The Thanksgiving turkey leftovers have barely been put away, and the Christmas music has begun to play. Thus begins (in the United States) the ramp-up to Christmastide. Some refer to this pre-Christmas season as the season of Advent.
But what is Advent? How did it start, what does it mean, and most importantly, what is it for? Despite how our culture approaches this time, Advent is not actually an extended Christmas celebration, but a time of preparation for Christmas. So, before we understand the preparation, we should understand what we are preparing for.
Celebrating the “Coming” of Jesus
While most holidays on the Christian calendar came from the God-ordained liturgical calendar of the Hebrews, celebrated as fulfilled in the person and life of Christ, Christmas did not. Christmas was its own new thing. It was also the last holiday to appear on the calendar, becoming solidified in the fourth century. At this time, the church was combatting the heresy of Arianism: in short, the belief that Christ was not a divine but a created being. It is in response to this belief that the council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) approved the creedal affirmation that Jesus Christ was, indeed,
the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father;
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God;
begotten not made, one in being with the Father.
The church fathers wanted their congregations not only to be able to affirm this truth with their words but also in their songs (for example, the hymns of Ambrose of Milan, including “Savior of the Nations Come”) and also in the corporate life of the church. The reality of the incarnation called for feasting. It called for a Christ-Mass.
Though the feast of Christmas was a new addition to the church’s annual rhythm, the rhythm of fasting as a preparation for feasting was a pattern as old as the exodus. In the West, this preparatory season of fasting, penitence, and almsgiving was eventually established as the four Sundays before the celebration of Christmas on December 25. It was given the name Advent, derived from the Latin term adventus, which means “coming.” The season of Advent held in tandem both the historical coming of Jesus Christ, born of Mary in Bethlehem, and his second coming as a triumphant King at the end of days.
The Themes of Advent
Though today we may hear the weeks of Advent designated as “peace, joy, etc.” or “shepherds, angels, etc.”, these weekly titles were not part of the original Advent liturgies. If the weeks of Advent had been given names under Gregory I, for example, the weeks could have been titled: “coming in glory,” “judgment,” “longing,” and “keep your lamps trimmed and burning.”
Though Advent developed differently in terms of specific dates and traditions in different cultures, one theme emerged fairly consistently: the period before the feast of the nativity is a time to contemplate that Christ’s coming at the end of days will be the ultimate fulfillment of the work he began in his first coming as a child. It is a time set aside so that “every heart (may) prepare him room.”
Following this intention, historical liturgies during Advent (even post-reformation) include texts that speak to Christ’s glorious return (Ex: Revelation 22 “Behold, I am coming soon”), the prophecies of judgment at the end of days (Ex: Malachi 4, “who can endure the day of his coming?”) our longing for God to right all wrongs, (Ex:2 Peter: “we wait for a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness is at home;” Isaiah 40, “shout to Jerusalem, ‘your God is coming!’”) and ultimately imploring God’s people to be ready for his return (Ex: the parable of the wise virgins in Matthew 25, and Paul’s exhortation to the Thessalonians to “be ready”).
Luke 25:25-28 states:
And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now, when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near.
The Purpose of Advent
The purpose of Advent was to set aside time in the life of the church to look forward to the return of the Lord with fear, but also with hope because with his return, our “redemption (draws) near.” Therefore, we should desire and long for Messiah’s return just as ancient Israel longed for his coming. This truth, brought to focus during Advent, led to the creation of the “O Antiphons” in the Middle Ages, which would later become the well-beloved Advent hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.”
Having traveled through the scriptural journey of Advent, the hearts of God’s people are better prepared to approach the manger. It is not a scene of sentimentality with quaint farm animals, chubby cherubs, and a cute baby boy. This first coming, this adventus, ushered in the beginning of a new reality. God became man. The one who spoke the world into existence, who has the power and authority to judge the nations, has come to save them. The journey of Advent helps our hearts to truly ask and to sing,
Why lies he in such mean estate, where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear! For sinners here, the silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce him through, the cross be born for me, for you.
Hail! Hail the Word made flesh, the babe, the son of Mary.
More on Advent from the YTI Faculty:
- There Will Be Joy … Just You Wait! (Dr. Cody Whittington)
- It’s Still Dark, But We Have Seen a Great Light (Dr. Joshua Schendel)
- Slowing Down to Actively Adore Christ This Christmas (Dr. Brett Desper)
- Reflections on the Advent Candle: Hope (Dr. Jay Smith)
- Reflections on the Advent Candle: Faith (Dr. Jay Smith)
- Reflections on the Advent Candle: Joy (Dr. Jay Smith)
- Reflections on the Advent Candle: Peace (Dr. Jay Smith)
- Reflections on The Advent Candle: Christ (Dr. Jay Smith)