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| Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash |
Coming into Matthew 23-25, we see Jesus deliver one more discourse, divided into three main sections—each reflecting on end matters and judgment.
Woes
First, Jesus launches into a series of seven woes against the scribes and Pharisees. This serves as a contrast to the beatitudes in the sermon on the mount—seven beatitudes and seven woes. Whether or not there is a one-to-one correlation is debatable, though there are certainly some parallels. For example, the first beatitude and woe both make reference to the kingdom of heaven. The fifth of each make reference to mercy, and the sixth both reference inner purity1. Finally, both lists conclude with reference to persecution—the beatitudes blessing those who are victims of persecution and the woes pronouncing judgment on those that are perpetrators of persecution.
The overall thrust of these woes is that of invitation vs. exclusion, heart of Torah vs. outward displays of righteousness, Godly character vs. legalism. The scribes and Pharisees had gotten the rules of the game wrong—they had it upside down, inside out, and backwards. Because of this, they had placed themselves into a position of judgment. Really, this speech is a continuation of the sign acts of Matthew 21-22.
That said, this speech is not without compassion. At the end of the chapter, we see Jesus lamenting over Jerusalem. Jesus wants to gather in his people. He wants to have mercy on them and welcome them into his kingdom. But they would not. The invitation is open. But they kept saying no.
Not One Stone Upon Another
This second section answers two questions: When will the stones of the temple be thrown down? And what will be the sign of Jesus’ coming and the end of the age?
The first of these questions comes from a statement Jesus made in 24:2, which serves as a continuation of the declaration of judgment that began back in Matthew 21. The disciples are pointing out the buildings of the temple. Mark and Luke are a bit more descriptive telling how the disciples were praising the beauty and wonder of the temple structures. It’s like when they asked Jesus about who is the greatest. Again, the disciples are focused on outward appearances (something Jesus had just denounced in his woes against the Pharisees), and again Jesus points them back to the heart of the matter. The outer is going to be torn down; not one stone left upon another.
Do not let anyone lead you astray. Many will come claiming to be Messiah—claiming to be great leaders who will lead the Jews to freedom from the Roman occupation. There will be wars. Love will grow cold. And the disciples will be persecuted. But, while these false versions of good news are going on, the true gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed to the ends of the earth. From the outside, you will see failure after failure in man’s attempts to re-establish the kingdom of Israel. Meanwhile, the gospel will be working subversively, establishing itself in people’s hearts and spreading silently among the nations. Not by might nor power, but by God’s Spirit (Zech. 4:6).
This calls for patience and faithfulness. Things will look grim on the outside. You will go through trial and tribulation. But, Jesus is coming back. What will he find you doing when he returns?
Parables of the Return
This brings Jesus to his final set of parables. Three parables, each to the effect of challenging us to faithfulness as we wait for the return of our Messiah.
In the first of the parables, we see allusion to the Holy Spirit through the symbology of the oil. Jesus promised to give us the Holy Spirit when he left. The Spirit leads us in the path of Jesus, reminds us of all that He taught, comforts us through trials, points us continually back to Jesus. If we are to make it to the end, we must rely on the Spirit. We must ask God that He would fill us with his Spirit.
Secondly, Jesus turns to the work of building the kingdom. Each of us has been entrusted with gifts and talents. More than that, we’ve been entrusted with the message of the Gospel. Will we simply sit on these out of fear? Especially fear of failure. Fear of getting it wrong. No. Jesus calls on us to go forth boldly with what has been given to us, so that God might be glorified. If we take the analogy of investing talents in a modern context, we can see there’s going to be ups and downs (just like the stock market). You will make mistakes. But, if you stick with it for the long haul and ride out the bumps, the payoff will be worth it. Use what God has given you. Be a light for his kingdom.
Finally, Jesus brings things back around to his heart for the lowly. Jesus is concerned about the outcast, the hungry, the prisoner, the sick. He sits with them. We are his hands and feet, commissioned to carry on his work in the world. It’s when we go where Jesus went and do the work Jesus did among the least of these that we start to see Jesus.
This is my second to last post in this series on Matthew. Throughout, we’ve been reading about who Jesus is. I think this last point is a reminder that while reading the stories and teaching of Jesus may be where we start, it can’t be where we end. Coming to know Jesus consists of more than reading words. It comes through communing with Jesus through prayer. Through partnering with him in the work of the kingdom. Through learning to see the world through his eyes, having compassion on our neighbors and on the outcasts.
We must be careful not to let outward righteousness and legal trappings blind us to the heart of Jesus. We must be careful not to let trials and tribulations discourage us from the hope we have in Jesus. Pray for a softened heart and a strengthened faith. Begin to look for where Jesus is working around you in your life. Our master may seem delayed. But he is coming. Indeed, he is present with us even now. So, let us learn to walk in step with Jesus.
Note, the numbering of the woes is complicated by the fact that verse 14 is textually disputed, potentially offsetting all the woes thereafter. ↩︎
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