Matthew 14-21

Again in these chapters, we see miracles performed, the faithful being rewarded, and the faithless, who are often the disciples, are explained to over and over again the simple yet mysterious ways of the Kingdom of Heaven. Who else would tell someone, a Pharisee at that, that a prostitute and a tax collector would enter the Kingdom first, and that to have faith and humility like a little child is something worth owning? These were Jews who loved to argue and study and trump one another over the Torah and God's teachings, and here this upstart from Nazareth is telling them that their ways are wrong, and it is what comes from the heart that matters. The people of faith are often the poor and ill, and want to believe in a Master so virtuous that He would actually descend from His throne and heal them. Jesus tells His disciples to take up the cross and "Follow me," and that still holds true in 2007. "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." (Matt 16:25) To an ordinary person, that makes absolutely no sense. Perhaps that is why Jesus' teachings give such hope to the poor, the lonely, and the desperate. Having already lost a life in this world, they can only gain a life in Heaven by following Jesus. Those who don't have a lot to lose are willing to risk. Those who have treasures on Earth are a little suspicious of Jesus. You mean we'd have to sell everything we own, and be poor, and eat with sinners and the unclean, to be rewarded in the Kingdom of Heaven? (Matthe 19:21-25) Absolutely. I imagine that upset quite a few people among Jesus' listeners. Being told that the first will be last, and the last will be first? (Matt. 20:16) No way. But if we believe Jesus' message, then we are called to live outside our comfort zones and take up His cross.

Matthew 8 - 13

"They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick" (1).

It was pointed out in the previous post that God incarnate came/comes not to those righteous and unbroken but to a fallen people. In Matthew 8-13 there are descriptions of many individuals that Christ healed; among them a leper he met on his way down the mountain (2), Peter's mother in her home (3), an old woman in the midst of a crowd (4), a maiden in a house that mourned her (5), as well as those physically disabled, ill or demon-possessed (6, 7, 8, 9). These were not only high and lofty representatives of royal courts or high priesthood with which Christ walked but also the common and even unclean people; some were outcasts--one was even a Gentile.

"And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour" (10).

The majority of the incidents in these chapters that are concerned with healing are dependent upon faith of those that desire healing; Jesus says to the centurion "as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee" (10), and to the old woman "thy faith hath made thee whole" (11). In his own country Jesus refrained from doing as much as he had done elsewhere "because of their unbelief" (12). Because of the unbelief of his own community, Jesus left them.

Christ repeats throughout these chapters that time is short, and the world is changing; "Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead" (13). He talks about how exceptions must be made in the natural order of the world that He is in our midst--his disciples did not fast when the bridegroom was present (14), but neither did they "provide [...] gold, nor silver, nor brass in [their] purses" (15). Such a life of immediacy and unabashed faith is somewhat thrilling, no?

There's an urgency to these passages, as if the world was quickening in expectation of the Passion. That speaks to me not only as a reader, that I see prophecies being fulfilled and Christ's ministry growing in power and strength, but also as a woman alive in my own time as our celebration of the resurrection approaches.

"That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses" (16).

Please feel free to continue posting in the discussion on the previous posting!

Matthew 1 - 7

A deceiver, a prostitute, murderers, adulterers, one who coupled with his son’s widow, thinking her a prostitute, a thousandfold polygamist, his idolater son, and many wicked kings all have their place in the long passage of the ancestry of Jesus Christ. The royal bloodline of Messiah reads like a series of case studies in why humanity needed a Someone to save them from sin which had its grips even upon holiest patriarchs and the greatest of kings. What perhaps amazes still more than even His condescention into a lowly stable in Judea is His proceeding into the midst of a once-great people, sudjugated many times over and most recently by the Romans, from this nasty bunch of sinners.

Matthew brings the Babylonian captivity and Roman bureaucracy into his Story knowing that Messiah will not vanquish the current occupationary force with the sword (as crowds and followers so often hope). His conquest is broader and more significant. The evangelist of the first gospel quickly introduces a notion of a “kingdom” into Jesus’ ministry late in chapter four, and Jesus expands on it in chapter five in such a way to make it quite clear that Roman expulsion or Jewish sovereignty is not what He has in mind by any means. Instead, He blesses the downtrodden and the devout in his famous Beatitudes and positions them as denizens in this kingdom of heaven of which He speaks.

Christ’s Sermon on the mount calls His followers to a life of love and values but little the merits of a religion that is primarily external in nature. Acts of devotion – such as prayers, fastings and almsgivings – are to be done in secret. It is their kindness and their treatment of those less fortunate and even of those unpleasant or hostile towards themselves that will characterize them as Christ’s followers. His “Golden Rule” is, above all else, a law to be followed in spirit, not merely in letter.

One of the great beauties of this story is that Christ himself (as Matthew tells His Story) brings the ill and the troubled to Himself and ministers to them before His great sermon. Ever the most excellent and perfect Master, He lives out lessons in charity before the crowds. His message of blessing to the “poor in spirit” and to “those who mourn” was action before it was word. Jesus Christ certainly issues the difficult imperative to “be perfect just as [our] heavenly Father is perfect” but not before descending into flesh in order that we might overcome sin.

Schedule

I'm giving myself posting duty for the first reading. I got sort of a late start organizing this (story of my life, really), so I'm not going to hand out all of the duties right away. As for the gameplan, I think that it would be best if we complete the reading by the time that each contributer makes their post on the text. There will be quizzes at the end. (There really won't be). Don't be shy about commenting on posts and other comments.

One more thing: if you see your name next to a text, and it turns out that I've wrongly assumed that you want to do a post, just email me, and I'll fix it directly.

Matthew

Thursday, February 22: chapters 1 - 7 - Gabriel

Sunday, February 25: chapters 8 - 13 - Rivkah

Wednesday, February 28: chapters 14 - 21 - Sarah

Saturday, March 3: chapters 22 - 28 - Stephanie

Mark

Tuesday, March 6 - chapters 1 - 5 - Gabriel

Friday, March 9 - chapters 6 - 10 - Mikey Hannon

Tuesday, March 13 - chapters 11 - 16 - Rivkah

Luke

Friday, March 16 - chapters 1 -5 - Gabriel

Monday, March 19 - chapters 6 - 11 - Caddy

Thursday, March 22 - chapters 12 - 19:27 - Daniel

Sunday, March 25 - chapters 19:28 - 24 - Kate

John

Wednesday, March 28 - chapters 1 -5 - Caddy

Saturday, March 31 - chapters 6 - 11

Tuesday, April 3 - chapters 11 - 16

Friday, April 6 - chapters 17 - 21

Intro

I was thinking that reading the Gospels and talking about them with some friends during Lent would be a good way of preparing for Easter. Granted I should have started this process much sooner than I did, but I think we still have time to get something organized. I was thinking that we would divide the Gospels into sections such that we could focus on two or three sections per week and take turns writing the main post for each section. Then we all would comment. I certainly don't think of this project as an exclusive thing, so if you think of anyone who would enjoy this or benefit from it or contribute to it, bring them in. For that reason (and because as a rule I don't plan longterm), I don't want to get to far ahead of myself with this in case some people come on board midway through, but I'll figure out the sections by Monday evening and take the first one. My post for the first reading should be up on Wednesday or Thursday.

And I'm sure that some of you have noticed that I'm unable to set up an online journal without a Gerard Manley Hopkins-inspired title. This one comes from stanza 35 of The Wreck of the Deutschland. I'll refrain from quoting it here, but you can look it up if you're interested.