Memorial Moment: There Is Only One

Psalm

110

The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool." The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head. (ESV)

There Is Only One

Lucia, Martyr

13 December 2012

I noticed a sign at one of the local churches advertising performances of "Handel's Messiah" for this coming weekend. While there are other Christmas oratorios, including one by Handel's contemporary, Bach, I don't know of another that is called "Messiah." So why would "Messiah" have to be denominated "Handel's?" Oh well, I am probably just being picky.

But this got me to thinking. As a matter of musicological accuracy maybe the name "Handel's Messiah" is necessary to distinguish this masterwork from some other, but shouldn't the church just sing "Messiah?" The Messiah not Handel's, but ours. Messiah has come from God of the Virgin. He is God's and God. He is one of us and ours. Both of these facts are crucial to our salvation. He is God's Messiah. He is our Messiah, not just "Handel's Messiah." He cannot be demoted the subject of Advent sing-a-longs. He cannot be reduced to a nostalgic and delightful musical event or the subject of a flash mob in the mall. He is God of God and Lord of Lord.

King David knew Messiah as both divine and human. In this David was an adept logician. He was aware that the Lord would sit at the right hand of God and he called Him Lord. Such a One could never be the progeny of a mere human like David. The promise came to David as a miracle, as it had to Abraham and the patriarchs before him. He had no basis upon which to expect that the Lord Himself would come from his line. Yet he also knew that if the Messiah-King would come from his royal line and that Messiah would be flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones. David knew that Messiah would be man. This was a conclusion based on the promise that He would arise from the house and lineage of David. If the Seed was to arise of Abraham, then the Seed had to be human, for God cannot arise out of man.

The great blessings which David knew would be bestowed by the Messiah, not just upon Judah, not just upon the house of David, but upon all nations, could be the blessings of none other than God Himself. No mere creature had the power to bless so universally. A mere man had not the power to ransom even one other like himself (Ps 49:7). A mere man the Messiah was not. He is God of God. There is no other Savior. There is no other like Him. This is why Messiah does not need to be distinguished from any other, Handel's or otherwise. There is only One.

Martin Luther

"David calls Abraham's Seed his Lord (Ps 110:1). Indeed, he sets Him at the right hand of God, that is, he assigns to Him power equal to that of God. Inasmuch as all nations are to be blessed in Him, He must be distinguished from the nations that are all descended from Adam and for this reason are under the curse. For doing away with sin and death, blessing, and bestowing on men spiritual and eternal benefits are divine works and favors. Accordingly, David concludes that this Seed, born without the semen of a man, is sitting at the right hand of God (Ps 110:1). This means that He is equal to God, because He does works equal to the works of God.

"But because He is the Seed of Abraham, He must take on human nature; for otherwise God, in His own nature and essence, cannot be called the Seed of Abraham.

In the first place, David drew from this the following conclusion: This Seed is the Son of God and the equal of God, and He is the kind of king who sits at the right hand of the Father. In the second place, the promise states that He will not only rule but will also bless. At the same time, therefore, He will be a Priest (Ps 110:4). For not only royal authority but also a priesthood is dealt with, and the name and office of priest embrace the foremost benefits of Christ. Therefore David, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, adds an oath, not in regard to royal authority but in regard to the priesthood: 'The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever"'(Ps 110:4); that is, my Lord will sit at the right hand of God, but in such a manner that He will not only rule but will also bless.

"This is the excellent knowledge David had about Christ, the Seed who was to come from his tribe and flesh; and he undoubtedly realized and was exceedingly glad that such outstanding glory and honor were being heaped upon him in preference to other kings when Nathan brought him the promise: "One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne" (Ps 132:11). Hence he concluded that this promise was being channeled into his body and seed, and that the Son of God would be born from his offspring.

When David heard that the line of Abraham among the people of Israel would be brought down to his person, so that the Seed would come from his body and blood, he received these tidings with joy. Previously he had never even considered this glory, just as Mary could not hope for the great honor of becoming the mother of Christ."

Martin Luther, Lectures on Genesis, 22.18

Prayer

Almighty God, You promised Your Seed to the patriarchs of the Old Testament that they might hope and trust in what we would see and experience in the New Testament. Grant that we might so receive His first coming in the incarnation with its abundant fruits and blessings that we might be properly prepared to receive His second coming in glory. Amen.

For all emergency room personnel, that the Lord would grant them wisdom and discretion as they serve the needs of badly injured patients, that life might defeat death

For BJ Hall, that the Lord would grant her strength and healing

For the Fretz Construction crew and all the subcontractors, that they would work swiftly and well to finish the sanctuary renewal of Memorial Lutheran Church

Art: DAVID, Gerard Triptych of Jean Des Trompes (1505)