In the context of the Christmas Story time is immutable. Today our
Gospel marks the Annunciation which logic decrees would have happened in
March. In a few days we celebrate a birth that occurred 2000 years ago
but in our hearts and minds is imminent before us. The aspect of God's
Nature this child represents has been present in his creation eternally
outside time and space.
And what of Mary his mother. Certainly she and Joseph were very special parents but should Mary be accorded any special significance other than as the vessel that provided the means of the incarnation--the word becoming flesh. Since Biblical writers lived in an extremely chauvinistic time women are rarely mentioned and Mary appears by name in only 3 of the Gospels and never in the Epistles.
Luk 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Luk 1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
The reign of King David was Israel's Golden Age, a time when Israel gained ascendancy and peace and prosperity prevailed. David's was an earthly Kingdom and the verses above echo the OT Lesson in which King David is promised that his Kingdom shall have no end. But whereas David's was an earthly Kingdom his son's was a spiritual one. Just as God declares through Nathan that he needs no physical dwelling place so too the kingdom over which the son reigns dwells in the hearts of men.
Psalm 89 reinforces God's relationship with his servant David and by proxy his caring relationship with all mankind.
And what of Mary his mother. Certainly she and Joseph were very special parents but should Mary be accorded any special significance other than as the vessel that provided the means of the incarnation--the word becoming flesh. Since Biblical writers lived in an extremely chauvinistic time women are rarely mentioned and Mary appears by name in only 3 of the Gospels and never in the Epistles.
Luk 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Luk 1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
The reign of King David was Israel's Golden Age, a time when Israel gained ascendancy and peace and prosperity prevailed. David's was an earthly Kingdom and the verses above echo the OT Lesson in which King David is promised that his Kingdom shall have no end. But whereas David's was an earthly Kingdom his son's was a spiritual one. Just as God declares through Nathan that he needs no physical dwelling place so too the kingdom over which the son reigns dwells in the hearts of men.
Psalm 89 reinforces God's relationship with his servant David and by proxy his caring relationship with all mankind.
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