Jesus is being put on the ropes. He’s upset the Chief Priests and Scribes with the disturbing the of the money-making ways of the Temple, he’s described the Kingdom of Heaven in ways that have left his accusers saying that they were the guilty ones (the Vineyard). They found that the ways of bullying dictators – Judea had quite a few – were built upon vengeance and desiring popularity (the Wedding Banquet), and that the taxes issue was about where they placed their authority. It’s about when they go low we go high.
Between these readings in Matthew and this week’s passage we have missed out on the Sadducee’s input. They had asked a complicated riddle seeking to get Jesus to denounce the resurrection. Jesus has answered saying that they had misunderstood the whole concept: what an embarrassment. What do we understand about the resurrection? How might we describe the Resurrection to others?
Lawyers again
We’ve had the lawyers asking questions before but it is a reference to the Pharisees. They are part of Judaism, Jews, just like Jesus. It’s not really a them or us debate, but one in which Jesus is seeking to find a new way. They have asked another leading question.
Which Commandment in the Law is the greatest?
Matthew 23:36 NRSV
You might be expecting a sigh from Jesus at this point. {As an aside there are 613 Commandments listed – good for QI}
But is this the Disney Jesus we see so often in picture books or the radical loving Jesus?
We might find that we respond to such a question with a quick snipe back at those who question us. It’s about how we ‘act not react‘ to others. It’s about when they go low we go high, when they seek negativity do we seek to be positive?
Rabbi’s Response
When a Rabbi known as Hillel was asked a very similar question decades earlier he responded: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation of this—go and study it!“
Jesus responds using Hebrew Scripture as the foundation. “You shall love thy God with all thy heart, soul, and mind” (Deuteronomy 6:5) , and “You shall love thy neighbour as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18).
Ever wonder about these specific words in the first Commandment? Hoffmann describes it as two specific aspects of being human: the intangible (levav in Hebrew or kardia in Greek) and the tangible (nephesh in Hebrew or psyche in Greek). In English the Commandment uses ‘heart’ and ‘soul’. He describes it as software and hardware for people. The mind allows the inclusion of intellect rather than emotion, and body on flesh rather than blood or breath. Soul, unlike our English understanding of the life to come, relates to the present. So it is a beautiful mix of our innermost feelings, and our outward body, combined with our mind. It isn’t a head response, or a heart response, but a total combination of all. That’s what love is.
Good, that’s over with, hey but no. Jesus then ‘turns the tables once again’ with a question of his own:
“What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?“
Matthew 22:42
The Pharisees had a literal understanding of their Scripture. We may have had such a belief structure once. What would that word Messiah mean to them? It might mean something very different to us today. And that’s the nub of it. It’s contextual.
The Messiah is one whom might deliver the nation from an oppressor: possibly even the Roman invading hordes. We saw of this with Theudas and Judas of Galilee from last week. Is that the Jesus we follow? It’s odd that Jesus never spoke of overthrowing the Romans. In the passage today you might read the word as Christ instead.
the ruling authorities but show love.
The English word Lord has majestic connotations inferring power, ruling over land – a bit like the King with the Wedding Banquet. Kurios or Kyrius can be interpreted in a host of different ways. It could be ‘sir’ or ‘master’ or even ‘husband’. It’s more of someone who is in a loving relationship with us.
Bottom Line
Throughout these readings from Matthew Jesus has given examples of the Kingdom of Heaven (Kingdom of God in the other Gospels). He has also spoken of the ways of the Heaven. They were relationships, reconciliation and forgiveness. not vengeance, power and rule.
Other may seek such power. Jesus did not. Michelle Obama said “when they go low we go high”. Jesus said “Turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:39).
We need, despite the counter cultural perspective, to go and do likewise. We need to act not react. We are kingdom people, ones where the resurrection which the Sadducees didn’t understand gives us hope, where vengeance and getting even is matched with reconciliation, forgiveness and love, through the way we act, not react, so all will see the fruits of the Kingdom.