Friday 11 November 2022

Psalm 104:24-35

 Background

Today’s passage comes from a section of Matthew’s Gospel where he records Jesus’ final journey from Galilee to Jerusalem. He has taught and met various people on the road. Now, however, the mood turns more sombre as his entry to the Holy City draws nearer (21:1-11).

This is the last of several occasions when Jesus warns those around him of his fate in Jerusalem – either the third or fourth time, depending on how you count them (16:21; 17:12, 22–23; see also 10:38). It is clear he is fully aware of what is to happen to him when he finally reaches Jerusalem.

We note that Jesus is 'going up' to the city, which is geographically accurate, as Jerusalem is situated in the central hill country of Judea. He was probably travelling with other Jewish pilgrims toiling along the roads, heading to the city to celebrate the festival of Passover. At this point, though, he very deliberately takes his disciples away from others to deliver this prediction.

Jesus identifies himself in this text with an enigmatic phrase he uses repeatedly: ‘the Son of Man’ (v. 18). In Hebrew and Aramaic it can mean both humanity as a whole or a specific human. Jesus probably also used the term, though, to allude to the vision recorded in Daniel 7:13-14 of “one like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven”, which he will allude to directly at his trial before the High Priest (Matthew 26:64).

 We seem to find the same incident in Mark’s Gospel (10:32-34) but it is worth noting a subtle but important difference. In Mark, the chief priests and scribes hand Jesus over to the Gentile authorities (ie the Romans), who choose to mock, spit at and flog him. In Matthew, he is handed over specifically “to be mocked and flogged” (v. 19). This lays a much greater burden of responsibility on the Jewish authorities than is arguably found in Mark, and may reflect Matthew’s own reflections on the events of the Passion.

To Ponder:

• Why do you think Jesus repeatedly warned his disciples about what was going to happen in Jerusalem?
• Do you believe Jesus had any choice about his destiny?
• Why was Jesus such a different Messiah to the one so many of his contemporaries expected?

Prayer 

Fearless God, help us to face the difficult decisions and situations in our own lives with the courage that Jesus showed on the road to Jerusalem. Amen.