[Propertalk] Fwd: Scripture in Context 12.18.16

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded: 



-----Original Message-----
From: Tom O'Brien <tgobrien at comcast.net>

Sent: Mon, Dec 5, 2016 8:30 pm
Subject: Scripture in Context 12.18.16



Dear Friends, 
 
Below in Word is Scripture in Context for December 18, 2016.   I hope you and others find it informative and helpful. 
 
This offering and those that go back to July 2016 are posted at www.scriptureincontext.org.
 
My son has recommended that when I post new offerings on the website that I share this fact on Facebook, so I will in the future – at least for a while to see how people react. 
 
Blessings, 
 
Tom 
 
TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
DECEMBER 18, 2016
 
 
 
 
Isaiah 7:10-16
 
After Solomon’s death in 930 BCE, the Unified Monarchy splitin two: Israel consisting of the 10 Northern Tribes and Judea consisting of theTribes of Judah and Benjamin. Ahaz was of the House of David (v.13) and theKing of Judea around 730 BCE – when the Assyrian Empire was threatening bothIsrael and Judea. (Assyria conquered Israel in 722.) 
 
In today’s reading, Ahaz is offered a sign by Yahweh to supportwhat Isaiah is saying on God’s behalf. The sign is that a young woman (v.14) is with child and will bear a sonwhose name will be Immanuel (“God is with us”). This child will “eat curds and honey” (v.15) – which means in a time ofprosperity and after the siege by the Assyrians ended. Most scholars opine thatthe “young woman” was the mother of Hezekiah who was the King of Judea when theAssyrians ended their siege of Jerusalem around the year 700 BCE. 
 
In today’s Gospel, the author cites Isaiah 7:14 by saying a“virgin” shall conceive a son (Matt. 1:23). The reason for the differencebetween the two texts is that the author of the Gospel relied on a Greektranslation of the Book Isaiah. In Hebrew, the word used in Isaiah is “almah” which means “young woman.”  In the Greek translation of Isaiah, almah was translated as “parthenos” – which means virgin. 
 
 
Romans 1:1-7
 
Paul’s letter to the Romans is his longest, last and mostcomplex letter. It was written in the late 50s or early 60s (CE). Among othermessages, Paul sought to encourage respectful and supportive relationshipsbetween the Gentile Jesus Followers and the Jewish Jesus Followers inRome.  (Jesus Followers were not called“Christians” until the 80’s.) 
 
In today’s reading, Paul states that Jesus was “declared” tobe Son of God by his resurrection from the dead (v.4). His reference to“Gentiles” (v.5) means the Gentile Jesus Followers. Paul then broadens hisaddress to all the Jesus Follower Community in Rome (v.7).   

 


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