Matthew 22: 34-46 (NRSV)
Do
you like to live “vicariously” through the many people who end up on the “who’s
the last person left” shows? We can see others experience the joy and tragedy
of winning and losing popularity contests. These types of shows create what’s
called "a culture of
humiliation." We want to see who can pass the test.
The prize
is prestige and money. The penalty is being sent home, one's dreams destroyed,
with lots of people watching. Let's see who can sing on "Voice or American
Idol," or lose fat and gain muscle on "Biggest Loser." Let's see
who can dance for us on "So You Think You Can Dance?"
Let's see
who can survive in the wilderness on "Survivor." Let's find out who
can cook on "Chopped." Let's see who can put on a wet suit and
subject him or herself to an obstacle course complete with huge rubber mallets
and tubs of green goo and a moat to fall into at the slightest misstep on
"Wipeout."
At
my house we especially enjoy the show Survivor, as it seems to be the last
hold-out of true reality TV because the participants are out in nature
surrounded by few possessions and are given only basic temptations to alter
their personalities for gain.
Animosity
between contestants and outright back-stabbing occurs but everyone is
undergoing the same level of hunger, frustration, and paranoia.
Also
the participants will frequently ask each other questions designed to gage
character, truthfulness, and personal allegiance, to see who to get rid of.
“To
win at Survivor,” I think I once heard 4 time player, ‘Boston Rob,’ say, “you
need to keep focused at all times on one or two things you always need to do
and always avoid those things you never want to do.” Sounds kind of simple,
doesn’t it?
Do
what you need to do and don’t do what you shouldn’t do. He must be the Yogi
Berra of the Survivor set. But it’s not
unlike being a Christian as well.
Each
of us engages in survivor mode every day of our lives, especially in the scary,
threats a minute world we live in. Even driving your car a few feet often
results in fear, palpitations’, and a near death experience. (That’s just with
Becky driving!) In reality Becky’s a far
better driver than I am.
I
just don’t have the nerve and heart to drive anywhere at any time anymore. It’s
just too scary for me. I get creeped out every time I look in the rearview
mirror.
I
still get nightmares sometimes about getting stuck in the inside traffic circle
lane at City Hall in Philadelphia, a fate not unlike being stuck in some
wilderness somewhere with survivor winner Richard Hatch.
There
are two types of people on these shows; the “lay low” type who say very little
and who tries to get through with little notice or problem; and the engaged
“active participant” who operates by manipulating people and events. Both types
have won and it’s hard to say which strategy works best.
I
think there’s two ways we can live our lives as well; there’s Kurt Vonnegut,
Jr.’s view: “I guess everybody who isn’t dead yet is a survivor;” and then
there are those who embrace life ach day as an opportunity to live despite
struggles/setbacks.
Stop
and think for a minute: What things or people would you vote off the island if
you were threatened with expulsion or a drastic change in your life? Who or
what would have to go? How would you deal with a threat to your survival at
Tribal Council?
Let’s
take it another step: If we put the shoe on the other foot for a moment let’s
consider the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees of Jesus’ day. How would they
have handled Jesus at Tribal Council? Let’s hear our passage from Matthew 22:
34-46:
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced
the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a
question to test him. “Teacher,
which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
He said
to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all
your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment.
And a
second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On
these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Now
while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: “What
do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of
David.”
He said
to them, “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, ‘The
Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under
your feet”’? If
David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?”
No one
was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him
any more questions.
We are
in that area in the Gospel of Matthew that’s called the “Temple Disputes” where
Jesus’ authority is repeatedly
questioned. Jesus has questioned, pointed out hypocrisy, and downright thumbed
His nose at the religious leaders and rulers of His day – and now they are
beginning to fight back.
We see
the developing hostility as we come to the end of Matthew's gospel. But what else
would we expect when Jesus has turned over tables in the temple, cursed a fig
tree, and told three offensive parables?
How could
He expect those on the receiving end of his prophetic words to react?
When
those with prestige and position are challenged, when the status quo is
changed, such people react with hostility, fear, anger. It was true then just as it is today. They push back.
No sooner
has Jesus finished telling three offensive parables to Jews (two sons, wicked
tenants, wedding banquet) than the push back committees arrive. We will see a series
of people come to Jesus with questions for which there is no right answer.
Each
time, Jesus speaks a word of truth without falling into their trap.
First,
the Pharisees send some lackeys to trip him up over a tribute (taxes) question.
He avoids that trap. Next some Sadducees try to trip him up with a tricky
question about the resurrection. Again he avoids the trap with theological
depth and finesse.
And now, in our passage for today the Pharisees come in person with a question about the greatest commandment to test him. To find out where His head is in the game of human “Survivor” that they are playing, who his alliance is with, and whether He’s got the immunity idol.
We know,
in hindsight that Jesus will win the prize and be named “Resurrected Lord and
Savior,” and think maybe those around him with power and possessions already suspect
it, and are throwing every obstacle they can think of in the way of his mission
and identity.
I don't
think it's that they don't know with whom they're dealing. I think it's that,
at some level, they do, and they are inwardly upset by the idea and what’s
going to happen.
In my
experience, people don't put this kind of persistent anger into trying to trip
up someone who doesn't threaten the h-e-double hockey sticks out of them.
That’s why his opponents try to make him into a reality show contestant in these temple disputes in Matthew. They want to vote Him out at Tribal Council with what little actual power they think they have.
Now some
of you may be thinking that my argument may be ridiculous and disrespectful to
Jesus' mission and identity. But, taking into account the social, political and
cultural context of Matthew's gospel, so are many of the questions asked of
Jesus in most of the Gospel of Matthew.
In
answering the Greatest Commandment question, Jesus becomes the one asking the
questions. He asks a very relevant theological question to the Pharisees with implications
of prophecy, history, and Jewish identity.
He asks
whose son the Messiah is supposed to be. They answer "David's." Jesus
then asks why David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, would call the
Messiah “Lord” when he wrote Psalm 110:1.
If David uses
such a title of respect and distance for this Messiah, how could the Messiah be
David's son?
We know
the answer they wouldn’t or couldn’t admit: that Jesus is/was the foretold
Kinsman Redeemer promised by God to Eve. He was of David’s family line but HE also
was God’s only begotten Son.
Then the
passage ends on an ominous note. "No
one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask
him any more questions."
Folks we
know that when the talking stops, the relationship is over. In this story, when
dialogue with the teacher ends, plans for his death begin. For us, these temple
disputes are the beginning rather than the ending. We will explore in the
coming weeks that Jesus will now tell us what we need to do if we are His
disciples.
Will we,
like the ten bridesmaids, keep our light burning?
Will we
invest the gifts and talents given us wisely?
Will we
feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the imprisoned?
Will we honor
Jesus with our devotion and loyalty or just be satisfied with criticizing
others' efforts?
The
essential question is:
Will we love our neighbor in loving God and will we love
God in loving our neighbor?
Or will we become self-centered on our own survival
and keep voting Jesus out of our lives in Tribal Council? Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment