Matthew 11:25-30
The key words in this passages are: hidden, revealed, come, burdened, easy and light. There are a couple of lines that are repetitive, almost poetic in nature: No one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son. There is also a contrast between the burdens that religion places on people and the rest that Christ brings. There is also a contrast between the knowledge of the intellectuals and the faith of the children.
The word "reveal" is used twice. Once to talk about how the Father has revealed the truth to the simple and child-like and the other to indicate that Jesus chooses to reveal the Father to certain people (likely the simple and child-like as well).
Jesus is saying that the truth is revealed by the Father through Jesus and that the Father and the Son (I believe that the implication is that the Spirit is involved as well) work together to decide to whom the truth should be revealed to. The implications for this are huge! It is obvious to me that God in his sovreignty is choosing to reveal the truth to some and keep it hidden from others. I find this conclusion troubling but can't conclude otherwise from my study of Scripture. I can see how people would see God as vindictive, playing favourites and unfair. I have to work really hard to see the justice and grace of God in this but his grace is seen in his choosing anyone to reveal truth to. Because of our rebellion, he is not obliged to reveal his truth to anyone. And yet, I find it hard to argue for fairness when he only chooses to reveal truth to a few. Any thoughts?
Showing posts with label Matthew 11. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matthew 11. Show all posts
Monday, March 23, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
apparently miracles are not the best evidence after all
Matthew 11:20-24
In response to the people's response to him (v. 19), Jesus warns the towns in which he performed his miracles of the coming judgement. He compares the evil of Chorazin and Bethsaida to the evil of Tyre and Sidon and the evil of Capernaum to that of Sodom. In both cases, the OT towns would be seen as more evil. Then he compares the coming judgement on Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum to the coming judgement on Tyre and Sidon and the judgement already poured out on Sodom. His conclusion is that it will be more bearable for the apparently more evil cities than for the cities/towns in which he performed miracles but saw no response to the message of the kingdom.
I sometimes think it would be much easier to convince people of the truth of our faith if miracles were still being performed like in Jesus' day. However, we see that the miracles that Jesus himself performed did not convince the people. They were attracted to the spectacle but the spectacle did not result in many life changes or many citizens of the kingdom of God. What's the point? I think we should look for the kingdom more in the quiet and subtle than in the spectacular and I think we should stop trying to convince people through spectacle and begin to influence people more like yeast in dough than like sledgehammers.
In response to the people's response to him (v. 19), Jesus warns the towns in which he performed his miracles of the coming judgement. He compares the evil of Chorazin and Bethsaida to the evil of Tyre and Sidon and the evil of Capernaum to that of Sodom. In both cases, the OT towns would be seen as more evil. Then he compares the coming judgement on Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum to the coming judgement on Tyre and Sidon and the judgement already poured out on Sodom. His conclusion is that it will be more bearable for the apparently more evil cities than for the cities/towns in which he performed miracles but saw no response to the message of the kingdom.
I sometimes think it would be much easier to convince people of the truth of our faith if miracles were still being performed like in Jesus' day. However, we see that the miracles that Jesus himself performed did not convince the people. They were attracted to the spectacle but the spectacle did not result in many life changes or many citizens of the kingdom of God. What's the point? I think we should look for the kingdom more in the quiet and subtle than in the spectacular and I think we should stop trying to convince people through spectacle and begin to influence people more like yeast in dough than like sledgehammers.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Building Up John
Matthew 11:7-19
After gently admonishing John and his doubts, Jesus turns his attention to the crowd and admonishes them about their response to John. It seems that Jesus' perception is that the people listened to John because of the spectacle that he was and that they had completely missed his message about the coming Messiah. Jesus tries to help the people put John's ministry in perspective in terms of the overall redemption narrative: if John is the promised "Elijah" then the implication is that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Therefore the use of the phrase, "if you are willing to accept it". In other words, "if you are willing to accept that John is the Elijah, you will accept that I am the Messiah."
Jesus also reveals the fickle tendencies of the people. John didn't feast or drink and he was accused of being mad or having a demon. Jesus feasts and drinks and he is accused of being a glutton and a drunkard.
There are two lessons I glean from this passage: one is that I should be careful not to miss the messengers of God. I need to make sure I don't get sucked in or distracted by the spectacles out there and learn to discern the quiet voice of God in the middle of all the noise. I don't want to miss the message, direction, instruction, etc. that God is bringing my way.
The second lesson is that I must not entrust myself to people. If I try to please everyone I will never get it right: I'll be accused of partying too much or not enough, being to strict or too lenient, being too conservative or too liberal, being to exclusive or too universal, emphasizing proclamation or emphasizing social action. I'll never get it right. The only person I must get it right with is God and I can only do that through the work of his Son. I pray that God will help me learn to live only for him, his glory and his kingdom.
After gently admonishing John and his doubts, Jesus turns his attention to the crowd and admonishes them about their response to John. It seems that Jesus' perception is that the people listened to John because of the spectacle that he was and that they had completely missed his message about the coming Messiah. Jesus tries to help the people put John's ministry in perspective in terms of the overall redemption narrative: if John is the promised "Elijah" then the implication is that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Therefore the use of the phrase, "if you are willing to accept it". In other words, "if you are willing to accept that John is the Elijah, you will accept that I am the Messiah."
Jesus also reveals the fickle tendencies of the people. John didn't feast or drink and he was accused of being mad or having a demon. Jesus feasts and drinks and he is accused of being a glutton and a drunkard.
There are two lessons I glean from this passage: one is that I should be careful not to miss the messengers of God. I need to make sure I don't get sucked in or distracted by the spectacles out there and learn to discern the quiet voice of God in the middle of all the noise. I don't want to miss the message, direction, instruction, etc. that God is bringing my way.
The second lesson is that I must not entrust myself to people. If I try to please everyone I will never get it right: I'll be accused of partying too much or not enough, being to strict or too lenient, being too conservative or too liberal, being to exclusive or too universal, emphasizing proclamation or emphasizing social action. I'll never get it right. The only person I must get it right with is God and I can only do that through the work of his Son. I pray that God will help me learn to live only for him, his glory and his kingdom.
Monday, March 16, 2009
what do you see?
Matthew 11:1-6
I'm not sure about the chronology of Matthew. I wonder if v. 1 actually belongs to the previous section and if John really responds to Jesus sending out his disciples by sending his own disciples to Jesus to find out what's going on. I wonder if Matthew is using John as an illustration of the potential cost of adopting and spreading the message of the Kingdom.
Whatever the order of events actually is, John is beginning to wonder if Jesus is really who John and Jesus have been claiming him to be. John's circumstances have given him a lot of time to think, wonder and doubt and now he needs some reassurance. The message that Jesus gives to John's disciples is: "go back and report what you see." Then he lists all the miraculous signs that fulfill his mandate as given in Luke 4: blind are seeing, lame are walking, lepers are cleansed, deaf are hearing, dead are living and the good news is being proclaimed to the poor.
This makes me wonder what people are seeing today. As they look for the truth and wonder about the claims that the Church is making about life, the world and Jesus, what evidence do they see that the claims are true? Are the oppressed being cared for? Are the prisonners being set free? Are the sick being cured and loved? Is the good news making a difference in people's lives? Is the Church showing people a new way of living or just offering something that can be added to the old life they are already living? Do people see Jesus in us? in me?
I'm not sure about the chronology of Matthew. I wonder if v. 1 actually belongs to the previous section and if John really responds to Jesus sending out his disciples by sending his own disciples to Jesus to find out what's going on. I wonder if Matthew is using John as an illustration of the potential cost of adopting and spreading the message of the Kingdom.
Whatever the order of events actually is, John is beginning to wonder if Jesus is really who John and Jesus have been claiming him to be. John's circumstances have given him a lot of time to think, wonder and doubt and now he needs some reassurance. The message that Jesus gives to John's disciples is: "go back and report what you see." Then he lists all the miraculous signs that fulfill his mandate as given in Luke 4: blind are seeing, lame are walking, lepers are cleansed, deaf are hearing, dead are living and the good news is being proclaimed to the poor.
This makes me wonder what people are seeing today. As they look for the truth and wonder about the claims that the Church is making about life, the world and Jesus, what evidence do they see that the claims are true? Are the oppressed being cared for? Are the prisonners being set free? Are the sick being cured and loved? Is the good news making a difference in people's lives? Is the Church showing people a new way of living or just offering something that can be added to the old life they are already living? Do people see Jesus in us? in me?
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