Matthew Part Three

21From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders....He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. 22But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” 23Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get behind me Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross and follow me.” 25If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it... 27For the Son of Man will come...and judge all people according to their deeds. 28And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.

So what is Christian discipleship all about? At this juncture Jesus begins to prepare his disciples for the climax of his ministry. He teaches them that contrary to their expectations the Son of Man (Jewish Messiah) is not one who merely teaches with Divine authority, challenges the hypocrisy of the establishment and performs signs and wonders. Nor as they were generally expecting, would he be the one who would overthrow Roman rule and establish Israel as the leading nation that would bring the nations to submit to their one creator God and the nation to whom all other nations would defer.

No, Jesus now begins to teach them that the true Messiah that Israel should have been expecting will not be the invincible warrior empowered by God that they hoped for, but rather would be the leader of a new age and changed people, the age of God’s Kingdom on earth!

This Kingdom would be brought to fruition by self-sacrifice in the service of others and the suffering of Jesus and his disciples as they exemplified God’s love for all people. This was a radically different kind of Messiah to what the nation was expecting. The leader of that Kingdom, Jesus Christ himself would lead the way by suffering a tortuous death on a Roman cross and be betrayed by the Jewish nation’s leadership. Jesus teaches that this is God’s way and purpose in order to bring all the nations of the world to the fulfilment of God’s purpose which is the rule of God’s love on earth in the same way as it is manifest in God’s presence!

The disciples may have felt this was a kind of let down and they certainly needed a radically new kind of paradigm in order to embrace such a radical change in gear. Not being part of a conquering earthly power, but instead suffering and perhaps even martyrdom for Jesus followers for the sake of Jesus’ kingdom? According to Matthew, at this stage Jesus doesn’t speak of his resurrection, but rather states that some of them would witness the coming of his Kingdom. This message then is more than ‘the kingdom of God is within you’ that Jesus has already taught them, now he is referring to something more and different. Not a kingdom by earthly power, but rather a universal kingdom by which the righteousness of Jesus way becomes recognised and embraced by growing numbers of people.

Food for thought: The early church understanding of Christ’s kingdom which Matthew’s Gospel reflects was that following his death and resurrection, Jesus would come again in glory to bring justice to fruition on earth and God’s judgement on all false gods, evils, errors, waywardness and self-glorifications of the earth’s peoples. And there is little doubt that initially they expected that coming judgement to happen with Christ’s literal re-appearing within the lifetime of some of Jesus twelve Apostles. The fact of history is that that timing expectation proved to be false in the literal sense. There was a sense however in which it began and continued to be fulfilled down the ages and that is as Christ by his Spirit empowered and empowers his disciples to bring in his kingdom in terms of the righteousness, justice, beauty, and understanding of God’s love.

This leads to a possible interpretation of Jesus original words (whatever these precisely were) that he was referring to his own resurrection and the empowering of His Spirit, which his disciples weren’t able to understand at that stage. This would not be the kind of resurrection that they apparently had already witnessed (where Jesus had raised a few people back to mortal life who had recently died and who would eventually die again). But rather Jesus’ resurrection (as the Apostles came to proclaim it) would be radically different. It would involve the recognition that in the economy of God’s love a new kind of ‘earthly’ existence eventually awaits all who chose to accept God’s way (as brought to us in Christ). In modern terms this would inevitably involve an all embracing radical change of this universe and where Jesus Christ’s resurrection is seen as the first fruits of that new bodily existence.

However I think it is more plausible that Jesus himself believed that his return in glory would be literally in the life span of some of his Apostles, even though he himself did not know precisely when that would be ‘because that date was only known to the Father.’ But either way, we now know through the powerful actions of God’s Spirit and the powerful testimony of Christ’s universal church that Christ’s kingdom comes and grows as his church believes the paradigms, shows God’s compassion for all, overturns injustice and proclaims the good news of God’s love, the forgiveness of sins and the empowering of God’s Spirit.

Challenge: Does the paradigm of the ‘new kind of’ resurrection love Jesus demonstrated motivate you to commit to work for God’s kingdom during your lifetime?

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Matthew 17 v.1-23 ~ Jesus Reinforces his New Kingdom Paradigm

1Six days later Jesus took Peter, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. 2As the men watched, Jesus appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. 4Peter blurted out, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three memorial shelters – one for you, one for Moses, and for Elijah.” 5But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice said, “This is my beloved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” 6The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground... 9As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Within a few days of telling his disciples that the glorious kingdom they were expecting would not be the paradigm of physical conquest that had been brought up with, but would have to start with suffering and a cross and a testimony that they would have to share in across the earth, Jesus takes the three ring-leaders to a lonely place. Here they suddenly receive a vision in which God’s Spirit speaks to them. Just in case they were tempted to throw in the towel now that Jesus was challenging their previous paradigm of God’s kingdom, this vision burns into their psyche the importance of listening to and heeding Jesus because God is pleased with him.

14At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son....I brought him to your disciples, but they were unable to heal him.” ... 22After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus (again) told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed ... 23He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” And the disciples were filled with grief.

Jesus heals the boy and later his disciples ask why they were unable to heal him. Jesus points to the deficiency of their faith. He has set them a challenge to learn what trusting God means even when they are called to take up their cross and follow in Jesus footsteps. It means trusting God when the going is tough – Jesus feels the weakness of his disciples, but he continues to challenge them with the fact that he is heading for crucifixion, but also to a new type of resurrection.

Food for thought: However Peter, James and John individually experienced this vision, it was God given and all three shared in it. The fact that they knew who Moses and Elijah were in this vision indicates that it was revealed by God’s Spirit to their intuition. We should not dismiss inspired intuition that comes to us on the pretext that it could be trick of our imagination. We should rather allow such inspiration to challenge our faith. Can we trust God with a course of action, i.e. That he will lead us step by step even if we aren’t sure where that leading is going?

Challenge: Ask God to show you a step he wants you to take in faith that he will lead you in it.

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Matthew 17 v.24-27 ~ Jesus shows his humanity

24On their arrival in Capernaum the Temple tax collectors came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your master pay the Temple tax?” 25”Yes he does,” Peter replied.

This Gospel story tells of how Peter came to pay his Temple tax in a very unusual way. I am told that the so-called Peter fish in Lake Galilee have a habit of carrying pebbles in their mouths and it is quite feasible for one to have picked up a lost coin in its mouth and not beyond bounds of possibility that such a coin carrying fish could be caught with a net. Peter had jumped to defend Jesus reputation about paying the local Temple tax since he clearly didn’t want to offend the Temple tax collectors.

On going into the house presumably to talk to Jesus or Judas (the purse keeper) about paying the tax, Jesus speaks to him first (having no doubt heard the commotion outside) and banters with him about the paying of taxes. In Judea (a subjugated people) the Roman rulers extracted taxes from non-Roman citizens and Jesus uses this illustration in relation to the Jewish Temple tax. He asks in effect, “Why should we (the free citizens of God’s Kingdom) be paying tax to the Temple authorities. Shouldn’t they instead be taxing non-Kingdom visitors to the Temple?” Nevertheless Jesus didn’t want to offend the Jewish authorities over this minor point either, so he instructs Peter on how to find the money to pay.

Whatever Matthew’s reason for including this story (see Food for Thought), the passage inadvertently shows us how human Jesus was. He had ordinary thoughts and feelings about the rights and wrongs of his society which he shared and no doubt discussed with his disciples. This informal chat doesn’t readily come out in the Gospel records which understandably concentrate on the main teaching, miracles and actions of Jesus.

Food for thought: In some ways the story is mundane and may have been inserted by the Gospel author for the sake of his Jewish Christian readers and to counter the possible tension they may have felt over the need to continue to pay the Temple taxes. Sometime after the initial dispersion of Christians from Jerusalem mentioned in Acts and before Jerusalem was sacked by the Romans in AD 70, the Christians had started meeting away from the Temple. So it is quite possible that some Jewish Christians in Jerusalem were refusing to pay the Temple tax. The Christian leaders were no doubt keen that Christians didn’t un-necessarily upset the Jewish authorities. Clearly over matters of principle and proclaiming their Gospel message, they were prepared to be martyred. But as Jesus had already taught them (Matt. 10 v.16) they were to be innocent as doves, but shrewd as snakes. Upsetting the authorities over temple tax wasn’t a battle worth fighting.

Challenge:- Live at peace with everyone as far as it is possible. How often do you pick the wrong battles?

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Matthew 18 v.1-14 ~ Greatest in the Kingdom

1The disciples asked, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” ... 3Then Jesus said to them, “...Unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom...4so anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” 7What sorrow awaits the world because it tempts people to sin. .. 9If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. 10Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones...for their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father God. ....14It is not God’s will that any of these little ones should perish.”

Jesus is almost dismissive of the disciples’ question which was related to their own jostling for position in their group. He is more concerned about their blindness to the nature of sin than their concern for position. He gives a small clue to help his disciples understand how the notion of ‘position’ fits in God’s Kingdom, but he quickly turns the conversation round to challenge them and the rest of us about the danger of causing others to sin, especially children. The terrible nature and consequences of child abuse for example are written in red in Jesus words. He doesn’t mince his words about hell fire for those who commit or cause others to sin. But the same warnings can apply to the pillars of the church! God is truly hurt by innocence being misled because the Kingdom of God is about those who are entering it, being led by God’s Spirit. To lead people away from God’s Kingdom through false practice or teaching is to offend God.

Jesus talks about the prior conditions (repentance of sin and humility) for entering God’s Kingdom and then goes on to suggest that humility is integral to the nature of God’s Kingdom. And Jesus points to small children to provide an insight into what he meant by this.

Food for Thought: The church in past centuries has been highly guilty of glorying in the suffering and torment of hell and damnation of unbelievers forgetting that Jesus taught that it is not God’s will that any should perish. CS Lewis however exemplifies in his writings the more Biblical understanding of hell, viz. It is not one that Christ wants any to go to, but that God respects the freedom of will, even after death, of those who want nothing to do with Christ’s love. So it is that people will put themselves in the hell of ultimate solitary separation from the creator God.

Challenge: St. Peter urges us to by all means snatch people from the fire of ultimate separation from God

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Matthew 18 v.15-35~ Forgiveness and Correction

15”If another person (brother/ sister/believer) sins against you go privately and point out the offence. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the community (local church/ law etc.).... 18Whatever you forbid (bind/ lock) on earth will be forbidden (bound/ locked) in heaven, and whatever you permit (loose/ open) on earth will be permitted (loosed/ opened) in heaven.... 19If two of you agree... concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20For where two or three gather as my followers, I am there among them.”

We may safely assume that Jesus was always teaching in the context of the Kingdom of God. So this advice is for his disciples to take on board in working for God’s Kingdom to come and God’s will to be done on earth. If there is an offence from whatever source, this action blueprint sets out how God will be glorified by Christian discipleship. It neither buries offences nor reacts against them but seeks for reconciliation and building of wholesome relationships.

Equally this teaching spells out the spiritual strength of Christian discipleship – when the faithful believer is moving in the power of God’s Spirit, there will be a spiritual dimension to every decision the believer makes. Discerning agreement between believers will invoke answered prayer because the Christian believers are in partnership with God’s Spirit.

Food for thought: We are bid to agree together before we come to pray: we are also bid to pray for ‘governments and authorities so that the worldwide church may be able to live and witness in peace: we are also bid to pray in earnest. When we are as concerned for the life and witness of all local believers as we are for our own fellowship, we will find God answers our prayer for our own local fellowship: when we are as concerned for Christ’s church worldwide as we are for our own denomination or country, we will find God answering our prays here as well.

Challenge: Do you discuss and agree what to pray for with your fellow believers before you come to pray?

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Matthew 19 v.1-15 ~ Marriage, Divorce and Children

3Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him... “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?” Jesus replied, “...4From the beginning God made people male and female... 5this explains why a man/ woman leaves their parents and is joined to his/her spouse and the two are united into one (Gen2v24) ... 6so let no one split apart what God has joined together!”

The Pharisees were out to trap Jesus with their question about divorce. They already realised from their understanding of the Genesis text (Gen 2. V.24) that marriage is a God ordained state: however the Deuteronomy text (Deut.24 v.1,2) seems to imply that a man (at least) was free to divorce his wife and re-marry if she didn’t please him (i.e. for whatever reason. According to Matthew, the Pharisees weren’t looking for clarification so much as in hoping that Jesus would be exposed by choosing one verse over the other. If he backed the total sanctity of marriage they could show he didn’t support Moses and if he supported Moses on an issue that on the face of it seems to reverse what God had instituted, then how could he claim to be God’s Messiah?

Jesus in reply shows he fully supports the sanctity of marriage by stating ‘what God has joined together, let no one split up.’ This shifts the focus from the particular partners of a marriage to those who might cause the break-up of a particular marriage. Adultery most often involves a third party, and here Jesus exposes the culpability of third parties just as much as marriage partners.

And on the other hand Jesus does recognise that the Mosaic text permits divorce because it is realistic about the sinfulness of the human heart. Holding marriage partners together where there is a total absence of desire to improve a poor or dysfunctional relationship is more destructive of individuals and of society than permitting formal breakup. At least then the parties have time to mature and rebuild their lives.

In verse 11 Jesus strongly indicates that celibacy is a gifting of God and not to be undertaken lightly. We should not assume celibacy is a higher calling than matrimony: both require the spiritual gifting of self control. Both Jesus and St. Paul speaking from personal experience indicate that celibacy can free a disciple to undertake more intensive specific tasks for the Kingdom of God than matrimony allows, but we must each glorify God in the gifting we are given. Nor should we assume that one gifting is necessarily a life-time gifting: God may call and gift us to change.

Food for thought. In modern Western culture we are rightly appalled by the blatant sexism of past (and some other current) cultures. The Biblical text of Deuteronomy (from 1000 BCE middle Eastern culture) clearly gives men the right to divorce their wives for whatever reason (but not vice versa) and (in Deut.24 v.2) baldly states that a woman (though she could be the innocent victim of divorce and free in God’s eyes to remarry) becomes defiled if her first husband decides to remarry her.

The Mosaic text may be seeking to reclaim the importance of vows made to God by showing that when a man re-marries a former wife (who as a result of divorce has been in a relationship with another), the man is making fun of the matrimonial vows (made in the presence of God), i.e. the man may have thought he made a mistake marrying her in the first place (so he was permitted to divorce her), but in the author’s eyes for him to then go and remarry her later would be to arouse God’s anger: hence the author declares woman is defiled.

Since Jesus’ coming however, we would not agree with such narrow and sexist reasoning. Clearly the Kingdom of God is such that God forgives those who admit their sins and repent. So a couple who divorce and in later years are free to remarry and decide to do so (possibly because one or other partner has become a Christian and has sought forgiveness and reconciliation), then the Christian community could accept they are acting in the will of God and are certainly not defiled as the Deuteronomy text would imply!

Challenge: Are you guilty of failing to work on your marriage or of wandering off to flirt in your mind with third parties?

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Matthew 19 v.16 - 30 ~ The Rich Man

16Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 “Why ask me about what is good? Jesus replied. “There is only one who is good. But to answer your question – if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” the man asked. ..Jesus replied (listing all but the first & last)... “I have obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. 21Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will then have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”

The young man came to Jesus because he felt spiritually dissatisfied. He thought he had lived a good life and kept God’s commandments yet there was something missing. Conscious of his own mortality, he felt vulnerable and he had no assurance of eternal life. Jesus first makes an enigmatic statement about his own goodness (v.17). This was probably so as to identify with the young man before challenging him to progress.

Jesus loved him because he sought to be perfect and that is what God looks for in humanity. Jesus the gently challenged the young man by suggesting that to become perfect he needed to sell all his possessions give the money to the poor and follow Christ. In this way Jesus brought the man to realise the implication of the first and last of the 10 commandments, viz. The necessity of loving God with all our hearts, and then of not coveting (wanting for ourselves) money and possessions. Sadly the man went away unwilling to accept the challenge at that stage of his life.

The passage goes onto describe the disciples reaction to Jesus words about how hard it is for the rich to enter God’s kingdom. They felt they had given up their livelihoods to follow Jesus for a few years, so they needed reassurance that there was something in it for them. Would they qualify for the kingdom? Jesus reassures them that what is done for God’s kingdom is not lost, but rather builds that kingdom both now and in eternity.

According to Bishop Tom Wright (Surprised by Hope, 2007,SPCK), the Jewish concept of eternity was not one of being in heaven somewhere else (other than this universe), but rather one of living in a re-generated universe and earth. Hence Jesus uses the notion that at that future time, the disciples will be rewarded with houses and friends that they lacked at the time on account of their service to Christ’s kingdom.

Food for thought: The human soul may hanker for eternal life since what is the point of this life if it has no meaning and merely ends in death of both body and spirit? Each person probably faces such thoughts at some point in their lives. Many may conclude there is no answer and so dismiss the question and live for their own purpose such as having a good time, pursuing an ambition, or leaving a legacy to human memory.

Jesus enigmatic statement about his own goodness probably reflects his own awareness of being human. He was tempted in every respect that we are, but without sin, the Scriptures tell us. So he was acutely aware of the human condition (he was fully human). In this sense Jesus was not perfect because though he was sinless, being human he was open to temptation, hence he pointed the young man to God as being the only perfect one, i.e. one who can’t be tempted to do evil.

Challenge: ‘Dear God, help me keep my eyes focused on your love so I can overcome temptation.’

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Matthew 20 v. 1- 16 ~ Parable of the Vineyard

1 “For the kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them to work. ... 6 At five o’clock in the afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around doing nothing. ... 7The landowner told them, ‘Go out and join the others in my vineyard.’ 8That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers he had hired. 9When those hired at 5 o’clock were paid they each received a full day’s wage. 10When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they too were paid a day’s wage. 11... They protested to the owner! ... 13He answered them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work for a day’s wage? 14Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you ... should you be jealous because I am kind to others? 16So those who are last now will be first then and those who are first will be last.”

God’s kingdom seems topsy-turvy from a worldly point of view. This is because those people who are born comfortable, or those who push themselves, or again those who are well qualified in this world, rise to the top of the social ladder and obtain privilege, status and wealth: however those who enter God’s kingdom gain their (spiritual) wealth by investing time, prayer and resources into that eternal kingdom. And their status is not measured in terms of social standing, but in terms of love and faithfulness to the God who saves them. And their privileges are not measured in terms of superiority to others, but in terms of them serving all others in God’s kingdom.

Hence Jesus is contrasting those who are first now in worldly terms with those who will be first in Christ’s future kingdom, and he is contrasting those who are last now in worldly terms with those who will be last in terms of God’s future kingdom. This first and last metaphor may translate into eternal reward in Christ’s eternal kingdom.

Food for thought: Jesus states that this contrast has its consequences in Christ’s eternal kingdom and the seeds might be recognisable even in today’s world church. Many of us who reside in relatively comfortable situations may make no great effort to draw on kingdom resources to live out more faithfully kingdom values, but many living in dire situations of persecution and poverty may draw strongly on Christ’s resources to shine out his kingdom values to the cost of their comfort and their lives in this world. And the reward of the later will be much greater than the former.

Challenge: Am I drawing on God’s grace daily to live more closely to Christ’s kingdom values?

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Matthew 20 v 17-28 ~ Still Learning the Kingdom Values

17As Jesus was going to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him....

20Then the mother of James and John came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favour. 21 “What is your request?” he asked. She replied, “In your kingdom, please let my two sons site in places of honour next to you... 22But Jesus answered...”You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!” .... 24When the other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. ... But Jesus called them together and said. ...Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The disciples hadn’t fully learned the kingdom values inherent in the parable of the vineyard. This becomes evident as James and John seek a special place in Christ’s kingdom. First Jesus goes over the terrible betrayal, injustice, abuse and crucifixion he is about to suffer when they get to Jerusalem. They all felt some bravado in facing the danger, but James and John at least also had considered the fact that they too might have to suffer alongside Jesus. They obviously also believed that somehow God was going to bring in Christ’s kingdom – Jesus was talking about his death, but he was also talking of being raised from the dead (presumably to reign) on the third day.

Jesus does not discount their ambition, but uses their forwardness to challenge their understanding of God’s kingdom. Those who lead in Christ’s kingdom must regard themselves as slaves to those they lead – they will lead as a privilege to follow in the service of he who came to give his life for many. If they has truly understood this they would not have asked for privilege without the life of servitude to others.

Food for thought: It is quite possible for disciples with macho attitudes to willingly undergo pain and suffering, but to not be as willing to faithfully carry out the menial tasks in the service of others. Which will have the greater reward in Christ’s kingdom, those who faithfully serve in all circumstances and without recognition, or those who gloriously suffer?

Challenge: Be faithful to Christ in all circumstances.

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Matthew 20 v 29 – 21 v 11 ~ Final Approach to Jerusalem

20v29As Jesus and his disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. 30Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” ... 33 “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” 34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him. 21v1As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them ahead (to Bethphage to collect a donkey and her foal).

Jesus probably spent a couple of days in Jericho teaching and healing before setting out for his final trip to Jerusalem which would have been a full day’s journey (~ 25 miles and ascending all the way). His reputation was widespread, hence the crowds that followed him from Jericho (hoping to see a miracle) and the blind beggars shouting to get his attention to heal them. Many beggars were likely to be content with their way of life (then as now) and so Jesus asks them what they wanted. Did their desire for healing exceed their desire for alms and charitable status? Most of the crowd and healed beggars may have followed him for up to half the day before returning to their homes while Jesus and his disciples headed on to and they probably spent the night at Martha and Mary’s house in Bethany some 5 miles short of Jerusalem.

It was likely the next day that Jesus sent two of his disciples out to collect a donkey and her foal from a local family known to Martha in Bethphage. And a fresh crowd quickly gathered to accompany him as he set off again for his triumphal entry to Jerusalem. There was no doubt great excitement as there seems to have been in places that Jesus travelled through, however their anticipation would have been greatly heightened since it was the Passover season. The crowds cut palm branches to increase the homage and pageantry of the occasion. This in turn increased the excitement of the crowds inside the city as he approached and headed for the temple. Word spread like wildfire, “this is Jesus the prophet from Galilee!”

Food for Thought: Matthew sees the significance of Jesus choosing to enter Jerusalem for the last time riding a donkey – the strong symbolism being that of a king coming in peace. In him the rightful king of the universe personified in Jesus was coming into the city which symbolised God’s dwelling. However that rightful king was rejected by the leaders and people who were called to be his.

Challenge: How deeply do we honour God our rightful king?

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Matthew 21 v 12-32 ~ God’s Judgement on Israel’s leaders

12Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice.... 13He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers!”

18In the morning Jesus returning to Jerusalem ... 19and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to the tree, “May you never bear fruit again!” And the fig tree began to wither. 23When Jesus returned to the temple and began teaching, the leading priests... demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things..?”

28 ...A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went... 30Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes sir, will.’ But he didn’t go. 31Which of these two obeyed his father?” They replied, “The first.” Then Jesus explained, “Corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you do. 32For John came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, but tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happen, you refused to believe him and repent.”

At this time Jesus knew he was reaching the fulfilment of his mission, and he deliberately racked up the tension between the Jewish priestly authorities and himself as their rightful king, the Messiah. They challenged his authority and he pointed them to the authority of John the Baptist who was regarded as a prophet of God by the people. The more wayward people had repented in significant numbers, but the authorities had not done so, and so they were reluctant to answer Jesus when he responded to their question about his authority with a question about John’s authority. Jesus’ parable then aimed to show them that they needed to repent to get into God’s kingdom. They were like the son who said he would go to work for his father, but didn’t actually go.

The fig tree incident seems to be much more than pique on Jesus’ part. It is seems to be related to Jesus’ challenge to the authorities that he was the nation’s rightful Messiah. It could be seen as an enacted parable. The Jewish leaders (representing the Jewish nation) hadn’t born the fruit God expected of them: when Jesus came they did not joyously accept him and turn from their sins. Hence the nation would soon begin to wither.

Food for thought: The welfare of a nation in terms of physical, emotional, social & spiritual out comes, is largely determined by the national leadership or lack of it.

Challenge: Scripture bids us to pray for all national leaders so that we may live peaceful (& fulfilled) lives.

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Matthew 21 v 33-46 ~ The Parable of the Evil Farmers

33Now listen to another story. “A certain landowner planted a vineyard...and leased it to tenant farmers...and moved to another country. 34At the grape harvest he sent servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers beat one, killed one and stoned another.....37Finally the owner sent his son. 38But when they saw his son coming ....they dragged him from the vineyard and murdered him. 40When the landowner returns what do you think he will do to those farmers?” 41The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others..” 42Then Jesus asked them, “Haven’t you read the Scriptures? ... 43I tell you the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation that will bear proper fruit...”

Jesus continues to address representatives of the nation’s religious Authority (the priests, elders, Pharisees and Sadducees) in the temple precincts while surrounded by an admiring crowd of people. They would like to have arrested him, but ‘they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet. (Mat 21 v. 46).’ Jesus then tells them a pointed parable about some wicked tenant farmers who end up murdering their landowner’s son and they perceive that Jesus is talking about them.

Their ancestors had murdered some of God’s prophets and Jesus implies they will soon murder himself, God’s Messianic son who is their rightful spiritual Lord. And he tells them straight that God will judge their nation as a result and give the Kingdom of God to a people that will bear its proper fruit. The Gospel writer would have understood that people to be the Christian church.

Food for thought: Matthew also adds (v.42 & 44) that Jesus quoted Psalm 118 v 22 to them, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the keystone. This is the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful to see.’ And a later scribe has added words from Luke’s account of the story (Lk. 20v.18), ‘Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken in pieces and it will crush anyone it falls on.’

Psalm 118 is probably referring to a story of when a stone was left on one side as unsuitable when part of the temple was being built and then later masons were unable to find a suitable keystone to complete an important entrance arch until they rediscovered the rejected stone and the finished arch was then considered to be a work of art. Several modern translations translate it as ‘cornerstone’ but this conveys the idea of a foundation stone. Although the New Testament describes Jesus as the rock on which the Christian church is built, nevertheless it is unlikely that Matthew 21 v.42 is referring to a foundation stone.

Challenge: Are you rejoicing in God’s kingdom?

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Matthew 22 v 1-22 ~ The Great Wedding Feast

“2The Kingdom of heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come! ... 8And the king said to his servants, ‘Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ 10So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests. 11But when the king came to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for the wedding. 12Freind he asked how is it that you are here without the wedding clothes?’ But he had no reply. 13Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind him... and throw him to the outer darkness’ ... 14For many are called but few are chosen.”

This important parable comes after Jesus had begun to nail the religious leaders over their plots to both discredit him and their plans to finally get rid of him. The invited guests in the parable represented the very guardians of the Old Testament Jewish faith, who had refused God’s kingdom as brought to them by God’s son, Jesus. Jesus not only illustrated God’s coming judgement on them, but he then contrasted their future potential absence from the Kingdom of heaven to the future presence of all sorts of people whom they, Jewish leaders, would have thought of as social riffraff and not fit for God’s kingdom.

However there is a twist since Jesus doesn’t want his listeners to think that anyone can enter God’s Kingdom on their own terms, any more than the error of their leaders assuming they would enter based on their own righteousness. The king in Jesus’ storey throws out a man who must have declined the wedding garment that would have been offered in that culture, preferring to sit at the king’s banquet dressed as he was (off the street as it were).

This refusal would have been understood not only as an insult to the host, but that Jesus was also implying that God will provide his own ‘righteousness’ for all comers to his Kingdom banquet and that this borrowed righteousness needs to be received. Jesus then concludes the illustration with the enigmatic words, ‘many are called but few are chosen.’

Food for Thought: This storey beautifully prefigures the Christian gospel since it illustrates both the need for everyone to be made right with God (the Wedding garment) before we can hope to sit down in God’s kingdom as well as the fact that God invites all people whatever their background and God has provided that righteousness that they need in the person of his Son. Christ’s righteousness (through his perfect obedience) is imputed to all who do not regard any righteousness of their own, but instead request and receive that which God offers and live thereby.

Challenge: Have you turned to God from your self-centeredness and are you wearing the righteousness that flows by God’s grace to you?

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Matthew 22 v 15 – 33 ~ Jesus Takes on the Jewish Leaders

15Then the Pharisees met to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. 16They sent ... supporters of Herod (who asked) “Teacher we know how honest you are.... Now tell us, is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18Jesus... said, “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a coin used for tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” 21”Caesars,” they replied. “Well then give Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God.” 22His reply amazed them.

23That same day some Sadducees...posed this question: “24Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.’ 25Well, suppose there are seven brothers. The oldest married and died without children, so his next brother married his widow, but he also died without children and so the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them. 27Finally the woman also died. 28So tell us whose wife she will be in the resurrection?” 29Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that...when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels. 31But as to whether or not there will be a resurrection of the dead – haven’t you read the Scriptures? Long after Abraham had died, God said, ‘32I am the God of Abraham (Exod 3:6).’ So he is the God of the living, not of the dead.” When the crowds heard this they were astounded at his teaching.

Jesus reply to the Herodians showed his endorsement for the necessary role of government in maintaining the rule of law at the same time as the necessity to live the life of faith in God. Hence he deflected both the trap of offending the status quo of both the Roman occupation government and of the predominant Jewish religion.

Next he deflected the Sadducee scepticism for any resurrection of the dead so supporting the Pharisaic position. Thus Jesus showed his strong support for the essence of the Jewish faith without giving succour to growing Jewish nationalism that yearned to overthrow Roman occupation.

Food for thought: Since money is the currency for daily living as well as for enabling of countless good and charitable works, how should we understand Jesus words in this context? I do not believe that Jesus was intending to create a divide between the secular and sacred, which his words might seem to imply. The interpretation should rather be that in God’s order we should support the ruling power that gives the social order and justice that protects the innocent and un-powerful and brings to book unrighteous and guilty parties.

And at the same time we should use our money to further God’s kingdom in society and his peaceable rule in the lives of all who receive him. In other words in stating that we should give to God the things that are God’s, Jesus is underlining that we should give our ‘heart’ viz. our mind and will (our attitude) to the service of God.

Challenge: Are you giving your spiritual heart to God’s kingdom?

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Matthew 22 v 34 – 40 ~ Jesus Summarises the Law & Prophets

34When the Pharisees heard he had silenced the Sadducees ... one of them ... tried to trap him with this question: “36Teacher, which is the most important commandment?” 37Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart all your soul and all your mind (Deut 6:5).’ This is the first and greatest...39 a second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself (Lev 19:18).’ 40 The entire law and prophets are based on these two commandments.”

We are here facing the niceties of the religious law. The Ten Commandments given by Moses and quoted in Exodus ch.20 are followed by two books full of commandments, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. If Jesus had quoted any other than the two brief commandments that he picked out, he would have been open to a reasonable come-back from the legal expert which would have dented Jesus’ authority in the eyes of the people, since any other answer would have been open to argument. As it was Jesus effectively summarised all the demands of their whole Scriptures.

The Jewish religious leaders were good at so interpreting the Law of Moses that they presented the outward appearance of righteousness by apparently holding to the letter of pleasing God through a multiplicity of religious acts that bore little reality to actually pleasing God. However in practice they merely burdened the people with an impossible weight of demands. If Jesus had merely quoted Leviticus 19 v.18 to answer the question, the orthodox Jews would have agreed – ‘yes to love God with all your heart (interpreted by the leaders as fulfilled through religious observance) is the greatest commandment. But Jesus states that equally important was Deuteronomy 6 v. 5 viz., ‘love your neighbour as yourself.’ By this Jesus quashed any thought that the demands of religion can be met by religious observance, because loving your neighbour as yourself is radically more demanding!

Food for Thought: The orthodox Jewish religious system (that persisted in Jesus time) has an echo in many world religions then and now, which put a weight of demands on their adherents and gives them an outward appearance of righteousness by the observance of a multiplicity of religious rules and practices. Elsewhere Jesus exposed examples of how the Jewish interpreters of ‘God’s law’ had effectively set aside God’s commands, such as that to provide for your aged parents, by in that case introducing a get out clause allowing an adherent to give any aid they might have given their parents into the temple coffers.

There is no getting away from it: to love God with all your heart is in practice shown by the whether you love your neighbour (whoever that might be) as yourself and that to do this requires total dependence on the grace that God offers you.

Challenge: Do you love God with all your mind and soul and do you love your neighbour as yourself?

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Matthew 22 v 41 to 45 ~ Jesus Challenges the Jewish Expectations

41Then surrounded by Pharisees, Jesus asked them this question: “42What do you think about the Messiah – whose son is he?” They replied, “He is the son of David.” 43Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said, ‘The Lord (God) said to my Lord (Messiah), sit in the place of honour at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet (Ps 110v1).’ 45Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord’ how can the Messiah be his son?”

Here Jesus faces the leaders with the niceties of the prophetic: they held that Psalm 110 was written by King David and that it was a God-given prophecy about the rule of the coming Messiah. They also believed that the Messiah would be a direct descendant of David and would establish Israel as the leading world nation by means of military victories (as Psalm 110 goes on to describe). As a warrior, the Messiah would have showed that he was not merely David’s biological descendant, but following in his footsteps as the mightiest warrior that the Jews ever had.

Jesus is here effectively challenging the orthodox view about what kind of Messiah God was going to send them. Jesus pointed out that king David’s prophecy (as they believed it literally to be) implies that the Messiah is of a status quite unlike that of a descendant of David or even that of a mighty warrior in battle: for David to call him, ‘Lord’ a term also used to address God, puts the Messiah above being an equal to David and implies a divine status. It was challenges like this that eventually led to the Jewish authorities to condemn Jesus to death for blasphemy.

Food for thought: Modern scholarship has challenged whether Psalm 110 was actually written by King David himself suggesting it was more likely penned by an admirer eulogising what God would do (or had done) through David. But it is also then good Christian Biblical application to understand the original as applying to what God would achieve in a limited way through David in his generation and to understand the same passage as prophetic (in the hands of God’s Spirit) for what God will achieve by means of his Christ (the Messiah) through the course of history (i.e., either by Jesus Christ in his generation or by his church in subsequent generations).

It would appear that the Jews didn’t apply the Scriptures in the same manner that modern Christian expositors do: if a passage was considered prophetic, then they didn’t need to think about what the original meant, they took it as literally true: hence Jesus applied the passage in a way that succeeded in challenging their perceptions.

Challenge: It is wise to seek to persuade people by first understanding where they are coming from.

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Matthew 23 v. 1-39 ~ Jesus Castigates the Jewish Religious Teachers

1Then Jesus said to the crowds and his disciples, “2The teachers of the law and Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. 3So practice whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. 4They crush people with impossible demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. 5Everything they do is for show.

8 “Don’t let anyone call you Rabbi, for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. ... 13What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others entre either. ... 15You cross the sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are! ... 23You are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law – justice, mercy and faith. 24You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel! 25You clean the outside of the cup, but inside you are filthy – full of greed and self-indulgence!

29You build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and decorate monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed. 30Then you say, ‘we would never have joined in killing the prophets.’ 31But in saying that, you testify... that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started. 33Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgement of hell? 34Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men...But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city. ... 37O Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.

In this passage Jesus continues to teach his followers in the temple courts and at the same time upbraid the religious leaders of his day. In castigating those who should have been leading the people to repent and believe his message, Jesus was seeking to win his followers into embracing God’s Kingdom for themselves. This passage demonstrates a good recollection by the Gospel writer (or his eye-witness source) of the actual teachings of Jesus. It would not have been in the interests of the Gospel writers to enhance or embroider such teaching.

Food for thought: The passage also shows Jesus’ deep feelings of sorrow that despite the efforts of John the Baptist to call the people to repentance and the many miracles wrought by Father God at Jesus’ hand, there was not the revival of true religion that the coming of the Messiah might have been expected to bring. The blame for much of this quashing of the Spirit of God could rightfully be laid at the feet of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. By their unrepentant and proud attitudes they indeed ‘decorated the monuments to the godly men and women of the past,’ but ignored the challenge of God and in so doing deliberately misled the people they were called to serve.

Many teachers of religion (whether this be Islam, Christianity or other religion) in our current generation are no better than the proud religious leaders of Jesus’ day. They are also like white-washed tombs, smart on the outside, but full of decaying flesh on the inside. Jesus would castigate many religious leaders today if he were on earth with them! It is this same category of religious teachers and leaders who still today fail to enter God’s Kingdom and still actively keep their followers from entering God’s Kingdom. Despite their outward appearances of submission to God, they will face God’s coming judgement just as surely as the leaders and teachers of Jesus generation!

Challenge: Are you aiding or hindering the work of God’s Spirit in the lives of others you know?

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Matthew 24 v.1-14 ~ Jesus Speaks of the Coming Persecutions

1As Jesus was leaving the temple grounds ... (Jesus) responded, “Do you see these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished.” 3Later (his disciples asked), “When will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” 4Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone deceive you, for many will come claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ ... 7Nation will go to war against nation ... there will be famines and earthquakes in various parts of the world. 8But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. 9Then you will be arrested persecuted and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. 10And many will turn away from me and betray each other. 11And many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. ... 14And the good news of the Kingdom (of God) will be preached throughout the whole world... and then the end will come.”

The disciples held the general Jewish belief that there would be an end to the world when God’s final judgement would come. And they also knew that Jesus taught that he would return at that time to implement God’s judgement. The author of the Gospel would have understood Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem (For I tell you, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Mat. 23 v.19) as fulfilled at Jesus’ second coming, when the end of the ‘age’ will be finally be brought in.

Jesus clearly believed this would not be a fast process – it takes time for ‘nation to go to war against nation’ and for ‘kingdom against kingdom’ and for ‘the Gospel to be preached throughout the whole world’, even if the known world then was only Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. But probably in Jesus mind and certainly in the minds of the Gospel writers future events were seen as telescoped together (this is examined in the next section). However Jesus primary focus was to teach that his followers would suffer much persecution because of their faith and love for him as they worked to spread the good news of God’s kingdom throughout the world.

Food for thought: This prophecy of Jesus is as true today as it was in the first centuries with Christ’s followers throughout the world suffering persecution, often severe and with their opponents today as then, acting against them on both secular and religious grounds. And with the rise of Islam in the sixth century becoming an even greater scourge of Christianity than the Jewish extremism of the first.

It has also been true that in regions where the Christian church was or is established, love has often grown cold especially where the rampant sin of the world around them has been allowed to affect their outlook. It is Christ-like love that drives the spread of the Gospel; anything less causes the church to retreat.

Challenge: Do you allow a Christ-like love to be your motivation?

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Matthew 24 v. 15 – 36 Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Jewish Nation

“15The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about – the sacrilegious object that causes desecration (Dan.9 v.27; 11v.31; 12v.11) standing in the Holy Place (reader pay attention!). 16Then those in Judea must flee to the hills... 21For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began! ... 24False messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. ... 27For as lightning flashes in the East and shines to the West so it will be when the Son of Man comes. ... 29Immediately after the anguish of those days, the ‘sun will be darkened... and the powers in heaven will be shaken’ (Isa13v.10). 30Then at last the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens... 31And he will send out his angels ... and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world.”

32Now learn the lesson of the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves sprout, you know summer is near. 33So when you see these things, you can know his (Christ’s) return is very near... 34this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. 36However no one knows when these things will happen... only the Father knows.

The narrative has already described Jesus beginning to teach his disciples about his ‘second’ coming (see Matt 16 v.21-28) and here goes into greater detail about the destruction of the Jewish temple and the end of the current age. This passage covers, the beginning of sorrows for Christ’s church (v.4-14); the tribulation for the people of Jerusalem (v.15-25); the clarity of Christ’s second coming (v.26-28); the significance of this second coming (v.29-31); the timing of this event (v.32-36); the necessity of remaining spiritually awake (v.37-44); and the main lesson to be drawn from this expectation (v.37-44).

In the previous section I suggested that Jesus and the Gospel writers had a telescopically flattened vision of future events. To them the separation between the destruction of Jerusalem and Christ’s second coming was obscured as one flat view; they did not have the benefit that we have of the two millennia separation from the present time to that of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation under subsequent Roman emperors. But Jesus did not claim to know how long this ‘age’ (the age of his presence in his church) would be and he clearly taught that only God in heaven knew that (v.36). However from the same passage it would seem that he thought the end would come within the lifetime of at least some of his hearers (v.32-35).

Jesus prophecy here not only covers the end of the Jewish nation under the Romans, but also the end of the current universe at Christ’s second coming. The fact of the subsequent resurrection of the Jewish nation in the twentieth century, two millennia after Christ can be viewed as a parallel to the Christian expectation that with Christ’s second coming, a resurrected and perfected universe will also be brought into being.

Food for thought: As pointed out in the previous section, Jesus was at pains to teach his disciples to be ready, to be on their guard so that they were prepared not just to overcome when facing the fires of persecution, but also when times are going well least we are lulled into spiritual sleep. He knew that in tough times we can be discouraged and easy times we can be complacent, and these are just as dangerous as each other for stifling spiritual growth.

Challenge: Be awake and ready to serve Christ in this world each day!

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Matthew ch.24 v.37 to ch.25 v.13 ~ Always be prepared!

24v.37When the Son of Man returns it will be like it was in Noah’s day...39People didn’t realise what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away... 42So you too must keep watch!...44You must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. 25v.1-12The Kingdom of heaven can be illustrated by the story of the ten bridesmaids who were preparing to join in a (Jewish) wedding parade and feast that followed the wedding ceremony at the bride’s home. The newly weds would be going from the bride’s house to the wedding feast at the groom’s house. The bridesmaids had brought their lamps with them and were waiting to go to the feast. However five of them hadn’t brought any spare oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to have brought extra oil, but only enough for themselves. When the groom delayed leaving the bride’s house with his wife, the bridesmaids became drowsy and fell asleep. Then at midnight they were awakened because the groom was soon be leaving for the feast. And five of the bridesmaids found that they had to go to get more oil for their lamps. But the couple left for the feast while they were gone and the five who were ready went with them to the marriage feast and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside calling ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But the groom called back, ‘I don’t know you!’

13So you too must keep watch. For you do not know the hour of my return.

The story may seem culturally strange to us and the meaning of the original is lost to most of us today,but the message is clear enough, viz.,Those who aren’t ready and spiritually awake may fail to enter God’s Kingdom. I have deliberately paraphrased the story (Mat.25 v.1-12) so that we can understand what Jesus hearers didn’t need explaining to them (I am indebted to Life Application Bible, Tyndale press, 1988 for this explanation). Jesus also taught his disciples that his ‘coming again’ would be at a time they would not expect’ (even though he had indicated that those who stayed spiritually alert might be able to detect when that might be).

But what was Jesus on about? Was this merely a psychological device to keep the Christian church focused and thus united, in its mission purpose? Some totalitarian regimes keep their people focused by building the tension of an (often imaginary) external threat that requires building strong armed forces at the expense of any personal luxury and welfare of the people. Is this the kind of tactic that Jesus had in mind? Well the teaching of Christ’s second coming certainly helps the Christian church to remain focused, but I don’t believe Jesus (or the Gospel writers) made this notion up as a device; since as I understand it, the teaching flows naturally from the Jewish first century religious background and Scriptures.

Jesus (together with other Jewish teachers) believed and taught that the ‘coming judgement’ would be a time when God as Messiah would finally come and put the world to rights. It would then not be just a matter of whisking the ‘righteous believers’ off to paradise and extermination for the rest of the world as some people today still seem to think. No! Jesus had in mind that his return (in the glory and power of the Father) would be to right all the wrongs in the world; to pull down the proud and lofty, to lift up the weak and downtrodden, much as the Magnificat sung by Mary in Luke 1 v.51,52 declares. Yes it will be a time of judgement, but only in the context of evil being exposed for what it is (rebellion against God) and for all the hurts and losses of all of evil’s victims in the world to be openly recognised and then transformed into the new life of God’s eternal Kingdom.

This eternal kingdom will I believe result in some form of new ‘physical’ universe that will be different from, but based on the ‘good’ universe we experience now. So the primary point of Jesus teaching about his ‘second coming’ is that we can know for certain that all un-righteousness will finally be sorted; hence we need to live our lives with this in mind.

Food for thought: This story told by the Lord Jesus would have had a deeper impact on his first century hearers than it has on those not familiar with first century Jewish weddings. Once we understand what part of the wedding the bridesmaids needed their lamps for, the story has a much greater meaning in relation to Jesus teaching about his second coming. The fact of the ceremony taking place at the bride’s family home illustrates that believers (those who acknowledge Jesus’ kingship) enter God’s kingdom (are wedded to Christ) in the hear and now. When the bridegroom (Christ) is ready to finally take his bride (his church) home to the wedding feast (the ‘new’ heaven & earth) the bridesmaids (Jesus’ followers) will need to be ready because on that day God will not wait for people to get their lives straight!

So our right attitudes each day are vital! For example, which of the following two attitudes do you think is what Jesus would have us adopt?

To live in this world and amongst its sometimes evil-minded peoples, and to live such God-centred lives that we help to bring about the transformation of our social cultures and the mind-sets of our peoples, in ways that please God both now and for the eternal kingdom?
Or, To leave the world to get on with its unrighteousness, as if the world and all the evil that its people espouse, will be wiped out eventually and forgotten, while the righteous are taken off to the new world of God’s heaven?

I think that the answer is this first option, because to live in this world with such a servant heart out of love for God, is to be prepared to enter God’s eternal kingdom, since Christ loves us in all eternity out of God’s servant heart (Lk.12 v.37 puts this most clearly).

Challenge: Think about God’s present and eternal love for sinners in the world around you.

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Matthew 25 v.14 to 30 ~ Jesus’ Parable of the three servants

‘A businessman called together his servants and entrusted them with some of his assets while he went on a long journey. He gave five bags of silver to the first, two bags of silver to the second and one bag to a third according to what he perceived to be their ability. The servants receiving five and two bags, each invested and doubled the money they were entrusted with by the time their master returned. And he was delighted with them entrusting them with even greater responsibilities. But the man who only received one bag, having buried it came and returned the silver and confessed that he had feared losing any of it since he knew his master was a hard man.’

‘The businessman rebuked the servant for not even depositing the money with the bank where it could have earned even some interest. He sacked the servant on the spot and handed over the bag of silver to the servant now controlling ten bags worth’. Jesus used this parable to further illustrate the kingdom of God, adding that those who use well the assets they are given in life, will be given more in God’s kingdom whereas those who do nothing with what they are entrusted, will lose even that which they think they have.

The assets Jesus was referring to here were not primarily material although a person’s material assets are not excluded. The primary point of the parable relates to how we employ the assets of faith and of God’s grace extended to us. The fact is that everyone born into this world has some capacity to call out to and trust God for grace to live by, as well as some capacity to exercise faith in both God and their fellow human beings. The parable teaches that those who exercise faith employing the gifts God gives them will receive more capacity whereas those who neglect their faith or their gifts will lose the capacity to retain them.

The parable also speaks of coming judgement and as such it links back to the previous section (Matt.24 v.27ff) on being prepared for that day and to the next section (Matt.25 v.31ff) about judgement day itself.

Food for thought: The truth of this parable of the talents can be seen not only in the physical realm where muscle and value waste away when not used, but in the social and spiritual realms as well where friendships and gifting are slowly lost when we don’t make effort to maintain and use them. Whereas when we maintain and use such values they grow. Living each day by faith in God’s Spirit to guide and enable us to love other people will grow God’s kingdom.

Challenge: Live out each day well in God’s presence.

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Matthew 25 v. 31 to 46 ~ The Final judgement

31When the Son of Man comes in his glory ... 32All the peoples will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate ... the ‘sheep’ to his right and the ‘goats’ to his left ... 34Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come ... inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36I was naked and you gave me your clothing. I was sick and you cared for me. I was in prison and you visited me.’

Christians may well feel that the challenge of these words applies in particular to them, and they are right to think so. However Jesus is here talking about God’s ‘Final Judgement’ which is equally applicable to all peoples and of whatever religion or none. For example I am currently reading the Pushtun school girl Malaga’s autobiography and I noted her description of her home life which was precious to her. She describes the lives that her parents lived out before her. Though relatively poor themselves, they would nevertheless take food to the hungry, take into their home the needy, pay for the education of destitute children when they could and showed the kind of outgoing care that Jesus talked about in this sermon.

The fact that they are Muslims is of no consequence to Jesus words: they will be separated by him to be among the sheep. On the other hand it is reasonable to suppose that those who attempted to murder the innocent school girl have shown no care for the innocent, given no love to the disadvantaged, etc. And such people (again regardless of their outward show of religion, Islam, Christianity or whatever) will be separated to be amongst the goats at God’s final judgement.

Whatever your view on God’s final judgement of all peoples, Jesus clearly believed that the ‘goats’ would be meted out eternal punishment, but those who by God’s grace live lives that allow God’s Spirit to work through them, will inherit through Christ the eternal relationship God intends for humanity and for which the universe was created. Jesus teaching about the sheep and the goats as applied to all people has nothing to do with the self-righteous striving for ‘salvation by deeds' that some Jews (and today some Muslims & Christians) work at.

Food for thought: There are some Christians who suppose that Jesus words here might be understood as ‘salvation by works’ rather than ‘salvation by grace.’ Consequently they try and explain away any apparent contradiction by confusing the teaching given in this sermon about God’s final judgement day with, for example Jesus rallying call to his disciples given in Matthew ch.10 (and similar NT passages) where Jesus stated that those who ‘give a cup of water to the least of my followers will surely not go un-rewarded.’ In my view they misguidedly believe that Jesus and St. Paul taught that it is only those who have specifically received and shown kindness to Jesus followers who will be separated to be among the sheep on judgement day and that all others will be separated among the goats.

The problem with such reasoning is that the context of each NT passage is different. Yes, Jesus and the Apostles were keen to teach Christians to especially love those who receive the Gospel message, but the primary relevance of the ‘cup of cold water’ teaching is that we are to love one another and that this is to be as a witness to God’s total love for all humanity (i.e., God gave his Son so that none might perish, Jn.3 v.16). The context of Jesus teaching about the judgement day is radically different to these other passages. The latter were given to encourage would be evangelists in their witness whereas the former is teaching about God’s judgement on all people.

St Paul considered that some Jews (like he himself had been) were puffed up with pride and believed they were earning their salvation by self-righteous and often ostentatious acts of charity. However we are wrong to suppose that Jesus teaching here about Judgement day is somehow a Gospel of Works (in the sense that Paul meant). The apparent dichotomy is easily resolved when we consider that ‘God is Love' and therefore it is not possible for anyone (Christian or otherwise) to truly love except by God's common grace to humankind.

Therefore when a person (regardless of their profession of faith or none) shows genuine love for their fellow human beings, they are demonstrating that they are allowing God's love to work through them - hence they may be counted as living (consciously or unconsciously) by faith in God. When such people meet with the risen Christ (either in this life or the next) they will by virtue of their welcoming the love which is of God, also welcome salvation by faith in Christ who is the ultimate expression of God's love. St. Paul clearly believed that people could worship the true God in ignorance (ref. his preaching to the Athenians), but this did not deter him in any way from presenting them with the truth of Christ Jesus!

Challenge: So the apparent problem was not meant to be easily swept under the carpet: Jesus teaching remains a challenge to all Christians! We are to love all people just as God has loved us.

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Matthew 26 v.1 to 30 ~ Jesus Anointed & Sacrament of the Last Supper.

6Jesus was in the home of Simon (a man who had had leprosy). 7While he was reclining, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive ointment and poured it over his head. 8disciples were indignant ...”What a waste of money,” they said, “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.” 10But Jesus replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing a good thing to me?” 11You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. 12She has poured this perfume on me (symbolically) to prepare my body for burial.” ... 14Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked. “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver.

20When it was evening, Jesus reclined at the table with the twelve. 21While they were eating, he said, “In truth, one of you will betray me.” 22Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one Lord?”... 25Judas, the one who would betray him also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?”

26Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” 27And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 29Mark my words, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 30Then they sand a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

From what John tells us (John 12 v.1ff) this anointing took place at the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. This is quite consistent with Mark and Matthew’s gospel stating this was Simon’s home, since Simon was most likely the wealthy merchant father of Martha, Mary & Lazarus who may well have previously been healed by Jesus from a serious skin complaint (leprosy to the Jews). The lady concerned was Mary who also showed her deep love for Jesus on other touching occasions. She had no doubt been given the jar of ointment by her father and had treasured it for some years. But then she was so overwhelmed by the realisation of what Jesus had been teaching the disciples, that he was about to sacrifice himself in fulfilment of the O.T. prophecies relating to the Messiah. Aware that her Lord would be taking on himself the sins of the world (Isa.53 v.1-12) including her own in particular, Mary’s love overflowed in the only way she could express it, by breaking her most precious jar of ointment and anointing Jesus feet and head in token of his impending death.

This incident raised consternation amongst the disciples and especially Judas Iscariot who was finally prompted to go and plot with the authorities how he would betray Jesus. Then at his last supper with his disciples, Jesus prepared them for the fact that one of them would shortly betray him and he assured them this was all in God’s plan. And at the same time Jesus indicated to Judas that he knew what he was plotting.

It was at this critical juncture that Jesus instigated a ceremony that would be fixed in the minds of the Apostles for the rest of their lives, the sacrament of the Last Supper (Holy Communion, Mass, Breaking of Bread as it is known today). This ceremony (of sharing bread and wine) that Jesus gave them (and us) was to symbolise God’s promise to all who would commit themselves to his teaching and who would receive from God the offer of the forgiveness of their sins by means of Jesus’ sacrificial death. And God’s promise is that to all who do receive and act on this truth, their sins are really forgiven!

Food for thought: Jesus gave the most suitable comment relating to this event of Mary anointing him, as recorded by Luke (ch.7 v.47) at the same or a similar incident, ‘I tell you her sins have already been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only a little love.’

I think the import of Jesus words was not that Mary had sinned any more than other people, but that she had come to realise (more than other people then had done for themselves) how much God in Jesus had forgiven her.

Challenge: Do you wonder with gratitude at the depth of love God has shown you in Jesus Christ?

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Matthew 26 v.31 to 57 ~ Jesus Betrayed and Arrested

31On the way (to the Mount of Olives), Jesus told them, “Tonight all of you will desert me.... 32But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go before you to Galilee and meet you there.” 33Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.” 34Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter – tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times you even know me.”

36Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37He took with him Peter, James and John and he became anguished and distressed... 39He went on a little further and bowed his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

47Judas arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people... 55Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the temple? I was there teaching every day....56At that point all his disciples deserted him and fled.

57Then the people who had arrested Jesus led him to the home of Caiaphas, the High Priest, where the teachers of the religious law and the elders had gathered.

Jesus knew what he would have to endure to fulfil that which had been prophesied and which he believed to be the Father’s way by which all humankind could be rescued from self deception and separation from God. But he was fully human and so shrunk from the pain that he was about to endure by crucifixion, nevertheless surrendering himself to his Father’s love.

He had already fully engaged with his own words to Peter in Gethsemane, “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (v.41).”

Food for thought: It was so that we can come to know his Father’s love that Jesus endured betrayal, desertion by his friends, the mocking of his enemies, the physical and mental torment of Roman crucifixion and that Jesus took on himself the pain of separation that results from our sin.

Challenge: Have you been won over by Father God’s love shown us in Jesus?

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Matthew 26 v.58 to 75 ~ Jesus before the Jewish Council and Peter’s Denial

62Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Well aren’t you going to answer these charges? ... 63But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God – tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothing... and said, “Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have heard his blasphemy. 66What is your verdict?” “Guilty they shouted. “He deserves to die!” 67Then they began to spit in Jesus face and beat him with their fists. ...

69Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.” 70But Peter denied it in front of everyone... 71Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” Again Peter denied it... 73A little later some of the other bystanders came over and said to Peter, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.” 74Peter swore, “A curse on me if I am lying – I don’t know the man!” And immediately the cock crowed. 75Suddenly, Jesus words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times that you even know me.” And he went away weeping bitterly.

This salutary lesson to Peter is described in convincing detail. Being night-time it was also likely that those outside would have heard all the proceedings going on inside the house: equally Jesus may well have heard Peter’s vehement denials outside. To begin with the high priest and his cronies had tried to bring trumped up charges which were probably not too convincing: hence eventually he challenged Jesus to state openly to the Council his claim to be God’s Messiah and from his answer they condemned him to death for blasphemy, but without considering any evidence to the contrary from his life and witness. They just assumed he was wrong and that they were right.

Food for thought: Many Christians today in Muslim counties (such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and others) are similarly falsely charged with blasphemy on trumped up charges or on very weak evidence, usually by those who want to be rid of them or who hate them without cause. And often the courts are too weak to provide unprejudiced or fair justice. In Jesus case claiming when challenged, that he was indeed the promised Jewish Messiah, the verdict was given against him based entirely on prejudice. Since if any consideration had been given by the Council to the clear and well known evidence of Jesus exemplary life, the many healing miracles performed which they were unable to deny, and his authoritative teaching about God for which they were unable to find fault, an unbiased jury would not have come to the same judgement. The evidence of his public and private life should have caused the Jewish Council to reconsider their paradigms about the promised Messiah.

Challenge: Jesus took the rejection and blows meted out to him for the sake of reaching his enemies with God’s love. How willing are we to similarly take up our cross and follow him?

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Matthew 27 v. 1- 26 ~ Judas commits Suicide & Jesus is Condemned

2Then the (leading priests and elders) bound (Jesus), led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor. 3When Judas realized that Jesus had been condemned to death, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and elders. “4I have sinned”, he declared “for I have betrayed an innocent man.” ”What do we care?” they retorted. 5Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the temple and went and hanged himself.

11Now Jesus was standing before Pilate. “Are you the king of the Jews, the governor asked him. Jesus replied, “You have said it.” ...13Don’t you hear all these charges they are bringing against you? 14But Jesus made no response to any of the charges much to the governor’s surprise. 15Now it was the governor’s custom during Passover to release one prisoner to the crowd. ...20Meanwhile the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. 21So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release?” The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas.” 22Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” 26So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus to be flogged ...and crucified.

Matthew’s account of Jesus trial was written earlier than and differs in minor detail from John’s account. All four accounts differ in some details. Mark’s is the briefest and Matthew is closest to Mark’s account. Luke and John both add extra though different detail. Mark is thought to be based on Peter’s testimony, whereas Matthew’s is more likely a ‘received’ account of what happened, whereas John’s account corrects the minor detail in Mark and Matthew relating to where Pilate was during the trial. And Luke adds a new dimension by included Herod in the whole process.

Matthew’s account indicates that the Jewish leaders acknowledged that Jesus was ‘innocent’ under Roman law at least and that the death sentence was questionable under Jewish law. Pilate also acknowledged that Jesus was innocent under Roman law, but he felt it expedient (as did the Jewish leaders) to condemn an innocent man in the interests of peaceful control. Pilate’s annual release of a prisoner regardless of the prisoner’s criminal guilt was also clearly designed to pacify the injustice felt by an oppressed nation under Roman occupation. Both actions of passing a death sentence on an innocent and releasing a convicted criminal were far from just.

Food for thought: Whatever Judas motive for betraying Jesus, he soon realised that the consequences were more serious than he anticipated. To be filled with remorse is not the same s repenting. Remorse as in Judas case can result in suicide when a person can no longer live with himself or herself. They have a self hatred that runs away from help and away from love. Whereas with repentance a guilty person brings their guilt into the open seeking help to turn around and change. They are looking for help and they respond to love. Since God is love, ultimately the one turns away from God and the other turns toward God.

Challenge: When filled with shame do you look for help to change or look to hide away?

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Matthew 27 v. 27 to 56 – The Crucifixion and death of Jesus

27Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters ... 29and knelt before him in mockery ... 30and spat on him ... and struck him on the head with a stick... 31then led him away to be crucified... 35After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his cloths by throwing dice. 36Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. 37A sign was fastened to the cross ...It read “This is Jesus the king of the Jews.”

39The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “40Look at you now!” they yelled at him, “You said you were going to destroy and rebuild the temple in three days. Well then if you are the Son of God save yourself and come down from the cross.”

45At noon darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “My God, my God why have you abandoned me?” ... 50Then Jesus shouted again and he released his spirit.

Jesus lived his life accordance with and in fulfilment of the Jewish (O.T.) scriptures. Psalm 22 would have been especially dear to him since it spoke to him of his sacrificial death. Hence it is not surprising that he managed to cry out loud with the opening verse, ‘My God, my God why have you abandoned me?’, as he identified with the psalm at the moment but in doing so also held onto the fulfilment of the psalm’s promise that ‘the whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him’ and ‘The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the Lord will praise him.’

Those who mocked were those who did not understand that God in Jesus was giving himself to us, to all the mockery, unbelief, evil that is within each of us. There was no way that Jesus was going to walk away from making himself an offering for the sins of the world, or that God in Jesus Christ was going to walk away from offering himself to us.

As Baxter Kruger states (The Shack Revisited, p.194, Hodder & Stoughton, London, 2012):

‘For in the oneness of the blessed Trinity, the Father and the Holy spirit suffered Jesus’ hell with him. They fully shared his trauma, feeling his abuse, tasting the salt of his tears, and sharing his humble restraint in the teeth of sickening injustice. They chose the way of submission, of other-centred love, of grief and shared sorrow, and in doing so drew our very hell into the bosom of the Father and into the dwelling of the Holy Spirit...

‘The death of Jesus was an act of inclusion: he was including the real us, the fallen, helpless, broken, rebellious us in his fellowship with his Father. In dying, Jesus became the mercy seat, the place where the blessed Trinity personally suffered and endured sinners and their sin in astonishing mercy.’

Food for thought:

‘The gospel is the news that the Father’s Son has received us into his (life). In Jesus the alien world of our darkness and pain, of our obstinate pride and anger, was drawn with in the life of the blessed Trinity... Our adoption is not mere theological doctrine. Adoption is the way things really are, now and forever (ibid, p.195)’

Challenge: Are you rejoicing in being part of God’s life on earth?

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Matthew ch.27 v.57 to ch.28 v.4

57As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea ... went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. 59Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. 60He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. 61Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were...watching. 62The next day the leading priests went to see Pilate...they told him, “Sir, we remember (Jesus) once said: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ 64So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day ... to prevent his disciples from stealing his body and claiming he is raised from the dead. If that were to happen we’ll be worse off than before.” 65Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” 66So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it. 28.v1Early on Sunday morning... Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.

Although Pilate despised the Jewish leaders he might have seen the sense in what they may have argued about the potential for claims by Jesus’ disciples that he had risen from the dead. Palestine was ripe for exploitation by hot heads wanting to fight Roman occupation and a prophet risen from the dead had the potential to rally a wide scale uprising. However there is reasonable doubt that Matthew’s account here is historically accurate as it could have arisen as an apologetic (between the Jews and the Christians) that became incorporated in early church tradition.

Neither is it clear from Matthew’s text as to whether or not the tomb was officially sealed by the Romans. Matthew’s Gospel could be following a tradition that had grown up rather than an eyewitness account. The description of an angel rolling aside the (large) stone and sitting on top of it sounds like a colourful elaboration especially when compared to the comparatively muted resurrection accounts given in John and Luke’s Gospels.

It was only the rich such as Joseph (also a member of the Jewish Council) that could have afforded to have their own tomb hewn from a solid rock face. The NT resurrection accounts point to the place of crucifixion being on a Roman road and close to a garden/ grove. The ‘Garden tomb’ site in Jerusalem may well be the actual site of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial and resurrection. The tomb itself which has been excavated in modern times (1867) is set in an ancient garden (also found to contain some ancient large hewn water cisterns with early Christian symbol scratched into the walls). This tomb had become the site of an early Jewish Christian shrine and church building. The roof of the building was supported from the rock face and is arch shaped which accords with early Jewish architecture.

The tomb would have formed a shrine inside the building (pointing to is being Christian rather than Jewish) and on the outside are the marks of a baptismal drainage system in the rock floor. The indications are that the building was probably constructed some time before the sacking of Jerusalem by the Roman general Titus in AD70. Having massacred the inhabitants, Titus’ army was given orders to destroy all Jewish (including Christian) religious sites and this could have been when the Garden tomb site was first buried under tonnes of rubble (it was not discovered by Queen Helena who sought to identify and commemorate the Jewish Christian sites in AD397. Suggestions that the site may have been of Crusader origin have very weak support since the Crusaders had no reason to doubt the validity of the Hellenic Holy Sepulchre site).

Nearby the site of the Garden tomb there is a natural rock outcrop feature beside an ancient quarry (now a Jewish bus station) that is strikingly scull shaped which accords well with the description of the site given in Luke’s account (Lk.23 v.33) and brought to light in modernity by General Gordon in 1883. The quarry would have been served by or would have been adjacent to a road (as suggested Matt 27 v.39) leading to the North from the city and outside the first century outer city boundary wall.

Food for thought: Joseph showed courage to take the body of Jesus and place it in his own rock hewn tomb, thus effectively challenging the majority Jewish Council decision to have Jesus crucified as a common criminal. But it matters little for Christians to know for certain where Jesus was buried and raised from the dead. What matters is that we serve him today showing similar degree of courage as Joseph of Arimathea.

Challenge: Are you confident that God in Christ is with you by his Spirit in your life and witness today?

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Matthew 28 v.5 to 20 – Jesus’ Resurrection and Great Commission

5Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead ... 7And now go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. 8The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were frightened, but also filled with joy ... 9And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ... grasped his feet and worshiped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee and they will see me there.”

16Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee going to the mountain Jesus told them to go. 17When they saw him there they worshiped him – but some doubted! 18Jesus came and told (them), “I have been given all authority in heaven and earth. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20Teach these to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

This account was penned after Mark’s Gospel, some years before John’s account and possible before Luke’s Gospel. Matthew’s account of the resurrection reads like a very brief summary of what happened following some early tradition, whereas in my view Luke and John have provided accounts that read as if they are derived more directly from eyewitness accounts. Mark (for whatever reason) doesn’t appear to have recorded any actual resurrection appearance of Jesus in his original document (the current alternative endings by all accounts are subsequent though very early additions). Since the compiler of Matthew appears to have drawn the history of Jesus life mainly from Mark’s account, it is not surprising in my view that only a summary of the resurrection is included.

Matthew records only two actual appearances of Jesus, the first to the women returning from the empty tomb and then to the eleven (with possibly some other disciples) once they had gone to a mountain in Galilee (possibly Mt. Hermon) they had been directed to go to by Jesus (v.16). Mark tells us (Mk.16 v.7) that this instruction was given by Jesus before his death (possibly at the last Supper).

The words of Jesus to the women are identical to the words given shortly before by the angel and could have been transferred from across since the author of Matthew had nothing to add to the angel’s message. Hence Matthew’s account provides essentially the one important statement from Jesus after his resurrection, viz., that of the ‘great commission.’

The resurrection appearances (recorded elsewhere in the NT) omitted by Matthew were to Peter, to two disciples (not of the ‘eleven’) travelling to Emmaus, to the eleven and others, to Thomas, to a group of over 500 and to Paul.

Food for thought: St Paul states that if Christ was not raised from the dead, then ‘the Christian faith is useless’ and he links the fact of the resurrection to the forgiveness of sins(1cor.15v.17). And St. Peter in his first epistle (1Pet.1v3) gives categorical testimony that Jesus was raised from the dead and links this to Christian spiritual re-birth. Since Mark Gospel was essentially derived from what St. Peter recounted to him (according to early tradition), it may seem odd that Mark’s Gospel and subsequently Matthew’s Gospel give so little attention to the resurrection.

Both Gospels’ were written at a time when the Christian faith was empowered by God’s Spirit and was spreading rapidly. Given St. Paul’s strong focus on the centrality of Jesus’ resurrection in his preaching and teaching at the time these two Gospel accounts were being written, why did they contain so little emphasis on the resurrection (despite St. Paul’s companion Luke and then later John both give fuller and eyewitness accounts)?

I can’t answer that question, but it is worth reflecting on what truth lays behind St. Paul’s teaching. What essentially achieves the forgiveness of our sins and our salvation? It is clearly Jesus death on the cross which was given in God’s love for us and it is God’s love for us which achieves our re-birth; and it is our response of repentance and faith that enables God’s Spirit to bring forth our on-going salvation. Christ’s resurrection as such is important but ancillary to Jesus death and to God’s saving grace. It is in effect a bonus given by God because it confirms the truth we need to grasp. It seems to me that the essential role that Paul gives the resurrection is justified only in that it enables our faith to accept that God really was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.

It is sufficient that we really believe that Christ was God’s Son who died for our sins and that we commit ourselves wholly to this faith and confess this truth with our lips. By this we are indeed spiritually born again and receive all of God’s Grace. So it would seem that although the resurrection of Jesus is central to the Christian message, it is not that which of itself can save us.

St. Paul continues in his Corinthian epistle (1 Cor.15 v.20ff) to make more of the resurrection in relation to our hope for eternal life. He teaches that we too will receive resurrection bodies because Jesus’ resurrection was ‘the first fruits of that life to come’. It is possible that when Matthew’s Gospel was being written, the church had not received much teaching about the life to come and was thinking more about living the Christian life in the here and now. (See back to discussion on this in Matt.ch.16 food for thought)

Challenge: Are you fully embracing the depth of God’s love for you knowing for sure that nothing can separate you from his love (Romans 8 v.31-39)?

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