Breaking the status quo

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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).

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What is the month that follows January? Feburary, right? Actually, February, but to my ear I never hear the “r” pronounced. Same with the day that follows Tuesday. Wenesday, right? (At this point the spell checker is not happy with me). I never hear the “d.” Such things even impact the modern political landscape Continue reading →

Gerrymander

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The Merriam-Webster “Word of the Day” is “gerrymander.” To gerrymander is to divide a state, school district, etc. into political units or election districts that give one group or political party an unfair advantage. We often hear about litigation in state and federal courts when one party asserts that the most recent redistricting efforts are unfair and a blatant case of gerrymandering. There are current cases concerning North Caroline, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Maryland and more. Do you know the origin of the word “gerrymander?” Continue reading →

The Other Procession

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Sunday as part of our Palm Sunday celebration we remembered and proclaimed Jesus’ entry into the city of Jerusalem, from the East. He came riding upon a donkey and was greeted by ordinary people of the city who shouted “Hosanna” – “save us” to the wandering prophet from Galilee, the one of whom was whispered that he might be the promised anointed one. Continue reading →

Sent into the naked city

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There is a lot going on in the readings of Holy Week. Today is “Spy Wednesday” with Judas busy about the his treachery and betrayal. As we move farther into the week, the story line seems to narrow from Jesus in the public square of Jerusalem to his gathering with his disciples for a last supper, a Passover meal.  And the story continues it narrows, leaving accounts of individuals all moving into isolation. Peter falls into the slumber of a long night while Jesus prays. Jesus is arrested and Peter waits, far removed, in a courtyard. When asked if he is with Jesus, he withdraws through his denial, and then he is alone. The sum of all these individual stories leaves Jesus alone. It is a brand of social distancing to another end, but social distancing nonetheless. Jesus is the contagion people wish to avoid. And so they separate themselves from being in contact with Him and, in the end, each other. The community of disciples is no longer together. Continue reading →

Why Women?

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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 →

Outside the Light

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The gospel readings in Holy week always speak about Judas and his betrayal of Jesus. The Gospel of Mark, for example, gives no motivation for Judas’s sudden betrayal. Matthew, writing a decade or so later than Mark, attempts to clarify things in his account by introducing the motive of greed: “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” asks Judas to the Jewish high priests. Luke simply writes: “Then Satan entered into Judas, the one surnamed Iscariot, who was counted among the Twelve, and he went to the chief priests and temple guards to discuss a plan for handing him over to them.” The Gospel of John parallels the avarice theme depicting Judas as a greedy keeper of the common purse. “He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions.” Continue reading →