“In him shall the Gentiles hope,” prophesies Isaiah in today’s
epistle. Our Advent expectation of the Lord’s coming is our hope for salvation.
The revelation of God in Holy Scripture gives us this hope: “that we through
patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Today’s readings
focus on the hope of our salvation and upon the Scriptures of God. “Whatsoever
things were written aforetimes were written for our learning,” and so we
must “hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them.” Thus, this
Sunday is often called “Scripture Sunday”.
The Holy Scriptures prepare us for the coming of Christ in humility
and in judgement. We await the fullness of God’s revelation in Jesus Christ,
who comes at the fullness of time, when all things are in readiness, He
is the hope of our salvation, for in him all things are fulfilled. His
coming in time means also his coming at the end of time — his final coming
of which the gospel speaks. In this we learn the true nature of our hope
for salvation. The fulfillment of all things in Christ means the destruction
of all our worldly aims, ambitions and hopes: “men’s hearts failing them
for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth,”
His coming means a judgement, ever-present and ultimate, upon those who
cling to the passing things of this world rather than to the Lord, whose
“words shall not pass away.” Christian hope is an other-worldly hope, and
so we must accept God’s final judgement in order that “by patience and
comfort of [his] holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed
hope of everlasting life.”
The office readings for this week continue the emphasis upon the hope
of our salvation and the revelation of God in Holy Scripture.
Isaiah brings out not only God’s judgement upon the nations of the earth,
but also the hope of salvation for all peoples. The smiting and healing
of the Lord returns all nations to the Lord; even the enemies of Israel
are blessed (ch.19). Isaiah presents both a vision of God’s universal judgement
at the end of time (ch.24) and visions of the restoration and salvation
of Israel. We learn from Scripture, for the Lord is our Teacher. “Though
the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet
your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your
Teacher” (ch.30). The Lord calls his people to penitence and prayer, as
the example of King Hezekiah shows: “the Lord will save me” (ch.38). We
end this week’s readings with the comfort and consolation of God’s salvation.
“Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith your God” (ch. 40). The hope
of our salvation is the Lord: “your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel”
(ch.41).
St. Mark’s Gospel continues to unfold the meaning of Christ’s coming
in our midst. Christ teaches about his kingdom by word and deed. He shows
the power of God that goes forth to calm the sea-storm, to cleanse the
soul of the unclean spirits that are legion, to heal, and to restore to
life. His teaching nonetheless causes offence: “a prophet is not without
honour save in his own country” (6.4). This and the beheading of John the
Baptist anticipate the death of Christ at the hands of men. We end this
week, however, with the compassion of Christ, who provides for his people
in the story of the feeding of the multitude. In his compassion is the
hope of our salvation.
This week’s readings from Revelation bring all the evils of the world
into the heaven of God, where they are overcome by the Lamb of God. All
evil, all that opposes the goodness of God, is concentrated in the two
beasts (ch.13). The vision of the Lamb (ch.14) offers the hope of salvation
in the midst of tribulation. “They will make war on the Lamb and the Lamb
will conquer them, for he is the Lord of lords and King of kings and those
with him are called and chosen and faithful” (ch.17). We endure by faith
and in the hope of our salvation. “O Lamb of God, that takest away the
sin of the world, have mercy upon us” (B.C.P., p.84).
