Lesson 336
Matthew 15:1-28
This week we consider two questions:
- What defiles a person?
- The need for persistence in the spiritual life.
Matthew 15:1 -2 After that, Pharisees and religion scholars came to Jesus all the way from Jerusalem, criticizing, "Why do your disciples play fast and loose with the rules?"
3 -9But Jesus put it right back on them. "Why do you use your rules to play fast and loose with God's commands? God clearly says, 'Respect your father and mother,' and, 'Anyone denouncing father or mother should be killed.' But you weasel around that by saying, 'Whoever wants to, can say to father and mother, What I owed to you I've given to God.' That can hardly be called respecting a parent. You cancel God's command by your rules. Frauds! Isaiah's prophecy of you hit the bull's-eye:
These people make a big show of saying the right thing,
but their heart isn't in it.
They act like they're worshiping me,
but they don't mean it.
They just use me as a cover
for teaching whatever suits their fancy."
(From Eugene Peterson's The Message.)
Matthew anticipates the struggle Jesus will have with the center of Jewish pharisaical tradition - his critics "came all the way from Jerusalem". Bible Scholar John Nolland reminds us that the last time Jesus had contact with anyone from Jerusalem in Matthew's Gospel was way back in chapter 4:25. There, it was crowds of people from all over that followed Jesus; here, it is leaders from the heart of Judaism that came not to follow, but to criticize. Peterson's paraphrase puts the issue squarely on the table: the accusation is mutual - people are playing fast and loose with God's commands.
On the surface of it we recognize the trouble this will get Jesus into. Under the surface is the equally unsettling question: What about us? It is so easy to rationalize our way out from underneath the explicit commands to love God and our neighbor. While the Pharisees and scholars home in on ceremonial washing, and Jesus sets his sights on honoring parents, we all know the number of issues is legion. We are constantly finding ways to convince ourselves that: Surely, Jesus didn't mean for me to forgive that person! Certainly, Jesus couldn't have meant that we should sell all we have, give it to the poor and follow him!
It's not that Jesus necessarily expects us to live entirely above board; it's that he wants us to be honest about the fraud we daily commit. Throughout the centuries we have used Christ as a "cover" to kill, to hoard, to justify our own selfishness. Instead of criticizing his disciples, had they admitted that they, too, have not always kept either the letter or the spirit of the law, I wonder how Jesus would have responded to these religious leaders! Here is where the Bible tells it like it is: No matter how hard we try, we are not going to get it right. That doesn't excuse us from trying; it simply keeps us honest. We are all in constant need of humble repentance!
And, as if to prove this point, look at the next story in Matthew 15:
Matthew 15: 22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." 23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."
24He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
25The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.
26He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."
27"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."
28Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
(NIV Translation.)
A Canaanite . . . the epitome of Israel's enemy and object of scorn! And a "woman" at that! This is the first time in the Gospel of Matthew that a woman addresses Jesus (Nolland). Matthew has mentioned women - in 8:14 (Peter's mother-in-law), 9:20 (the woman who touched Jesus' garment), and 14:21 (women in the crowd who were fed). But in this situation, the woman initiates the conversation by calling out to him.
Jesus is on a Jewish mission, and he will not be dissuaded from it. But in this case we are reminded - by a foreigner - of the kind of faith Jesus expected to find in Israel. I say "reminded" because it was another gentile - the centurian in Matthew 8:ff - that first impressed Jesus with his faith.
Matthew seems to be making the case that our "worthiness" before God is more about our faith than our deeds. "Faith" is the catalyst for redemptive action. What do we do when the people who manifest the most faith are from outside the "faith community"? Remember this as we prepare for next week's lesson - we will consider Matthew 16:1-12 for next time. Read it if you get the chance.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home