brackets indicate my own notes and additions. For the useful applications, I recommend the reader see this very helpful article by Dr. Benjamin T. G. Mayes.

    Note: This is the appointed reading from the Lutheran Missal Project.

    I. A promise of God the heavenly Father and a prophecy concerning Christ as to what kind of office He will have and how He will carry it out. (v. 1–9)

    Annotated Text

    1. Behold, this is * My Servant (although Christ, according to His divine nature, is equal to God the Father in essence, power, and honor and also according to His human nature has received divine attributes by virtue of the personal union, nevertheless, for our sake, He has become the servant of God the Father through His humiliation, Philippians 2:7), whom I uphold;1 and (this is) My Elect (the one whom I have chosen for the work of redemption from eternity past), in † whom My soul has good pleasure. I have given Him My Spirit (without any measure, so that He should rest fully on Him, Isaiah 11:2, John 3:34), He will bring forth justice (how a man must become righteous before God and be blessed) among the Gentiles (through the preaching of the Gospel).

    * Matthew 12:18

    1 Hebrew: “I grasp Him and support Him” (see Exodus 17:12). Thus, in Matthew 12[:18–21] is the meaning only expressed.

    † Matthew 3:17, 17:5; 2 Peter 1:17 (Isaiah 49:6)

    2. He will not cry out nor call (Christ will not establish a worldly kingdom in which there is much turmoil and unrest, Luke 17:20), and His voice will not be heard in the streets (He will conduct Himself in humility and in the lowly form of a servant, Philippians 2:7).

    (Matthew 12:19)

    3. The * bruised reed He will not break (He will not further trouble contrite and broken hearts, but much more comfort them and bless them), and the smoldering wick (the little light of weak faith in the one who wants to despair on account of his sins) He will not quench (He will show Himself gentle toward those who labor and are burdened, Matthew 11:28–29, and He will bear with their weaknesses with patience). He will teach to keep the justice (which counts before God) truthfullly1 (He will also instruct those who have become righteous through faith in Him as to how henceforth they ought to serve God the Lord in holiness and righteousness, Luke 1:74–75).

    * Matthew 12:20; Psalm 34:19 (Matthew 9:12ff.)

    1 Hebrew: “to bring forth to firm conviction” (that is, “perform.” Therefore, it is also given as “unto victory” or “victorious” [εἰς νῖκος] in Matthew 12[:20].

    4. He will be neither sullen nor dreadful (Luther: “He will not be harsh or irascible and sour, but rather friendly, gentle, and benevolent”), until He establishes justice on earth;1 and the islands will wait (there will also be far remote Gentile peoples called to His kingdom, who dwell on the islands) for His Law (for the doctrine of the Gospel).

    (Jeremiah 23:5; Matthew 12:21)

    1 Hebrew: “He will not become distressed (that is, disgruntled, Isaiah 61:3), nor retreat, until He establishes justice in the land (of Israel); thereafter, etc.”

    5. Thus says God, the Lord, who created and spread out heaven, who made the earth and its vegetation, who gives breath to the people who are on it and spirit (life) to those who go on it:

    6. I, the Lord (God the Father) have called (I have ordained You for this, that You shall carry out the work of redemption) You (My beloved Son, Christ) with righteousness (in such manner that You will render a complete payment to My righteousness, and obtain the perfect righteousness that counts before Me for the human race), and I will grasp You by the hand (as You contend against death, sin, devil, and hell), and I will keep you, and I will have You given as a covenant (as Mediator of the New Testament or Covenant) among the people1 (that You establish and confirm them through Your blood), as Light * to the Gentiles (that You bring not only the Jews but also the Gentiles through the light of the Gospel into the light of the saving knowledge of God and their Savior);

    1 The people of Israel (see Romans 9:4, 15:8; Acts 3:25).

    * Isaiah 9:2, 49:6, 60:1 (Daniel 9:24; Luke 2:32; Romans 5:19; Romans 8:2ff.)

    7. that You shall open the eyes of the blind (those stuck in spiritual blindness), and lead the prisoners from the prison (that You redeem them from the curse of the Law, as well as death and eternal condemnation) and those who * sit in darkness (who lack the true knowledge of God in Christ), from the prison (in which no light lightens or shines).

    * Matthew 4:16 (Isaiah 35:5, 61:1; Luke 1:79; Acts 26:18)

    8. * I am the Lord (who alone am the only true self-subsisting God), that is My (proper) name; † and I will give My honor to no other (false god), nor My praise to idols.

    * Exodus 3:15

    † Isaiah 48:11 (Exodus 6:3; Psalm 83:19)

    9. Behold what shall come I proclaim to you beforehand,1 and I proclaim new things (of which no one could have surmised); before they come up (spring forth and flourish), I let you hear of them (Here, the promise properly speaking is to be understood of the coming of the Messiah, who in the prophet Zechariah 6:12 is called “Zemah,” that is, a “Branch”).

    (Isaiah 41:26)

    1 Hebrew: “Behold, the first things (which I had previously allowed to be spoken, e.g., the conquest of Canaan, the kings of Israel, etc.) have come, and what is new (that is, what has not yet come), etc.” See Isaiah 43:19.

    Useful Applications

    I. COMFORT: That all repentant, troubled, and broken hearts (who are like a bruised reed and a smoldering wick) ought to be raised up, comforted, and made joyful by their Savior Christ from His holy Word. (v. 3–4)

  • Notes and Useful Applications for Luke 2:41–52 from Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877)

    The following is my translation of the notes and useful applications for the Holy Gospel of the First Sunday after Epiphany, Luke 2:41–52, as they are found in Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877). Square brackets indicate my own notes and additions. For the useful applications, I recommend the reader see this very helpful article by Dr. Benjamin T. G. Mayes.

    IV. The disputation of the twelve-year-old boy Jesus with the teachers in the temple. (v. 42–52)

    Annotated Text

    41. And His parents went every year to Jerusalem for the * Passover (to celebrate it according to God’s ordinance).

    * Exodus 34:23; Deuteronomy 16:16 (Exodus 23:15, 17)

    42. And when He (the Lord Christ) was twelve-years-old (at which time the children were gradually encouraged unto the public observance of the Law), they (the parents with their child Jesus) went up to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast.

    43. And when the days (appointed for the celebration of the Passover, namely the seven days of unleavened bread, Exodus 34:18) were completed,1 and they returned to the house, the child Jesus remained at Jerusalem, and His parents2 did not know (that He had remained behind).

    1 Greek: “But when they had gone up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast and had fully kept these (feast) days.” [Read this verse continuously from v. 42]

    2 Greek: “Joseph and His mother” (So it is also to be understood in v. 41)

    44. But they supposed (when they missed the Child that) He was among the companions (who had gone up with them from Nazareth in great numbers and were still behind), and they went (they returned [toward Nazareth]) a day’s journey (far), and they sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.

    45. And when they did not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem and sought Him.

    46. And it came to pass after three days, they found Him in the temple (in an auxiliary building in the temple, in which there was a school) sitting among the midst of the teachers so that He could hear them (as they explained God’s Word) and asking them questions (not because He had need of their instruction, but rather that He might have an opportunity to instruct them).

    47. And * all of those who heard Him, were astonished at His understanding and His answers1 (over His highly-informed answer, over the wisdom that was seen in His answer).

    * Matthew 7:28; Mark 1:22 (John 7:15)

    2 Greek: “the answers (He gave)”

    48. And when they (His parents) saw Him, they were appalled (they marveled to the highest degree over it, what this meant that such a Child should have dared to presume to speak with all the most learned men about such high and important matters). And His mother said to Him, “My Son, * why have you done this to us (that you have made so much care and anxiety for us with Your remaining behind)? Behold, Your Father and I have sought you with pains.”

    * Genesis 12:18

    49. And He said to them, “Why have you sought me (what need was there of the seeking)? Do you not know that I must be in that which is My Father’s? (that I must wait for that which My heavenly Father has laid upon Me?)”

    (John 4:34, 17:4)

    50. And they did not understand the word that He spoke with them.

    51. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was submissive to them (He did what His father and mother asked Him, and what He could do to please them). And His mother * kept all these words in her heart.

    * Luke 2:19; Genesis 37:11

    52. And Jesus * increased in wisdom,1 age (stature, height, and size), and grace with God and men (he was a child dear, sweet, and pleasant child to everyone, which thus happened through God’s special grace).

    * 1 Samuel 2:26 (Acts 7:20)

    1 † This is to be understood of the human nature in the state of His humiliation, to which also His age belonged.

    Useful Applications

    IV. CORRECTION: Because Christ, the Son of God Himself, was obedient and submissive to His mother and foster father, much more should all other children of men be obedient and submissive to their parents. (v. 51) DOCTRINE: Catechesis is a work sanctified by Christ Himself and is the highest edifying work. (v. 46–47) CORRECTION: Christ’s love for the temple also shows where one ought to fondly go and keep the children. (v. 42, 49ff.)