Sunday 01 June 2008

Background

This comes at the end of one of the most important passages inMatthew's Gospel. The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of thecore ideas of Jesus' teaching about life and God. It begins at thestart of chapter 5 and finishes here. These verses are very muchthe 'so what?' part that comes at the end of a sermon and sends usout inspired to act.

The bits of teaching we read about here praise actions above words.God is not impressed by those who just shout out God's name orrepeat religious sound bites. God looks for deeds. I wonder why theso-called evildoers are driven away when they are out and aboutdoing so much good in the Lord's name? How exactly do they differfrom the man who built his house on rock and is praised for hiswisdom?

Matthew adds the final comment that what really amazed people wasnot just what Jesus taught, but how he taught. Jesus was a30-something peasant from the culturally backward north of thecountry, who had had, as far as we know, no formal education. Thescribes were the experts in the Jewish Law who held key governmentposts, whose training was long and who usually needed to be 40 tohold office. Yet Jesus taught with an authority they did notpossess.

To Ponder

What is most important in Christian faith - is itbelieving the right things or doing the right things? What made youchoose one or the other?

What is the nature of Jesus' authority? Why didthe scribes not command the respect of the people? Is this aboutlifestyle and authenticity? Try and think of parallel situationstoday.