December 21st, 2024

This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday in Advent and the last one of the Advent season. The Gospel Reading for this Sunday jumps back to the beginning of the Gospel according to Luke, and the text is Luke 1:39-45, with the option of including verses 46 through 56.

The current writings of this website are also going through the Gospel according to Luke, and the website writings of last week finished with verse 56 with its very literal translation. In that writing essentially the angel visits Mary (or Mariam), she becomes pregnant, and she basically she has some poetry to say. In the text below, John is born, and his father, Zechariah, also says some poetry. So there is a similar structure to these texts.

It is interesting that there also is a contrast between the two people of Mary and Zechariah. When the angel appeared to Mary and said that she would become pregnant, she basically asked how this could happen, since she had not KNOWN a man (see 1:34). Zechariah, on the other hand, when notified that his wife would have a son, asked how he would KNOW this, since both he and his wife were old (see 1:18). That ends up being a more serious issue.

To know something continues to be an important aspect of the culture, especially in the modern and post-modern era. The phrase “Knowledge itself is power” came relatively recently from Francis Bacon (of the 1500’s), but support of this is seen much earlier in history. Scriptures often give good reminders that all knowledge is ultimately from the All-Knowing One.

What follows is just one option of a very literal translation of Luke 1:57-80 (the hyphens are designed to help the reader know how many words in English are used in the Greek, the language of the New Testament; the text may be a little confusing, especially with the poetry, but the translation may help to point out important aspects, especially when a word other than the verb appears early in the sentence; it may be extremely helpful to study the text with other translations or a study bible):

Now  in-the  Elisabeth  it-was-fulfilled,  the  appointed-time  of-the  to-give-birth,  her,  and  she-bore  a-son.  And  they-heard  the  dwelling-around-ones  and  the  relatives  of-her  that  he-magnified,  Lord,  the  mercy  of-him  with  her,  and  they-were-rejoicing-with  her.

And-it-happened  in  the  day,  the  eighth,  they-came  to-circumcise  the  child,  and  they-were-calling  him  by  the  name  of-the  father  of-him,  Zechariah.  And  having-answered,  the  mother  of-him,  she-said:  “No,  but-on-the-contrary,  he-will-be-called  John.” 

And  they-said  toward  her,  “No-one  it-is  from  the  relatives  of-you  who  is-called  in-the  name  in-this.”  Now  they-were-nodding  to-the  father  of-him,  the  what  might  he-want  to-be-called  him.  And  having-asked  a-tablet,  he-wrote,  saying:  John  is  name  of-him.  And  they-marveled,  all.  Now  it-was-opened  the  mouth  of-him  instantly,  and  the  tongue  of-him,  and  he-was-speaking,  eulogizing  the  God.

And  it-happened  upon  all,  fear,  the  ones-dwelling-around  them,  and  in  whole,  the  hill-country  of-the  Judea,  they-were-talked-through  all  the  sayings,  these.  And  they-put  all  the  ones-having-heard  in  the  heart  of-them,  saying,  “What  then,  the  child,  this,  he-will-be?”  For indeed,  hand  of-Lord,  it-was  with  him.

And  Zechariah,  the  father  of-him,  he-was-filled  of-Spirit,  Holy,  and  he-prophesied,  saying,  “Eulogy,  Lord,  the  God  of-the  Israel,  because  he-looked-upon,  and  he-made  redemption  to-the  people  of-him,  and  he-raised  a-horn  of-salvation  for-us  in  house  of-David,  child  of-him;  just-as  he-spoke  through  mouth  of-the  holy-ones  from  age  of-prophets  of-him,  salvation  out-of  enemies  of-us,  and  out-of  hand  of-all  the  ones-hating  us,  to-make  mercy  with  the  fathers  of-us,  and  to-remember  covenant,  holy,  of-him,  oath  which  he-swore  toward  Abram,  the  father  of-us,  the  to-give  us  fearless  out-of  the-hand  of-enemies,  having-been-rescued  to-serve  him  in  holiness  and  righteousness  before  him,  in-all  the  days  of-us.”​

“And  now,  you,  child,  a-prophet  of-Most-High  you-will-be-called,  for  you-will-go-before,  before  Lord  to-prepare  ways  of-him,  the  to-give  a-knowledge  of-salvation  to-the  people  of-him,  in  forgiveness  of-sins  of-them,  because  of-intestines  of-mercy  of-God  of-us,  in  which  it-will-look-upon  us  a-rising  from  height,  to-an-epiphany  to-the-ones  in  darkness  and  shadow  of-death  sitting,  to  make-straight  the  feet  of-us  into  a-way  of-peace.”  Now  the  child  he-was-growing,  and  he-was-being strengthened  in-spirit,  and  he-was  in  the  deserts  until  day  of-exhibiting  of-him  toward  the  Israel.