St Martins Voices
Commissioned by the Church of England for Advent 2025
O Adonai, and leader of the house of Israel, who appeared in the bush to Moses in a flame of fire, and gave him the law in Sinai, come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.
I've gone from the conventional 20th century academic attitude of looking askance at Christians using the messianic verses of the Jewish Scripture (most generally the Jewish interpretation of those found in the Septuagint, this time of year generally Isaiah and the Psalms), interpreting those as referring to the life and mission of Jesus and the Living Jesus who Christians believe in. . . I've gone from being slightly scandalized by that use of the Jewish Scriptures to thinking why shouldn't Christians use those ancient prophecies they believe were fulfilled in Jesus.
The earliest Christians and many who came after, especially in the early days were Jews who believed that Jesus was the fulfillment of those prophesies, that other Jews and gentiles didn't agree with that belief is no reason for them to not have believed what we still do. Who decided that those who believed the Jewish Scriptures were Scripture suddenly lost the use of them? And why do they get to decide that any more than those who did believe in Jesus? I don't have any problem with those who don't believe it having access to those Scriptures to support their belief, they have a right to have it. Why should I give up my access because someone else doesn't like it?
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