The 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, 23rd July 2023.
Lectionary Readings:
Isaiah 44 v 6-8; Psalm 86 v11-17; Romans 8 v 12-25; Matthew 13 v 24-30, 36-43.
Who is Jesus?
Matthew has followed last week’s parable about farming with another, in this week’s gospel reading. I think Matthew is trying 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, one of the prophets, or Jesus.
This time, Jesus identifies the one who scatters the good seed as ‘the Son of Man’. (Matthew 13 v37).
Jesus goes on to say, “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).
Is Matthew looking backwards or forwards at this moment in his gospel?
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 Matthew’s own epiphany moment? When he recognises Jesus as the ‘Son of Man’, the one with God’s delegated authority. Later in his gospel 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 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).
Hymn writer, Caroline Maria Noel, wrote these verses in praise of Jesus, (Singing the Faith 317 v1, 5).
At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow,
every tongue confess him King of Glory now.
‘Tis the Father’s pleasure we should call him Lord,
who from the beginning was the mighty Word.
For the same Lord Jesus shall return again,
with his Father’s glory, with his angel train;
all the wreaths of empire meet upon his brow,
and our hearts confess him King of Glory now.
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.