Silence and Other Surprising Invitations of Advent

This Advent season, we are reading Silence and Other Surprising Invitations of Advent by Enuma Okoro. We have heard from Enuma Okoro in the Animate: Practices series in 2016. You can read our post about her here: Enuma Okoro.  Since then, Okoro was recognized on the 100 most inspiring women in Nigeria list in 2018, and this fall she is the Literary Guest-In-Residence at The BACASItaly Center for Culture, Arts and Science in Vallo di Diano, southern Italy. See her full bio, as well as links to articles she has written & her TED Talk on her website here: https://www.enumaokoro.com/enuma.

According to the book description at The Upper Room Bookstore:

Usually when we think of the Advent story, Mary, Joseph, and the angel Gabriel come to mind. Okoro approaches Advent a little differently, inviting us to sit for a while with Zechariah and Elizabeth and the story of how they came to bear their only son, John.

We'll be reading through this book together November 20th - December 18th. That means we'll be a little ahead of Advent, which officially begins December 1st this year, and we'll finish a week before Christmas. This gives all of us a little extra space to prepare our houses, families, hearts, minds, or whatever else needs to be prepared to really meet Advent this year. Looking forward to the journey!

Gospels comic

Here's a comic on the gospels I thought you might all enjoy.

"Do not resist the one who is evil." Matthew 5:39

One of the puzzling statements from our reading this week comes from Matthew 5:39, "Do not resist the one who is evil." (ESV) This is translated variously:

"...do not resist an evil person." (NIV)
"...you must not oppose those who want to hurt you" (CEB)

Arlette shared the following link with some thoughts from a Hebrew scholar, David N. Bivin, on what Jesus might have meant by those infamous words: https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2699/. Bivin suggests, based on similar proverbs from the Old Testament, that:

In idiomatic English, Matthew 5:39a might read simply, “Don’t try to get even with evildoers.”

Bivin continues,

Our response to evil does have to be resistance—it is morally wrong to tolerate evil. However, we also must continue to show love for the evildoer.

It should be noted that loving and praying for one’s enemies in no way precludes defending oneself when one’s life is in danger.

Brigitte brought us additional perspective on the various specific examples used in the passage (turning the other cheek, walking the extra mile, etc...) as acts of peaceful protest or non-violent resistance. This seems very much in keeping with Bivin's perspective. The passage may be about how to respond to evil without either ignoring it or exacting revenge.

The explanations of how the actions describes in the Matthew passage could be viewed as non-violent resistance (as opposed to non-resistance) can be found in Walter Wink's work: Jesus' Third Way.

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur - Jewish New Year and Day of Atonement

The week's reading on John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus raised questions about baptism, repentance, and forgiveness...which led to some questions about the upcoming Biblical Holidays - Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year (September 29-October 1 this year), followed quickly by Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement (October 8-9 this year). This post is intended to share some information and links that might enlighten our thinking about these matters.

In the Jewish New Testament Commentary, David H. Stern tells us that in Old Testament Judaism:

"Ritual purity could be lost in many ways; the preeminent way of restoring it was through washing." (page 15)

And so...

"A person who immerses himself participates in an obvious yet living metaphor of purification, with the water, as it were, washing away the impurity. Here Yochanan [John] the Immerser [Baptist] proclaims for the old practice of immersion a new context, cleansing from a life pattern of sin." (page 15)

So, we see that baptism was not a foreign concept to John's audience, though John may have been introducing a new take on it. Nor were repentance or confession new concepts. Yom Kippur/The Day of Atonement continues as a particular time when the Jewish people fast and recite prayers of confession. In current tradition, the 40 days prior to Yom Kippur are days of self-examination, reflection, with an eye toward change in the coming year. In this way, the relationship between the New Year (Rosh Hashanah) and Yom Kippur are not all that different from the way that we, who follow the Gregorian calender, commonly follow our New Year with resolutions.

For good explanations of any of the Jewish or Biblical holidays I recommend:
https://hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/holidays.html - This site offers a Christian perspective by very dear friends of mine.
The following sites are excellent resources from a Jewish perspective:
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/category/celebrate/
https://www.chabad.org/holidays/default_cdo/jewish/holidays.htm

Matthew Study: Fulfilled Prophecies Cross-References

Since we quickly caught on that Matthew is very interested in fulfilled prophecy, I went looking for a chart that could point us to the Old Testament references. I found this incredible chart with many of the prophecies mentioned throughout the New Testament and where they can be found in the Old Testament: http://www.aocibibletraininginstitute.org/fulfilledprophecies.html

Who was Rahab? And what's the deal with conflicting geneaolgies?!

Many of us noticed in the very first page of Matthew the listing of just a few women. One of those women, Rahab, draws particular attention because she was thought to be a prostitute and she was not Jewish. How interesting that she should be named in the genealogy of Jesus when so many others are not. Is there a message to be found in the inclusion of these particular few?

Rahab is listed in the Jewish Women's Archive (Rahab: Midrash and Aggadah) as, "among the four most beautiful women the world has ever known: Sarah, Rahab, Abigail and Esther," and among the prominent conversions stories of the Old Testament.

"The Rabbis deduced from the story of Rahab the superiority of repentance over prayer, for Moses prayed exceedingly, but God did not accept his entreaty to enter Erez Israel, while the repentance of Rahab the harlot was accepted, and seven kings and eight prophets issued forth from her."

The Jewish Midrash also teaches that Rahab married Joshua, thus the seven kings and eight prophets that descended from her. This conflicts with the genealogy of Matthew, which states, "Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab," which would indicate that Rahab married Salmon. In either case, a line of kings descend from her, including, eventually, Jesus. 

 This brings us to the question of what to make of the genealogies of Jesus found in both Matthew (chapter 1) and Luke (chapter 3), because they most certainly do not agree. Bible.org has an article that helps to make some sense of this: The Genealogy of Jesus. Go check it out!

Manuscript Study - The Book of Matthew

What's brewing at Morning Blend?

This year we'll be taking a deep dive into the Gospel of Matthew with a manuscript study!

What is a manuscript study?!!

Here are a couple of helpful links for you to check out:

http://manuscriptbiblestudy.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/scripture-engagement/manuscript-bible-study/home

And a YouTube video:

https://youtu.be/4ytHYFTC5SM

 

 

What you might find helpful:

If you join us at Morning Blend, you'll get a binder with a manuscript of Matthew (without chapter breaks, verse numbers, or paragraph breaks). The translation we'll be using in the ESV, as it is considered to be one of the most literal while still being readable. We'll also be making an effort to get colored pencils into the hands of everyone in the group. 

We strongly encourage doodling! So, the back sides of all the pages in your binder will be blank for note taking and doodling. 

You may wish to pull out translations of the Bible other than the ESV for comparison, though you are strongly encouraged to read through the manuscript a few times first before consulting additional translations or commentaries. Bring those translations with you whenever you can. They'll make for great discussion after our initial readings.

Flipped by Doug Pagitt

What's Brewing at Morning Blend?

Beginning Wednesday, January 9th, we will be reading through local Minneapolis Pastor Doug Pagitt's book, Flipped. From Doug Pagitt's the website:

In Flipped, Doug Pagitt challenges us to turn our thinking about God around. How does the biblical claim that God fills the universe with his presence influence our understanding of God’s greatness, his power, and his wisdom for living? Insistently biblical in his writing, Pagitt uses the words of Paul, Jesus, and other biblical figures to help us live more intentionally as we learn to experience God’s immediate presence. 

 You can check out Pagitt's podcast here: http://www.dougpagitt.com/doug-pagitt-radio/

What is a Jesse Tree?

Our current study, The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas, is an Advent study that uses the concept of a Jesse Tree. Here's an old post from my personal blog in 2012 about the Jesse Tree: 

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"There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit." (Isaiah 11:1)

"The Tree of Jesse is a depiction in art of the ancestors of Christ." (wikipedia) It is a type of family tree, a collection symbols representing the people and stories that make up the larger story of redemption, from the perfect creation to the birth of a perfect Messiah. Isaiah 11:1 tells us that the Messiah will come from the family or "stump" of Jesse, and this is why we call it a Jesse Tree. When we make a Jesse Tree for Advent we hang those symbols (ornaments) from a tree (or from...well, something) creating an artistic representation of the family tree, the family story that we all share...for Romans 11:17 says,

"...you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree..."

A Jesse Tree is a simple and tangible way to tell the redemption story. We use the ornament symbols as prompts to review the story each night before we tell a new piece of the story. You will be amazed what your children (and YOU) remember even weeks or months later.

The idea of the Jesse Tree goes far back in history. Again, from wikipedia:

"The Jesse Tree has been depicted in almost every medium of Christian art. In particular, it is the subject of many stained glass windows and illuminated manuscripts. It is also found in wall paintings, architectural carvings, funerary monuments, floor tiles and embroidery."

These images date all the way back to around 1000 AD. So, in using a Jesse Tree as part of Advent, you are participating in a tradition that is at least 1,000 years old. You are part of a great line of people, together honoring the story of redemption through Jesus, the Messiah.

Having a Jesse Tree can be a completely stand-alone tradition and does not have to be done along-side Advent candles or Advent calendars. If the tree, the candles and the calendar are TOO MANY things all at once, you can choose just one. If I were to choose just one, I would choose the Jesse Tree. This, for me, has the most meaning. And, with all the on-line guide available, it can be done with very little preparation, entirely from home. As I've said before, this isn't about doing everything perfectly or doing it ALL the first time around. This is about making meaning and creating focus. Be flexible. Know that what you do this year doesn't have to be what you do next year or the year after. You can do this one year at a time.

To get started with your own Jesse Tree, you'll need ornaments to represent the stories and something to hang the ornaments from. This is what ours looks like:



We chose a wreath because we didn't have any space in a room or on a table for a tree. We have an eclectic assortment of ornaments to represent the stories. For some stories we are still looking for a symbol. As a family, we've enjoyed the quest to find just the right ornament. This makes the Jesse Tree meaningful and personal to us. Some people simply use a drawing of a tree on the wall and paper symbols to attach to the tree. Others use a felt tree and felt figures.

When Aurora was little, we covered most of the Jesse Tree stories by simply reading them out of a Children's Bible. It doesn't have to be any more complicated than that. Over the years, we've collected some lovely picture books that tell some of the individual stories, and we read these instead. We have used the book The Jesse Tree by Raymond and Georgene Anderson as a guide to know which stories to cover and in what order (as well as the book The Jesse Tree by Geraldine McCaughrean).



This shows our Advent candles with a few of our Jesse Tree ornaments surrounding them and the McCaughrean book to the side. We like to lay out the ornaments that we will be hanging soon to have them as part of our table centerpiece throughout the day. Our menorahs are also in the photo, in anticipation of Chanukah.

And here is our list of stories for our Jesse Tree and the symbol we use for each story. The longest possible length for Advent is 29 days. So, we have 29 possible stories/people/ideas to cover during Advent. Many years, Advent is shorter. On shorter years we combine stories. If you look through the list, you'll see that many of the final symbols are part of the relatively short story of the birth of Jesus (Mary, Joseph, Travel to Bethlehem, Angels, Shepherds, & Wise Men) and can easily be combined into one day or spread out over several.

1. What is a Jesse Tree? (Isaiah 11:1) - Tree
2. Creation - World
3. The Fall - Apple
4. Noah - Ark
5. Abraham - Camel
6. Isaac - Ram
7. Jacob - Ladder
8. Joseph - Coat
9. Miriam/Exodus story - Music Notes
10. Moses/Mount Sinai - Stone Tablets
11. Joshua - Trumpet
12. Ruth - Sheaves of Grain
13. Samuel - Lamp
14. David - Harp
15. Solomon - Crown
16. Elijah - Raven
17. Elisha - Dove
18. Isaiah - Scroll
19. Jeremiah - Teardrop
20. Esther - Scepter
21. Nehemiah - Cup
22. Zachariah & Elizabeth - Pencil and/or Mother & Child
23. Mary - Lily
24. Joseph - Hammer
25. John the Baptist - Seashell
26. Travel to Bethlehem - Donkey
27. Birth a Jesus - Baby in a Manger
28. Angels & Shepherds - Angel & Staff
29. Wise Men - Star

Stories/People we have included from time to time, but aren't on our official list for this year:

• Gideon - Clay Water Pitcher
• Deborah - Palm Tree
• Jonah - Whale
• Daniel - Lion
• Micah - City of Bethlehem
• Hezekiah - Empty Tent
• Habakkuk - Stone Watch Tower
• Nehemiah - City Wall

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Ann Voskamp's book will lead us through 25 of the above stories, following the format of a traditional Advent calendar that runs December 1st-December 25th. If you have the book, you can download FREE printable Jesse Tree ornaments (using the password found in the portion of the book titled "Jesse Tree Invitation and Instructions") here: http://sites.tyndale.com/greatestgift/.

The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas

What's Brewing at Morning Blend?

Beginning Wednesday, November 28th, we will be reading through Ann Voskamp's The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas together. This is a daily Advent study intended for personal, family, or small group use. Our readings will keep us one week ahead of actual Advent this year so that we can finish the book together on December 19th.

From the website:

Come. This year will be different. Open these pages — this is Christmas for you.
25 fresh readings that begin right from an unexpected beginning & usher you into the most epic story ever told– unlike it’s ever been told. From Creation to Christmas, an unveiling of Christ’s majestic family tree that not only gives ultimate meaning & awe to your Christmas tree, but powerfully transforms your own life story — an unwrapping of the complete Love Story of Christmas.

If you have the book, you can also download FREE Jesse Tree ornaments (using the password found in the portion of the book titled "Jesse Tree Invitation and Instructions") here: http://sites.tyndale.com/greatestgift/

FREE, printable ornaments that you or your kiddos can color can be found here: Catholic Inspired.

If you enjoy the creative work, the internet is full of ideas for making paper, felt, or clay Jesse Tree ornaments. If you find ideas that you really love, feel free to post them in the comments!