Before Week Five: offer your reflection on one of the following passages: Matt 11:25-30; Matt 12:38-41; Matt 13:24-30.
In one or two paragraphs prepare a response and reflection by leaving a comment to this post. When preparing your reflection make sure to consider the surrounding literary context. Meaning, if I am writing about Matt 1:21 it is necessary to understand the meaning of this passage by reading all of chapter 1 (and even chapter 2).
Further, each week use this blog as a means to respond to other peoples reflection.
One other thing to note. Week Five will be a "junk drawer day." Any questions that would result in a "bunny trail" are encouraged!
8 comments:
Matthew 13:24-30
In this text Jesus is explaining why the weeds (evil people) are left with the wheat (redeemed people). It seems that the best way for people to grow in character and Christ-likeness is to live with those who are evil. God knows those whom he has called, even when it may not be obvious to us.
It seems also that the punishment that the weeds will suffer is severe enough to cause an uprooting of the righteous if they where to be punished before their proper time. Hell is part of God's plan ,as much as heaven is. The wheat is to be stored for a useful purpose; the weeds are worthless. God is not fooled by appearances.
Good thoughts on this. What is curious is that throughout church history this passage has been applied to ecclesiology. Augustine for example said that the field represents the church and within the church weeds and wheat grow together. Others (for example many Baptists) say that the field represents the world and within the world weeds and wheat grow together. Based upon your reading of the text what interpretation do you prefer?
In response to Matthew 12:38-41...
In these verses, Jesus is speaking to a group of scribes and Pharisees; it is notable that just a few verses prior to this, Jesus deemed them a "brood of vipers." I think that Jesus' tone when calling them a "brood of vipers" carries through in verses 38-41. In a commentary I read, it said that a better translation of verse 38 ("we wish to see a sign from you") is "we wish to see another sign from you" or even "sign upon sign" from you. This is rather ridiculous, as they have already witnessed several miracles. The scribes and Pharisees are perhaps motivated here by "pride, vain curiosity, and incredulity...[and they] have never proof sufficient of the truth" (Adam's commentary). Their hearts are not ready to accept the tangible revelation of who God is.
Again, as we have seen so many times in this book, Jesus (and Matthew) is emphasizing the weightiness and significance of our heart's disposition; here, he refers to the scribes and Pharisees (and perhaps the whole Jewish race) as an "adulterous generation," as a people having already breached the covenant relationship with God.
One curious point: "three days and three nights"...Jesus was crucified day 1, then in the tomb two nights, and resurrected on the third...This isn't three nights. Why does he say it is?
I love your insight. Reflecting on what you have already read in oder to understand what you are currently reading. This is a huge key in understanding Scripture. Regarding your curiosity this is a fair question. Remind me to bring this up when we speak about Biblical Criticism. In short, some say that "three days and three nights" really means a part of three days. In other words the author may be implementing a common idiom to understanding time. In order to get past this verse with some honesty it's best to interpret v. 40 literally put figuratively. After all Jesus compares, figuratively, his coming death and resurrection with the story of Jonah. I acknowledge that my answer does not solve all the potential questions, but it is a start!
Matt 11:25-30
I think that the first parts of these verses are referring to the fact that the common and more uneducated folk, "little children", compared to the Pharisees who were expert in the law or those who are wise in the way of the world, were given the revelation of the Kingdom of God, because of His choice, and that God does not make it too laborious or difficult to come to Him and know His truth, vs. the very difficult way of the Pharisees.
I think it might have been God's will b/c it shows His graciousness, that His revelation is a gift "For by grace you have been saved through faith. and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God".
(Christine Schultz Posted this under anonymous)
Mat 13:24-30 He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he said, 'No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"
We are quick to determine which stalks are good wheat stalks and which stalks are weeds. But we cannot always tell. We look at outward appearances while God looks at the heart. We cannot know what is in a man’s heart and thus cannot judge whether a man is a part of the kingdom or not a part of the kingdom. Jesus tells us to let Him be the judge on the judgment day when he will separate the wheat from the weeds. Again – going back to Matthew 7:20-23 –
Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'
We see that the weeds will appear in the church and will appear even to be those who prophesy, cast out demons, and do many mighty works. If we try to pull out the weeds – we would be sure to pull out some who are wheat and leave in some who are weeds. We need to be faithful to Jesus – We need to KNOW Jesus and then we will produce fruit and we will hear his voice and recognize it (and he ours) that will save us on that day.
Christine:
Well said. This idea that we are suppose to be "little children" does not get enough attention. It's a great observation on your part.
Dan:
Solid explanation of both verses. As I noted with Nathanial the theological debate with 13:24-30 is whether the weeds and wheat are in the church or apart of the world. Where one lands on this has ramifications for how one explains their ecclesiology. Although I respect arguments from both sides (as Augustine presents them) I tend to agree with you. Weeds and wheat both exist in the local church and ultimately God knows the heart of each individual.
It has been great to have you in class.
Post a Comment