The Angels of Advent Series: Joseph and the Angel
By: Dr. Gregory S. Neal
Today we begin a series on the Angels of Advent: An exploration of the encounters with angels that convey the message of the coming birth of the Christ Child, and of how God interacted ordinary people to prepare the way of the Lord.
Today we’re looking at Joseph and the Angel; next Sunday we’ll look at Zechariah and the Angel. On the Third Sunday of Advent we will explore the story of Mary and the Angel, then on the Fourth Sunday of Advent we will pause as our Choir blesses us with their Christmas Cantata. Finally, on Christmas Eve night, during our Candlelight Communion Service, we listen for the profession of Christ’s birth in the story of the Shepherds and the Angels.
Today, we’re beginning with the story of Joseph and the Angel, which begins with some very bad news: somehow, Joseph has discovered that Mary, the young maiden to whom he was engaged, was pregnant! Dum-de-dum-dum. Bad news, indeed! In that culture, society, time, and place, it would have been within Joseph’s rights to have Mary put to death! Yes, Joseph could have had her stoned for committing adultery! However, rather than having Mary put to death, he decided he protect her by having her sent away to give birth to her baby in safety, where she wouldn’t be executed and where her unmarried pregnancy wouldn’t negatively impact him. In other words, he was going to keep it a private matter. But, no, that wasn’t to be. Instead, an angel appeared to him in a dream and said:
While a great deal is going on in this passage, and the principle purpose of the appearance of the angel was to reassure Joseph concerning the situation, nevertheless there is a critical theological message being conveyed to us. While often overlooked when reading the story, the significance of the names “Jesus” and “Emmanuel” are essential as we try to understand who this baby is going to be.“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” (Matthew 1:20b-23)
Jesus:
In Hebrew and Aramaic, as in most languages, names convey meaning; the various parts of a name will often reveal the nature, identity, character, history, and even the destiny of the person, place, or thing so-named. Jesus’ name in Aramaic is Yeshua. This is the short form of the classical Hebrew name Yehoshua, which is a combination of Hoshea, meaning "salvation," and Yahweh, which is God's personal name. Taken together, the composite name means “Yahweh is Salvation,” “Yahweh Delivers,” or “Yahweh Saves.” This name is found several times in the Old Testament and is usually transliterated into English as “Joshua.” In the Greek Old Testament – the Septuagint – this name is almost always transliterated as Iesous. And it is from this Greek-language rendering of the Hebrew name Yeshua that we derive our English-language rendering of the name: “Jesus.” Some people take great exception to calling him anything other than his actual Hebrew name; the majority opinion, however, is that Jesus is Iesous is Yeshua is Yehoshua ... and they all mean “Yahweh Saves.” With the choice of this name, God is telling us precisely why Jesus was sent into this world. In order to bridge the gap which our sin has created between us and God, Jesus was born as one of us, taking our human nature in the incarnation. In other words, Jesus became the living embodiment of “Yahweh Saves.”
Emmanuel:
The prophet Isaiah’s statement is slightly different from the angel’s. While the angel told Joseph to name the boy “Jesus” – “Yahweh Saves” – Isaiah’s prophecy can be understood as telling us how Yahweh saves us from our sins. The name Emmanuel is another composite name, made up of the classical Hebrew words: El, meaning “God,” and Immanu, meaning “along with us.” Essentially, the name means: “the with-us God” or, as it is more commonly translated, “God with us.” By giving this title to Jesus in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, God is telling us that we are not alone. No matter where we are or what we have done, God has promised to be “with us” in and through the life, teachings, sacrifice, and continued real presence of Jesus. The good news of Advent and Christmas is that Yahweh saves us by coming to be one of us, living and dying with and for us. We are not alone: we face this life, and eternity, with God on our side and in our hearts.
By the power of the Holy Spirit Mary was overshadowed and Jesus was conceived in her womb. By the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus was born, grew up, and was baptized; by the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus taught the disciples, instituted the Sacrament of Holy Communion, offered himself on the cross, died, was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven. And, by the power of this same Holy Spirit this same Jesus abides within us today, transforming us for life eternal. Jesus truly is our Emmanuel: the ultimate, eternal, ontological expression of the creator present with and within us. This is the meaning of Advent and Christmas.
During Advent, as we prepare to celebrate the incarnation and birth of Jesus yet again, let us remember that the reason we celebrate is not just because a baby was born; we celebrate because Yahweh our God is with us here and now, and will see us through every tomorrow.
© 2009 Dr. Gregory S. Neal
All Rights Reserved
As a popular teacher, preacher, and retreat leader, Dr. Neal is known for his ability to translate complex theological concepts into common, everyday terms. HIs preaching and teaching ministry is in demand around the world, and much of his work can be found on this website. He is the author of several books, including Grace Upon Grace: Sacramental Theology and the Christian Life, which is in its second edition, and Seeking the Shepherd's Arms: Reflections from the Pastoral Side of Life, a work of devotional literature. Both of these books are currently available from Amazon.com.