This
section of Matthew’s gospel is usually read on Christ the King Sunday, so it
seems unusual to hear it read towards the end of Lent. If we look at where Matthew includes this
story. 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
- plot to kill Jesus
- Jesus is anointed
- Passover
- Garden of Gethsemane
- etc.
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. Jesus is about to be thirsty, naked and
scorned.[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]
………………
Another
way to understand this story is to think about where we fit – are we sheep or
goats? Remember both groups were surprised, the sheep weren’t helping because
they were going to be judged, but because people were hungry or thirsty or
cold. And the goats weren’t snubbing the
King, if they knew it was him, of course they would have helped. This story encourages us to not focus on ourselves,
and what we will get out of feeding, clothing, or welcoming someone; but to
focus on the person who is hungry, lonely or scared.
Not
an easy thing to do.
But
there is a twist in the story - the social code of the time meant that you only
helped those who could later repay you, or where you would be rewarded in some
way. The sheep ignored the social code.[ii]
The
goats behaved in a way that society accepted, the sheep were foolish.
…………
Another
thing with this parable, as with some others, is that we tend to immediately
assume that the King is God or Jesus – even when that figure in the story
behaves differently to everything we know about Jesus from the rest of the gospel.[iii]
This
passage is the only place in Matthews gospel that has the phrase ‘eternal
punishment’ and there is only one other reference to ‘eternal fire’. [18:8]
What
if this isn’t God, or Jesus, judging the nations; I wonder who the judge might be?
And
really
is
any nation,
or
group of people,
or
individual,
always
helping those who need help,
or
never helping those who need help.
Let’s
face it, most people, and nations, are both sheep and goats at the same time.
how
would you judge?
how
would you decide who goes to eternal punishment and who to eternal life?
I
know that isn’t our judgement to make it,
but
how often do we make those judgements?
How
often does our judgment make life hell for someone else? or for yourself?
a
few weeks ago I showed a picture, the caption was “The
only time you should look in your Neighbour’s bowl is to make sure they have
enough. You don’t look in your neighbour’s bowl to see if you have … as much as
them.” [iv]
What if the judgement is ours?
because
the more we focus on our own life, our own needs, our own worthiness – the less
secure we are in our own life, the more we worry about having enough, about
being good enough, clever enough, pretty enough. And comparing ourselves to
others.
What
happens when we focus on the needs of others,
- when we offer food and drink and clothing to people, not because we think they deserve it, but because they are hungry and thirsty and cold
- what happens when we welcome, include and encourage people; not because we like them, but because they are lonely and isolated and looked down upon.
- what happens when we share, when we welcome, when we visit - when we no longer worry about being good enough.
When our life is no longer focussed
on ourselves?
What
if eternal punishment is what happens when we focus on our own needs, and
ignore the cries of the hungry, lonely and imprisoned.
