The teachings of Philip G. Roets & Lois Roets
Commentary by Philip G. Roets STL, SSL
Good News: You Can Be Part of the Kingdom. David Is Here!
As Jesus was walking along the shore of the Lake of Galilee, he called a tax collector named Levi. Levi was at his work in the customs house. Jesus said to him, "Follow me." Levi got up, left everything and followed Jesus. (Mark 2:13-14) The man called Levi is the same as Matthew. It was quite common for men in public life to have both a Jewish and a Greek name. This was especially true of men who worked for the Gentiles, such as a tax collector.
Levi becomes a very dedicated follower. He uses his education to put the gospel in writing in later years. In fact, the Aramaic original of Matthew's gospel is the first written account of Jesus' life that is extant. The present Greek version is a more developed form of the original. Matthew's account is written in much the same style as he would have kept books. There is little emotion as the facts are presented. Then a passage is drawn from the Old Testament to show that this is what was to be expected.
The gospel stories about Jesus were not written, collected and presented as the evening news. Every story is slanted to make a point. The point deals with the way in which convinced people are supposed to imitate the example of Jesus, the Christ, in their daily lives.
The Gospel according to Matthew opens with a "monotonous" genealogy list contrived in segments of "14." The last sentence is "All the generations therefore from Abraham to David are FOURTEEN; from David to the Babylonian deportation are FOURTEEN; from the Babylonian deportation to the Christ are FOURTEEN."
This Gospel story was put together first for Christians who had come from Judaism. Their mentality was Jewish and so they understood all the implications of this passage. We are 20 centuries removed from that writing and have a western mentality. We have to dig back in history and learn the background to understand why this genealogy was written and placed here as the introduction to this "Good News" about the Messiah.
The two great heroes of 1st century Jews were Abraham and David. Abraham laid the foundations for a CHOSEN PEOPLE and gave them a unity, a direction, a purpose and a start toward their goal. Abraham was given the name, "FATHER OF ALL NATIONS." He is seen not only as the starting point of the people of God but of a whole new mankind.
David had taken the loose political unity of tribes and turned them into a nation and a KINGDOM with clout. He was called "David" which means "beloved." In Hebrew, each consonant has a numerical value. The consonants in David's name, "D-V-D," add up to 4+6+4=14. So the composer of this genealogy pointed out that Jesus was the NEW or REAL DAVID, the "BELOVED" of Yahweh, as would be said explicitly later on. (Matt. 3:17)
Of all the names from the lineage of the Old Testament, the writer picked only three groups of 14. Then, to make sure that we do not miss the point, he stated it as a conclusion: From David to the end of the Davidic Kingdom is 14. From the end of the Davidic Kingdom to the Anointed (The Christ who is Jesus) is 14. In place of that "14" each time, put the name David, and you see immediately how the writer was making his point. He was about to tell the story of the New or Real David who was Jesus, the Christ.
The next story tells us another aspect of the personality of Jesus. Over the centuries, theologians and teachers have lost sight of the great truth of this section. They have fought and argued about a point that was never stated in the story.
The writer knew that the people who were first reading this story were familiar with all the stories of the Old Testament. Therefore he quoted the main point of a story and presupposed they knew the entire text or story.
The writer also assured the people that Jesus was the person they had been looking for. They should listen to his teachings and live according to them. His teachings should live in the Chosen People of the Old Law and in the lives of the followers of Christ in the New Law.
This quality was summed up in three Hebrew words that form one word in English. That word is "Immanu-El." "Im" means "with," "nu" means "us," "El" means "God." The connective syllable "ma" makes the words easier to say. In English we say "God-With-Us."
Jesus lived to show people who and what God is. He was the evidence of the presence of God in the world. In fact, Jesus was the fulfillment of many such phenomena pointed out in the Old Testament.
Time and again, the teachers of the Old Law would try to lead the Chosen People away from the allurement of pagan idolatry and toward Yahweh, the true God. They would point to manifestations of his loving presence. Now Jesus was presented in this way because of the way he lived, what he taught, and what he asked his followers to do. Jesus was the visible manifestation of the presence of God in the world. By their convictions and the lives they lead, Christians are supposed to be the same.
If you go back to the first days of the Christian life in the Roman Empire, this was carried out. The Romans, for all their coarseness and inhuman practices, looked at Christians as they went about their daily lives. Their commentary was so short, "See how these Christians love one another!"
Who were these Christians who made such an impact on the pagan world about them? They were the slaves, the poor, and in most instances, uneducated people. They were considered the "nobodies" of the Roman world. From the early 60's to 313 A.D. they were pursued and put to death because of their beliefs. Yet by their lives, they succeeded in converting the Roman Emperor, himself, and he stopped the persecution in 313 by the Edict of Milan.
These Christians were truly the manifestation of the presence of God in the world about them. They were truly "Immanuel" — God with us. The Gospel story was truly "Good News" for all the people.
Mount Your Camels! Find That King! Star of the East as Guide, Search Ends in Small Town.
The next story has been dramatized for years. Everyone seems to know the story but what does the writer want to tell us by this story? Again, he left nothing to guesswork. He told us. He saw this story as the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy in Micah 5:1. The Old Testament story took place when the Davidic Kingdom of the Old Law was ready to fall. The Davidic Kingdom was supposed to be a special kingdom. David and his successors were not supposed to have been tyrannical despots. They were not to lord it over their people or use their people for their own selfish gains — as was the practice in the world about them at the time. The Davidic kingdom was to be ruled by people who were "shepherds of their people."
Shepherds of the Middle East lead their sheep. They go in front of them and call the sheep by name. They protect the sheep against all their enemies. They lead the sheep to green pasture, to fresh water, and comfortable places to rest. They lead them safely back to the fold at night. The Davidic kings failed to live up to their calling and the Kingdom of David was destroyed.
Now Jesus was born. Immediately the writer pointed out that he was to be a "SHEPHERD-KING."
To develop this story in full detail, the writer brought in several points of interest. First, there were the "Magi" from the east. A "Magos" was a wise man or a person versed in astrology among the Persians. They came to Jerusalem, which is the royal city of David made famous by Solomon because of the Temple. Herod was the king but he was a cruel tyrant and a figurehead of Rome, although he hated the Romans because they made him feel insignificant.
"The Rising Star" that the Magi saw was not be a special star but the sun itself. It rises in the east and continues its journey to the west. (At least that is how it appears to the naked eye.) What the Magi really said was that from their study of astronomy and astrology, they had come to look for a special king in this area. The Jews were definitely talking about the Messiah, the Anointed, the King. He was due to arrive soon. So the Magi went to what they considered the best source of such news, King Herod.
From Herod's presence they went to Bethlehem and found Jesus. How long this took no one knows. The fact is that these people saw Jesus as a great king even though they did not belong to the Jewish nation. They offered Jesus gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. These represented the wealth and perfume of the east. The gifts were presented to Jesus — the universal king.
You will also note that in the Matthew story, Jesus was living with his parents in a house when this visit took place. In fact, none of the details about the cave and the birth are mentioned here. They are found only in Luke. From Matthew's account of the birth and the visit of the Magi, we would suppose that the family lived in Bethlehem.
The last sentence of the incident told us how Matthew wanted us to interpret the whole story. The Magi were "warned in a dream" not to go back to Herod but to go back to their country by a different route. Read 1 Kings 13:1-34 to find the exact quote in vv. 9-10. The time was about 929 B.C. Solomon had just died and immediately the fighting broke out between the 10 tribes of the North and the 2 tribes of the South. Separate kingdoms were set up and Jeroboam was the successor of Solomon. He turned at once to idolatry. Through this historical reference, Matthew pointed out the type of person Herod was as the successor of Jeroboam I. At the same time, he pointed out the basic opposition between Jesus, the King and his Kingship and that of the physical descendants of David.
The heart of the story prepares us for the Shepherd who would be the King of the Kingdom of God according to the plan and will of Yahweh.
King Out to Kill the "Interloper." Couple from Nazareth Seek Safety in Egypt.
This story in Matthew is often called the Flight into Egypt. This is not really a good indication of what the writer wanted to stress about the personality of Jesus.
Herod was furious when he heard that the Magi had deceived him and escaped. He followed the example of Jeroboam in 929 B.C. He learned that the child they had found was a boy recently born. So Herod commanded all Jewish baby boys under the age of two were to be slaughtered. In this way he would offset any person rising to claim his throne.
Matthew's interpretation of this story takes us back to JEREMIAH. He was the royal prophet and great man of God at the time of the final destruction of the Kingdom of Judah in 586 B.C. Jeremiah had the formidable and terrifying task of telling the king what would happen to him and his whole court. Jeremiah knew he would be considered a preacher of doom and destruction when he told the King and his court what was going to happen. It did not take a lot of savvy to see the fate in store for them. Jeremiah said he tried to keep quiet but the urgency of the message of Yahweh burned him up on the inside so that he thought he would burst. Then Jeremiah proclaimed his message of doom and destruction. He was imprisoned and tortured because he did not give the king a pleasant message.
The passage that Matthew recalled is Jeremiah 31:15. Rachel was mentioned as the mother because she was the favorite wife of Jacob and, as such, was looked upon as the Mother of Israel. She was weeping for her children because they no longer existed. The kingdom had been destroyed. However, Jeremiah went on to speak of the future. The tragedy would not end in destruction.
A redress would take place (Jeremiah 31:31-34). The Old Covenant, which had been written on tablets of stone, was brought to the people by Moses. The people had failed miserably to live up to this covenant and Yahweh had to punish them. However, Yahweh said that he was faithful to himself. He would write a New Covenant. This Covenant would be written not on stone tablets but in the heart of each person. This Covenant would be based, not just on a chosen people, but on the personal responsibility of each person.
Because of Herod's edict, Joseph took Mary and Jesus and went to the safety of Egypt. Matthew says how he understood this incident: He recalled two passages in the Old Testament. The first is Numbers 23:22 where Yahweh called Israel from the slavery of Egypt. The second reference is more important, Hosea 11:1-6. Hosea was a prophet in the 8th century B.C. and a contemporary of Amos and Isaiah I. Hosea preached in the Northern Kingdom and tried to get them to turn away from idolatry before they were overrun by pagans and taken into captivity. They paid no attention. In 722 B.C., the ten northern tribes were taken away to Assyria. Hosea preceded this catastrophe. He tried to win the people back to Yahweh by recalling the fatherly tenderness and concern of Yahweh for Israel. Yahweh gave his guidance and teaching through the prophets.
Now, when the time was right, Yahweh would call Jesus through his parents, and they would come out of Egypt — as of yore — to come back to the Promised Land and establish the Kingdom of God.
Family Returns to Quiet Life. Evil King Dies. Exiled Couple Return Home with Child.
We come to the concluding incident of Matthew's introduction to the Good News about Jesus. We have the "angel of the Lord" again. It was the fourth time this phrase had been used in this introduction. It was the standard Hebrew phrase "Malachi Yahweh" translated into Greek as "Aggelos Kuriou." It means "messenger of the Lord." It was used in the Old Testament of the weather, a storm, a prophet, a war. This phrase can refer to any person, place, thing, or event that helps us figure out what to do, how to interpret an event or get a solution to a problem. The person, place, thing, or event then becomes the messenger of Yahweh or the messenger of the Lord.
Joseph got word that Herod and his cohorts were dead. He took his family and started back to his home country. However, he heard that Archelaus, son of Herod, was on the throne in Jerusalem and he was supposed to be worse than his father. So Joseph passed Jerusalem and settled in Nazareth in the northern part of Palestine.
Again, Matthew told you what he saw in this fact by quoting from the Old Testament. He referred back to Judges 13:1-7. It was the story of the conception and birth of Samson. His mother was to observe the vows of the Nazirite in order to conceive. Samson was to live the life of a Nazirite in order to carry out his work to save the people of God.
Again we have a special story about the conception and birth of the child and its relationship to his life's work as a special man of God.
That ends Matthew's introductory remarks about the life of Jesus. He has given us several points about the personality of Jesus and the way in which these qualities touch the lives of his followers. Jesus was the:
This section of the Gospel story is often referred to as the "body" of the teaching. The present division of the Gospel would be as follows:
The reader has to remember that there was no division by chapters and verses in its original form. These were put in centuries later — primarily as a convenient way of referring to a particular passage. Sometimes these divisions may not seem logical to the reader. Then it is up to the reader to make the division he/she sees as better.
The reader will note that each section is divided into a narrative section and a doctrinal section. The narrative section tends to tell stories about the life of Jesus. The doctrinal section concentrates more on his teaching. The two sections are closely related and this is not an ironclad distinction. All facts in the narrative section are developed to teach a particular point. There is no such thing as a "merely factual account" in the Semitic historical genre.
We often hear these words of praise about a person. "He/She is a person of his/her word." These are words of highest praise because they tell us a person can be trusted to do exactly what is promised.
Matthew was interested in showing us that the Good News (gospel) about Jesus was that he could be trusted to live by the Word of God. Jesus showed, by his life and teaching, that what God had said through his teachers and seers of the past, was true and would be carried out in detail. Matthew picked out key ideas and developed them. Here is a list of what he thought was important.
Additional Information: Age of these disciples. Through the centuries we have seen them depicted in art and sculpture as old men. We know for certain that Paul was age 24 at the time of his conversion — a young, energetic, fiery-tempered, apodictic type of person. He often spoke first and then realized what he was thinking. John was in his early teens when he was called. The other apostles were in their early or middle twenties. Peter is the only one we are sure was married because we are told about his mother-in-law.
The basic promise of Jesus is "HAPPINESS" if the right dispositions are present in the person. The Good News is not a "pie-in-the-sky" promise. The Good News is concerned with the "here-and-now" life of each person. Happiness is promised to each person, on an individual basis, in this life. The right dispositions are: (Matthew 5:3-12)
"poor in spirit." "Spirit" in this phrase is the spirit or "breath" of Genesis, chapter 2. It refers to the creative breath of Yahweh that is the source of life for each person and the evidence that the person is truly alive. Hence this first disposition was concerned with a new creation which was a favorite theme of the early Christians. "Poor" refers to a detached attitude toward material things. In contrast to the world about them, the Christians were to want material things only as they needed them. They were to be willing to share with all that were in need. This attitude would establish the "Kingship of the Heavens" in their lives.
Being "poor in spirit" is the basic disposition demanded of all the followers of Jesus. Then come the seven ways in which this happiness is to be attained in the midst of hardships.
The first beatitude, "the meek" or the "gentle," stresses that this Kingship or this Happiness is not to be gained by a domineering or warlike attitude. It is the meek or gentle person who will receive the earth as a heritage.
Conclusion: Verses 11 and 12 give a picture of what Christians can expect from the world about them. The writer referred back to the lives of the prophets and the mistreatment many of them received. If you are not familiar with these men of the past, read their stories. Note how these men looked at the people around them in their daily lives. They saw the terrible way these people bragged about being the Chosen People, then worked to destroy each other, and set a bad example for all the people in the area. The prophets felt they had to do something about it. They taught, exhorted, threatened — over and over again. The result, for the most part, was that they were hated and ridiculed, persecuted and ignored and, at times, put to death. Now, said Jesus, the happiness I am talking about will come to you in this life insofar as you follow the example of the prophets.
This means that Christians are to stand up to the world about them. They are to make a difference by putting forth effort to change the selfishness and destruction that are rampant in a world without principles.
That's the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. You can see it serves as a general introduction to this section of the teachings of Jesus and gives them a special slant. Because of the parallel drawn with the Moses of the Old Law, this is really a summary of the New and Eternal Covenant that is to fulfill the Old Law in its transitory stage.
The opening lines of this Sermon on the Mount are often called the Eight Beatitudes. Here is a rewording in our modern language — while still keeping the original meaning. These opening lines are a summary of the traits of true leadership demanded of any follower of Christ.
General Statement: If you want to be truly happy, you must set goals that are beyond mere material success.
1. If you want to be truly happy, you must be a leader without overpowering and crushing others.
2. If you want to be truly happy, you must have the ability to be sad and show it, to accept strength and help from others, and to keep going through the hardship.
3. If you want to be truly happy, you must have an intense desire for "justice." This means you must be an honest, law-abiding, fair, open-hearted, trustworthy, incorruptible, reputable person.
4. If you want to be truly happy, you must be filled with the qualities of mercy and kindness. You have to be able to see around the faults and failures of others and find their good qualities.
5. If you want to be truly happy, you have to set a high goal and then stick with it. You cannot find happiness if you allow yourself to run after every fleeting goal.
6. If you want to be truly happy, you have to want peace in your life. You have to establish peace in your life and in the world around you.
7. Here is the list of traits needed to establish a solid basis for true and lasting happiness in your life. The reader is reminded again: This is not going to come easy. In fact, you will be laughed at, mocked, hated, and even persecuted because your goals are so high. When that mistreatment comes your way, don't be surprised. Don't think of quitting. Don't feel sorry for yourself. This is exactly what they did to the great leaders of the past. Just look at their lives.
If you want true happiness in your life today, you have to put meaning and value in the world about you. You must be the salt that seasons the world properly. You must be the light that makes all things visible. You must be a lamp, put on the pedestal, so that all in the world may see. The creative action and effective behavior demanded of true leadership have always met with opposition and this will never change.
We still use this phrase when we want to give high praise to a person. The image does not really mean much to us. To get its meaning we have to go back in time. Among the nomads, salt was used in their sacrifices and in the friendship meal that followed. This was so true that when a person was invited to a banquet, he immediately looked for the salt. If he was seated above the salt, it meant that he was invited as a true friend. If he was seated below the salt, it meant he was invited because he had to be and his presence was merely tolerated.
Our word "salary" comes from the Latin word for salt. The reason again was because of the importance of salt in the economy of Rome. The soldiers were actually paid in "salt." It had a permanent value among the people and was far more valuable at the market and on the street than the coin of the realm.
Jesus sums up the whole life of a Christian in the words. "You are the salt of the earth!" He was talking about one value of salt only. That is the power to SEASON foods and make them tasty. We all know what happens to the taste of food if a little bit of salt is not cooked into it. It becomes flat and insipid. The salt used in proper proportions makes ordinary food into a banquet.
If salt loses its native flavor, what can be done with it? What can restore the flavor to the salt and give back its power of seasoning? The answer is "Nothing." The salt is good for only one thing. It is thrown out on footpaths and roads and walked on to harden the surface of the path or road.
The Christian, by his/her life, is to have an effect on society similar to salt. The Christian is to have in his life the qualities that are needed to establish harmony and peace in the society around him. Then by example, this Christian permeates society and gives it the true Christian flavor.
There are several applications that are presupposed by this figure of speech. First, don't put in too much salt. Salt is a marvelous seasoning but if you put in too much salt, the food becomes inedible because all that can be tasted is the overdose of salt. So the Christian is not to lord it over the people with whom he lives, is not to act superior toward others, is not to be "pushy" or hypercritical. Like the salt, if the Christian loses his qualities that empower him to bring about change, the Christian will be the worst of the lot. He will imitate the unchristian attitudes and habits of those around him and will do far more harm than any other non-Christian.
Another image expresses the same idea. Light comes into the room quietly and penetrates into the darkest corner. The more powerful the light, the more it will light up the surroundings. In this passage, Jesus said that the Christian is to be the light of the whole world. No one lights a light and then immediately covers it. Rather, the light is put up on the lamp stand so that everyone in the room can see more clearly.
The conclusion to both images is stated: "So let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and give praise to your Father in heaven." The salt and the light are your good works. These works are to be performed so that others may see them. Thus they will establish the fatherhood of God through the brotherhood of men.
Application to today's world: The Christian teaching has been in existence for over 2000 years. During the first two and a half centuries of its existence, there was intermittent and fierce persecution. The outcome of their lives was the Edict of Milan in 313 when Constantine officially ended the persecutions and he himself became a Christian. The reason was because of what he had seen in the lives of Christians.
From 313 to today, the good example has faded. We have seen wars, fighting, killing, and every type of selfishness in the so-called Christian world. We have built beautiful churches and destroyed people. We have made more and more powerful guns and ammunition and have seen more and more people starve to death. What ever happened to that "Salt of the Earth" and that "Light of the World?"
Another point that bothered many of the first Christians was the relationship between the Old Law and its promises and this New Law. There had been over one hundred men in the last hundred years, prior to the coming of Jesus, who had claimed to be the Messiah. To a man, they had come to destroy what was already present and to start something new. Jesus was very careful to point out this was not his attitude or approach.
Jesus did not come "to destroy but to fulfill." The Old Law was a preparation. It was never intended to be complete but would flower into completion with the coming of the Messiah. The prophets talked about this fulfillment in various ways. Each one stressed a particular point or aspect. None saw the complete picture or claimed to. John the Baptist was the last of the Old Covenant prophets and the bridge to the New Covenant. It was his privilege to point out Jesus, Messiah, and the fulness of the prophecies. Jesus carefully pointed out that he did not come to condone violence or the attempted destruction of the Law or the Prophets. At the same time, he clearly stressed that he was fulfilling the Old and setting up the New.
Jesus started this passage by condemning the shallow lives of the Scribes and Pharisees. The Pharisees were the "holier than thou" leaders of the populace. They condemned the stilted behavior of the Sadducees (the priestly group). But their piety was a letter-of-the-law approach and only letter-deep. The Scribes were the so-called learned men who could read and write. They read the Law for the Pharisees and interpreted it. They were as shallow as the Pharisees.
Jesus said simply: "Unless your justice greatly surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the Kingdom of the Heavens." That seemed to say it all. Jesus did not compromise with these popular leaders nor did he hope to win them to see his ideas.
In the last sentence (Matt. 5:48) of this passage, Jesus set his norm: "You must therefore be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." Just as his one sentence of condemnation said it all, so this one sentence of approval said it all. It is the Fatherhood of God that is to be manifest by the way in which Christians live and act. Therefore it is primarily as "children of Yahweh," as the family of mankind, that Christians are to appear to the world. A double emphasis is contained in these words: Each individual must assume the responsibility of establishing his/her sonship with the Father. Like all sons, they will form a part of the family. Therefore they must carry out this responsibility always in the context of the family with the other children. So what Jesus demands of Christians is the FATHERHOOD OF GOD manifested in the BROTHERHOOD OF MEN.
The old Moses had given the Ten Commandments of the Old Law carved in the stone tablets. Jesus now took a few of these commandments what were most pertinent to the times, and showed how they were to be observed. He also took a few of the Pharisaic practices that were taught as part of the Law, and showed how these were to be reversed.
"...and if anyone does kill he must be judged in court." So read the Commandment and the practice of the times.
Now Jesus said: If you get angry with your brother, you shall be taken into court (the local court). If you call your brother "Fool," you shall be taken before the Sanhedrin (the Supreme Jewish Court). If you call him "Nabal," you shall be cast into the gehenna of fire.
Note how this respect for the life of another had been upgraded. It was no longer just a question of avoiding murder. Respect for the life of another begins with the first violation of that respect which is ANGER. Anger brings with it the appearance in the local court. To threaten a person in a hateful way, to bear a grudge as a result of the anger, commands an appearance before the Supreme Court. To talk against a person and to do mean and under-handed things against him, this brings with it the "fire of gehenna."
Background information: Gehenna is the Greek word for the "valley of Hinnom" that was on the west side of Jerusalem. It was a valley of excommunication because in this valley in the days of the kingdom, the worship of pagan idols was carried on. In the time of Jesus, there was a perpetual fire and here were brought all the parts of the sacrificial animals which could not be offered up or could not be eaten. They were burned in this valley. So anyone who was placed in this valley was considered a complete outcast from the people of God. Jesus, very clearly, had tightened the meaning of this respect for the life of a brother.
Now Jesus carried his application a step farther. If you are at the altar and remember that your brother has something against you, you have offended him in some way, leave your gift at the altar and go first to be reconciled. Then come back and make your offering. The alternative is to make no offering and be excluded from the people.
Get all differences of opinion settled among yourselves before you are hauled into court. Otherwise you will be judged and imprisoned, and then you will pay to the last penny or letter of the law. Jesus was commanding understanding, discussion of differences, and arriving at a solution.
Application to today: Now pick up your daily papers and the list of disagreements that go to court each day. What would happen to all this accusation and recrimination and injustice if the truly Christian interpretation of respect for each other's rights was understood, accepted and lived?
The Old Law talked about the maximum of the crime. Jesus cut back to the roots of the problem. The lustful look is already adultery in the heart. How serious was Jesus about this commandment? Be willing to pluck out an eye or cut off a hand rather than have your whole person condemned to the gehenna of excommunication.
The widespread practice of divorce was also condemned as a violation of the rights of the woman. Jesus made one exception, "porneia." This Greek word is translated as "fornication." This is fine if you understand its biblical significance and not merely its modern legal meaning. For this biblical meaning, the reader will have to go back to the Book of Wisdom and read the passage from 13:10 to 14:14.
Wisdom 14:13-14 told us exactly what "porneia" was and what brought it about. Porneia is the destruction of life through human selfishness or emptiness. The relationship of husband and wife is supposed to be the highest kind of creative love in all their actions. Selfishness is the destructive rot that weakens and nullifies this love. "Porneia" then is any kind of selfishness that destroys a marriage and its love.
Porneia is the making of idols and the phallic worship of the same. If a married person has turned or returned to the phallic cults, then this person can no longer live in the Christian household.
A further note should be added on this exception to divorce. It is not the idolatry itself that is the problem. Paul's communities had the problem even more severely. He told us how it was to be treated. If the person who was a pagan was willing to live in peace and harmony with the Christian person, then the marriage continued. However if any form of antagonism or selfishness was present, then the marriage was ended and a new marriage could follow. This was dubbed "the Pauline Privilege." Selfishness had already destroyed the marriage. The Matthean communities ran into the same problem and Matthew gave the same solution. He mentioned it explicitly in 5:32 and 19:9.
The sacredness of the marriage bond is upheld in its strictest sense by this passage. Again we can see the progression of this presentation in the teaching of Jesus. He was concerned about respect for the life of the individual and then respect for the foundation of all society that is the bond of marriage and the home that comes from it.
This concerns interpersonal rights of people. These are the rights that follow the use of speech. We are to tell the truth to each other. In the time of Christ this commandment had deteriorated into the ridiculous.
An oath was to be judged according to the object by which a person swore. A person could take an oath by his own head, by the city of Jerusalem, by the earth, or by the heavens. The power of the oath was strengthened in that order or weakened in reverse. Jesus forbad all swearing. Jerusalem was the city of Kings. The earth was the footstool of Yahweh. The heavens were his throne. Therefore they were all equally important, holy and binding.
However, said Jesus, you should not have to swear at all. If you are an honest person, have true Christian justice, are a "dikaios," then you need only say "yes" when you mean yes and "no" when you mean no. Everything else is a sign of an evil mind or an evil intent.
Revenge; Get even! This had been the spirit of the Old Law even though the prophets preached against it constantly. Jesus laid down a whole new set of standards:
a. Offer the wicked man no resistance.
b. Does this mean that evil people are to domineer in the world with their injustice and wickedness? By no means!
This was the restricted notion of the Old Law about brotherly love.
Jesus again went beyond the narrow confines of Jewish thought and practice of the times.
"Your Father Is Great! Get to Know Him and Do It His Way."
This is the command and the plan to establish the true family of mankind: THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN IN THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD!
The treasures talked about in this passage are three: ALMSGIVING, PRAYER, FASTING. These were the three headings under which all good deeds were classified and they still offer a complete basis for the actions of daily life.
Don't do things to attract the attention of other people and win their praise. Don't act to show off. This is the action of the HYPOCRITE. Jesus lashed out at hypocrisy in all forms — especially in leaders. cf. Mt. 23:13-39.
Slogan: Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
Not to impress other people, not just empty words, not to inform God — He already knows what you need.
Follow this model:
When we pray, it is as a member of the family of mankind approaching the Father of that family. This is the most basic disposition of Christian prayer. Without it in our daily lives, there is NO PRAYER. All prayer, as Jesus presented it, must be the expression of the FATHERHOOD OF GOD in the BROTHERHOOD OF MAN. Unless this family is real, no prayer is possible. Prayer follows the pattern of families. If a child refuses to respect and honor his father or mother here on earth, that child can expect little from the parent in return.
Additional Information: BROTHERHOOD OF MAN is not an idle phrase. This is the goal set by God from the very beginning. It is not a reality until people make it real. No matter how many nations or groups of people there are, they are to learn to live and work and act together harmoniously. This does not mean imposing a special religion or philosophy of life on other people. It means getting to know how other people think and live. Then we learn to adjust our way of life to theirs without sacrificing your principles or rights.
7:6. "Do not give to the dogs what is holy." Don't waste what is worthwhile on those who won't or can't appreciate it.
Jesus was just the opposite. He started with the people in front of him and decided how their needs were to be fulfilled by the Law and the Prophets. He did not hesitate to call the interpretations imposed by the Scribes "useless burdens" intended by neither Yahweh nor his prophets.
Lone Crusader Cures Ills.
Chapters 8–9 are a succession of actions performed by Jesus.
The literary format of Matthew's Gospel is well planned. This is due to the mental qualities of Matthew as a tax collector for Rome. He kept books. He listed mathematical figures and then added them up. The Gospel story was written in the same fashion. Matthew gave a series of incidents from the life of Jesus and then showed how these fulfilled the expectations of the prophets and the people. Then he composed a series of ideas, or teachings that flowed from these events into the lives of Christians at that time. In this way the life and example of Jesus Christ would always be relevant and doing its part to "COMPLETE" the plan of God for the whole universe.
It is important to keep in mind the final command of Jesus to his disciples in Matthew 28:18-20: "Go, make disciples of the whole world. Teach them to observe everything that I have commanded you. And behold (i.e. be absolutely certain) I am with you until the 'COMPLETION' (synteleia) of the world." He does not use the word "end" in the sense of something that is over and done with. Rather he uses the word "end" that means to bring something to its full meaning and purpose. An example would be this: Someone gives you a box with 328 separate parts, diagram and instructions to fit the parts together. When assembly is complete, it is a great machine. The work is done — in the sense that you have put all the parts together and made the machine. Your work is also just starting — in the sense that you can now use this new machine to do all sorts of wonderful things.
This is the meaning of the Greek word, "synteleia" that was used in the final line of Matthew's Gospel. People will be here on earth doing the work of Jesus Christ until they bring this world to be what God intended it to be from the beginning. Then, and then only, will the human race be able to live as God intended from the time that he set the plan in motion.
In this way the final lines of Matthew's Gospel and the opening chapters of Genesis are very closely connected. As Genesis says, God established the first couple in a Garden called "Happiness." They were to use the garden and live there and bring all things to the fulness of God's plan. However, a flaw came into the picture. The first people did not cooperate and the garden was taken away. People wandered in misery and unhappiness and went farther and farther away from the original plan.
Then Jesus came. He turned the picture around by obeying perfectly. He left a plan so all people can share in this fulfillment of the universe and happiness of all people. Jesus will help us all the way but he is not doing the job for us. It is the work of the followers of Jesus to lead mankind to this perfection and happiness, to get mankind back on the path to God, and keep them moving forward. That is the mission of the disciples, of the Church, of the world. By the looks of things in the world today, we still have a long way to go.
Matthew wanted us to understand that as Jesus went about the countryside, he met people in all stages and kinds of misery. They heard that he could help them so they came forward and Jesus did help. Why did he do all these wondrous deeds, these cures? The Gospel writers stress that there was only one reason. Jesus saw the misery of the people, downtrodden, oppressed, put upon, used and abused, and his heart filled with sympathy, empathy, and pity. He wanted to help and knew that he could. So he helped by removing their misery even though he knew this would gradually bring him into conflict with authority — Jewish and Roman.
In chapters 8–9, there are ten specific wonders, miracles or signs and then many others are mentioned only in passing. The ten individual miracles or signs are: the cure of the leper, the cure of the centurion's slave, the cure of Peter's mother-in-law, the calming of the storm at sea, freeing the two possessed men of Gadara, the cure of the paralytic, the cure of the woman with the flow of blood, the cure of the official's daughter, the cure of the two blind men, and finally the cure of the demoniac who was mute.
We are not given a lot of details about these incidents. We can imagine what would happen today if there had been television coverage for the local news. We are sure there were a lot more details known and handed on by word of mouth. However, Matthew gives only the essentials to develop the picture that he has in mind.
First, there was the leper. Leprosy seemed to have been quite prevalent. As soon as a person was diagnosed as a leper, he/she was excluded from society. The lepers were to live away from the inhabited towns and fend for themselves. They were to have no contact with healthy people because of the danger of contagion. If they approached healthy people, they could be beaten with sticks or even killed if they did not retreat into the desert.
This leper did not hesitate to approach Jesus. He had been watching and listening and was convinced Jesus could cure him. He said as much. Jesus stretched out his hand, touched the man, and said "Be made clean." And the leprosy was gone. Then Jesus said, "Don't stand around talking about this, but go, show yourself to the priests and make the offering demanded by law, so that you are officially restored to society."
Matthew dropped the story right there. He was interested in the story only because it proved a point about Jesus which the Gospel would state explicitly a bit later. However, let your imagination fly back to that scene. What do you think happened as the people watched the leper approach Jesus? They saw Jesus touch the leper. Then the leper's skin cleared up and he was cured. Can you imagine the shout of joy from the leper and the babble of amazement from the people? Jesus said simply, "Go and get this officially acknowledged by the priests so you can come back into society."
All these added details are not necessary for the point that Matthew wanted to make. However, these details give life and meaning to the story for us the readers after all these centuries.
The second incident was even more remarkable as Jesus himself said. A centurion came up to Jesus to ask for a favor. Now remember that the centurion is an officer in the Roman army and Jesus is a Jew from Nazareth. The Romans were in complete control of Palestine and they despised all conquered people but especially the Jews.
The centurion had a slave that he liked. This was very unusual. The Romans looked on their slaves as chattel to be used, abused and cast aside. Slaves had no rights. They were from conquered people. Yet this centurion went to Jesus, a Jew, to ask a favor for one of his slaves.
When Jesus agreed to come with him, the centurion went a step farther. He said "I am not worthy to have you come into my house. I am a man of authority and I understand authority. So you just say the word or give the command right here and my servant will be healed."
Jesus looked around in amazement. He could not believe the depth of this man's faith in him. He said so in very clear words: "I take my oath on this that nowhere in Israel have I found such faith. I'm telling you that many a Jew will be rejected from the feast of the patriarchs but this man will be invited in as an honored guest." Then he said to the centurion, "You go on home! What you have asked for has already happened because of your faith." The slave was cured at that moment.
Can you imagine how this incident shook people? Can you imagine how the Jewish leaders hated him for his slam at their authority and power? The Romans would be amazed that one of their own had been helped.
Next, Jesus stopped at Peter's house. Peter's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever. Jesus walked over and touched her and the fever left immediately. She got up and took care of their needs as the hostess.
That evening, said Matthew, they brought in people with every manner of sickness and he cured them all. Then Matthew made his application to the Old Testament. He quoted Isaiah 53:4. This is one of the special texts that the rabbis stressed to the people. It deals with this Servant of Yahweh who was to come. Matthew said that it was quite evident that Jesus was this servant we have been looking for.
Now, one of the Scribes was completely caught up with his dedication to Jesus. He told Jesus he would follow him to the ends of the earth, if need be. Jesus pointed out that this following will be a lot harder than it appears. He stressed that he has no standing among the leaders and, at any moment, he may have to escape from their presence.
This is the first use of the phrase in Matthew. Jesus and the early Christians take the phrase from Daniel 7:13. In this context, Jesus stressed that he had no permanent home. He was traveling from place to place until he fulfilled his mission as he understands it.
Another man was all set to follow Jesus but he wanted to take care of the burial of his father first. This would have been seen as the most sacred duty of a son. Jesus sounded almost flippant. "Let the dead bury the dead. If you want to be a true disciple, get over here and follow me." Jesus left no room for a lukewarm acceptance.
This time Jesus and the disciples were down at the lake. He stepped into a boat and the disciples followed. They got out on the lake and a sudden terrifying storm rose up. This is not surprising because of the location and the nature of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was tired from his travels and preaching and was sound asleep. The disciples were veterans of the sea and yet they were scared. They woke Jesus with the cry, "Save us, Lord, we are going to capsize and drown."
Jesus awoke. He reminded the disciples how small their faith was. Then he stood up and gave a command to the winds and the sea, and immediately everything was back to a normal calm. The disciples were amazed. They could not imagine exactly who Jesus was.
Now they arrived at the area around Gadara. Two men, possessed by the devil, were living among the tombs. Passersby were scared of these two men. They came to meet Jesus and his followers, and they protested his coming among them. There was a herd of pigs in the area. Jesus commanded the demons to leave the two men and enter into the swine. The pigs took off from the cliff and drowned themselves in the lake. When Jesus got to the town, the people had already heard the story and they told Jesus to keep right on walking. They didn't want him in their town.
Jesus and the disciples got back in their boat and arrived at Capernaum, Jesus' own town. Some people came out carrying a paralyzed man. Jesus looked at the afflicted man and said, "Have courage. Your sins are forgiven." The scribes grumbled to themselves: "This man is blaspheming. Only God can forgive sins."
Jesus knew their thoughts and he challenged their thinking: "Which is easier to say: 'Your sins are forgiven.' or 'Arise and walk?' But to prove to you that the SON OF MAN has authoritative power on earth to forgive sins, I say to the paralytic, 'Get up, roll up your pallet, and go home.' " The young man got up, rolled up his pallet, and went home. The people were amazed and all talked at once.
Now Matthew told a bit about how Jesus called him and how he responded. He said Jesus was walking past the customs house where he worked as a tax collector for the Romans. Jesus looked at him and said, "Come, follow me!" Matthew's response was the shortest in history. He arose and followed.
Then Matthew pointed out a detail about Jesus that really appealed to him. Jesus was in the habit of eating publicly with tax collectors and other moral outcasts of Jewish society. The Pharisees saw this and they asked Jesus's followers about it. The Pharisees said that they would never be seen in the company of such people, especially fraternizing at meals with them. Jesus heard about these complaints.
His answer was short and overpowering. First he quoted from Amos who was a prophet of the 8th century B.C. and was not accepted by the Jewish leaders. Amos was a farmer and did not have the dress, language, or deportment of an educated man. Amos admitted all this and then told the leaders what was going to happen to them. His language is some of the most graphic of the Old Testament.
Jesus quoted from Amos to refute this same attitude of the Pharisees in his time. Jesus reminded them that he had come not to call people who say they are already saved, but to call people who admit they need help.
When the Baptist's disciples heard about this ruckus, they came to Jesus with their questions. John the Baptist had taught his followers that they must fast and lead lives of penitence in order to get ready for the coming of the Messiah. These people were faithful to the teaching of John. Now Jesus came, claimed to be the Messiah, and did not fast. Nor did his disciples.
Jesus gave the disciples of John a lengthy answer. Jesus compared himself to the bridegroom. He said as long as the bridegroom was present, everyone should enjoy themselves. The time will come, after the bridegroom was gone, when everyone would be sad. Secondly, Jesus used the image of patching clothes. If a garment was almost ready to be thrown out, it did no good to sew a new patch on it. The new fabric would be so out of place that it would pull away from and tear the old.
Finally, said Jesus, look at the wineskins. Wineskins were the intestines of animals. New wine was put into these new wineskins. They were still expandable and malleable. As the wine worked and fermented, the skins would adapt to the pressure. Finally, the wine was ready to age and the wineskins could set and grow firm. Later, the wine was used, but new wine would not be put into these old skins because there was no stretch left in them. As soon as the new wine started to work and expand, the skins would burst and all would be lost or wasted.
The meaning intended by all three comparisons is the same. Jesus, his teachings and his life, cannot be accepted or fit into the Pharisaic and Scribal traditions. These were hidebound and unable to adapt to the needs of the times. What Jesus had to say would burst out of the Pharisaic restraints and take on a whole new life. The same was true for John the Baptist. Jesus praised him for his forward look and solid approach to life. However, he fell far short of the enlightenment Jesus had come to spread.
This time, Jesus was approached by a Jewish leader. His daughter had just died. He was sure that Jesus could lay his hand on her and she would be restored to life. Jesus and his disciples left immediately.
On the way to the official's home, there was a lady who had been troubled with a flow of blood for 12 years. No one could help her. She was convinced that if she just touched the hem of Jesus' garment she would be cured. While Jesus was walking along, she got close and touched the hem of his cloak. She didn't say a word but Jesus turned and said to her, "Have courage, daughter. Your faith has restored your health." She was cured at that moment.
The story is important for several reasons. First, Jesus was well aware every time that power went out from him. Secondly, he did not need an effusion of words. The simple disposition of strong faith was enough. Nobody had to know what was happening except Jesus and the person involved. Great help can be given or shared in passing.
Jesus arrived at the official's house. We know from the other gospels, that his name is Jairus. The official mourners were there, playing sad music, and carrying on. Jesus said, "Leave the room. This little girl is not dead but only sleeping." The whole crowd laughed in ridicule at his stupidity but the room was cleared. Then Jesus took the girl by the hand. She stood up and Jesus gave her back to her dad. Everyone was amazed, and word of what happened rushed through the countryside.
Jesus traveled on. Two blind men followed and kept shouting: "Son of David, have pity on us!" When Jesus reached the house where he was going, he turned to the two men. "Do you believe I can cure you?" he asked. They stated their belief. Jesus touched their eyes and sight was restored. Jesus ordered them to keep quiet about the incident. The men, however, did as one would expect. They told everyone about what had happened.
Finally, we come to the mute person. He could not speak and everyone was convinced he was possessed by a mute demon. Jesus cast out the demon and the man was able to speak. The people could not get over all they had witnessed. However, the Pharisees had their own explanation. They could not deny the facts before their eyes. They said that Jesus was able to cast out all these devils because the prince of devils gave him the power.
Finally, we get the summary of this narrative section. Jesus had been helping people but now he looked at the crowds and saw how much more work was to be done. He saw the people as a huge flock of sheep that have no shepherd. Jesus said to his disciples: "Take a good look at what has to be done. The harvest is indeed great but we don't have the laborers. Pray the lord of the harvest to send an abundance of laborers into the fields."
Chapter 10 is the discourse or the conclusions that are drawn from the narrative section above. Chapter 10 gives us a description of the basic work that is expected of the followers of Jesus when he himself is gone. It is a description of the way in which the Church should be functioning in the world today.
The official mission or sending is given to the twelve special disciples. Their names are given so that you will know exactly who they are. The number 12 was chosen very probably to indicate that they were the foundation of the new Israel. There were 12 sons of Jacob who were seen as the founders of the 12 tribes of Israel. The number 12 became symbolic of the whole people of God. Now we have the starting point of the new people of God.
Additional Information: In so many of the paintings and statues of these men, we are led to believe they were old men when called. As a matter of fact, these men were all younger than or about the same age as Jesus. Special mention is given to John because he is a teenager at the time of his call. I think we should put all the other apostles in the 18-25 year bracket. They were just a bit younger than Jesus but they were already working men.
Matthew may have been a few years older because he was a tax collector for Rome. However, he was also probably a youngish man because an older Jewish man could not bear the stigma of the job for himself and his family.
They are called "apostles" as the word means "sent." These men were sent officially by Jesus to begin the work of the new people of God. Then their code of missionary conduct is outlined. At the end of the chapter we are told how these conditions are to prevail at all times.
For the time being, the apostles were to restrict the area in which they worked. They were not to go off into pagan (gentile) territory or even a Samaritan town. They were to restrict themselves to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The reason was clear. The former Israel had the first claim on the Kingdom. They were the people of God and they should understand and follow Jesus's teaching more easily. At least, they would be given the first opportunity. At the end of the Gospel, Jesus would make this mission universal to all people and times until the work is complete.
This was not a scheme to make a lot of money or set up a financial empire. They were not to gather a lot of supplies to provide for their daily needs while they work. They were working for the people and therefore they could expect to receive the care of their daily needs from the people they helped. Every worker deserved his daily keep.
For the Christian mission to succeed in the world at any time, it has to be the basic principle of economics. Money and daily cares cannot be the main point of concern. Otherwise the work of the Kingdom will never be done.
Missionaries are to be satisfied with the care that is offered. They are not to spend time looking for the best housing, food, and comfort. Accept what is offered and give Christian "shalom" (peace) in return. If people do not accept you on these terms, then walk off and let them in their ignorance. They are the ones who will lose out in the long run.
What should be the mental outlook of the missionaries? Jesus said it was not going to be easy. In fact, it would be a world of hostility, sheep among wolves. The missionaries must be as cunning as serpents but as harmless as doves.
Both of these comparisons have an historic background in the Bible. The serpent is always the symbol of Satan in the garden. He was very cunning. He approached Eve and merely asked a question. He stirred up her curiosity and then led her to violate her trust. She then became the henchman of Satan and lead Adam into his failure.
This same cunning or clever rapport with people is to be part of the repertoire of the missionaries or followers of Jesus. The difference is clear. They are to be harmless but creative as doves. The reference is to another historic event in the Bible story. Noah wanted to know whether it was safe for him to leave the Ark and start all over again. He sent out the dove. The dove returned with an olive branch in its beak. Noah knew he would soon leave his boat and head out to do the work of God in the whole world. The follower of Jesus is to bring the same message into the world today. It is the message of "shalom."
Jesus did not want his followers under any false impressions as to the difficulty of their work. They would meet opposition. Their message is in direct opposition to the selfishness and greed prevalent in the world and its philosophy. They will be ridiculed and hauled into the tribunals of men and condemned. In all of this mistreatment, they are not to be afraid or worry about what they should say. The "spirit" of the Father shall speak through them. More will be said about this "spirit" but for now just remember: it is the spirit of brotherly love that should exist in the family of man under the fatherhood of God.
The opposition will be great but will be especially devastating since it will come from the people of Israel themselves. They should have recognized Jesus and his teachings as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. Instead, they turn a deaf ear to his followers and chase them from town to town. They try to destroy them and their work.
Jesus said: "Don't be surprised. It won't last long. They will soon receive the punishment for their opposition to God." He was referring to 70 A.D. when the Romans wiped out Jerusalem, the Temple, and the remnant of the people. They were scattered throughout the world to drift aimlessly until the end of time.
Jesus repeated: "Don't be surprised. The follower is no better than the leader." They treated Jesus in the worst possible way and so the followers could expect no better treatment. They said that Jesus was working by the power of Beelzebul "the god of the flies" or the "god of the city-dump." What can his followers expect by way of hostility and opposition from the same people?
Cast all fear aside. The enemies can do physical harm and put opposition in your way. Don't worry about it. All this action will come to light in the end. Look carefully at the tender providence of the Father in the world around you. Not even a sparrow can fall to the ground without your heavenly Father being aware of it. Moreover, remember this for the future: When you stand before the Father in judgment, if you have acknowledged me before men, I will acknowledge you before the Father. If you have denied me before men, I will not know you before my Father.
Here we have the conclusion again. Our lives are to be a series of steps in which we build up our identity in the family of mankind. This means that we recognize Jesus and manifest him in the actions of our daily lives. We are offered membership in the family of mankind, but it is up to us to establish our real identity.
Do not think this is going to be an easy walk. There will be opposition. The opposition will come because of Jesus and what he has to say through the disciples. The opposition will be right in a person's own family. Just don't be surprised. You are warned ahead of time.
This is the last principle. It is given as a sort of all-inclusive condition. Anyone who receives the disciple receives Jesus, because they are one and the same. Nothing shall be overlooked. Even a cup of water in the name of Jesus shall receive its reward.
These missionary principles have to be read, memorized and lived. They put the life and power of Jesus Christ into the lives of Christians and through them into the world. Jesus did not describe some kind of utopian dream. He did not offer a bed of roses for his followers. He presented reality with all the selfishness that accompanies it. In this selfish world, the followers of Jesus have the mission to overcome selfishness and establish the peace and generosity of God as Father.
This section describes the actual make-up of the Kingdom of the Heavens. Note from the start: Matthew almost always referred to the "Kingdom of the Heavens." Other writings talk of the "Kingdom of God." A few passages have the "Kingdom of heaven." All three phrases refer to the same reality.
The "Kingdom of the Heavens" is probably the oldest because it goes back to the Semitic notion of the world. For them, there were at least three heavens. As a person looked up, he could see the sky. This, in their opinion, was a solid blue tent in which the sun, stars, and moon were present. This was the first heaven. The second heaven was above that. It was the place where water and snow and all forms of precipitation were stored. When it rained, the first heaven would open and the waters, snow, hail, or ice would come dashing to the earth. Above this was the third heaven. This was the home of God and his court. This is the heaven in which the throne of God and all his faithful would enjoy their fulfillment.
The phrase, The Kingdom of the Heavens, refers to all three heavens. St. Paul talked about being taken up to the "third heaven." He had a vision of God (2 C. 12:2). Chapter 13 gives us a series of parables about the Kingdom and explains various aspects of its nature. They are not intended to be all-inclusive but they will give us a good starting point on which to build.
As usual, in the Gospel according to Matthew, we get the narrative section first. We have some incidents from the life of Jesus that will have bearing on the notion of the Kingdom that follows.
The first scene is with the disciples of John the Baptist. John was in prison because of his outspoken condemnation of the immorality of Herod. Herod wanted to put him to death quietly but he was afraid of the people. There could easily be a great uprising and then Roman authorities would call Herod in for a special talk and warning.
This meeting of John Baptist and Jesus has to be rightly understood. Mary and Elizabeth, the mothers of the boys, were cousins. They were close to each other and Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months until John was born. Jesus and John spent a lot of time together as children. Today, both would be called gifted and talented children.
Both were concerned about the failure of the Chosen People in carrying out their mission to the world. John started his work six months before Jesus. Then Jesus appeared and began his work. John had no doubt of the authenticity of Jesus and his ideas and ideals. He wanted his followers to hear it from Jesus. So he sent some of his followers to Jesus to ask if he was the authentic Messiah or should they wait for someone else. Jesus' answer was a bit enigmatic for us but it would have been clear to the Jews of the time. He quoted from Isaiah 61:1ff. This was a prophet from the end of the 6th century B.C.
The remnant had returned from the Babylonian captivity and this prophet was encouraging them. His words and ideas were much like the teaching of Isaiah, the prophet of the 8th century B.C. So his teachings were attached to the scrolls of Isaiah. Today, he is referred to as Isaiah II. His teachings were very popular among the Jews in the time of Jesus.
This passage from Isaiah is one of the texts that describes the person known as the Servant of Yahweh. The Old Testament writings attempted to stress the importance of obedience in order to establish the true people of God.
John the Baptist, of course, would understand all the implications of these texts. So Jesus assured the disciples of the Baptist that he was truly the Messiah they were looking for — even if he did not seem to be winning too many of the people.
After the messengers went back to John the Baptist, Jesus described the greatness of John the Baptist. John the Baptist had lived away from cities and lived in uninhabited areas. People flocked out to him. Jesus asked them: "What did you go out into the desert to see? Did you expect to see a weakling, afraid of his own shadow? Or did you expect to find a man of strong conviction who demanded the same of anyone who listened to him? Did you expect to find some wealthy noble living in the lap of luxury? If that is what you want, go into the palaces and houses of the rich."
What you really went out to see was a "PROPHET." In fact, you were looking for and you found a person who is greater than any of the prophets who went before him. Jesus quoted from Malachi 3:1. John the Baptist was the FORERUNNER of Jesus. Again, it is essential that you understand this term as it was spoken and used at that time.
Additional background information: Palestine was not noted for its good roads. It had mostly narrow paths. If an important person came along, he would be transported in a "sedan-chair." To have him bouncing from side to side as the bearers walked over the rough terrain would not be in keeping with his dignity. Therefore the forerunner would go out and warn the people in the towns through which the visitor was coming. They would gather crews who would prepare a special road for the visitor. They would level off the high spots and fill in the low, so that all would be level. They would remove the boulders and other stones and make this path a road worthy of their visitor.
John the Baptist was the FORERUNNER of Jesus. His role was to prepare the hearts of the people to receive Jesus and his teaching. John the Baptist was the greatest of all the prophets of the Old Testament and he was the first prophet of the New Testament. The Baptist has the special honor of being the living link between the Old and the New Covenant.
Then Jesus described the contradictory attitude of the people. John the Baptist came. He was a recluse and lived a life of poverty and hardship. The people looked at him and said he was some kind of a "nut." They refused to listen to him. Jesus (SON OF MAN) came. He lived the ordinary life of the people of the times. He worked and ate and traveled among them. They refused to accept him because he was too ordinary and associated with ordinary people.
Then Jesus uttered some of the strongest condemnations in his career. He compared the Jewish cities of his time to the pagan cities, Tyre and Sidon, and to the corrupt city in the Old Testament, Sodom. Jesus admitted these cities were bad but if he had performed in them such signs and offered the teaching he was now giving the Jews, these pagan cities would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Instead, the people of Israel ignored both the Baptist and Jesus. He told them they will be tossed down into the nether world. And in the final judgment, the verdict would be easier and lighter for Sodom than for the people of Jesus' own time.
Then, to sum up this basic teaching about proper dispositions and conduct, Jesus talked of his relationship to the Father and his proposed relationship to all his followers. Jesus was the "Son of God" and favored above all others. He knew exactly what the Father wanted said and he said only that. Jesus and the Father were truly one in their goals, their ideas, and their way of attaining these goals.
Now Jesus gave a summary of the way in which all his followers must act. It is a graphic picture. It presupposes you know farming practices of those days in Palestine. Jesus used the image of oxen and a yoke.
Background information: Oxen were very strong animals and could do tremendous work. However they were very stubborn animals. To keep them under control and working, the farmers made a very heavy neck-yoke. This was fitted on the necks of two oxen and kept their heads down. As long as the heads of the oxen were down they would pull the plow and other tools and do the work expected of them. But the yoke was purposely heavy, cumbersome, and totally disliked by the oxen — even though the yoke was fitted to the oxen.
Now Jesus addressed the people of Israel of his time. He called them people who "toil and are heavily burdened." He was referring to all the minute applications of the Law as interpreted by the Scribes and Pharisees. The regulations were so often just ridiculous. Jesus invited these people to him and he would give them respite from the degrading, dehumanizing, useless, legalistic practices and show them the way to live in the life of the Father.
"Take up my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and kind of heart and you will find rest for your souls. My yoke is perfectly adapted to each one and therefore the burden is light." (11:28-30)
Remember what we said about the yoke. It linked two oxen together and kept the heads bowed in lowly submission. Jesus said — this is my yoke. He is the other part of the team with each person. He will carry the yoke with each person. He will form a team with each follower. The yoke will be adapted to the abilities, needs, and goals of each person and therefore the work will be completely within the grasp and abilities of that person. This was a wholly new concept of authority and obedience. Jesus did not merely tell us what to do. He forms a team and does it with us.
We are back to the notion of the Sabbath again. The Sabbath is a Hebrew word which means "rest." It was established as a special day during the slavery in Egypt to make sure that the people were able to get physically rested from their heavy labor. Gradually the day, which is the equivalent of our Saturday, became a sacred day and various liturgies and rituals were developed for it.
In the time of Jesus, the Pharisees had established innumerable ritual and liturgical practices that became more and more ludicrous. Finally, they got to a point where a person could not even prepare a meal on the Sabbath. All this had to be done on the day before.
Another practice has to be recalled. The public paths from one place to another ran alongside the fields or right through them. It was allowed, by custom, to pick a handful of grain to eat as you walked along. You could not gather the grain in any container and you could not step off the path even to get the one handful. As they walked along, the travelers were allowed to take this handful of grain, rub it in their hands to remove the hulls, and then put it in their mouths and chew it until they could swallow it or turn it into a paste somewhat equivalent to our chewing gum.
Jesus and the apostles were walking by a grain field. It was the Sabbath. The apostles took a handful of grain, rubbed it in their hands, and then put it into their mouths. The Pharisees saw what they are doing. They said the apostles were breaking the Sabbath. Rubbing the grain in their hands was a work forbidden on the Sabbath.
Jesus really cut directly to the heart of their hypocrisy. First he recalled how David and his men were hungry. They came to the Holy Place where the Loaves of Proposition were placed before the Ark. This was considered sacred bread and the priests alone were allowed to eat it. David and his men were hungry. They took these loaves and ate them. Not only is the story told but it is preserved in the Torah as a holy deed. It is read and admired regularly in the Temple services.
Jesus recalled a basic point from Hosea. God is looking for kindness and mercy in the conduct of men rather than a lot of ritual sacrifices. Finally, Jesus said that if this did not satisfy them, then they should remember that he, the SON OF MAN, was the master of the Sabbath. He can make new rules if he needed them.
It was another Sabbath. Jesus and his disciples went to the synagogue as usual. A man in the synagogue had a withered hand. The Pharisees saw a chance to trap Jesus again. They asked a seemingly innocent question: "Is it against the law to cure a person on the Sabbath?"
Jesus knew their intent, so he answered the question with a question. "If you had only one sheep and it fell into a hole on the Sabbath, wouldn't you take hold of it and lift it out? Man is far more valuable than a sheep. So it follows that it is allowed to do good on the Sabbath." Then he turned to the man and said "Hold out your hand." The man held out his hand and it was as healthy as the other one.
The Pharisees were really caught in a bind. They had actually drawn more attention to Jesus and could not raise any objections, so they went off to lick their wounds and plot other ways to ensnare Jesus.
Jesus realized the antagonism and hatred that was building up against him. He left the area but the people followed him. He cured them all with a constant caution not to spread the news about him. He was fully aware that there was no way to stop the news from spreading, but he cautioned against the talking to show that he was not just trying to "show off" in front of the crowds.
Matthew took the action of Jesus a step farther and recalled and applied the words of Isaiah 42:1-4. It was the first description of the Servant of Yahweh and showed him as a mild-mannered person who tried to spread the knowledge of God's plan and obedience to his word. He did not in any way try to bluster or bully people into accepting what he had to say.
As background to this passage, it would be good to look up the writing of Sirach 38:1-15. This is a collection of ideas from the third or second century before Jesus. In this passage, the writer put forth the healthy attitude toward medical doctors and the practice of medicine at that time. Medical doctors were not looked on as magicians or tricksters. Medicine and its practice were seen as a true science founded on the healing powers that God had put into the plants and their uses.
A mute was brought before Jesus and he cured him. The people were in awe of Jesus. The Pharisees tried some more slander. They accused him of demonic sorcery. They said Jesus was casting out devils and curing sick people because he was working hand in hand with Beelzebul. This was intended to be the worst of insults.
Beelzebul can mean merely "Baal the Prince" and could mean, the "prince of devils." Another interpretation is "god of the city dump" or "god of the flies" (in the city dump). No matter which meaning you take for the name, it was intended as the worst of insults.