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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Permission is granted for non-profit use of these materials.
Acknowledgement in oral presentations is not required.
Otherwise, please acknowledge source as, "David Ewart, www.holytextures.com."

Matthew 22:34-46

The "love" that is being called for is not emotion; it is not "liking," "getting along with," "desiring," or "feeling warm about." The "love" Jesus is talking about here is trust, loyalty, enduring devotion, being attached to. You may actually hate your neighbour, but you will still love them in the Biblical sense if you continue to act for their well-being.

Year A
Pentecost 19
October 23, 2011
Sunday Between October 23 and October 29 Inclusive
Proper 25, Ordinary Time 30 

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 22:34-46, The Message   or   Matthew 22:34-46, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Matthew 22:34-46, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

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

Once again we have another story of a challenge and confrontation between Jesus and the religious leaders and elites. In this case, the Pharisees.

We have skipped over the mocking, sarcastic question of the Sadducees concerning resurrection, Matthew 22:23-33.

Bruce Malina suggests that the two questions in this text parallel the last two of the four questions that are asked at the Passover meal:

1. The first son, the "wise son," asks the "Is it lawful" question. (Matthew 22:17 - Is it lawful to pay taxes to the Emperor, or not?)
2. The second son, the "wicked son," asks the mocking question. (Matthew 22:24-28 - In the resurrection whose wife of the seven [brothers] will she be?)
3. The third son, the "perfect or well-rounded son," asks the question concerning general moral principles. (Matthew 22:36 - What is the greatest commandment?)
4. The fourth son, is a child too young to ask a question, and so the question concerning Israelite history is asked by the presiding father (in this case, Jesus). (Matthew 22:45 - If David thus calls him Lord, how can he [the Messiah] be his son?)
   Malina, pages 112-114.

Matthew 22:15-22

How can a Jew be faithful and observant and also stay alive under Roman rule? Yikes. But it is precisely this position of being caught in a bind of irreconcilable, conflicting obligations and duties that make real life so interesting. The desire to make the tension go away, to solve it, is the enemy of true faithfulness.

Year A
Pentecost 18
October 16, 2011
Sunday Between October 16 and October 22 Inclusive
Proper 24, Ordinary Time 29 

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 22:15-22, The Message   or   Matthew 22:15-22, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Matthew 22:15-22, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

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

Once again we have another story of a challenge and confrontation between Jesus and the religious leaders and elites. In this case, the Pharisees and those who supported Herod as King (that is, as vassal King of the real rulers - the Romans).

Their opening remarks to Jesus are pure slime. They set Jesus up with exaggerated praise with the intention he will fall flat on his face from the high pedestal they have just placed him on.

Matthew 22:1-14

How is this a parable teaching about what the Kingdom of Heaven is like? What sort of behaviours and attitudes does it call for now? At a minimum it means: expect to have to hang out with non-elites - good and bad all together; take seriously the honour of the invitation and do it right.

Year A
Pentecost 17
October 9, 2011
Sunday Between October 9 and October 15 Inclusive
Proper 23, Ordinary Time 28
Canada Thanksgiving Sunday between October 7 and October 13 inclusive. See Luke 17:11-19 for Thanksgiving commentary. 

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 22:1-14, The Message   or   Matthew 22:1-14, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Matthew 22:1-14, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

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

This parable is based on the social protocols practiced among elites.

Note that in Verse 3, the slaves go to "those who had been invited." That is, when the King first set the date of his sons wedding banquet, he sent out a notice to all the right people; the A List people he needed to attend in order to make sure his son's wedding was THE social event he needed it to be in order to ensure the King's own social standing, his own honour status.

Sending out a first notice like this, allows the invited guests to check around and see who else has been invited. If the right people have been invited and will be attending, they will also attend. And if the "right" people are not attending?

Well, the flimsy excuses offered are exactly that, flimsy excuses that the King would easily see through and understand were meant as insults to him, his son, and their social standing.

The result, in Verse 7, is an assertion by the King that he is not to be treated so scandalously.

Note: It is dead wrong, and a total mis-use of this parable, to interpret this as Jesus meaning "Jews" refused the invitation. The invited guests are the elites - the religious leaders and secular rulers - and not all Jews. It is precisely Jesus' non-elite Jewish followers who would understand that it is THEY who now get into the banquet. For more on this, please read my post, It's "Judeans" Not "Jews".

The King now totally disrupts all social protocol and invites street people into the banquet - both good and bad.

And yet the invitation is not a free for all. The King would have supplied the guests with proper wedding attire. And the one found not wearing a wedding robe would be insulting the King by not accepting his hospitality. His fate is the same as the elites.

Let's face it, Verse 14 is a non sequitur that makes no sense whatsoever as a conclusion to the story where many non-elites have been invited and only one has been rejected. Many have been invited and all but one have been chosen, would be a more fitting conclusion.

How is this a parable teaching about what the Kingdom of Heaven is like? What sort of behaviours and attitudes does it call for now? At a minimum it means: expect to have to hang out with non-elites - good and bad all together; take seriously the honour of the invitation and do it right.

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, page 111.

* 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 22:1-14 (NRSV)

   ¹ Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: ² "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. ³ He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. ⁴ Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.' ⁵ But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, ⁶ while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. ⁷ The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. ⁸ Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. ⁹ Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' ¹⁰ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

 ¹¹ "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, ¹² and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And he was speechless. ¹³ Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' ¹⁴ For many are called, but few are chosen." 

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 22:1-14 (The Message)

   ¹ Jesus responded by telling still more stories. ² "God's kingdom," he said, "is like a king who threw a wedding banquet for his son. ³ He sent out servants to call in all the invited guests. And they wouldn't come!

 ⁴ "He sent out another round of servants, instructing them to tell the guests, 'Look, everything is on the table, the prime rib is ready for carving. Come to the feast!'

 ⁵ "They only shrugged their shoulders and went off, one to weed his garden, another to work in his shop. ⁶ The rest, with nothing better to do, beat up on the messengers and then killed them. ⁷ The king was outraged and sent his soldiers to destroy those thugs and level their city.

 ⁸ "Then he told his servants, 'We have a wedding banquet all prepared but no guests. The ones I invited weren't up to it. ⁹ Go out into the busiest intersections in town and invite anyone you find to the banquet.' ¹⁰ The servants went out on the streets and rounded up everyone they laid eyes on, good and bad, regardless. And so the banquet was on—every place filled.

 ¹¹ "When the king entered and looked over the scene, he spotted a man who wasn't properly dressed. ¹² He said to him, 'Friend, how dare you come in here looking like that!' The man was speechless. ¹³ Then the king told his servants, 'Get him out of here—fast. Tie him up and ship him to hell. And make sure he doesn't get back in.'

 ¹⁴ "That's what I mean when I say, 'Many get invited; only a few make it.' " 

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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Permission is granted for non-profit use of these materials.
Acknowledgement in oral presentations is not required.
Otherwise, please acknowledge source as, "David Ewart, www.holytextures.com."

Matthew 21:33-46

Who, ACTUALLY, is producing the fruit of the Kingdom? It could be the religious leaders. Nay. It SHOULD be the religious leaders. But are they? Are we?

Year A
Pentecost 16
October 2, 2011
Sunday Between October 2 and October 8 Inclusive
Proper 22, Ordinary Time 27
Worldwide Communion Sunday between October 1 and October 7 inclusive.
Canada Thanksgiving Sunday between October 7 and October 13 inclusive. See Luke 17:11-19 for Thanksgiving commentary. 

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 21:33-46, The Message   or   Matthew 21:33-46, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Matthew 21:33-46, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

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

It beats me why the creators of the Lectionary have us reading events from Holy Week for the months of October and November.

I guess it is to give us ample opportunity to explain that the clash between Jesus and the religious leaders of his time is NOT a clash between Christianity and Judaism; they should NOT be read as Jesus teaching that Christianity replaces Judaism; the Church replaces Israel. The phrase in Verse 43, "Taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruit of the Kingdom," does NOT mean "taken away from you Jews and given to Christians." In my not-so-humble-opinion, Jesus means, "Taken away from you corrupt religious Jewish leaders and given to Jews who will put their trust in God." For more on this read my post, It's “Judeans,” not “Jews.”

Matthew 21:23-32

It is we who are sitting in church who SAY (and sing and pray) many things. But this text puts the focus on what we actually DO. Just exactly what is it that we do after we leave church on Sunday? Ouch.

Year A
Pentecost 15
September 25, 2011
Sunday Between September 25 and Octoberber 1 Inclusive
Proper 21, Ordinary Time 26
Worldwide Communion Sunday between October 1 and October 7 inclusive. 

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 21:23-32, The Message   or   Matthew 21:23-32, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Matthew 21:23-32, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

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

Today's text ought to make all of us who are in church very nervous.

It would be a misreading to hear this text as Jesus condemning Jews and Judaism. Instead, if we ask, "Who would be the chief priests and elders today," the answer is, "Us!" For we are the religiously observant people today. We are the ones who go to church. We are the ones who read our bibles.

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.