Sarum College logo
  • Learning
    • Short Courses
    • Exploring Theology
    • Prospective Students
    • Postgraduate Study & Research
      • Postgraduate study in Theology, Imagination & Culture
      • Postgraduate Study in Christian Spirituality
      • Postgraduate study in Theology, Ministry and Mission
    • Theology, Imagination & Culture
    • Christian Spirituality
    • Bible & Sacred Texts
    • Human Flourishing
    • Leadership Learning
    • Spiritual Direction
    • Private Stays, Retreats, Study Breaks and Sabbaticals
    • Library
      • Guide to Library Services
    • Learning Resources
  • Ministry
    • Ordination
      • Undergraduate Award
      • Postgraduate Award
      • Rural ministry
      • Parish-based pioneer ministry
    • Licensed Lay Ministry / Readers
    • Independent Study
  • Hospitality
  • Courses & Events Diary
  • Get in touch
Sarum College logo
  • About Us
    • Our People
    • Governance
    • Work with us
  • Safeguarding
  • News
  • Donate
  • Learning
    • Short Courses
    • Exploring Theology
    • Prospective Students
    • Postgraduate Study & Research
      • Postgraduate study in Theology, Imagination & Culture
      • Postgraduate Study in Christian Spirituality
      • Postgraduate study in Theology, Ministry and Mission
    • Theology, Imagination & Culture
    • Christian Spirituality
    • Bible & Sacred Texts
    • Human Flourishing
    • Leadership Learning
    • Spiritual Direction
    • Private Stays, Retreats, Study Breaks and Sabbaticals
    • Library
      • Guide to Library Services
    • Learning Resources
  • Ministry
    • Ordination
      • Undergraduate Award
      • Postgraduate Award
      • Rural ministry
      • Parish-based pioneer ministry
    • Licensed Lay Ministry / Readers
    • Independent Study
  • Hospitality
  • Courses & Events Diary
  • Get in touch

Lectionary Reading Blog for 1 January: 2nd Sunday of Christmas

Home News Lectionary Reading Blog for 1 January: 2nd Sunday of Christmas

LiturgyandSpiritualityIn the Hebrew of this passage there are two odd things to note.

The first is in verse 7 that begins with the ‘gracious deeds’ (hasde from hesed) of the Lord. This word is hard to translate and we come across it in our English bibles often as ‘loving kindness’ or ‘mercy’. You could also think of ‘goodness’, ‘friendship’ or ‘keeping the covenant’.

The Hebrew bible uses this word a lot but hardly ever in plural: ‘kindnesses’. The plural seems to echo the ‘ages’ (olam) at the end of verse 9. This Hebrew word does not only indicate the past as the translation ‘of old’ references but also carries into the future. This is a plural of time as the ‘gracious deeds’ are a plural of attitude. In both there is a sense of overflowing.

The other thing to note is that the Hebrew in the beginning of verse 9 is unclear. The Masoretes (Jewish scholars between 6th and 10th century) read: “In all their distress he was distressed; the angel of his presence saved them”; while the Septuagint (Jewish scholars before the Common Era who translated the text into Greek) read: “It was no messenger or angel but his presence that saved them.” I wonder whether we can preserve some of both these interpretations as we think of Joseph’s dream and the flight to Egypt (Matt. 2:13-23).

1 January 2017
Isaiah 63: 7-9


This weekly blog on one of the lectionary readings is by Anna-Claar Thomasson-Rosingh, Coordinator for the Centre for Encountering the Bible and Director of Studies for the Centre for Formation in Ministry.

Previous postNext post

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sarum College logo

Get in touch

  • info@sarum.ac.uk
  • 01722 424800

Find us on maps

  • Sarum College, 19 The Close, Salisbury, SP1 2EE, UK

Stay in the know

Sign up to our newsletter

Learning

  • Prospective Students
  • Theology, Imagination & Culture
  • Christian Spirituality
  • Bible & Sacred Texts
  • Exploring Theology
  • Human Flourishing
  • Leadership Learning
  • Spiritual Direction
  • Learning Resources

Postgraduate study & research

  • Postgraduate Study in Christian Spirituality
  • Postgraduate study in Theology, Imagination & Culture
  • Postgraduate study in Theology, Ministry and Mission
  • Library

Ministry

  • Ordination
  • Licensed Lay Ministry / Readers
  • Independent Study
  • Parish-based pioneer ministry
  • Postgraduate Award
  • Rural ministry
  • Undergraduate Award

The College

  • About Us
  • Travel to Sarum College
  • Our People
  • Governance
  • Hospitality
  • Private Stays, Retreats, Study Breaks and Sabbaticals
  • Work with us

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy|Accessibility

© 2023 Sarum College|Registered Charity No. 1161253|Company No. 9510356|Sarum College's trading subsidiary is Sarum College Services Ltd, Company No. 1931038|Website by blue bee

Sign up to our newsletter

Fill in and submit the form below and we'll add you to our mailing list for news about Sarum College.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.