Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Chilling words

Matthew 21:43 (NIV): Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. I started reading this morning of the people of Israel on the brink; the Red Sea before them, the avenging Egyptians behind. It is, I believe, commonplace to regard the crossing of the Red Sea as the birth of the nation of Israel. They were to be a people with a mission, as our rector preached on Sunday. They were to be an example to the other nations. The rector went on to suggest that the followers of Jesus are tasked with the same mission - to be different (in a good way, I guess).

But Jesus' words to the chief priests and the elders of the people seem to indicate that Israel has failed in her mission. He is speaking to the religious authorities, not to the people in general. What would he say to-day - to the rulers of to-day's Christian church - to the ordinary people of to-day's Christian church?

When Jesus challenged the religious authorities to state their view of John's baptising, they replied "we don't know." Did they really not know? Do we know?

2 comments:

Karin said...

Was it just that they weren't different enough, or was it also that they excluded people from God's grace?

ragaMuffin said...

I think that the acid test was how they received Jesus himself. This is where Jesus tells the story about a vineyard - the owner leaves the vineyard in the care of tenants, who mistreat the rent collectors, and then murder the owner's son. God's son arrives amongst what's left of the people of Israel. The ordinary people welcome him, but the authorities, those who should know better, oppose him in everything that he does.