Day 6: Matthew 17-19, Transfiguration, Teaching, Turning-Points
From now on, everything that Jesus will do and say will be in the shadow of his prediction of his suffering and death. Think about this with every parable, every teaching, and every miracle from now on. Does Jesus' prediction make you think about what Jesus says in a different light?
The first thing to notice is the transfiguration: Jesus shining on the mountain with Moses and Elijah. What is this about? What's gong on? Why does Jesus take these two disciples with him and why do they get a glimpse of his glory? What do you think?
When Jesus comes back down the mountain, he heals an epileptic boy, predicts once again his death and resurrection, and then instructs his disciples to pay the temple tax with a coin they found in a fish's mouth. No, I don't understand what this story means. I'm not sure anyone does.
In chapter 18, there are instructions for the church found in many church constitutions. What are we to do when there is conflict? It's very clear that we deal with one another first by going to each other one to one, then bringing one other person with us, and only finally bringing the matter to the church. We are to be honest with each other about our disagreements and conflicts, not to go behind each other's backs.
Also, chapter 18 contains a necessary and hard teaching about forgiveness. How many times are we to forgive each other? as many as 7 times? The parable that follows tells the story of a man who was forgiven an enormous sum (my translation says 10,000 bags of gold) but refuses to forgive a fellow servant who owed him one hundred coins. It's a story of both unfathomable mercy but also hard judgment.
And then in Matthew 19, there are teachings about divorce, children and an answer to the question, "What good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?" More hard words.
But then there are these words as well, "Nothing is impossible with God."
Where are you finding challenge in Matthew?
Where are you finding comfort?
Do you think you would have followed Jesus?
The first thing to notice is the transfiguration: Jesus shining on the mountain with Moses and Elijah. What is this about? What's gong on? Why does Jesus take these two disciples with him and why do they get a glimpse of his glory? What do you think?
When Jesus comes back down the mountain, he heals an epileptic boy, predicts once again his death and resurrection, and then instructs his disciples to pay the temple tax with a coin they found in a fish's mouth. No, I don't understand what this story means. I'm not sure anyone does.
In chapter 18, there are instructions for the church found in many church constitutions. What are we to do when there is conflict? It's very clear that we deal with one another first by going to each other one to one, then bringing one other person with us, and only finally bringing the matter to the church. We are to be honest with each other about our disagreements and conflicts, not to go behind each other's backs.
Also, chapter 18 contains a necessary and hard teaching about forgiveness. How many times are we to forgive each other? as many as 7 times? The parable that follows tells the story of a man who was forgiven an enormous sum (my translation says 10,000 bags of gold) but refuses to forgive a fellow servant who owed him one hundred coins. It's a story of both unfathomable mercy but also hard judgment.
And then in Matthew 19, there are teachings about divorce, children and an answer to the question, "What good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?" More hard words.
But then there are these words as well, "Nothing is impossible with God."
Where are you finding challenge in Matthew?
Where are you finding comfort?
Do you think you would have followed Jesus?
I find comfort in the parable of the lost sheep! I have soooo been a lost sheep many times. Love that He keeps finding me. I don't understand Matthew 19:29-30. My translations says "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first." What in the world does that mean? The "many who are first will be last part"...
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Deletethink it means that many who are first in worldly terms such as the rich and the proud will be last into heaven and those last in worldly terms such as the poor, oppressed and humble will be first into heaven.
DeleteI think one thing we can say is that even those who are "last" are still in line. there's some comfort in that. I think that Jesus is upending our sense of justice (sort of like the parable of the workers in the vineyard where those who were hired last got the same pay). I can't read between the lines but perhaps there's a reason those were at the end need to be at the front now. I am also thinking about the fact that there are religious leaders who are (at least at this time) not following Jesus, but gentiles and the poor are following him. Maybe Jesus is saying that the religious leaders might think they are at the front of the line, but there are poor and vulnerable and others who will be ahead of them. But on the other hand, remember they are still in line! I'll check out a few commentaries when I can.
ReplyDeleteI think the Transfiguration on the mountain is a foreshadowing of Jesus's Ascension into heaven after his death on the cross and the overshadowing by the cloud reminds me of God in the cloud in the wilderness. And I thought a lot about the fish coin story. It's got to mean something. It reminds me of Jesus telling Peter and Andrew he will make them Fishers of Men. If the fish represents man it could mean give man what is man's just as he said to give Caesar what is Ceasars. Also Jesus told us that what comes out of the mouth is what defiles us and the Sadducees and Pharisees were defiled. I too like the parable of lost sheep it reassures me how precious I am to God and is one of the most comforting passages I could find in our reading this week. I think good friends should be honest with each other but it's much harder to be honest with others even if they are your brother or sister in Christ. It would be ideal though. But I think if my church confronted me about something it would still be hard for me not to be offended but I guess it depends on my relationship with the church and if they confronted me with a judgmental attitude. Forgiveness is a hard subject it's so much easier to hold a grudge. It's harsh that Jesus says we will be delivered to the torturers. Especially since even though I'm a Christian I still hold unforgiveness sometimes. It's verses like these that makes me wonder if I really am going to receive blessings in heaven. I know it says if we confess Jesus as Lord and Savior that we will go to heaven but the Bible also says otherwise. And then it goes further and he says if you want to enter life keep the Commandments. I mean oh my gosh I've broken so many. It's passages like these that leave me discouraged. Again it talks about divorces and celibacy both teachings that I did not abide by.
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