January 2, 2009

Genesis 3-5
Isn’t it interesting that in Hebrew ‘Adam’ means ‘human,’ and ‘Eve’ means ‘life-bearer’! Adam and Eve, as our first parents, stand for all of us. The woman has good intentions when she takes the fruit (see 3:6), but she was disobeying God’s command. When the woman and man eat of the fruit, their eyes are opened, and they know shame for the first time. Because of their disobedience, their close relationship with God is harmed, and they must leave the garden, and begin a life of struggle and labor. And yet God provides clothing for them before sending them out into the world.
Genesis 4 shows us that jealousy and violence go far back into history. The first son of Adam and Eve, Cain, kills the second son, Abel. God banishes Cain, but puts a mark of protection on him, so that he would not be killed by others. After Abel is murdered, Adam and Eve have another son, named Seth, and the family tree continues to Noah and his sons.

Matthew 1:12-2:12
When Joseph found out that his fiancé Mary was pregnant, he was undoubtedly deeply troubled. Joseph was ‘righteous,’ and yet he did not want Mary to be publicly shamed. He had decided to quietly break off the engagement. But then, he was visited in a dream by an angel of God, who told him that Mary’s child was from the Holy Spirit. The angel also told Joseph to name the child “Jesus,” which means ‘He saves.’
The story of the Wise Men tells us that even some non-Jewish people recognize that Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One of God. They offer the infant Jesus gifts worthy of a King. King Herod, of course, really does not want to pay Jesus honor, as we shall see tomorrow.