With men this is impossible, but 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 His 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 

 

Yesterday we read that little children were brought to  Christ 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 heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, 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 His 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."  My study Bible tells us that there have been various interpretations suggested for this impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  Among the various theories suggested is included the idea that the word was not "camel" but "rope" (for these words sound alike in Aramaic), or that the "eye of a needle" was a name used for a particular city gate, through which a camel might just squeeze if it were first unloaded of all its baggage, which symbolizes wealth.  There is also an expression in the Talmud "for an elephant to go through the eye a needle."  Whatever this phrase refers to, my study Bible says, it expresses the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.  This is made clear by the response of the disciples, "Who then can be saved?"  But by God's grace, even what is impossible with men can come to pass.  

 

 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."   My study Bible has a very illuminating explanation for what it means to judge in this context.  It quotes St. Ambrose of Milan as saying of Christ's judgment, that "Christ judges by discerning the heart, and not by examining deeds.  So also the apostles are being shaped to exercise spiritual judgment concerning faith, and in rebuking error with virtue."  These apostles, it says, will not judge with earthly judgment, but rather by the very witness of their own lives.  As God's kingdom begins with the Resurrection of Christ, so the authority of judgment is already given to the apostles and their successors in the journey of the Church on earth.  See also Matthew 16:19; Luke 22:30; John 20:23.

 

 "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."  My study Bible says that Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandon children.  St. John Chrysostom asserts that this refers to keeping faith under persecution even if it means to lose one's family.  My study Bible says that it also means one must accept that unbelieving family members may cut of ties due to the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  Believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly sense, but in a spiritual sense -- the fathers and mothers of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.  

 

Jesus' words about it being "easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" affirm for us the interpretation of yesterday's reading, in which Jesus told a rich young ruler (whom He loved) that if he wanted to be perfect he should, "go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure heaven; and come, follow Me."  In accordance with my study Bible, the problem with an abundance of riches is not in the riches themselves, nor even in ownership, but rather in the attachment to riches that is so common to humanity.  That is, such attachment becomes a stumbling block to salvation, as it leaves a person tied to the possessions in ways that may become a hindrance or obstacle to following and seeking Christ in all things.  It affirms the need for grace and the working of the Holy Spirit ("With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible") and it is yet another image of the life of the Cross, in which we will be called upon to separate from ourselves even things we consider quite dear if they stand in the way of Christ's directions for us.  In the New Testament, prominent and wealthy Jews, members of the Sanhedrin, became devoted followers of Christ (Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea) so the problems is not ownership or wealth per se, but rather when love of money (or anything else) keeps us from loving God as fully as we're called.  The disciples confess here in today's reading that they "have left all and followed You."  For them, that included the things Jesus mentions here, such as "houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands."  In each example we're taught something about the life of the Cross that each of us may be called to in faith, and each in our own way, with our own particular cross for salvation.  We note again that the rich young ruler in yesterday's reading (see above) was not an immoral person, neither was his wealth immoral, nor used for immoral purposes.  Quite the opposite, he was a person who had observed the commandments of the Law the whole of his life.  But Christ calls us to "perfection" ("if you want to be perfect"), and for that the impossible becomes possible through the grace of God.  And there we come to the expression of judgment that Christ makes in today's reading, and what it means to judge according to my study Bible.  This is not about "passing judgment" on someone else, but simply about living a life as an example and standard that sets a bar.  In and of itself, this is what Jesus means by "judging."  The life of the kingdom that we are all called to, even here and now in this world as my study Bible points out, is made possible through grace.  God calls us each in a particular way, and makes that path possible for each of us.  May we be truly grateful.

 

 

 

Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world

 

 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'  Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:  for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'  And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." 

 

- Matthew 25:31-46 

 

In our recent readings, Jesus has been teaching the disciples about end times.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave the parable of the Talents:  "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servants; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid, and went and his your talent in the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.'  But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

 

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats."  My study Bible comments on today's reading, describing it as the majestic climax of His discourse on the end times.  This is not simply a parable only (of the sheep and goats images in the verses that follow), but also a prophecy of the universal judgment which will indeed come.  Since the Cross is now near to Him, my my study Bible says, Jesus raises the hearer to the sight of the glory of the Son of Man on His judgment seat, and the whole world (all the nations) before Him.  

"And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: . . ."   My study Bible explains that Christ uses sheep to illustrate the righteous, because sheep follow the Shepherd's voice, and they are gentle and productive.  Goats are used to indicate the unrighteous, because they don't follow a shepherd and they walk along cliffs, which represent sin.  (We should keep in mind that these are symbols used because of particular traits, not an indictment of animals in nature!)  Inherit is a term used with sons and daughters rather than strangers or servants, because the righteous become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7).  

". . . for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'"  My study Bible comments on this passage that to see Christ in everyone is the fulfillment of the great commandment to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39).   It notes also that the standard of judgment is uncalculated mercy toward others.  The works which are produced by faith are emphasized here, for, it says, saving faith always produces righteous works.  What we do reflects our true inner state.  The least refers to all the poor and needy.  My study Bible notes also that the needs described in this parable include both physical and spiritual needs.  Therefore, the hungry or thirsty are not those who need food and drink alone, but also those who hunger and thirst for the hope of the gospel, and the infinite expressions possible through that gospel and our understanding of faith.

 

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:  for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'  And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."  My study Bible points out that Jesus says the fire was prepared for the devil; it explains that this shows that God did not create hell for human beings.  Rather, people choose this torment through their coldness of heart.

In yesterday's reading and commentary, we noted that the parable of the Talents (see above) indicated an emphasis on positive action by Christ.  That is, it did not stress the negative ("do not") but rather positive action by his servants in the use of the talents given by the master, in order to produce profit for the estate while he was away.  Each servant was rewarded accordingly upon the master's return.  In today's parable, Jesus takes this positive action one step further, by describing activities that are positive uses of the "talents" we're given by God, a heart capable of expressing compassion or "love in action" in any number of ways, and far more than we're given in the sample Jesus names here.  These are all actions which in some way are expressions that become fruit of the Spirit; because, if we listen to the Spirit with which we're blessed, this great grace we're given, our hearts are capable of such expression.   We are capable of loving others as we love ourselves.  That is, with the help of God, we become capable of the discernment to find such expression, even if it comes through an encouraging word or a prayer, even when no one else knows.  I am constantly surprised by the subtle action of prayer, and the response of people to prayer even when I haven't told them I pray for them.  This connection through spiritual life is genuine; the Kingdom among us one that forms relationship and relatedness, a community that is unseen and yet known and understood, perceived with faith.  It is this network of relationships, this communion, about which Christ always speaks, and which is effectively shown to render the power of judgment itself.  For it is how we participate in such a network, how we act to pursue such a community -- to add and contribute to it, to support and nurture it -- is how we participate and become the sheep He asks us to be.  Let us consider the very personal nature of the actions that Jesus names.  They are direct responses to need, to treating another as we would desire to be treated.  These acts of compassion are person-to-person; they are not detached theories of regulation or rules of morality.  They are rather acts of the heart that come from within, from the place where the Kingdom dwells within us and lives among us. 

 

 

Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?

 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuh as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'  Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:  for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'  And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." 

- Matthew 25:31-46

 In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught:  "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, "Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.'  But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory."  Today's reading is described by my study bible as the majestic climax of Christ's discourse to His disciples on the destruction of Jerusalem and the end time, including His Second Coming and Judgment.   This is not simply a parable, but a prophecy of the universal judgment Christ assures us will come.  My study bible says that since the Cross is now near to Him, Jesus raises the hearer to the sight of the glory of the Son of Man on His judgment seat and the whole world before Him.  The standard of judgment, it says, is uncalculated mercy toward others.  Here Jesus emphasizes the works that are produced by faith; saving faith produces righteous works.  The things we do reflect our true inner state.  When Christ refers to the least in the parable, He refers to all the poor and the needy.  The needs described in this parable include both physical and spiritual needs.  Therefore, the hungry or thirsty are not only those who need food and drink, but also those who hunger and thirst for the hope of the gospel.

"All the nations will be gathered before Him, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left."  Christ uses sheep to illustrate the righteous, because they follow His voice and are gentle and productive.  Goats indicate the unrighteous, a they do not follow the shepherd and they walk along cliffs, which symbolize sin.

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: . . . "   Inherit is a term that is used with regard to sons and daughters, as opposed to stranger or servants.  The righteous become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7).

" . . . for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuh as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'"   To see Christ in everyone, according to my study bible, is the fulfillment of the great commandment to love your neighbor as yourself (22:39). 

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:  for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'  And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."   My study bible says that the fact that the fire was prepared for the devil shows that God did not create hell for man.  Rather, people choose this torment by their coldness of heart.

Jesus speaks about what we've done, and what we've left undone.  In the case of the sheep, the deeds here are those things that they have done.  There is a positive movement in the actions that reflect faith.  It is a reflection of Jesus' teaching of the golden rule:  "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets" (7:12).  This is a positive statement of good actions.  In the Jewish spiritual tradition, there is a teaching of this rule in a negative or prohibitive form:  "What you yourself hate, do not do to anyone" (Tobit 4:15).  This is also, of course, an essential teaching for all of us.  But in Jesus' telling of this parable, it is the failure to act positively on our faith that puts us in the wrong.  It is the neglect of the good that is shown here.  In the story of the Good Samaritan, there is another illustration that positive action renders us true "neighbors."  While there is plenty of prohibitive teaching in Jesus' sermons and commandments, the emphasis here asks us to go beyond refraining from doing what is harmful, and to deliberately seek to do good, to exercise compassion and active love as a product of our faith.  It is important to keep in mind that Jesus' parable in today's reading comes within the context, and as a great summation of the end times, His Second Coming, and the Judgment.  It is given to us as His disciples, preparing us for the real test of this time, and in the context of the rest of His discourse, encouraging us to positive and courageous action in expression of our faith.  Let us note this is not simply making a laundry list of good deeds to do.  Rather, it is an encouragement to live the love that comes from seeking God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength, and to love neighbor as oneself.  It is about living the love we're given in our hearts through our faith, with positive actions that express this grace of love.  The real question is how we express who we are in our faith.  The fruits of the Spirit, which are all aspects of love, are just like what we make of our talents (see the parable in yesterday's reading above).  Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are all gifts of the Spirit as named by St. Paul in Galatians 5:22-23.  Love is described by St. Paul as also doing and not doing several things, namely:  "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).   This is not an abstract concept or philosophy, nor a set of rules divorced from the depths of identity.  It is in this respect that the things we do bear out these realities of the spirit and soul, who we are in union with God through faith.  He encourages to fully express that identity, the talents we're given, in the explicit ways in which we're called to do so, in the fullness of God's love at work in us.  This kind of faith also includes discernment and watchfulness.  We are to be known by the fruits we bear, the light we shine.  There is no divide between faith and works; they are to be part of the whole of the love of God and neighbor, and none of the fullness of our lives is left out of that equation.  Let us also keep in mind Jesus' earlier parable in this discourse, teaching us that we are servants in care of our fellow servants.  His final and new command is that we are to love one another, as He has loved us.  

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.'  Fools and blind!  For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?  And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.'  Fools and blind!  For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?  Therefore he who swears by the altar,  swears by it and by all things on it.  He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.  And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law:  justice and mercy and faith.  These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.  Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.  Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also."

- Matthew 23:13-26

In our current readings in Matthew's Gospel, Jesus is in Jerusalem.  It is what we know as Holy Week, the final week of Jesus' earthly life, and Passover Week for the Jews.  Jesus has made His Triumphal Entry, He has cleansed the temple, and has debated with the leadership in various challenges as to His authority and teachings (see the readings from Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday.  Yesterday we began reading what is known as Jesus' Final Sermon.  He spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying:  "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.  Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.  For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.  But all their works they do to be seen by men.  They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.  They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.'  But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.  Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.  And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.  But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.  And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves."  My study bible says that because the example of a leader can be so influential, leaders who do not love God will hinder others from finding God as well.  Therefore, leaders are held to a higher standard (James 3:1).

 "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.'  Fools and blind!  For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?  And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.'  Fools and blind!  For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?  Therefore he who swears by the altar,  swears by it and by all things on it.  He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.  And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it."  Jesus' emphasis here is consistent with all of His teachings on the focus of the Law and the Prophets.  In Tuesday's reading,  Jesus was asked by the Pharisees what was the greatest commandment.  He gave two, but He said the first and great commandment was "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."  Once more, His consistent emphasis is on God first.  It is God dwelling in the temple that sanctifies the gold.  It is God dwelling on the altar who sanctifies the gift.  In all things, Jesus teaches the devotion to God as the first and great commandment.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law:  justice and mercy and faith.  These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.  Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!"   Jesus refers here to a practice whereby the Pharisees would attach strainers to the mouths of decanters in order to avoid accidentally consuming a substance that was ritually unclean.   My study bible tells us that all of the warnings that are given here, and which follow in this final sermon of Jesus, apply to Christians.  They are particularly emphasized for Orthodox Christians and others for whom the ancient practices of the Church have been maintained, such as tithing, sacred vessels, holy rites, and patristic tradition handed down through time  ("These you ought to have done," Jesus says in verse 23).  These practices, it says, can be expressions of deep faith, lead a person to deeper commitment to God, and safeguard our life in Christ, or they can be observed without ever taking them to heart and lead to condemnation.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.  Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also."  To cleanse the outside of the cup and dish is to make a nice appearance.  But Jesus teaches us that true purity is from the inside out, with hearts toward God as the One whose judgment counts, and to whom we are always called.

What does it mean to do "holy acts" for show?  For a pretense, as Christ puts it?  All of the actions He ascribes to hypocrites have something to do with the emphasis on making an appearance before others.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus says of the hypocrites, "But all their works they do to be seen by men."  And this is the key for us.  It seems to be the exact opposite of Jesus' teaching that it's really God's eyes we should be concerned for, and God's judgment rather than the "judgment of men."  Jesus seems to emphasize this over and over again in His varied teachings.  Even the teaching on authority and greatness among His own apostles reflects this understanding.   In yesterday's reading, Jesus has taught them, "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.  And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  Service and humility require of us to put behind ourselves consideration for the importance of how we look in the eyes of others.  To "love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi'" reflects a consideration for one's status in the eyes of others as a prime motivator in life, and it is part and parcel of what makes a hypocrite.  Once again, we recall that the word hypocrite in Greek was actually the word for "actor."  It literally means "below the mask," as the ancient actors all wore masks to delineate their characters.  To truly consider a life where God comes first is to experience the humility of service.  If it is God we are going to please, then all the opinions that others may form of us, our position in worldly eyes, our place in some sort of scheme of competition, is really going to come second.  Sacrifice is so often a sacrifice of that place in the eyes of others.  Christ on the Cross, humiliated, scorned, suffering, and ridiculed is the greatest example we have to teach us by example just what is truly of importance and what is not.  Jesus' saving and sacrificial work was not so we admire Him, but in order to save a universe.  Can we put His priorities first?    It is for the failure to do so that Jesus condemns these religious leaders as hypocrites -- even as He tells His apostles to respect that they sit in Moses' seat.  They teach the word of God, but they are not to be imitated.  This is the standard He sets, and it remains, indeed, a high bar for us all to measure up to.  But the key is that we put the love of God as our first and great commandment, then all else follows.