Advent: A Time of Preparation

A Bible Study Guide for Adults by William Stringfellow

The late William Stringfellow was a lay theologian, attorney and author. 


Introduction

The single most significant credential needed for comprehending the Bible is an intention to listen to the Word.

For that, a person must not merely desire to hear the Word of God, but must also be free to hear the Word of God. This means becoming vulnerable to the Word, and to the utterance of the Word, in much the same way as one has to become vulnerable to another human being if one truly cares to know that other person and to hear his or her word.

In contemporary American culture, whatever the situation in other cultures, though there is much sound, a clamor of noises, and a vast and complex profusion of words, there seems to be relatively little listening amongst human beings. There is-literally-babel instead of communication; there is frustration instead of relationship; there is violence instead of love.

The extraordinary distortions of language which, nowadays, victimize us all, inhibiting our listening to one another as human beings, render it the more difficult to approach the Bible in an attitude of listening, inhibit or otherwise hinder us from becoming open and vulnerable to the Word. To transcend the babel, to have, as Jesus so often mentioned, the ears to hear the Word, it is essential, for the time being at least, to put aside everything else: distractions whether trivial or important, self serving ideas, arguments, all opinions, preconceptions of every sort, defenses, temptations, mundane occupations. A person must come to the Bible quietly, eagerly expectantly-ready to listen. One must (as nearly as one can) confront the Bible naively, that is, as if one had not encountered the Bible previously. And, at the same time one must approach the Bible realistically-rather than superstitiously-recognizing that access to the same Word of God which the Bible bespeaks is given to us in the versatility of the presence of the Word of God active in common history: in the event of Jesus Christ, in the incessant agitations of the Holy Spirit, in the constitution of Creation itself. (See John' 1:1-14.) Insofar as we do this, listening happens. Then the Word of God in the Bible can be heard in the Word's own integrity and power and grace.

In what follows, certain accounts from the Gospel According to Luke are commended to your listening in groups, as well as in solitude. These are passages which have been traditionally recited during Advent since the era of the ancient Church. Do not allow their familiarity to interfere with your attention to what these texts actually say. When you initially read them, it is suggested that you do so out loud, whether in company of a group or not, to facilitate hearing the Word.

Session One: Signs of the Advent of the Lord
A Study of Luke 21:25-36

Advice - Call the attention of everyone who gathers as a group to the New Testament context of this passage in the Gospel According to Luke. It is placed among assorted discourses attributed directly to Jesus while he was teaching in the temple in Jerusalem, after having entered the city in the midst of the fanfare and tumult which has come to be known as Palm Sunday. (Luke 21:37; see Luke 19:28-47). Immediately following this passage is the Luke account of the events of Maundy Thursday-the Last Supper, Jesus' agony as he prayed at the Mount of Olives, the betrayal of Judas, the arrest and arraignment of Jesus, Peter's denial (Luke 22) . Thus, the very location of this passage gives it much prominence, while, at the same time, the direct attribution of the words in the passage to Jesus by the writer of the account clothes it with great authority.

After the passage has been read in the group out loud, read it again, sentence by sentence, pausing after each and every sentence to ask, what does this sentence say? and to discuss, what does this sentence mean? Do not force a discussion; if no one in the group has anything to say in response to these questions, simply remain silent (rather than pursue tangents) and, after awhile move on to the next sentence in the text. When the entire passage has been examined sentence by sentence, repeat the reading of the whole passage out loud.

Comments-Now consider issues and questions which arise from the passage itself (as distinguished from queries that otherwise occur to people in the group). Some of the following matters might be included in such consideration:

The passage bespeaks signs of the coming of the Lord, but it seems clear that it is the Second Coming of the Lord that is the reference, rather than the birth of Jesus. Why has the Church traditionally called attention to signs of the second Advent in observing the first Advent?

Does the Luke text concerning signs of the Second Coming recall ether Biblical passages (see, e.g.,. Matthew 24:3 35; Mark 13:4-37; John 12:27-33, 16:33; I Thes. 5:1-11; II Tim. 3:1-5; II Peter 3;3-10; Rev. 6:12-17; cf., Is. 13:10; Dan. 7:13-14).

Is the message for the world of the first Advent and that of the second Advent the same? Is there some basic connection between the two Advents so far as the life of this world is concerned? Can either Advent be understood without reference to the other?

The birth of Christ is commonly regarded as an occasion for rejoicing. What is there to rejoice about in this text about the coming of Christ "with power and great glory" amidst perplexity, foreboding, and final distress?

What does it mean for a Christian to be vigilant and to "watch at all times" for signs of the Judgment of the Word of God?

Session Two: Repentance as Good News
A Study of Luke 3:1-9

Advice-The same initial procedure as that set forth for the first session is recommended for this session, that is, hearing the whole passage read aloud. Before reviewing the text sentence by sentence, however, it is suggested that certain other passages related to the preaching of John the Baptist also be introduced. One way to do this is to assign each such text to a member of the group to study before the group convenes and then to share that passage with the whole group immediately after Luke 3:1-9 has been heard. Each member assigned a related text may wish to comment on how he or she considers it is connected to or distinguished from the principal passage for study. After that, the group can proceed to a sentence by sentence examination of Luke 3 1-9.

The related passages are: Matthew 3:1-10; Mark 1:1~5; John 1:6, 23; cf., Isaiah 40:3-5.

Comments - Church tradition renders John the Baptist an Advent figure, though he is not evident on the scene of the birth of Jesus, but, later on, he quit the wilderness to herald the coming of Christ when Jesus is mature and is about to begin his ministry. (Luke 3:23). Clues to the meaning of the first Advent and, in fact, both Advents, may be found in the Baptist's preaching. The gospel accounts appear consistent as to the content of John's preaching: repentance. Both Luke and Mark report that John preached "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin(s)" (Luke 3:3; Mark 1:4); Matthew reports John's message in this manner: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3;2). Thus the call of John the Baptist for repentance would seem to be the definitive topic of Advent. Furthermore, it should not be overlooked that after John the Baptist has been imprisoned, Matthew states, "From the time Jesus began to preach, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"(Matthew 4:17). Later on, when Jesus charges his disciples, he tells them, "And preach as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" (Matthew 10:7). If repentance is the theme and sentiment appropriate at Advent, it is so identified not merely in the preaching of John the Baptist, but in the ratification of that preaching by Jesus himself. Yet, if that be so, how can repentance be construed as good news or as pretext for rejoicing? (See Luke 3:18).

The invocation by John the Baptist of the words of Isaiah the prophet furnish further weight to the Baptist's message and clarify that the repentance called for is no private, pietistic or simply individualistic effort but is related to the Judgment of the nation and, indeed, to the destiny of the whole of Creation, (Luke 3:4-6), and even as the Matthew text, cited above, links repentance to the imminence of the kingdom of heaven. The eschatological emphasis becomes very concrete as John addresses the "brood of vipers" concerning "the wrath to come." (Luke 3:7b). He is admonishing the nation-the "children of Abraham"-about the Judgment of this world impending in the coming of Christ. Does this recall the passage studied in Session One? (Luke 21:25-36). Are there significant similarities between that text and the present one? Consider, for instance, Luke 3:9 compared to Luke 21:29-33. Are there more similarities? Or differences? Consider, as well, other passages in the New Testament which may have bearing upon the study text; for example, compare Luke 3:8 with Luke l; 38-40. What do these citations affirm about the character and authority of the Lord who is coming

Session Three: The Fruits of Repentance
A Study of Luke 3:10-20

Advice-Perhaps it would assist in comprehending what repentance means, if members of the group tried to locate in the daily newspapers, or in books or on television programs or the like, reports of happenings which need to be repented, or examples of repentance, or evidence of the fruits of repentance. Be especially alert for items or episodes involving the life of society and the nation.

Keep the practice in this session of hearing the passage out loud before studying it sentence by sentence.

Comment-Those who heard John the Baptist preach "a baptism of repentance" evidently had some problems understanding his message. (Luke 3:3, 3:10). Yet the political authorities, represented as Herod the tetrarch, understood enough about the political scope of the Baptist's proclamation of the Judgment to imprison John, and, subsequently, subject him to terrible interrogation, torture, and, finally, decapitation. (Luke 3:16-20; Matthew 14:3-12; Mark 6:16-29) The fact that in such circumstances Jesus makes John's preaching his own, and instructs his disciples accordingly, foreshadows his own arrest, trial, humiliation and crucifixion at the behest of similar authorities, and, for that matter, portends the chronicle of the Acts of the Apostles.

The passages which are being studied here manifest that it is not possible to apprehend either Advent except through the dialectic of both Advents. However much that may have been ignored or suppressed in the contemporary churches, the pioneer Christians, beleaguered as they were because of their insight, knew that the message of both Advents is political. That message is that in the coming of Jesus Christ, the nations, principalities, powers and rulers of the world are judged in the Word of God and are rendered accountable, under the Lordship of Christ, to human life and to all created life by virtue of the sovereignty of the Word of God in history. Hence the response of John the Baptist, when he is pressed to show the consequence of the repentance he preaches, is "Bear fruits that befit repentance." (Luke 3:8).

To state the same issue another way, the call for repentance, addressed to a nation, or similar principality, concerns forswearing blasphemy. Blasphemy occurs in the existence and conduct of a nation wherever there is such profound confusion as to the nation's character, place, capabilities and destiny that the vocation of the Word of God in history is preempted or usurped. Thus, the very presumption of righteousness of the cause of a nation is blasphemy. (See Revelation 13:1-10). How, then, can a nation repent of blasphemy? And what are the fruits of such repentance?

Session Four: The Politics of Advent
A Study of Luke 1: 39 -56

Advice-Do not expect that when this fourth and final session is concluded that every question which has been raised will have been answered or that every issue which has emerged in these discussions will have been resolved. If the effort of your group has been conscientious, a plethora of matters will have surfaced that invite or require further pursuit. If, in the circumstances, members of the group have incentive to attempt more Bible study, that is a very satisfactory outcome of this process The aim here, in other words, has been to articulate significant queries exposed by the passages from Luke concerning the topic of Advent and, thus, to offer an alternative to the superficial and commercialized versions of the Advent season which prevail in the culture and to the often trivialized and unbiblical treatment of Advent prevalent in many churches. So, if you finish this session with a mind bustling with issues, rather than a tidy list of answers, do not be discouraged, be heartened: the effort has been worthwhile.

Persevere, in the last session, in practicing listening by hearing the entire text read aloud and then reviewing it sentence by sentence.

Comment-The story of Mary's visit to the mother of John the Baptist, and the attribution of the Magnificat to her, is another traditional Advent text which may be so familiar that it is easily overlooked how explicitly it emphasizes the politics of both Advents. Keep rereading it and notice its political statements. "He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away." (Luke 1 52-53; see l Sam. 2:1-10). Moreover, in the final verses of the Magnificat it seems clear that the destiny of the nation is the particular political matter involved.

Since the ministries of John the Baptist and of Jesus are, as became evident in earlier texts studied, so intertwined, this may be an appropriate place to read the remainder of this first chapter of Luke, concerning the birth of John the Baptist. (See Luke 1:57 80). How is the auspicious birth of John related to the coming of Jesus?

Consider, also, the obvious political character of other events associated with or proximate to the birth of Jesus. This is often overlooked because the manger scene is recalled and represented in the culture as if it were some quaint pastoral scape, what with hay and sheep and so on. Yet stop to think that the census to which Mary and Joseph submitted was a surveillance, the homage of the Magi acknowledged the status of Jesus as Lord and King, while Herod, frantic about the birth, sought to assassinate the child. This is no quiet, simple, politically innocuous event; it is a cosmic happening. In the first Advent, Christ the Lord comes into the world, in the next Advent, Christ the Lord comes as judge of the world, and all the world's thrones and pretenders, regimes and presidencies, principalities and authorities, in vindication of the reign of the Word of God in history. That is the truth, which the world hates, which biblical people bear and by which they live as the Church in the world in the time between the two Advents.