March 20, 2016 ~ Day 40
My 2016
Lenten Journey: Exploring the Gospels to discover what following Jesus and
becoming more like him would look like?
‘And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32 NRSV).
Matthew 12:1-21 ~ The
Sign of Jonah is a clear messianic reference. We can find ample evidence in the
Gospels of Jesus’ self-awareness as the Servant of Yahweh, represented in the
Servant Songs of Isaiah; however, this is Matthew’s only report of Jesus’
saying anything related to his burial. At his trial his accusers refer to his
statement about destroying the Temple and rebuilding it in three days; however,
of the four Gospels, only John puts that statement on the lips of Jesus.
It goes beyond the scope of these
devotional meditations, but it is possible that the three-days-in-the belly-of-the-fish/three-days-in-the-belly-of-the-earth
statement is added by the evangelist, who already has witnessed the
resurrection. Without verse 40, the discourse moves smoothly to connect Jonah,
not with the fish but with the repentance of the people of Nineveh, who
repented as a result of Jonah’s preaching.
Two points: (1) Nineveh was the capital
city of Israel’s bitterest enemy; yet, the people repented and God spared them.
Thus, the people of Nineveh and the Queen of the South will rise up to judge
the unrepentant current generation of Israel. (2) In the previous chapter Jesus
says virtually the same thing to Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, condemning
them for their lack of repentance in comparison to pagan cities, Sidon and
Tyre.
In context, notwithstanding the
reference to his own burial, the current passage is at least a continuation of the diatribe against those who cling
rigidly to their laws for their justification and who refuse to consider any
possibility that the reach of God’s love extends beyond Israel.
Jesus concludes, “…something greater
than Jonah … (and) … Solomon is here.” The prophets of Israel left little doubt
that God’s embrace was intended for “all nations”, and that Israel was called
to be the beacon of light that would draw “all nations” to God. Those with
influence, however, never fully acknowledged that “something greater than Jonah
and Solomon,” namely, the universal intent of God’s embrace and Israel’s servant
role as the medium of that embrace. In essence, they saw God as their private
genie.
Is my relationship with God too
private? Am I missing the bigger picture of God’s universal love?
Whoever has seen me has seen the
Father (John 14:9
NRSV)
‘And I, when I am lifted up from the
earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32 NRSV).
That's the way it looks through the
flawed glass that is my world view.
Together in the Walk,
Jim
