What Time is It?

 

Galatians 4:4-7, the Second Reading appointed for the First Sunday of Christmas in the Year of Mark, begins with the phrase, "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son..."  This phrase, 'the fullness of time' coincides with the opening phrase of the Gospel lesson appointed for this day which begins, "When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses..."  This juxtaposition begs the question, what time is it?  Is it time for the Law or the Gospel?  It will be the preacher's task to decide.

(The following questions have been developed in order to explore issues related to the functioning of the Word, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers. These questions are best used in conjuction with other fine sets of questions available to exegetes.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  This brief text is primarily an announcement of the Gospel.  Coming as it does, amidst a theological argument about our condition without Christ and apart from faith, it is the point in the argument when the Gospel is announced.  God is clearly the actor - the One who alone has determined that 'the time' has come.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  Although our need for a Savior is everywhere implied in this text, the Word here is not functioning as Law.  We are reminded that we are under the Law apart from Christ and that we are slaves and not children, but the Word does not function here to call us to repentance.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are clearly those whom Paul is addressing.  We are those who lie under the weight of the Law apart from Christ. We are those who are slaves and have no inheritance apart from Christ.  We are children of God only by grace.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is no call to obedience in this brief text.  Later in the book of Galatians, Paul is regularly making calls of obedience (e.g. "Live by the Spirit!" 5:16), but here there is none of that language.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The language in this text lends itself quite easily to couplets.  For example:  under the law/free from the law; slaves/children; enslaved/redeemed.

6.  Exegetical work:  Much ink has been spilt in discussion of the phrase "the fullness of time."  For example, Marius Victorinus, 3rd century scholar writes, "So in the same way the fullness of time was achieved when all had become ripe for faith and sins had increased to the utmost, so that a remedy was necessarily sought in the judgment of all things."  (Ancient Christian Commentary on the Scriptures, NT, vol. VIII, p. 54).  John Calvin wrote that "the time ordained by God was seasonable and fit.  The right time for the Son of God to be revealed to the world was for God alone to determine."  (Reformation Commentary on the Scriptures, NT, vol. X, p. 134).  Luther, in his extensive commentary, suggests that the fullness of time is the time when the law was fulfilled, i.e. its purpose was achieved.  (Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians, p. 353).  Charles Cousar, contemporary exegete, says that "God is the prime figure.  He determines the appropriate moment for the new age to break into the old." (Interpretation series, Galatians, p. 94).  So whether it was urgency, fitness, purpose, or the breaking in of a new age, that caused God to act, it is clear that the timing of the Christ event was up to God.  Perhaps as Erik Heen said in his online commentary in 2014 on Working Preacher "If God has sent the Christ of Israel to redeem the world, then the fullness of time has come."  In other words, the Christ event makes this the right time.

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Since we are dealing with a theological treatise here, it will be more important than ever to heed Charles Rice' advice to help listeners recognize their shared story here.  How does the Jesus story intersect theirs? That is an important question to be mindful of in this sermon.

Blessings on your proclamation!