The Vineyard

"Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when his vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.' So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?" They said to him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons."

Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:

'The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the LORD's doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes'?

Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."

Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitudes, because they took him for a prophet.

- Matthew 21:33-46

In yesterday's reading and commentary, we explored ideas of faith and authority. From whence (or whom) comes authority? Where does Jesus get his authority? These are the questions that arise as he goes about his ministry in Jerusalem, first cleansing and healing in the temple, and then in confrontation with the leadership. He has given us the demonstration of the withered fig tree - a symbol of what it is to fail to produce spiritual fruits, which are the fruits of faith. In today's reading, Jesus continues his discussion about the fruits of faith, and gives us a new parable.

My study bible has a long note that expands upon this entire passage for today's reading. It reads as follows: "God the Father is the landowner who planted a vineyard. The tenant vinedressers are the religious leaders entrusted with the care of God's people. The landowner's servants (v. 34) are the prophets, sent by God to proclaim His word. For instead of tending the vineyard, the vinedressers had devoured it. Although they were obstinate toward His servants, God sent His Son (v. 37), our Lord Jesus Christ, whom they might honor. But in their greed and impiety they murdered the Son as well. The nation bearing the fruits (v. 43) of the Kingdom is the Church, the new people of God."

"Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when his vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit." Jesus illustrates "the world" as a vineyard, as he has before. We are given the idea that God has created this world as a vineyard for us - we lease it, and it is up to us to bear fruits. The vinedressers, my study bible notes, are the religious leaders entrusted with our care and teaching - that we bear those fruits, and that we see the world (the vineyard) in its proper context.

"And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them." My study bible says that these servants are the prophets, "sent by God to proclaim His word." They are destroyed by the vinedressers, who see the vineyard not in its proper context - as something that is leased into their care, but rather as something to exploit and devour, to take advantage of for their own gain. This is the image of the predatory leadership, which Jesus will call elsewhere "wolves in sheep's clothing." He will also apply warnings about such leadership for his own followers, about those who will "come in My name." We must always be on our guard in this respect.

"Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.' So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him." My study bible gives scriptural references for this passage, with which the temple leadership certainly would have been familiar, from Psalm 2, verses 8 & 2: "Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession" and "The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One." It is an image of those who try to hold on to what is not theirs, but what is leased into their care. It is clearly a reference to the Son, the Messiah.

"Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?" They said to him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons." Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." The leadership understands the parable full well - agreeing with the conclusion about what vinedressers deserve. The quotation from scripture that Jesus gives refers back to Psalm 118 and also Isaiah chapter 28. So, once again, the Pharisees and chief priests will be entirely familiar with the scripture that Jesus quotes, and its prophetic importance. Clearly, in Jesus' mouth, these words amount to a testimony about judgment, and what will happen to those who seek to retain that vineyard by rejecting and killing the Son.

Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitudes, because they took him for a prophet. Finally, they understand: this parable is intended for them - they are the object of the stone, and its effects against those who reject it. They are the ones who seek to kill him. And, most importantly, he is clearly referring to himself as Son. They are outraged - but they are afraid of the crowds, of the people who have faith in Jesus as a prophet, a holy man. They must do their work covertly, in secret, rather than openly in the temple as Jesus preaches to the delight of the crowds.

I personally think that it is important that we take this parable in the context of what it means for us today. We understand the events of 2,000 years ago - but their importance, and this teaching, remain for us today. How do we think of our world? It is still that vineyard, I say, that Jesus uses to illustrate the importance of God's creation and the stewardship with which (especially) spiritual leadership is entrusted. Do we have leaders that care for the fruits of the Spirit? That take care to make sure their flock is fed with the good "daily bread" - our spiritual food - so that we produce the fruits God wants of us? Does our leadership understand what stewardship is - or does it use us as fodder for predatory impulses, to devour and to use for their own gain? Do we think of the world - and all that is in it - as that which is in our care? I do not ask this question in order to provoke scandal, but to ask in the spirit in which it is taught by Jesus. He warned his followers repeatedly that they must be the intelligent sheep, who are awake and aware, who watch and await his return. He warned us (as I wrote earlier, above) about "wolves in sheep's clothing" who would come in his name. So, we must still consider what it is to dwell in this vineyard, and to be his servants, and what we look for in our vinedressers. We are here to bear spiritual fruit - and the world is not our possession but rather something we "lease" - it is in our stewardship. How do we make certain that the spiritual values that we are taught in these gospels are passed on to the world? to our children, and the new generations that come into this vineyard? With what spiritual food are they fed, how are they tended? Are they taught in a loving way? With care for the spiritual goals of the Father and of his Son, that the Spirit carries in its anointing upon the world? These are the questions we ask. And once again, how do we respond when this spiritual light comes into our lives? Are there still prophets sent by God to remind us of these fruits? Unlike the leadership here in the gospel passage, can we "relent" when we know we've been in the wrong? Will we open our eyes and keep them focused on what is important? Do we understand righteousness and its authority? When we pray, we should ask to do and to see all these things, and to be led so that we, too, produce the fruits that are desired - and that feed the flock while the landowner is gone. The Spirit expands holiness for us every day - can we see it when it is in our midst? Will we respond to Its voice in our hearts?

Who gave you this authority?

Now when he came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?" But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John -- where was it from? From heaven or from men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet." So they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

"But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.' He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went. Then likewise he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said to him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him."

- Matthew 21:23-32

In yesterday's reading, we reviewed Jesus' first acts of cleansing and healing in the temple after he came into Jerusalem, in what is called his "Triumphal Entry." At that time, he was questioned by the authorities in the temple, as they were outraged by the people who greeted Jesus in the temple calling him "Son of David." We also read of the withering of the fig tree, as a symbol of the rejection of the leadership - the failure to recognize what was in their midst and to produce the "spiritual fruits" Jesus seeks. These are the fruits of faith. Today's reading expands on the themes of yesterday's, as Jesus once again is in confrontation with the leadership in the temple.

Now when he came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?" My study bible notes here: "Since the chief priests and the elders cannot object to Jesus' miracles, they bring charges against him for his chastisement of the tradesmen in the temple. Since he is not a Levitical priest and does not have the schooling normally required of a rabbi, Jesus is asked about his authority to cleanse the temple." One thing that has characterized Jesus' ministry is this compelling power of faith that meets him in an immediate sense - that answers to his persona, to the authority conveyed by the Person that he is. He has no customary credentials that others can look to in order to certify that he has authority to teach. In some sense, all of the encounters of faith that Jesus commands come by response to his Person - to what he is and who he is. He cannot point to a famous rabbinical teacher with whom he has studied, as do other teachers or scribes, for example. And the questions that have come to him, such as when he was rejected in his home country, reflect this same concern. The leadership in the temple, of course, have their own fears connected with his authority and his ministry.

But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John -- where was it from? From heaven or from men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet." So they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things." My study bible has a note that reads, "Because they are motivated by unbelief and hostility, Jesus does not answer, but confounds his adversaries with a question of his own." What I like about this passage is Jesus' complete devotion to his own ministry and understanding of what is happening. He doesn't mince words and he doesn't waste his time. Neither does he give away his own authority in the slightest. He understands their motives, he sees right through them. They don't want an honest discussion; rather they are trying to trap him with questions about authority. So, he simply replies by asking a question of his own that illustrates what their "trap" is missing: whose authority was that of John the Baptist? He knows that in front of the crowds, they will say nothing - and he does not give them room to maneuver out of their own fear and hypocrisy. He makes fools of them through his own wit and intelligence, and he doesn't give an inch when it comes to the importance of faith and authority.

"But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.' He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went. Then likewise he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said to him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him." My study bible says that "He mentions the tax collectors and harlots, presumed to be great sinners, to jolt his hearers into obedience." So Jesus gives us a rather shocking contrast for the benefit of the ones who have put to him this question: he compares the leadership of the temple to the tax collectors and harlots - and the presumed sinners come out better than they do. The "sinners" have the capacity to repent, to listen to what John had to say. And even though the leaders' wavering answer to the previous question reflects the respect they understand is due to John, they still did not embrace John's ministry. This is an example of the failure to repent, to "change one's mind" (which is the meaning of the Greek word for repent, "metanoia"). We must be willing to "relent" (as Jesus says they should have done), to call ourselves into question, to change when change is necessary, otherwise we fail to do our spiritual duty when faith calls us forward in new ways. My study bible notes that another translation for the word used as "relent" is also to "regret it." The Greek root is similar to the word for "repent" but includes a note of regret or remorse.

I think it's important that we understand the purpose of authority and what it means given the events and teachings in this passage. What is authority for? This book - the gospel of Jesus' ministry - teaches us so much about what authority is and how it compels us to faith. Authority is not the stuff of stern punishments and rules. It is not something that comes with compulsion or force or manipulation. Authority, in these texts, comes from righteousness. It comes from truth. And its characteristic is love - its instrument is mercy. Do we repent when we learn something better? when something holy is in our midst that may challenge all our way of doing things, our set assumptions about how to operate? Authority - of the deepest sort - is that which commands our faith, and asks us to go forward. It will always, to my mind, tell us to go forward in closer and deeper relationship to the Father, because behind that greater authority is love, the love that calls us home to this place of loving relationship to Creator. Mercy is the means wherein this is achieved. All we have to do is recognize it and respond. So, where is our sense of authority? In what do we put our faith? And how do we respond with faith when we are challenged? Jesus teaches us about the authority of Personhood - the authentic reality that he is. He also teaches us about the righteousness of John the Baptist, and the leadership's failure to properly respond to that. So, they are taught by Jesus within his own sense of authority, which is greater than theirs. Elsewhere we are told that the common people delighted in his verbal trouncing of his adversaries, especially when they could not respond to him. Let us think today about authority, and what righteousness and its power conveys to us about authority - and the love that characterizes its strength, and calls us home toward its foundation. This is the leadership we need, in every situation.

If you say to this mountain

Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And he said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.' "

Then the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read,

'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants

You have perfected praise'? "

Then he left them and went out of that city to Bethany, and he lodged there.

Now in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." Immediately the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?" So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And whatever thing you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

- Matthew 21:12-22

In the reading of Saturday (see Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!) we learned of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and how for the Church it also symbolizes another celestial event. We learned more about the "double-vision," so to speak, in Matthew's gospel, and how in that case, we see these events as occurring at the same time - or perhaps simultaneously but in different types of time: one an earthly event in the time frame that we experience in our earthly lives, the other a celestial event in a "heavenly time," if you will - in eternal time; it is an "eternal present," which gives life to so much of what we read so that it is "with us" although we read of what happened long ago. Today we read about Jesus' first acts in Jerusalem.

Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And he said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.' " My study bible notes on this part of the reading: "Those who bought and sold in the temple traded in animals used for sacrifices. The money changers were needed to provide currency acceptable to the temple, because Roman coins bearing the head of Caesar were considered defiling. When Jesus sees that worship has become commercialized, he acts against the abuses, boldly overturning the tables and casting the tradesmen out. The cleansing of the temple is seen as an image of the cleansing of our souls." Jesus is quoting from Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11. I like it that my study bible likens this cleansing of the temple (a messianic act) with the cleansing of our souls. We all have our own cleansing to do! I think this is perhaps the most important part of our prayer lives, but we call on the Spirit to guide us in this - it is not of our own making to decide how or what we need to change. So our relationship to the Lord is also primary in this. But what we also see is Jesus' first act that challenges the authorities - corruption hurts everyone, and takes away from the children the spiritual food that they are there for. In Saturday's commentary, we wrote about the scandals that keep people away from the Church. Jesus always emphasized the need for a watchful eye even on those who would come in his name - and his witness against corruption and predatory practices of those who would be his followers remains an essential part of his teaching. We get that example especially in this first act in Jerusalem.

Then the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'? " Then he left them and went out of that city to Bethany, and he lodged there. The healing of the blind and lame is also a messianic act, but more than that, it is coupled here with the cleansing of the temple. This furthers our understanding of the cleansing of our souls and its function: it is so that we practice repentance for salvation, for healing. Whether we are speaking of corruption on any level (even a personal one) or the need for change within ourselves - to discard something necessary for us to let go of - all is in the service of healing, which is synonymous with salvation. So, Jesus' cleansing of the temple is preparation for healing and restoration of health on all levels. This is also what we must keep in mind when we pray, and we allow Spirit to be at work in ourselves as well. The leadership of the temple is outraged not only at the act of healing, but of the recognition in the "children" who call Jesus "the Son of David." We recall Jesus' teaching on the "little ones" of the Church, and on the children sent to him for his blessing, of whom he said, "of such is the kingdom of heaven." He has also taught in recent readings that we should become like little children, in the sense that they are humble: "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." For references to the quotation see Psalm 8:2 and also Jesus' words in Matthew 11:25. 26.

Now in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." Immediately the fig tree withered away. My study bible says, "The fig tree, symbol of prosperity and peace, withers because of its fruitlessness. This is a prophetic act, for after three years of preaching, teaching and healing, the Jews are destitute of spiritual fruit; therefore, he withers them with his reproach. He curses the tree to warn of the curse on those who will crucify him. He submits himself willingly to the Cross; he is the Suffering Servant who yields to their torture." The fig tree, I have read elsewhere, is also a symbol of Israel - "the people of God." So, the coupling of this act with the messianic acts in the temple (the cleansing and healing) is a comment on the rejection by the leadership. They are concerned only with their own authority and power, and cannot read the signs of the times.

And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?" So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And whatever thing you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." My study bible notes on these verses: "Jesus does not expect his disciples literally to move mountains, but this extravagant image accurately depicts the astonishing power of undoubting faith." What I take away from these passages, coupled all together, is a message on the pre-eminence of faith and its nature. What is holiness and how do we see it? Certainly the gospels - and in particular, Matthew's gospel which concerns itself with a Jewish audience and perspective - teach us that this leadership has been prepared for the event of the Messiah. They are the ones who know the Scriptures, are experts in the Law and the interpretation of the writings of the prophets. We are given to understand that this leadership (in general, not as a whole, for we are also told there are those among the leadership who are Jesus' followers) has not done its duty to those they are to lead, and they have failed to embrace what is in their midst - that which they should know. They do not have the humility "as a little child" to receive what is actually in their presence, and they have failed "the children" they are supposed to lead in spiritual teaching.

How do we read this today? Are there ways in which our own churches have let us down? Do we also suffer from corruption - or those concerned with supporting themselves rather than teaching and leading the children? Can we understand the holy in our midst - whether or not it inconveniences us?: I have a feeling that the holy is always that which seeks for us to open up our eyes and learn new things, to take us forward, and this can be (or feel like) a painful experience. In the teachings in these gospels, we can see the position of the leadership. They have set things their way. They are asked to change. Could we also respond with a "yes," with faith? Can we open up our eyes where we need to? Are we willing to be cleansed - on any level, be it corporate or personal? Are we ready to be healed? As a doctor also needs to cleanse what ails us before we can heal, so the Lord seeks to do the same. Are we ready for the presence of the holy - and its effects - in our lives? Are we ready for this kind of faith?

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them." All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

"Tell the daughter of Zion,

'Behold, your King is coming to you,

Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,

A colt, the foal of a donkey.' "

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

"Hosanna to the Son of David!

'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'

Hosanna in the highest!"

And when he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?" So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."

- Matthew 21:1-11

Jesus enters into Jerusalem. He has prepared the way with his ministry, among Jews for "the lost sheep of the house of Israel," and also among the Gentiles who follow him in faith. He has prepared the disciples several times, telling them about what will happen to him in Jerusalem. My study bible has a long note on today's reading which I will repeat here: "The Triumphal Entry is celebrated by the Church on Palm Sunday. By Jesus' time, Jewish nationalism had begun to rise, leading to the expectation of a political Messiah. Jewish leaders looked for a national king who would deliver them from the Roman yoke and reestablish David's kingdom. Many Jews wanted a king like Jehu (2 Kin. 9), who shed much blood and who would not hesitate to use the sword for the realization of nationalistic dreams. Others, responding to the messianic signs of Jesus -- especially the raising of Lazarus (John 12:9-11) -- expected more. In humility, Jesus shows he has not come to reestablish the earthly kingdom of David. He does not ride in a chariot but upon a donkey, an animal of peace. This is no mere earthly king, but the King of Glory who has come to reveal the Kingdom of God. Thus, the Church sees the Son of God entering not the earthly Jerusalem only, but more importantly the celestial Jerusalem, to establish his reign and his Kingdom (see Mark 11:10; Luke 19:38). He is taking the New Jerusalem to himself as pure bride, and the children celebrate his entrance as if it were a marriage (v. 5)."

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them. My study bible notes here, "Matthew reports a second animal, a colt, possibly symbolizing the Gentiles who will advance from infidelity to faith." It's interesting that here we find another instance of the "doubling" in Matthew that we have observed through this gospel. See yesterday's reading and commentary for more on this - That our eyes may be opened. My study bible hints at the possibility also that this doubling (in this particular instance) symbolizes the inclusion of the Gentiles in this plan of salvation, in the ministry of this King. I think I have to agree, that this sort of "doubling" gives us a picture of a dual ministry, all in one, in that Jesus is not just the Jewish Messiah, but the King for all people. He is both, and his salvation is for both, for all.

All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.' " The scriptures are filled, as befits this picture of the Messiah who enters into Jerusalem. We remember that Matthew is writing primarily for a Jewish audience, from a Jewish perspective - but the doubling in his gospel shows that he cares to take pains to express this ministry to all, the Gentiles included. My study bible says (in the note I posted above in the first paragraph) that the Church holds this vision of Christ entering Jerusalem also in a sort of "double vision" - it's not just a picture of Jesus the man riding into Jerusalem and hailed as Messiah by the crowds. It's a picture also of the King entering the celestial Jerusalem - the one that is his bride, the new creation that is for all and "for the life of the world."

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' Hosanna in the highest!" My study bible notes here: "As he enters Jerusalem, Jesus is hailed as Messiah with the words of Ps.118:25, 26. The people knew this psalm well. Associated with messianic expectation, it was recited daily for six days during the Feast of Tabernacles, and seven times on the seventh day as branches were waved. Hosanna means "Save [we] pray." We recall that the Feast of Tabernacles was the feast that celebrated the kingdom of heaven amongst us - and was referred to by Peter at the Transfiguration when he asked if they should build three tabernacles: one for Moses, one for Elijah and one for Jesus. This gives us a reaffirmation of the "double vision" of this event as viewed by the Church: we read of Jesus entering Jerusalem for his final days - but we see the King entering the New Jerusalem - the celestial Jerusalem - as well, going to his bride, the church that is for all people, for the world.

And when he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?" So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee. As we head into Jerusalem and the events that will follow, I think it is important to understand the great turmoil of this city, and the rumors that abound among the people. Everyone is filled with a great expectation; something is happening. All the city was moved. Everybody takes note. It is as if we are on a grand stage, where the whole world is watching what will unfold from here. And, indeed, in that vision of the celestial reality that approaches, we are all watching, and I daresay that we will always all be watching. "For the life of the world" Jesus continues his journey. "For the life of the world" we continue to witness what others have seen and heard, what we believe in faith and see with our hearts - what we have not seen, yet believe. Everyday in the life of the world we witness these events in this time at Jerusalem. We see Christ crucified in the sorrows of the world, in the failure to grasp for salvation in the message of love and mercy, in the times we let even ourselves down. Yet, just as in Jerusalem on this day we write and read about here, we are filled with hope, we read his words and are fulfilled, we live in expectation and we know that love and mercy. I find that Christ is not just a man for the Church, for we who call ourselves formally Christian, but truly for the life of the world. He is a figure that cuts not just across our denominations in the Church as a whole, but also across religions and cultures. I know many, also, disillusioned with the institution of the Church for one reason or another, and shame to those whose scandals cause this, yet who still love Christ as the refuge for their hopes and inspiration. In his march toward and into Jerusalem, we find our hope, we look for the beacon of leadership, in the humble man sitting on a colt, the foal of a donkey, who has taught us patience, endurance, love and mercy, and so much more. And we need him as much as ever in today's world.

That our eyes may be opened

Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed him. And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want me to do for you?" They said to him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened." So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

- Matthew 20:29-34

Jesus is on his way toward Jerusalem. He has warned his disciples what will happen in Jerusalem, how he will suffer and be crucified, and on the third day rise from the dead. Here in Jericho, he encounters two blind men who call out to him. In Jericho, we recall the triumph of the people of God (Israel), who destroyed the walls with a mighty shout in unison.

Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed him. And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" My study bible notes on this section: "This last miracle before Jesus' triumphal entrance into Jerusalem reveals the arrival of the messianic age. For this reason, the two blind men greet him as Lord, the common name for God, and Son of David, a title deeply rooted in popular messianic expectation. Jesus knows beforehand what they want -- and what we want. But he calls us to ask freely that he might answer in mercy. Matthew reports two blind men; Mark mentions only one (Mark 10:46-52)." Once again, we remark on the "doubling" we find in the gospel of Matthew. In Mark's gospel, we encounter Bartimaeus, the blind beggar in Jericho, as my study bible notes. In today's story, there are two blind men who call out to Jesus. Other instances of this "doubling" in Matthew include the story of the two men possessed by demons in the country of the Gergesenes (as contrasted with the man who was called Legion in Mark's gospel), and the two miracles of feeding of the multitudes in Matthew - one of five thousand and the other of four thousand. I personally do not understand the reason for this sense of doubling, except in one kind of instance: in the feeding of the multitudes, the first happens among the "lost sheep of the house of Israel;" that is, among the Jews. In the second instance, there were many Gentiles present. Matthew's gospel is written primarily from the Jewish perspective and for a Jewish audience; it is possible that this sense of doubling is intended to convey that this gospel is for all people, both Jews and Gentiles.

And there is another similarity here that recalls another story from Matthew's gospel. That is the way in which Jesus is addressed by the blind beggars: "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" We hear this same cry, using this title, in the story of the Canaanite woman who wanted help for her daughter who, we are told, was "severely demon-possessed." In that case, the woman was pointedly told by Jesus that he was sent for "the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she "argues" with him, saying that even the dogs get the children's crumbs under the table. And for her persistence, she was rewarded with the healing of her daughter. This was the first explicit instance of Jesus' mercy expanding to include Gentiles, whose faith makes the connection to healing and mercy. So, in this story of the two blind beggars in Jericho, just before Jesus enters Jerusalem to be greeted triumphantly as Messiah, we are reminded of just where this gospel will go, that it will go out to all people, although Jesus is firmly identified as the Jewish Messiah.

Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" As with the Canaanite woman, these beggars are shushed by the crowds, the ones who are also in the story. In the earlier case, it was the disciples who told the woman to be quiet, and asked Jesus to send her away, as she continued to pester them to help her. So, we learn here of the persistence of the blind beggars in calling out to Jesus for mercy.

So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asks for specifics. First he observes their persistence -- how much do they want what he has to offer? And then he asks them to put yet more effort into this connection in faith with him. "What do you want me to do for you?" This, in its way, is also similar to the event with the Canaanite woman, in which she was goaded, in a sense, to express her persistence in faith, in seeking specifically what Jesus has to offer, her desire for his presence and relationship in her life, his mercy and healing. This delay, the asking for specifics, the time spent "urging out," in a sense, the desire on the part of those who would be healed for what Jesus is offering, is a kind of analogy to prayer. It is the way God deals with us in prayer. We are asked to come to this table with specifics, for our desire to be flamed and fanned, to pursue in prayer what we want and need, to hone our desire for the mercy and healing that is offered from the Lord.

They said to him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened." So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. What do they want? They want their eyes to be opened. How analogous is this to prayer, to the spiritual enlightenment we seek in this relationship? Healing and mercy are synonymous with enlightenment, with good or true sight. We all want our eyes to be opened. Truth and love are synonymous when it comes to this relationship of faith. We don't get one without the other. The mercy that is in salvation involves healing all of ourselves, all that ails us, be that on spiritual, mental, emotional or physical grounds. It is "all of the above."

And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him. Those who are healed become his followers. This act of the receipt of sight is an act not just of getting something physical that they want for themselves. They are changed, transformed, healed through the truth that is this mercy, that is salvation. In that transformation, they thirst for more. They are changed and become his disciples, his followers. They have found the place in which they wish to remain, and to go forward in following. So, as we march toward Jerusalem with Jesus, we go, too, as the blind beggars. We pray for mercy, and remember that mercy is the balm for every rough edge, for all that ails us in this world, be it on any level within ourselves. Our sight that we wish to be restored to is not just a physical sight, but it is the mercy we wish to know as the reality of God, and our place in God's kingdom. Mercy, as we have often said on this blog, comes in the word in its Greek form as the same word for "olive oil" (eleos), which was the basis for all healing balm in the ancient world. What we pray for is that which softens the world, gives us mercy and love - and the truth that this reality of the love of God is there for all of us. We just have to make certain it is what we really want. It is not there for those who do not value it properly, nor for those who do not truly want it. In time - similarly to the delay in the answering of the prayers of both these blind beggars and the Canaanite woman - we have time to choose, to decide. Is this what we really want? How do we refine our prayer? For what do we pray? Do we understand mercy as the "opening up of our eyes" or as the thing that heals us of the "demons" of this world, that sets us free from that which causes spiritual pain and blindness? Let us consider, then, what do we pray for when we pray for mercy, so that we truly see.

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve

Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day he will rise again."

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from him. And he said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right hand and the other on the left, in your kingdom." But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to him, "We are able." So he said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by my Father."

And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

- Matthew 20:17-28

In yesterday's reading (For many are called), we read of the life of the kingdom, how it is always "calling" to those who wish to work in the vineyard of the world, so that all will receive the same reward. This parable was told to the apostles in the spirit of the teaching of humility. However, Jesus taught them that they will receive the reward of the place prepared for them in judgment. Today, we continue with themes of humility, as Jesus has continued teaching throughout the past several readings. In this case, he once again emphasizes the humility especially expected among the leadership of his church - and which is set by his own example.

Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day he will rise again." We begin with another iteration of Jesus' future in this world. He will be betrayed to the leadership of the temple, he will be condemned to death, delivered to the Gentiles "to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And on the third day he will rise again." As they are on the road to Jerusalem, Jesus prepares them once again. In this case, amongst these readings about humility within the church and especially among the hierarchy, Jesus emphasizes his suffering that he will face - to set an example for today's teaching.

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from him. And he said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right hand and the other on the left, in your kingdom." My study bible notes on the next section of today's reading: "Here is yet another discussion about greatness and rank among the disciples. Matthew reports that the mother of Zebedee's sons requested positions of honor for her sons, but John's and James's own involvement is revealed by the plural you in the Greek of v. 22 and by their answer, We are able." So, we are immediately given an example of the disciples seeking a greater honor than the rest; in this case, John and James Zebedee (and their mother), two of Jesus' closest disciples, who shared the moment of Transfiguration, along with Peter.

But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to him, "We are able." So he said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by my Father." My study bible notes, "Christ calls his Crucifixion a cup and his death a baptism. The Cross is a cup because he drank it willingly (Heb. 12:2). His death is baptism, for he was completely immersed in it, and by it he cleansed the world. He does not say the seating arrangement is not mine to give (v. 23) to diminish his own authority; he means that it is not his alone to give." Clearly, the places prepared in the Kingdom are those prepared by God, the Trinity, not Christ alone. In all things, he does the will of the Father. That will include his baptism of crucifixion, the cup of suffering he will endure as a human being "for the life of the world." So the disciples will also follow in his example, many of them dying a death by crucifixion, in martyrdom, as they testify to this gospel.

And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. The rest of the disciples are very upset that two of their members would desire a position of greatness superior to the rest. But Jesus called them to himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant." Jesus gives us a taste here of what rank and hierarchy are to be like in his kingdom, and how this is contrasted with that of the "Gentiles" - that of worldly power. My study bible says, "Here is a new definition of greatness. All offices and positions in the Church are for the service of God's people based on love." Worldly power is manipulative; it is based on the capacity to push others around, emphasized by force. But in this kingdom, Jesus asks for a different perspective: "whoever desires to be great among you, let him be your servant." This is to be a kingdom of love -- the church a model of that love! And with love goes humility, in exemplary form, a reflection of the grace we receive from God.

And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." My study bible notes here: "The Only Begotten Son possessed the power to give his life voluntarily, and to take it up again (John 10:17). Christ, the lover of man, did not shun death, for he wished to prevent the whole world from perishing in sin. For many in Aramaic means 'for all.' " We have a kind of a repetition of the teaching Jesus has already given us twice in recent readings. In Tuesday's reading, he taught, "But many who are first will be last, and the last first." And in yesterday's reading, he taught, "So the last will be first, and the first last." Today he teaches that whoever first among the disciples, "let him be your slave." The love among those who work for the kingdom should be exemplary; it should reflect the grace given to us all through the love of God. This is a teaching on humility, that reflects the deep love that God has for all of us, even (perhaps especially) for those who are lost, whom God wishes to call back in reconciliation, through grace.

So, what are we to make of today's reading and teaching on humility among the disciples? How do our churches measure up to this standard? (I have many readers from all different denominations, so I address my questions to all of us.) We have had many recent readings in which Jesus has taught us not just about faith, but about the need for humility, which also comes from detachment. In so many ways, and at so many levels, he has taught us recently about this necessity. Not only will he suffer himself this great calamity of scourging and crucifixion, but he asks of his apostles and disciples that they serve one another in that same spirit of love. He has extended this in his teachings to the "little ones" of the church "whose angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven," to the women at the mercy of their husbands (regarding easy divorce), to the "little children" who must not be forbidden from coming to Christ, "for of such is the kingdom of heaven." He has taught about the importance of detachment from possessions, so that nothing stands in the way of this heavenly relationship - and addressed the fact that the disciples have left all behind for him and for this kingdom. But today we are taught that even among the disciples themselves, they are to set the greatest example, and follow him. What does this mean for us, and for our churches? How do our hierarchies reflect this kind of love? Each of us (as individuals) has our own work to do, in our own way. But I think that perhaps none of us is exempt from these teachings; and we will each find them at work in our own lives. We will each have challenges to meet of things we need to give up, that conflict with the teachings of humility we will find as we go along this path, things from which we need to detach in order to more fully fulfill this teaching of love and the importance of salvation in the kingdom. Over and over again, we come back to the idea that nothing stands in the way of our relationship to God - it is this relationship that teaches us who we are, who we need to be, and to become. In this way we fulfill the spirit of this promise of the kingdom, and we help others to do likewise. In this sense, God asks each of us to return in reconciliation, to find out who we are in his kingdom, in this love and this grace. Salvation is the act of finding ourselves, and of giving up all that stands in the way of that realization in this relationship that defines grace. Would we were to take it to heart more deeply, our own love for others would reflect that grace that seeks for all to find this same reconciliation. What choice today will you make that serves that embrace of love? From what will you detach that stands in its way?

For many are called

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.' So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good? So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen."

- Matthew 20:1-16

In yesterday's reading, Jesus spoke to his disciples about the difficulty of attaining the kingdom of God with attachment to riches. (See With God all things are possible.) They discussed the sacrifices the disciples themselves had made, and what their reward will be. Jesus ended yesterday's reading with the statement, "But many who are first will be last, and the last first." And today, he continues to elaborate on the rewards of the kingdom for the faithful - those who are with him as his disciples, and those who will come. We begin with a parable for today's reading, in which Jesus further illustrates the nature of the kingdom in this particular respect of reward.

My study bible has a long note on this entire passage which I will report here: "Jesus describes a startling reversal of positions (v. 16; 19:30). In this parable: (1) the vineyard is the life God gives us in the world; (2) the day is the time of laboring, the here and now; (3) the laborers are those he calls to fulfill his commandments; (4) early in the morning and the third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh hours refer to the different ages of those who draw near to God: those who from earliest youth, from mature age, or from very old age hold to virtue. God's generosity provides equal access to and enjoyment of rewards in the life of the Kingdom for both early and late comers. Jesus teaches the former they should neither be proud of their long service, nor question those called at the eleventh hour -- lest they themselves lose all. To the latter, he teaches it is possible even in a short time to recover everything. In Jesus' ministry this parable applies to the Pharisees and sinners, while in the early Church it applies to Jews and Gentiles. St. John Chrysostom's famous Easter sermon is based on this parable; for him the reward is the Lord's rich banquet of the Easter eucharist."

Let us take the parable piece by piece: "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard." We recall that parables are "word pictures" intended to vividly represent ideas and concepts through images to us. Jesus repeatedly uses these word-pictures to give us aspects of the kingdom he wishes to illustrate. Today, we are focused on the notion of service and reward - and he starts with a landowner who owns a vineyard, and hires laborers to work at a particular price per day. He starts out early in the morning. One thing that is interesting to note in this parable is the fact of the times of day Jesus indicates that new laborers come. These correspond to the different hours of the day in which prayers are traditionally offered. However, in this parable, we can liken these "times" to a number of different types of time.

"And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.' " We know of the traditional prayer "hours" in the Church that correspond to these times. This vineyard owner calls all to work. Whomever he finds idle, he calls to work. This is how Christ approaches us. As my study bible indicated, it really doesn't matter at what time in our lives we are called, all are called equally here. Some hear the call at one time in their lives, others hear it at other times. And we all receive a promise for our labor, our service in this vineyard.

"So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good? So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen." It strikes me most significantly that we are all given equal wages for a very important reason. First of all, there is the whole issue of time, which is very interesting as a spiritual concept. The Lord, of course, and his Kingdom, dwell in an eternal time. The moments of time we have in our lives - as the clock ticks, so to speak - are all opportunities for choices. We have time in order to make choices - we can choose to be laborers for this kingdom at any time. The call is always there. But the Kingdom is in an eternal time: all of us who are called will receive the same reward. We make choices when we make choices - when we, too, decide that we are to be laborers for hire in this kingdom. The apostles and disciples, of course, were first. In yesterday's reading, we learned that they will sit in judgment - a high honor indeed. But for those of us who have come afterward, we all have our moments of choice, too, and we, too, will receive our reward.

There is another aspect to this parable that suggests itself as well, and that is the aspect that teaches us once again how dearly God wants each of us. It doesn't matter "what time" we say yes, when in our lives we respond to this call. The opportunity is always there. The caller in the marketplace will always come to appeal to those who are idle, to ask them if they want to be a part of this project, to labor in this vineyard for something. And their reward will be there. It is the same as Jesus' teaching on the "lost sheep" in this respect. The caller returns to the marketplace to collect those who are still idle, just as the shepherd rejoices over the return of one lost sheep. We are always called.

So, what will your response be? God so loves every one of us that the opportunities are there for us all -- we are given time. There is not only the time of our lives in this world, but also the time of the world. The judgment of the Age has not come - and the gospel still goes out to the world. So, in the time of your life, what will it be? What is there to labor for - and where is the reward for you? In the previous readings most recently, we have encountered a discussion on humility, and on detachment, and the spiritual need for the cultivation of both. In order to receive the reward, the riches of the "treasure in heaven," we must respond. We ask for a life with the Spirit, and the rewards we find for service in that vineyard. But without our "yes," we will never realize the joy of that work - the reward of richness to our lives that makes it worthwhile and gives sustenance and spiritual food. When do you make your choice? To work in that vineyard is to experience the beauty of its service - but the call will be there for everyone who has not yet chosen this path.

With God all things are possible

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Then Peter answered and said to him, "See, we have left all and followed you. Therefore what shall we have?" So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

- Matthew 19:23-30

Today's reading takes us further into the territory of detachment and faith - what it is to practice the kind of humility that gives us repentance of the most profound type. We have read (in yesterday's reading) about the young man with many possessions, who has followed perfectly the Law all of his life. In order to be perfect, Jesus told him, he should sell what he has, give to the poor, and he "will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But the young man "went away sorrowful," we are told, "for he had great possessions."

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." As in the recent reading on marriage and divorce, the disciples react to this hard saying by remarking on its difficulty! Previously, they remarked that it is better not to marry, given Jesus' teaching. Today, they respond to the teaching to the young man with many possessions by asking, "Who then can be saved?" So, Jesus' deep teachings on detachment, humility and the cultivation of relationship are difficult even for the disciples, and they express for us (especially Peter, as is frequently the case) our own reaction to these teachings, so that Jesus may answer.

My study bible has a note on the whole of today's passage: "Various interpretations have been suggested for the impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle: e.g. that the word was not camel, but 'rope'; or that the eye of a needle was a city gate through which the camel might barely squeeze. (The Talmud uses a similar expression, 'for an elephant to go through the eye of the needle.') But whatever the phrase refers to, it displays the difficulty of salvation for those who are attached to riches. The disciples and others give all will receive a hundredfold (v. 29) in the Kingdom." I agree with my study bible in the sense that this saying is meant to convey extraordinary difficulty, because of the responses of the disciples. We are told that they were "greatly astonished." Their question implies that given this saying, perhaps no one can be saved. And Jesus' reply also implies the impossibility in the worldly sense, or point of view: "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." We are at the point of a strange paradox: Jesus says that his teaching is impossible for a mere human being to achieve through personal effort alone. This saying is possible only with God's help: "with God all things are possible." So, we are entering into territory here where the personal relationship with God becomes a requirement for the teachings of Jesus. Without this "walk with God" we cannot cultivate the necessary detachment for the great devotion to the kingdom that he asks of his disciples, his followers.

Then Peter answered and said to him, "See, we have left all and followed you. Therefore what shall we have?" Peter is the first to point out that the disciples have "left all and followed you." He asks, "Therefore what shall we have?" -- he wants to know what is gained in exchange for such a transfer of allegiance, attachment. I think it's of tremendous importance that the gospels teach us about the disciples' worldly, emotional perspective -- their "great astonishment" and their doubts that anyone can follow these difficult teachings. We also have Jesus' replies. Peter speaks for all of us to come, and asks the questions we, too, would ask.

So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." The disciples are taught -- as was the young man -- about the "treasures in heaven" that await them. They themselves are to sit in exalted places in this kingdom, when the judgment is to come. I think that for many people, this would not only seem like a reward that is not necessarily compensatory - and also the fact that it is a promise for something in the future may be an element many people discount in favor of reward in the here and now. Moreover, this promise is one that is believed in faith. It is not something physically proven to them. Speaking for myself, their faith demonstrates in itself the possibilities that come "with God," with God's help. As are the apostles, we are transformed in the presence of God, through faith and relationship. This union, this faith, transforms us: the things of God become as treasures to us. This change is what is represented most profoundly by the Greek word for repentance, metanoia - which means, literally, "change of mind." We change, we are transformed with God's help. That is why "with God all things are possible." Of course, to hold this position in the judgment is a tremendous spiritual honor reserved for the apostles, who have responded with faith to Christ's call.

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life." This promise, however, is to all of us - to all of Christ's followers who learn to practice this sort of detachment. At least, that is the way that I read it. There are many ways of leaving everything behind, of practicing detachment. It is not necessarily so that all of us leave homes, property and families behind in a literal or physical sense. But to do so in a spiritual sense is something that faith will compel us toward. This may be a lifetime process of learning to cultivate detachment, to put the kingdom - and faith - first, so that all is in service to the kingdom. Every choice we make may be one in which we "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness," and in this way we learn to practice the detachment that leaves all behind for this kingdom. We are told in the teaching on Solomon in all his glory that we should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and "all these things shall be added unto you." Here, "a hundredfold" represents a similar teaching. Faith, a walk with God, also gives us an appreciation for the treasures of the kingdom and their great worth to us, an internal feeling of joy in that beauty.

"But many who are first will be last, and the last first." This saying occurs in other parts of the gospels as well, and it is used in the sense of the cultivation of humility among the disciples. Surely we can see for ourselves, that they who come first will perhaps wait the longest for their reward - to see the day of the judgment. They will also suffer martyrs' deaths, they will give up much more for the sake of the gospels once Jesus' earthly life is over, and after the coming of the Spirit. And many saints and martyrs will also do the same. Today, we have the benefit of many structures of the church, the dissemination of information and teachings, institutions and so much more that has been established to support the faithful. But these, "first," were those who accepted in faith to establish this beginning of the church in faith, and who walked with Christ before the Spirit was given upon all, before all that we have now. It remains, however, a great teaching on humility in the hierarchy of the church and the nature of authority as Christ wished to convey it to us. They who will sit in judgment must be "last of all" - they will serve all.

So, these teachings on a radical kind of humility remain with us and continue to teach us what to be as models of faith. Everything goes into service for our faith. We are to learn the type of humility that aspires to serve all in ministry to faith. We know the tremendous difficulty - Jesus calls it "impossible" - this conveys. Are we to be stoics who face all out of our own energy and capacity? No, this is not his teaching here to us. We are to walk with God in faith, and "with God all things are possible." It is not our own strength alone that gives us the capacity to have faith, and to change and transform in that faith. This is what is given to us via grace. It is still our choice that facilitates, that opens the door to the connection to the work of the Spirit. But we merely have to open the door and God makes things possible in us. These are not teachings that ask of us tremendous feats of our own strength. But they are teachings that set us down in a place where we are to understand the depth of change from one sort of "worldly" reality to another, a heavenly reality which is given to us, and in which we are allowed, through relationship, to participate. We grow through detachment (to all sorts of things and ways of thinking) into deeper faith. How then do you experience the help of the Spirit today? What ails you that you need to let go of - which new form of humility will help you to heal as a spiritual person, to change? What new detachment is necessary for growth and healing, and the deepening of one's life in this kingdom? Turn to God in prayer and ask, and help for it all will be there. This is the spirit of mercy that Christ teaches - and in our detachment and humility we are healed. To experience the beauty of the things of heaven is to be transfixed by that beauty and to experience the joy of it and its uplifting reality in our lives. Mercy is God's medicine that makes all things possible.

If you want to be perfect

Then the little children were brought to him that he might put his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." And he laid his hands on them and departed from there.

Now behold, one came and said to him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" So he said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, " 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " The young man said to him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

- Matthew 19:13-22

Our recent readings have focused on humility, and the importance of relationship -- just how we are to relate to one another. These readings have focused on order and right-relatedness in the church, among his followers, between the hierarchy and the "little ones" in the church, and on marriage and relation of men to women. We extend this today in the first verses to the "little children" who are brought to Christ. From there, we have a teaching on "goodness" - and from there we will go to the subject of wealth and detachment. All of this is an extension of his teachings on how we are to relate to one another - on the basic and extraordinarily profound equality among all who are in this kingdom, and how nothing should stand in the way of that realization.

Then the little children were brought to him that he might put his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." And he laid his hands on them and departed from there. My study bible notes, "Little children are given 'equal opportunity' to live in the kingdom of heaven (v. 14), for their humble openness accepts God's gifts. There is nothing about them, including their age of immaturity, to keep them from the Kingdom. Therefore children, like adults, participate in the Kingdom through baptism, chrismation, communion, confession, and anointing with oil for healing." Jesus has previously spoken of humility and relationships - exhorting the disciples to remember to treat the littlest ones among their members (meaning the humble in stature who come to them to be members of the church) as if they are welcoming Christ himself. He has taught them to remember that "in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father in heaven." He has spoken to the men of their hard-heartedness toward their wives, that Moses granted an easy form of divorce for this reason, but that the spiritual purpose of marriage is love and care. Today he reaches out to the least powerful, the little children, and embraces them in the fullness of his teaching to the disciples. There is no barrier of power, status or rank that keeps anyone from this kingdom, and inclusion in the teachings of love and right-relatedness!

Now behold, one came and said to him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" So he said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God." My study bible says that "the young ruler sees Jesus as a man only, a Good Teacher of the written Law, not as God. Jesus answers him accordingly, Why do you call me good? (v. 17). Jesus instructs him to keep the commandments, demonstrating the connection of virtue to salvation. In saying, No one is good but One (v. 17), our Lord rejects the worldly view that he is merely 'a good man,' at the same time teaching that goodness is in God alone." There are many ideas in this note that are worth pondering. The first is an understanding of the leap we are taking into notions of relatedness. Jesus has emphasized over and over again in the teachings on relatedness (and right-relationship) the inclusion of all - even today, to the little children. There is a tremendous sense of equality expressed in all of these teachings, as Jesus extends to the disciples the notion of proper respect for all persons, especially in the ways in which we relate to one another. Here he takes a tremendous leap, and extends even to himself - in the person of Jesus - this equality. Jesus teaches that "no one is good but One, that is, God." All "good" is measured by this yardstick, even Jesus himself. His humility extends to this tremendous leveling in the eyes of the gospels and his teachings on love and how we are to relate to one another.

Then, my study bible says, Jesus "exercises the duties of goodness by opening the treasures of heaven to the young man, offering himself as the guide to them. In doing this the Lord reveals himself as God." "But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. He said to him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, " 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" I find this an interesting concept - Jesus is like God - as God, he opens up the treasures of heaven to the young man, and thereby "exercises the duties of goodness." We receive the reality of God, but also the example in Jesus of what it is to embody goodness. And he will go further in the next teaching, in its fullness.

The young man said to him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" My study bible says on this verse: "Formal observance of the Law does not equal fulfillment of all the commandments of God. Indeed, saying that one has kept the letter of the Law can create a false satisfaction about virtue. Salvation does not depend upon external things, whether they be many or few, great or small, but on the virtues of the soul -- faith, hope, and love -- the reward of which is salvation. These virtues the young man still lacked." So we are once again here in the midst of a teaching about humility. Even Jesus has said that only God is good, when he was called "Good Teacher." So it is in the exercise of true virtue -- that is, of being like God, that we encounter true goodness, we practice it. This requires tremendous humility and detachment.

Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. My study bible says here: "God acts in cooperation with the human soul. To save the unwilling would be compulsion, but to save the willing is a show of grace. Perfection is voluntarily to sacrifice all and to follow Christ for the cause of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God does not belong to sluggards, but to those who want to be perfect." A hard saying, indeed! And yet, elsewhere, Jesus has told us to "be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." Certainly this entire passage is an example of how we are to be like God. As we are made in God's image (as quoted from the Old Testament in yesterday's passage on marriage), so we are to strive to be "like God" if we wish to be "good." In order to do that, it seems, we need the humility of detachment. It is not in our outward modeling that we are "perfect" but rather it is in an inward reality that asks of us to be our focus. This is how we seek the kingdom first. What is good? Who is good? What is goodness, what is perfection? These are the questions Jesus opens up for us today in this teaching.

Many times I find that I must detach from someone or something - which may be precious to me, which the world may label "good" - in order to find real virtue, the true gold or true "treasures of the kingdom" as my study bible refers to them. We remember that we are to store up treasures for ourselves where neither moth nor rust destroys nor thieves can break in and steal. It is this type of detachment, that couples us with the necessary quality of detachment, that will allow us to both see and experience what is truly good. It is for this reason that Jesus gives this young man the particular teaching he needs here. We are asked to be in a living relationship. Jesus is not telling everyone (indeed, he does not do so) that they must give away all the possessions they own in order to achieve this. Rather, this young man is being given the lesson he needs - which he has asked of Jesus - that in order to be truly good, truly perfect, he needed to detach himself from the model of rank and appearance via possession. (I have also known those who make a great show of piety via penury, as if that were a "possession" too.) Counting and storing up our good deeds according to the Law, therefore, can be likened here to storing up possessions of wealth. It is in the practice of true goodness that we are to excel, and that demands an exceptional capacity for detachment (and therefore humility) in order to honestly view our true virtues, our living relationship with God - or how we are really like God in this living, cooperative relationship of love, faith and hope. This young man has practiced virtue in upholding the Law, that is true. But to be perfect is a different layer of understanding, that requires he strip away the things he relies on to teach him that he is good, in order to see the reality of virtue that is not defined by outward show. Jesus himself will be crucified as a criminal - he will defy the temple authorities and upset the status quo. He will not make a show of extraordinary power to "prove" he is Messiah as the temple authorities demand. These are not the "appearance" of virtue, and yet in him they are the embodiment of virtue. We cannot judge by appearance, or by what we collect. We live in relationship to God - and we are like God when we practice true goodness, the power of living faith, of acting with open heart, detached from appearance, in - if possible - all humility. I find that today humility is not such a great virtue in the common culture. Perhaps this has always been a worldly problem, and remains so today. How are we to strip away the things we hold important as appearance, and practice detachment? This teaching remains as tough for us today as it was for the young man then.