The 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, 19th July 2020.
Lectionary Readings
Isaiah 44 v 6-8 God’s promise to Israel.
Roman’s 8 v 12-25 Led by the Spirit.
Matthew 13 v 24-30, 36-43. Weeds among the Wheat.
Compare and Contrast
Matthew has followed last week’s explained parable about farming with another, in this week’s gospel reading. Is Matthew wanting us to ‘compare and contrast’? To help us with our thinking about who Jesus really is?
In last week’s parable (Matthew 13 v 1-9, 18-23) ‘the farmer’ is not explicitly identified. The one who sows the seeds (the message about the kingdom), could be God, any of the prophets, or Jesus.
This time, Jesus identifies the one who scatters the good seed as ‘the Son of Man’. (v37).
“The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everyone who does wrong or causes other people to sin.”(v41). “But everyone who has done right will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom”. (v43)
The kingdom is identified as belonging to ‘the Son of Man’, who also has authority over (his) angels and has the right to judge.
Is Matthew looking backwards or forwards?
Backwards to Daniel’s vision?
“I saw what looked like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven and he was presented to the Eternal God. He was crowned king and given power and glory, so that all people of every nation and race would serve him. He will rule for ever, and his kingdom is eternal, never to be destroyed.”
(Daniel 7 v13,14).
Or forward to his own epiphany moment when he recognises Jesus as the one with God’s delegated authority. (‘the Son of Man’)?
Matthew records Jesus’ words about the coming of the Son of Man;
“Then a sign will appear in the sky, And there will be the Son of Man. All nations will weep when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. At the sound of a loud trumpet, he will send his angels to bring his chosen ones together from all over the earth.”
(Matthew 24 v30/31).
Matthew is very keen for us to understand;
- That Jesus is God’s ‘own dear son’ (Matthew 17 v5b).
- That Jesus is not just another prophet or teacher (Rabbi) or healer; he is all those and much more; Jesus is the Messiah. (Matthew 16 v16)
- That Jesus is speaking the truth when he says “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth!” (Matthew 28 v18).
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.
Thanks to Mike Peck for submitting these reflections