Year A - Annunciation or Creation’s Conception
March 25, 2014
Since the 2nd century this passage has been a dividing passage between people. Is it a Jewish prophetic story about some young woman available for seeing by both Ahaz and Isaiah? Is it a Christian story presaging a young Mary, generations in the future? It even divides Christians depending upon their theological need as reflected upon in The New Interpreter’s Bible, “Texts such as this one, especially when read in the context of Christian worship, sharpen the tension between the historical meaning and the homiletical or theological interpretation of the Bible, and of the Old Testament in particular.”
Speculation has it that the “young woman” was passing by or was Isaiah’s wife (8:1-4) or was Ahaz’s Queen, Abijah (Abi), who gave birth to Hezekiah (Immanuel?), a mirror image of Ahaz and later counseled by Isaiah.
What do you mark as a significant beginning spot. A big bang? a big asteroid? a new relationship? your own conception? a particular war? a philosophic insight? The pious denial of a sign by Ahaz or the subsequent eagle-eye of Isaiah to note a pregnant woman? Starting points are important as they shape what we will subsequently note as confirmation. Later an alternative starting point is cause for censorship and revolution. Any idea what our next agreed upon starting point will be and how long it will last?
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