The passage
we heard this morning has often been taken to mean, do the right thing and see
Jesus in each other, because you will be judged individually based on your
behaviour.
I think it is
a little more complex than that.
Maybe where this
fits into Matthews gospel might give us some clues in thinking about this
passage.
The
entry of Jesus into Jerusalem that we will hear next Sunday, Palm Sunday, is in
chapter 21 – there is a whole lot that Matthew includes as happening in the few
days between the triumphant entry and the betrayal, arrest, trial and
crucifixion.
Matthew
includes
- the cleansing of the temple,
- lament over Jerusalem
- prophecy of the destruction temple,
- persecution
- questions about
- paying taxes
- resurrection
- the greatest commandment
- parables of
- the wicked tenants,
- the wedding banquet,
- ten bridesmaids
- talents
After
this story of judgement,
- plot to kill Jesus
- Jesus is anointed
- Passover
- Garden of Gethsemane
- etc.
Early in
chapter 24, the disciples ask Jesus: “What will be the sign of your coming and
of the end of the world?” Matthew 24:3 CEV; Matthew then writes about persecution
and suffering, the need to be ready, including the parables you heard last
week, then this reading about judgement. After this passage, we hear of the
plot to kill Jesus, the anointing of Jesus at Bethany, then the Passover.
We are at the
pointy end of the gospel.
Jesus
could read the signs around him, he knew the religious and political
authorities were not happy, he knew he could be arrested or killed at any time.
During these few days, Jesus did a lot of teaching, responded to questions, and
told some stories, including the parables we looked at in the past 2 weeks, and
the story we heard this morning.
One
way of looking at this reading is to think of the connection with the arrest,
trial and crucifixion of Jesus.[i]
- on the cross he is thirsty – who
gives him something to drink? [27:34, 27:48] soldiers, bystanders
- his clothes are taken from him –
who covers his nakedness [27:59] Joseph of Arimathea
- how was he treated in prison
[27:27-37]
- was Jesus welcomed, or treated as
a stranger [26:70] Peter denies knowing Jesus; the crowd [27: 21 – 23]
Shortly, Jesus
is the one who will be thirsty and naked and imprisoned. Does this change how
we read this story?
….
One thing to
note with this passage is that neither those who fed and clothed and visited, nor
those who did not feed and clothe and visit, knew that they were or were not serving
Jesus.
The ones labelled
sheep, did not care and visit and provide shelter because they knew this would
earn them favour in God’s eyes. They did it because that was what they
naturally did. They were caring and compassionate.
Same with
those labelled goats, they were living in ways that were natural to them, looking
after their own interests and not being concerned about others. [ii]
Neither saw the
King in need, the goats would have helped if they had seen him hungry or
lonely. The sheep helped even though they did not recognise the King in those
they served. They simply saw people who needed to be fed or clothed or visited
or respected.
Those who
were sheep, saw people as people. [iii]
People made in the image of God.
People worthy of respect.
People made in the image of God.
People worthy of respect.
People for
whom Jesus died. [iv]
In a culture
where the social code was that you only helped those who could later repay
you, or where you would be rewarded in some way, helping those who cannot repay
you is foolish, even shameful. The sheep ignored the social code.[v]
This isn’t
about doing the right thing to be saved.
This is about
transformation of our lives from the inside, from our hearts and minds, so that
the care and compassion we show others is not only genuine but natural. It is
not forced to earn brownie points from God.
….
As I said earlier
this passage is often understood in terms of individual behaviour. In some of my
reading this week, it was noted that the judgement is of the nations, it is not
an individual judgement that is being spoken of here, but a judgement of
nations, countries, empires.
What if we
look at this with the eyes of a first century Palestinian, living in a country occupied
by Rome. What if this parable is about judging the politics and economics of
empires? In many regimes, life is cheap, toe the line or else life will be
difficult.
If this is about judging
nations, or empires, how would Australia be judged? A single person on Newstart
allowance receives $ 555.70 per fortnight, the cheapest rent on the peninsula is
$270 per week, or $540 per fortnight. With rent assistance that leaves $152.90
left to live on for 2 weeks.
From the beginning,
“Creation has
been structured by God to work best for everyone, “all the nations,” when
the most vulnerable are attended to instead of the least vulnerable.”[vi]
….
I don’t know anyone who
likes the idea of being judged, especially with criteria like these. We don’t want
to let God down. [vii] It seems impossible.
But this is Good News,
maybe not for us, but for those who are hungry and in prison. How might we hear
this if we lived in North Korea? How might we have heard this if we had been imprisoned
in Nazi Germany? Might this be Good
News, that God will not allow injustice and suffering to go unpunished. That ‘God
cares passionately about the suffering of the least of these, and about whether
we cause or ignore it -- so much so that Jesus bore this suffering in his own
body in order to triumph over evil and death.’ [viii]
….
The two greatest commandments
are loving God and loving neighbour. This parable speaks into the living out of
those commandments.
As individuals and in
community, remembering that the compassion of the sheep was the not rehearsed
or planned, it was the natural outworking of their relationship with God. They
saw people as people,
·
they fed the hungry,
·
welcomed the stranger
·
clothed the naked
·
cared for the sick
·
visited the imprisoned
not because they deserved
it or earned it,
not because they were friends
or family.
The sheep acted with
compassion because of the transformation of their lives.
[i] Working Preacher Podcast: http://www.workingpreacher.org/narrative_podcast.aspx?podcast_id=602
[ii]
https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3872
[iii]
https://provokingthegospel.wordpress.com/2017/11/20/a-provocation-reign-of-christ-sunday-november-26-2017-matthew-2531-46/?fbclid=IwAR2gNLzO4hPi8CHZm2Yg_4u5pL-JoenZltXYVgsLO2FmzVnD7vbTTY_0K4s
[iv]
http://girardianlectionary.net/reflections/year-a/xrstkinga/?fbclid=IwAR09pP4H2czZMWnCTSlZsmEWsaw26nw6zvEvzFY6iMQS-SqMHHX7TYWPddo
[vi]http://girardianlectionary.net/reflections/year-a/xrstkinga/?fbclid=IwAR09pP4H2czZMWnCTSlZsmEWsaw26nw6zvEvzFY6iMQS-SqMHHX7TYWPddo
[vii]
https://revgalblogpals.org/2019/04/02/narrative-lectionary-sheep-and-goats-matt-2531-46/?fbclid=IwAR1DAPzUIE0Ox7dTZVj5bYF8mB7xCteJEqZjqrou8ZlMlfQUsolAULoNxMk
[viii]
https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3872
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