Holy Textures

Matthew 25:31-46

The judgement is NOT based on doing the right things to/for Jesus. Of course we would do all those things if we knew it was Jesus. (Wouldn't we?) But unfortunately, the judgement is based on just doing the right things for the dispossessed. This is not rocket science; it only requires common sense and human decency. And we all have that don't we?

Year A
Pentecost 23
Reign of Christ  or  Christ the King 
November 20, 2011
Sunday Between November 20 and November 26 Inclusive
Proper 29, Ordinary Time 34
USA Thanksgiving is fourth Thursday, November 22 - 28. May be celebrated Sunday between November 18 and November 24 inclusive. See Luke 17:11-19 for Thanksgiving commentary. 

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 25:31-46, The Message   or   Matthew 25:31-46, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Matthew 25:31-46, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "On Not Judging."

Wow. Here we are at the end of Year A. And one of my favourite passages too.

Chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew are considered by scholars to be the last of 5 "discourses" (i.e., long sections of teachings by Jesus). It is hypothesized that these 5 sections are intended by Matthew to be a new Torah - a new set of 5 "books" paralleling the 5 books of the Torah attributed to Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

The implication of this for present day understanding is that this final section has been significantly edited by Matthew to fit his intentions.

The themes of chapters 24 and 25 are: final judgment and the return of the Son of Man, or, the establishing of the reign of God on earth; and teachings about delays.

These two issues were certainly of high concern to Matthew and his community. Scholars debate how much they were top-of-mind for Jesus. Thus the scholarly debate about how much Matthew used - and changed - anything Jesus might have actually said to address concerns that arose only after Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension.

We have just heard (Matthew 25:14-30) a parable about the present age where the honourable slave who doesn't use his masters wealth to steal even more from the poor, but instead buries it and returns it in full, is punished and "thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Jesus continues by telling what it will be like when the promised "new age" comes.

Matthew 25:14-30

This a Wisdom parable teaching us about the perils and difficulties of the ways of the world until the Kingdom comes. It warns us to continue to expect the rich to steal from the poor; and for the followers of Jesus to expect to be punished by the rich for behaving honourably - burying the ill-gotten wealth and refusing to use it to take even more from the poor.

Year A
Pentecost 22
November 13, 2011
Sunday Between November 13 and November 19 Inclusive
Proper 28, Ordinary Time 33
USA Thanksgiving is fourth Thursday, November 22 - 28. May be celebrated Sunday between November 18 and November 24 inclusive. See Luke 17:11-19 for Thanksgiving commentary. 

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 25:14-30, The Message   or   Matthew 25:14-30, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Matthew 25:14-30, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "A Kingdom of Surprises."

Chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew are considered by scholars to be the last of 5 "discourses" (i.e., long sections of teachings by Jesus). It is hypothesized that these 5 sections are intended by Matthew to be a new Torah - a new set of 5 "books" paralleling the 5 books of the Torah attributed to Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

The implication of this for present day understanding is that this final section has been significantly edited by Matthew to fit his intentions. Today's text is a case in point.

The themes of chapters 24 and 25 are: final judgment and the return of the Son of Man, or, the establishing of the reign of God on earth; and teachings about delays. These two issues were certainly of high concern to Matthew and his community. Scholars debate how much they were top-of-mind for Jesus. Thus the scholarly debate about how much Matthew used - and changed - anything Jesus might have actually said to address concerns that arose only after Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension.

How might this parable have sounded to the peasants who were Jesus' followers?

Matthew 25:1-13

The bridesmaids who did not bring extra oil were determining the time frame in which the bridegroom could be honourably welcomed back to his home with lamps fully ablaze. Their lack of preparation is disrespectful and insulting to the bridegroom.

Year A
Pentecost 21
November 6, 2011
Sunday Between November 6 and November 12 Inclusive
Proper 27, Ordinary Time 32
All Saints is November 1, or may be celebrated as the first Sunday in November. See Matthew 5:1-12 for All Saints commentary. 

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 25:1-13, The Message   or   Matthew 25:1-13, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Matthew 25:1-13, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "Be Awake."

Chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew are considered by scholars to be the last of 5 "discourses" (i.e., long sections of teachings by Jesus). It is hypothesized that these 5 sections are intended by Matthew to be a new Torah - a new set of 5 "books" paralleling the 5 books of the Torah attributed to Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

The implication of this for present day understanding is that this final section has been significantly edited by Matthew to fit his intentions. Today's text is a case in point.

Even a casual reading of this "parable" will reveal a striking dis-similarity with Jesus' other parables:

• it does not cut against social or religious expectations;
• it does not surprise or shock his first listeners - instead it would confirm their conventional wisdom that the foolish are punished and the prepared are rewarded;
• there is no unexpected twist in the story;
• the story lacks humour, paradox, new insight;
• it is unimaginative and easy to figure out what "the moral" is.
• it concludes with a closed, impenetrable boundary - clearly separated insiders from outsiders.

Matthew 23:1-12

Unfortunately, the scribes and Pharisees - like us - were the ones who studied the Bible, who prayed regularly, and who earnestly sought to live in accordance with Biblical teachings. That is, they are who we are now. Are we like them? Yikes!

Year A
Pentecost 20
October 30, 2011
Sunday Between October 30 and November 5 Inclusive
Proper 26, Ordinary Time 31
All Saints is November 1, or may be celebrated as the first Sunday in November. See Matthew 5:1-12 for All Saints commentary. 

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 23:1-12, The Message   or   Matthew 23:1-12, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Matthew 23:1-12, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "A Question of Humility."

Just in case you thought Jesus got himself killed for being meek and mild mannered, in this chapter we have a text full of Jesus swearing, cursing and insulting.

Since we are followers of Jesus, we probably imagine ourselves safely hiding behind his coat tails while he dresses down the scribes and Pharisees for their pride, hypocrisy and onerous demands.

Unfortunately, they were the religious leaders of their day. They - like us - were the ones who studied the Bible, who prayed regularly, and who earnestly sought to live in accordance with Biblical teachings. That is, they are who we are now.

Frankly, I'm not sure where the Good News is in this passage. If we sort out the attacks on the Scribes and Pharisees as being "chaff," then I suppose there is some "wheat," in the teaching about how we are to live:

• Listen to those who are knowledgeable about the Bible and practice what they teach.
• Make sure that we ourselves practice what we preach.
• Don't lay heavy, strict, narrow moral burdens on others.
• Don't make a show of our faith.
• Be humble; don't look for fancy titles or other rewards.
• Treat one another as equals.

This might be a good opportunity to recognize that passages like this have a shameful history of being the fuel for violence against Jews. Check out my note, It's "Judeans," Not "Jews," for more background on this.

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com

Historical background information in this post is drawn primarily from Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, see link below, pages 115-117.

* Link to Amazon.com Bibliography for Bruce Malina, et. al., Social Science Commentary on ... The Synoptic Gospels; The Gospel of John; The Book of Acts; The Letters of Paul; The Book of Revelation; and others.

Matthew 23:1-12 (NRSV)

   ¹ Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ² "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; ³ therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. ⁴ They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. ⁵ They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. ⁶ They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, ⁷ and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. ⁸ But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. ⁹ And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. ¹⁰ Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. ¹¹ The greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. 

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Matthew 23:1-12 (The Message)

   ¹ Now Jesus turned to address his disciples, along with the crowd that had gathered with them. ² "The religion scholars and Pharisees are competent teachers in God's Law. ³ You won't go wrong in following their teachings on Moses. But be careful about following them. They talk a good line, but they don't live it. They don't take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It's all spit-and-polish veneer.

 ⁴ "Instead of giving you God's Law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules, loading you down like pack animals. They seem to take pleasure in watching you stagger under these loads, and wouldn't think of lifting a finger to help. ⁵ Their lives are perpetual fashion shows, embroidered prayer shawls one day and flowery prayers the next. ⁶ They love to sit at the head table at church dinners, basking in the most prominent positions, ⁷ preening in the radiance of public flattery, receiving honorary degrees, and getting called 'Doctor' and 'Reverend.'

 ⁸ "Don't let people do that to you, put you on a pedestal like that. You all have a single Teacher, and you are all classmates. ⁹ Don't set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority for God; let him tell you what to do. No one else should carry the title of 'Father'; you have only one Father, and he's in heaven. ¹⁰ And don't let people maneuver you into taking charge of them. There is only one Life-Leader for you and them—Christ.

 ¹¹ "Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. ¹² If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty. 

Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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Matthew 5:1-12 (Year A, All Saints)

Those we honour as saints have never been ALL good, ALL the time. But thankfully, those who followed Jesus, at some time, have had some inkling of hearing these words and practicing them. Their lives inspire us to do the same.

Year A
All Saints
November 1 or Sunday, November 6, 2011
All Saints is November 1, or may be celebrated as the first Sunday in November. 

And

Year A
Epiphany 4
Sunday between January 28 and February 3 inclusive.
Click here to read Epiphany commentary.

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 5:1-12, The Message   or   Matthew 5:1-12, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Matthew 5:1-12, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "."

Matthew 5:1-12 is the opening of Sermon on the Mount. This passage is often referred to as "The Beatitudes," based on the original Latin word for "Blessed."

Presumably, this text is assigned for All Saints Day because "saints" are those who have been beatified.

But even if one is not part of a tradition that recognizes Saints, it is still worth pondering what are the attitudes and behaviours in this life that are pleasing to God, that are a cause for blessing.

Luke 23:33-43

"What sort of Saviour can't even save himself? 'IF you are the Messiah...?' The word 'if' gets us thinking - or rather doubting. It shifts us from relating with Jesus to reasoning about him; from love to logic; from our hearts to our heads. But salvation is not about changing bad circumstances to good ones - coming down off a cross. Salvation is knowing and trusting without a shred of doubt, without a second's hesitation that we abide in God's love - no matter what the circumstances - even on a cross."

Year C
Season of Pentecost
Sunday Between November 20 and November 26 Inclusive
Reign of Christ   or   Christ the King Sunday
Last Sunday of Pentecost Season
Proper 29, Ordinary Time 34
November 21, 2010, 26th Sunday After Pentecost

Read the lesson: Luke 23:33-43, The Message;   or   Luke 23:33-43, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Luke 23:33-43, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Listen to or download an MP3 of this post:

Luke 23:33-43

Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "Christ the King." 

This lesson, chosen for Christ the King / The Reign of Christ Sunday, seems to be chosen as a deliberate counter-point to the temptation to rush to a quick and easy, "Christ the all-powerful King will rescue you from all physical hardships, and prevent any bad things from happening to you," type of sermons.

Indeed, the question that cries out from the page is, "If Jesus can't save himself, how can he save us?"

The taunting of the leaders, soldiers and the one criminal: "If you are the King / Messiah, save yourself," are all part of the humiliation of Jesus that is intended not only to kill him physically, but to also kill him "inspirationally." That is, to make sure that all hopes and dreams that the crowds had begun to place in Jesus were also terminated. This will be a shameful death; an excruciating death; a degrading death. His followers will not be able to glory in his noble death as a martyr for their cause.

Luke 21:5-19

"Jesus doesn't promise us an easy life. Instead, he tells us the truth. And he promises us that the truth will set us free. I wonder how the words of today's passage have been true and freeing for us?"

Year C
Season of Pentecost
Sunday Between November 13 and November 19 Inclusive
Proper 28, Ordinary Time 33
November 14, 2010, 25th Sunday After Pentecost

Read the lesson: Luke 21:5-19, The Message;   or   Luke 21:5-19, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Luke 21:5-19, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Listen to or download an MP3 of this post:

Luke 21:05-19

Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "Promise and Paradise." 

The readings at this time of year are out of sync with what is happening in malls and stores everywhere: they are gearing up for that shopping madness called Christmas; the lessons are gearing up for cosmic conflict and death.

Folks come to church expecting some advance preparation for Christmas. Instead, they get lessons about global warfare, plagues, confrontation, betrayal, persecution, and ... endurance and salvation. Well, maybe the lessons aren't so out of sync with our lives.

I sometimes think we should make the Reign of Christ a whole new Season in the Christian calendar just to give everyone a heads up that we headed to a cross and not just to a cozy stable.

Luke 20:27-38

"Remember, in a couple of days, 'resurrection' is going to be a life and death question for Jesus - not merely an interesting question for discussion and debate. If your life depended on it, what would you say about resurrection?"

Year C
Season of Pentecost
Sunday Between November 6 and November 12 Inclusive
Proper 27, Ordinary Time 32
November 7, 2010, 24th Sunday After Pentecost

Read the lesson: Luke 20:27-38, The Message;   or   Luke 20:27-38, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Luke 20:27-38, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Listen to or download an MP3 of this post:

Luke 20:27-38

Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "to be added." 

It is important to remember the context of this passage: Jesus has entered Jerusalem (Luke 19:28-40) and a series of confrontations with the authorities begins. He has less than a week to live before he will be falsely charged, secretly arrested by night, tortured, and then brutally executed.

Just before the passage we are reading now, Jesus told a parable of wicked tenants (Luke 20:9-19), and following this Luke had commented:

So (the authorities) watched (Jesus) and sent spies who pretended to be honest, in order to trap him by what he said, so as to hand him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor (Pontius Pilate).
Luke 20:20 (NRSV)

This passage is intended to be one of those traps. The question asked by the Sadducees is NOT an honest, "good faith," question; it is an exaggerated "mind game" intended to trap Jesus. Luke makes this clear by noting that the Sadducees "say there is no resurrection," and yet the question they ask is about what happens in the resurrection!

Luke 6:20-31

"This is a great text to preach as a high calling to the character of Christian community. Preaching it as pre-conditions for being resurrected - that would be a mistake. Preaching it as a calling to live as those who have been raised from the dead - that would be a blessing."

Year C
Season of Pentecost
All Saints Day
November 1 or the First Sunday In November
November 7, 2010, 24th Sunday After Pentecost

Read the lesson: Luke 6:20-31, The Message;   or   Luke 6:20-31, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Luke 6:20-31, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Listen to or download an MP3 of this post:

Luke-06-20-31

Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "to be added."

This passage is an interesting choice for All Saints since it doesn't speak about the resurrection; but rather at first glance it seems to speak about saintliness. Are only the saintly resurrected? I certainly hope not! At least not in my case. So let's take a second glance at this text.

To begin, Malina (see footnote below) suggests that the Greek word translated as "blessed" or "happy" would be better as "honourable;" and the word translated as "woe" or "trouble" should be "shameless." (And remember that "shameless" is not "shameful." Quite the opposite. To be shameless is to act without any regard for shame - to act without due regard for the opinion of others.)

Whatever the translation, Jesus completely reverses who society places in each camp.

John 6:25-35

"The challenge for us is to SEE which things perish and which things endure, and to embed ourselves - to abide in, to focus our living on - the things that endure. Because only the things that endure truly satisfy, and only the things that endure bring true life."

Year C
Thanksgiving Day
USA: 4th Thursday in November (22nd to 28th Inclusive)
Canada: 2nd Monday in October (8th to 14th Inclusive)

Read the lesson: John 6:25-35, The Message;   or   John 6:25-35, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, John 6:25-35, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "Hungry Heart To Thankful Heart." 

As always with John, it is important to remember that John is not writing a daily diary - "What I did with Jesus today" - nor a historical biography - "Jesus: The Man, His Times, His Achievements."

John is writing at the end of his life, at the end of the first century (nearly 70 years after Jesus' execution and resurrection), at a time when the early Christian communities are under severe persecution from the Romans, and have lost all connections with their original Jewish roots. He is NOT writing to "the general public." He is writing to a threatened, small, inner group, who have no first-hand memory or experience of Jesus or of being Jewish. Their physical - and more importantly - their eternal lives are at stake. They need to SEE Jesus. They need to be embedded in Jesus, abiding in Jesus, so that they can withstand the fear and pain of Roman arrest, torture, and bloody executions.