In the beginning was the Word

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Friar Musings

This coming weekend we celebrate the 2nd Sunday of Easter in Lectionary Cycle A. Jesus and the disciples were not born into a time of theological vacuum. Jewish theology was robust and with a history of succeeding and competing rabbinic schools. The followers of Jesus and the people of his time were Jews who were raised and lived this theology. It provided the framework for their daily lives and shaped their expectations about the Messiah, the Anointed One, who was to come. Among the gospels, John’s is the writings whose work expresses the fulfillment of those expectations and provides the theology for those that would follow Jesus. The basis of the theology is evident from the opening: John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was God…” Continue reading →

Peace be with you

Posted on April 11, 2023 by Friar Musings

This coming weekend we celebrate the 2nd Sunday of Easter in Lectionary Cycle A. The disciples, still reeling from the events of the last three days, gather in the upper room. In Matthew 28:8, Mary Magdalene’s reaction to the encounter with Jesus was “fearful but overjoyed.” Perhaps this too is the experience of the disciples. All John tells us is that they were gathered together, hiding as it were, for fear of the Jews (v.19) Continue reading →

The Risen Christ

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Friar Musings

This coming weekend we celebrate the 2nd Sunday of Easter in Lectionary Cycle A. In the Johannine narrative our gospel occurs on what has been a full day: “On the evening of that first day of the week.” It was only that morning that Mary Magdalene had visited the tomb and confessed, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him” (20:2) – ironically echoing one the decisive misunderstanding of Jesus’ ministry: from where did Jesus come and where is he going (e.g. 7:33-36, 8:21-23). Mary became the first disciple of the good news of the empty tomb conveying the word to Peter and “the one whom Jesus loved.” Slowly the implications of the empty tomb and the burial linens come to the disciples and they begin to understand – each in differing ways and to varying degrees. The disciple whom Jesus loved “saw and believed” (20:8), however “they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead” (v.9). Continue reading →

The Appearance of Jesus

Posted on April 8, 2023 by Friar Musings

It is when the women respond to the angel’s command to go quickly and tell (v. 7) — and they leave quickly, running to tell the disciples (v. 8) — that the risen Jesus appears to them. Part of Matthew’s purpose in this account is to show the reality of the physical resurrection as the women grab his feet; and the proper response of worshiping the risen Lord (v. 9). The women are already en route on their mission when they are joined by the risen Christ, a paradigm of Matthew’s understanding of the reassuring presence of the risen Christ in the missionary activity of the church (cf. 1:23; 10:40; 13:37; 14:22-33; 16:18; 17:17; 18:5, 20; 28:20). Continue reading →

Breaking the status quo

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Friar Musings

In both the crucifixion and resurrection, Matthew has a greater eschatological emphasis: the earthquakes, the splitting of rocks, the opening of tombs. These signs are meant to point to our redemption and salvation. Boring (504-5) writes:

The resurrection is an eschatological event, the ultimately decisive event for human history, not merely something spectacular that happened to Jesus. Thus resurrection faith is not merely believing that a dead body came back to life, or that the tomb was empty on Easter morning. Those who believed that Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead did not have resurrection faith (14:1; 16:14). The soldiers and chief priests who knew the fact that Jesus had “come back to life” did not have Christian faith in the resurrection (28:11-15).

Continue reading →

The irony of it all

Posted on April 6, 2023 by Friar Musings

A great irony in all of this is that the guards were posted and the tomb sealed with the large stone so that there would not be a deception about a resurrection following the burial. Now it is clear that it is the chief priests who have devised the deception. Continue reading →

Why Women?

Posted on April 5, 2023 by Friar Musings

Fittingly, the two women who sat by the tomb (27:61) on that fateful day before the Sabbath, return to visit the tomb. Why women? Throughout Matthew’s Passion, women have proven to be the model disciples. There is the unnamed woman who anoints Jesus for his burial (26:6-13). The men argue about the waste of the expensive ointment. Jesus commends her for her good work for him. Continue reading →

Resurrection and Restoration

Posted on April 4, 2023 by Friar Musings

As many scholars note, Matthew bases his account upon Mark 16:1-8 and a comparison of those verses with Mt 28:1-8 reveals the dependence – and there are differences. The two points that are common to the resurrection testimony of all the gospels are that the tomb of Jesus had been found empty and that the risen Jesus had appeared to certain persons, or, in the original form of Mark, that such an appearance was promised as soon to take place (see Mark 16:7). At one level it might appear as though Matthew is constructing a Christian apologetic for the faith. But the emphasis throughout (except in the story of the guard) is not on factual proof of the Resurrection for the non-Christian world, but on the impact of the incredible truth on Jesus’ bewildered and exhilarated followers, on their fear and joy, doubt and assurance. It is with the restoration of their broken relationship with him, with all that this implies for their continuing mission, that Matthew will conclude his book. Continue reading →

The Empty Tomb

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Friar Musings

The narrative context is familiar to all readers: Jesus has been crucified, died, and laid within a tomb guarded by soldiers (27:65) and watched by Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” (27:61). The Sabbath has passed and dawn approaches on the first day of a new week. Continue reading →

A Final Thought

Posted on April 1, 2023 by Friar Musings

Matthew’s account is devoid of the graphic violence, the blood, and prolonged description of the suffering endured. There is no emphasis on the saving efficacy of the act of crucifixion (as in John and Paul). Matthew’s intent seems to be to affirm his most basic themes:

This truly is the Messiah, the Son of God
The one who was rejected by opponents and abandoned by disciples – forming humanity’s response.
But Jesus has formed a people called out (ekklesia) – Jews and Gentiles alike – who are formed into the people of God in the forgiveness, and

The center of their faith is Jesus, the righteous one who modeled the right relationship with God the Father in life, in word, in act and even in death.

friarmusings

the musings of a Franciscan friar…

Category Archives: Scripture