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Lectionary Research: First Sunday after Christmas Day

Date: December 28, 2025
Lectionary Year: Year A
Liturgical Color: White

Liturgical Context

The First Sunday after Christmas stands in a peculiar liturgical tension. Just four days after the joy of the Nativity, the Revised Common Lectionary confronts the congregation with the Flight to Egypt and the Massacre of the Innocents. This is no accident. The church refuses to sentimentalize the Incarnation, instead placing the birth of Christ immediately in the context of a hostile world that rejects its Savior.

The Christmas season continues through Epiphany (January 6), maintaining the white paraments and the celebration of Emmanuel—God with us. Yet the readings force us to reckon with what it means that God has entered a world of violence, exile, and weeping.

This Sunday takes precedence over the three Holy Days which follow Christmas Day (St. Stephen, St. John, and the Holy Innocents). The Gospel reading, in fact, encompasses the commemoration of the Holy Innocents, traditionally observed on December 28.

Old Testament: Isaiah 63:7-9

I will recount the gracious deeds of the LORD, the praiseworthy acts of the LORD, because of all that the LORD has done for us, and the great favor to the house of Israel that he has shown them according to his mercy, according to the abundance of his steadfast love. For he said, “Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely”; and he became their Savior in all their distress. It was no messenger or angel, but his presence that saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Historical and Literary Context

This passage opens a communal lament that extends through Isaiah 64:12. Scholars generally locate this text in the post-exilic period, when the returned exiles faced the discouragement of a ruined temple, a struggling economy, and the apparent absence of the glorious restoration the prophets had promised. The thanksgiving in verse 7 functions like the recitals of God’s past faithfulness that often begin lament psalms (cf. Psalm 89:1-37; Nehemiah 9).

The Hebrew word ḥasadim (translated “gracious deeds” or “steadfast love”) describes Yahweh’s covenantal loyalty to Israel. This is not generic divine benevolence but specific, covenant-bound faithfulness—the kind of love that cannot abandon its object regardless of circumstance.

Theological Significance

Verse 9 contains a remarkable statement: “It was no messenger or angel, but his presence (panim, literally “his face”) that saved them.” The prophet emphasizes that God does not delegate salvation to intermediaries. The LORD himself comes. He himself carries his people.

For the post-exilic community, this was a reminder that the God who delivered from Egypt and carried them through the wilderness remains the same God who is present with them now. For the Christian church, this text points forward to the Incarnation: God does not send a mere angel to save humanity but comes himself in the flesh of Jesus Christ.

Lutheran Confessional Emphasis

The phrase “in all their distress, he too was distressed” (verse 9, NIV alternate reading) anticipates the theology of the cross. God does not remain aloof from human suffering but enters into it. Luther’s understanding of the theologia crucis finds its Old Testament roots in texts like this: the God who saves is the God who suffers with and for his people.

The Large Catechism’s explanation of the First Article echoes this theme—God as the one who continually “protects and guards” his people, lifting them up and carrying them through every danger.

Psalm 148

The Universal Call to Praise

Psalm 148 belongs to the final “Hallel” section of the Psalter (Psalms 146-150), a five-fold doxological conclusion rising to the crescendo of Psalm 150. Each psalm in this series begins and ends with “Praise the LORD!” (Hallelujah).

The psalm divides into two sections:

• Verses 1-6: Praise from the heavens (angels, sun, moon, stars, highest heavens)
• Verses 7-14: Praise from the earth (sea creatures, weather, mountains, trees, animals, humanity)

This is cosmic doxology. All creation—animate and inanimate, celestial and terrestrial—is summoned to worship the Creator.

Connection to the Incarnation

The psalm finds its fulfillment in the Christmas event. The God whom angels praise (v. 2) has now been praised by angels at Bethlehem (Luke 2:13-14). The God who commands and creation exists (v. 5) has now spoken his Word into creation as flesh (John 1:14).

Lutheran hymnody has drawn deeply from this psalm. “All Creatures of Our God and King” (based on Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Sun) is essentially a paraphrase of Psalm 148’s cosmic praise.

Theological Note

Luther classified this as a psalm of thanksgiving. The doxological imperative—the purpose of all creation is to praise God—finds its ground not in creation’s autonomy but in God’s creative and redeeming word. Creation praises because God has spoken it into being and because God has entered it to redeem it.

Epistle: Hebrews 2:10-18

It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters… Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death… Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

Key Greek Terms

Archegos (v. 10): Translated “pioneer” or “captain” or “author”—Jesus is both the origin and leader of salvation. He goes before, opening the way that others may follow.

Teleioo (v. 10): “Made perfect” through sufferings. This is not moral perfection but consecration/completion for a task. The LXX uses this word for priestly consecration. Christ is perfected—that is, fully qualified and prepared—for his high priestly work through his suffering.

Archiereus (v. 17): High priest. This is the first explicit use of this title for Christ in Hebrews, a theme that will dominate the central argument of the letter.

The Incarnation as Necessity

Hebrews presents the Incarnation not as arbitrary but as fitting (eprepen). For the author, Christ’s identification with humanity is essential to his saving work. A high priest must be human to represent humans. Only a true human can die a human death. Only by sharing flesh and blood can Christ destroy the one who has the power of death.

The text emphasizes the completeness of Christ’s identification: he shares (metecho) flesh and blood; he is “like his brothers and sisters in every respect” (kata panta); he was “tested by what he suffered.”

Lutheran Theological Significance

This passage is foundational for Lutheran Christology:

1. The Communication of Attributes (Communicatio Idiomatum): What is said of Christ’s humanity is truly said of the divine Son. The one through whom “all things exist” (v. 10) truly suffers, truly dies, truly conquers death.

2. The Theology of the Cross: Christ is made perfect through sufferings, not in spite of them. The path to glory runs through the cross.

3. Christ for Us (Pro Nobis): Everything here is for our sake—he shares flesh and blood so that he might destroy death; he becomes like us so that he might be our merciful high priest; he was tested so that he might help those who are tested.

4. Freedom from Fear: Verse 15 speaks of those “held in slavery by the fear of death.” The Gospel frees believers from this bondage—not by removing death but by removing its sting (1 Corinthians 15:55-56).

Gospel: Matthew 2:13-23

Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt…

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under… Then what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”

When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt… But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”

Matthew’s Typological Reading

Matthew quotes three Old Testament texts, each introduced with a fulfillment formula:

1. Hosea 11:1 – “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” Originally referring to Israel’s exodus, Matthew reads it typologically: Jesus recapitulates Israel’s history. Where Israel failed, Jesus will succeed. The new Israel, compressed into one person, descends into Egypt and is called out.

2. Jeremiah 31:15 – Rachel weeping for her children. The prophet’s image of the exiled northern tribes becomes a type of all innocent suffering. Matthew does not soften this; he lets the lament stand.

3. “He will be called a Nazorean” – The most mysterious quotation, attributed to “the prophets” (plural) rather than a single text. Likely a wordplay connecting Nazareth with netzer (branch/shoot, Isaiah 11:1) or possibly with nazir (set apart one).

The Massacre of the Innocents

The Holy Innocents, commemorated on December 28, are traditionally honored as martyrs “in deed but not in will”—they died for Christ before they could choose to confess him. While some modern scholars question the historicity of the massacre, it fits perfectly with what we know of Herod’s character from Josephus (he killed his own sons and wife when he perceived threats to his power). The small size of Bethlehem means the number of children would have been relatively small—tragic nonetheless, but not a massive operation that would necessarily appear in Roman records.

Theologically, the massacre reveals the world’s response to the Incarnation. The Prince of Peace is born into a world that responds with violence. The one who comes to save is immediately hunted. This is the cost of God entering human history.

Providence and Suffering

The text presents a challenging theological tension:

• God does protect his Son through angelic warning and flight.
• God does not protect the innocents of Bethlehem.

Lutheran theology refuses easy resolution here. The answer is not “satisfying to our reason, which constantly demands God justify himself to us” but is “satisfying to the heart of faith.” We live within the already/not yet of the Kingdom. The peace the angels sang at Christ’s birth is not yet fully manifest. The Gospel does not promise freedom from suffering but presence in suffering (cf. Isaiah 63:9, Hebrews 2:18).

Egypt as Unexpected Sanctuary

In a profound irony, Egypt—the traditional place of bondage—becomes the place of refuge. The land from which God called his people out becomes the land where God’s Son finds safety. This reversal reminds us that God is not bound by our expectations. He is present in the new place, even if it is Egypt.

Thematic Connections Across the Readings

Theme 1: God’s Presence in Suffering

All four readings speak to divine presence amid distress:

• Isaiah 63:9 – “In all their distress, he too was distressed… he himself carried them.”
• Psalm 148 – Even amid a world of chaos, all creation is summoned to praise.
• Hebrews 2:18 – “Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.”
• Matthew 2 – God protects, guides, and provides even in exile and mourning.

Theme 2: The Incarnation as Divine Commitment

The Incarnation is not a brief divine visit but a permanent commitment:

• God does not send a messenger but his own presence (Isaiah 63:9).
• Christ shares flesh and blood completely (Hebrews 2:14).
• Jesus becomes a refugee, an exile, one acquainted with grief from infancy (Matthew 2).

Theme 3: Costly Salvation

The readings refuse to sentimentalize Christmas:

• Israel remembers past salvation while crying out for present help (Isaiah 63).
• Christ is “made perfect through sufferings” (Hebrews 2:10).
• The newborn King is already hunted; innocent children die in his place (Matthew 2).

Suggested Sermon/Blog Themes

1. “No Angel, But His Presence” (Isaiah 63:9 / Hebrews 2:14-18)

The God who saves Israel is the God who comes himself. He does not delegate salvation. In Jesus, the face of God enters creation—not hovering above human suffering but descending into it. This is the meaning of Incarnation: God pitched his tent among us (John 1:14). The same God who carried Israel through the wilderness now carries us through death itself.

Application: In times of suffering, we often want an explanation. What God gives instead is his presence. Christ, tested by what he suffered, is able to help those who are being tested.

2. “Life After Christmas: When the Angels Stop Singing” (Matthew 2:13-23)

Four days after Christmas, the lectionary confronts us with massacre and exile. The church refuses to let us linger at the manger indefinitely. The child born in Bethlehem was born into a hostile world—and so are we. The “peace on earth” proclaimed by angels is not yet fully realized. We live between the times.

Application: For many, the week after Christmas is hard—grief returns, loneliness intensifies, bills come due. The Gospel does not promise escape from this reality but proclaims that God is with us in it. The Christ child was a refugee before his first birthday.

3. “Perfected Through Suffering” (Hebrews 2:10)

Our culture promises self-improvement through optimization—better habits, better technology, better outcomes. Hebrews offers a radically different vision: the path to glory runs through suffering. Christ himself was “made perfect” not by avoiding pain but by enduring it. He was tested so that he might help us when we are tested.

Application: This is not a call to seek suffering but to trust that God uses suffering. The cross is not a detour but the way. Our High Priest is not distant from our struggles but has walked through them ahead of us.

Liturgical Considerations

Color

White continues throughout Christmastide, emphasizing joy and the light of Christ even as the readings turn to darker themes.

Hymn Suggestions

• “All Creatures of Our God and King” (Psalm 148)
• “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” (Incarnation theme)
• “Go Tell It on the Mountain” (with verse about “the manger crib so lowly” connecting to the refugee theme)
• “Once in Royal David’s City” (verse 3: “And through all his wondrous childhood / He would honor and obey”)

Pastoral Considerations

• This Sunday may draw smaller attendance between Christmas and New Year’s. Those who do attend may include visitors, grieving members, or those exhausted by the holiday season.
• The Massacre of the Innocents can be difficult to preach. Acknowledge the difficulty; do not rush past the lament to get to resolution.
• For families who have experienced pregnancy loss, infant death, or the loss of children, this reading requires pastoral sensitivity. Rachel’s refusal to be comforted (Matthew 2:18) validates the legitimacy of grief that cannot be quickly resolved.

Creedal Connection

The Nicene Creed’s affirmation that the Son of God “came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made man” finds rich exposition in Hebrews 2:14-18: he truly shared flesh and blood, became like his brothers and sisters in every respect.

Sources Consulted

• Working Preacher Commentary on Isaiah 63:7-9 (Luther Seminary)
• Working Preacher Commentary on Hebrews 2:10-18 (Luther Seminary)
• Working Preacher Commentary on Matthew 2:13-23 (Luther Seminary)
• Working Preacher Commentary on Psalm 148 (Luther Seminary)
• Concordia Theology: The First Sunday after Christmas
• Vanderbilt Lectionary: First Sunday after Christmas Day
• Risen Savior Lutheran Church: Matthew 2:13-23 Sermon
• KFUO Radio: Thy Strong Word on Psalm 148