30th Sunday in ordinary Time Year A 29th October 2023
Lectionary Readings:
Leviticus 19 v1-2, 15-18; Psalm 1; 1 Thessalonians 2 v1-8; Matthew 22 v 34-46.
Tricky questions, demanding answers.
In the Old Testament passage, God says, “I am the Lord your God. I am holy and you must be holy too!” (Leviticus 19 v2). How can we possibly achieve that?
In Paul’s letter we read that Paul and his friends say “We don’t speak to please people but to please God who knows our motives.” (1Thessalonians 2 v4b). How can we imitate that style of ministry today?
In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus asks the Pharisees, “If David called the Messiah his Lord, how can the Messiah be a son of David?” (Matthew 22 v45). They could have answered that this could only happen if the Messiah is both a citizen of heaven and a citizen of earth at the same time. One bounded by time and space and one not. (Think of the beginning of John’s gospel and the end of Matthew’s gospel).
I think the way to approach these questions is to follow the clue that Jesus gave the Pharisees in an earlier verse “How then could the Spirit lead……” (Matthew 22 v43a). Jesus, quoted in John’s gospel says, “the Holy Spirit will come and help you. The Spirit will teach you everything.” (John 14 v26)
Paul was well aware of the action of the Holy Spirit in his life and work. Paul relied on the Spirit to lead him to where God wanted him to preach; to the people God wanted him to reach out to in his name. Paul does his best to please God, regardless of the consequences for his personal safety. Paul is at peace with his lot, knowing that he is motivated by the love of God in fulfilling his calling to spread the good news about Jesus, the Messiah.
This is Paul’s way of being ‘holy’, by being obedient to the two most important commandments, to love God and others as himself.
Can we not do the same; by letting the Holy Spirit guide us as we try our best to be obedient to the same two commandments?
The question that the Pharisees ask Jesus about the greatest commandment, Jesus answers by referencing scripture, just as they would have done themselves. (see Deut 6 v5, Lev 19 v18)
The underlying question is, how do you recognise a true Messiah?
Fortunately for us, Matthew has already told us in relating the questions that followers of John the Baptist asked Jesus and the answers he gave them. (see Matthew 11 v2-6.)
Even if the Pharisees had not known about that exchange, they should have recognised that the works of Jesus were a fulfilment of ancient prophecies (e.g. Isaiah 35 v5,6 and Isaiah 61 v1.)
During the three years of his ministry Jesus had given the Pharisees enough hints, clues, and signs, and demonstrated how we should live life, while being obedient to the two most important commandments.
What more evidence do the Pharisees need in order to be convinced that Jesus is the Messiah?
A Resurrection?
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version