How to be righteous, though rich:
Exaltation of the poor
The poor are exalted by God. I Samuel 2:4-8; Luke 1:52-53.
The poor of Jesus’ disciples will inherit the kingdom. Luke 6:20-23; Matthew 5:3-6, 10-12.
Lazarus, a poor man, is lifted up to Abraham’s bosom. Luke 16:20-22.
The poor are to boast in their exalted position. James 1:9.
The poor are those who will inherit God’s kingdom. James 2:5.
Those who are humble in this life will be exalted by God. Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14.
The meek shall inherit the earth. Psalm 37:11; Matthew 5:5.
The rich person who is generous is righteous before God
Abraham being hospitable to strangers. Genesis 18:1-8
Job speaking of his defending the poor. Job 29:12-16
Zaccheus giving half of his income to the poor, and so called a son of Abraham. Luke 19:1-9
Barnabas praised for selling his land and giving to the apostles to distribute to the needy. Acts 4:32-37
Cornelius given reward for his alms and prayers. Acts 10:1-6
Tabitha praised because of her work among the poor. Acts 9:36-41
Generosity to the poor
Jesus told his disciples to give their wealth to the poor. Luke 12:33; Luke 16:9; Matthew 19:21.
The one who is generous to the poor will be blessed by God. Deuteronomy 15:10-11
The righteous man gives freely to the poor. Psalm 112:9
Blessed is he who is generous to the poor. Proverbs 14:21; 22:9.
God is honored through him who gives to the needy. Proverbs 14:31
The Lord will repay he who lends to the poor. Proverbs 19:17
The one who is generous to the poor will receive the wealth of the oppressors. Proverbs 22:8
The one who gives to the poor will never have a need. Proverbs 28:27
The one who helps the poor and oppressed will be listened to by God. Isaiah 58:1-12.
Invite the poor to your parties. Luke 14:13-14
Jesus calls Zaccheus a son of Abraham for giving to the poor and repenting. Luke 19:1-10
The church in Jerusalem asks all the churches to give to the poor, which Paul was eager to do. Galatians 2:10.
The Lord condemns the one who has resources but does not help the poor
If you are hostile to the poor, and do not give, it will be a sin against you. Deuteronomy 15:9
He who mocks the poor will be punished. Proverbs 17:5
Whoever does not hear the cry of the poor will also not be heard in their need. Proverbs 21:13
The one who shuts his eyes to the poor will always be in need. Proverbs 28:27
Sodom was condemned because she was rich and did not help the poor. Ezekiel 16:49.
Sodom was condemned for doing evil to the stranger in their midst. Genesis 19.
God punishes the one who keeps his wealth from the poor. Ezekiel 18:17.
The rich man is punished in Hades for not giving to a poor man. Luke 16:19-25
The one who does not give to his needy brother or sister does not have living faith. James 2:15-17
The one who does not give to his needy brother or sister does not love God. I John 3:17-18
Friday, November 21, 2008
To Whom Do We Give? A Scriptural Guide
1. Give to those who are in need—the poor.
Luke 12:33—Sell your possessions and give to the poor
Hebrews 13:2—Provide hospitality to strangers
Acts 4—Apostles redistributed money to the poor.
Note: No one has to give to anyone not in need
a. Give to those who ask
Matthew 5/Luke 6—Give to those who ask of you
Luke 11—If anyone asks, then they will receive
b. Do not exclude people because they have been evil to you
Luke 6:27-36--Love your enemies... lend and do not expect in return
Romans 12:20-- If your enemy is hungry, feed him
Matthew 5:38-48
c. Do not exclude people because they are unrighteous
Luke 6:35-- The Lord is kind to ungrateful and unrighteous men
d. Give to those who are in need in front of you
Luke 10:30-37- The one who did mercy to the one in front of him in need loved his neighbor
I John 3:17—If you have resources, you must help the brother or sister right in front of you with a need
James 2—The one who has faith is the one who helps another believer in need who comes to them
2. Among those in need, prioritize giving to those who are believers.
Luke 16:9—Use money to make friends with those who will welcome you into the kingdom
Galatians 6:10—Do good to everyone, especially those of the household of faith
I Thess 5:15—Always seek doing good to one another and to all people.
II Corinthians 8-9—Paul and others collecting for believers in need
a. Do not provide for believers who are living in sin.
II Thess. 3:6-12—If a brother does not work, neither let him eat
I Corinthians 5:9-13—Don’t judge the world, but if a brother is in continuous sin, do not even eat with such a one.
3. Among believers, prioritize giving to those who give the gospel to others
Luke 9; Matt 10—The workman (of God) is worthy of his hire
Matthew 10:40-48—The one who gives to these who Jesus sends to do mission work will not lose their reward
I Timothy 5:17-18—Elders who work hard, especially at teaching are worthy of their wages
a. Give to those who give the gospel from a simple lifestyle
Matt 10:9-10; Mark 6:8-9; Luke 9:3; Luke 10:4—Those whom Jesus sends out, he sends telling them to bring nothing except the clothes on their backs.
b. Do not give to those who teach something opposed to the teaching of Jesus.
2 John 1:9-11—Do not greet a person who teaches that which is opposed to Jesus
c. Do not give to those who use the gospel for their own greed.
I Timothy 6:3-11—The false prophet advocates greed.
II Peter 2—The false prophet advocates greed and will be punished eternally
Jude 1:16—False prophets are concerned with their own desires.
d. Do not give to those who sell the gospel
Matthew 10/Luke 9—Freely you have received, freely give.
I Corinthians 9:18—Paul’s reward is to give the gospel free of charge.
4. Among those who give the gospel, prioritize those who minister to the poor and who are being persecuted.
I Tim 5:9-10—Give to widows who are not given to pleasure, but to hospitality and helping the needy.
Hebrews 13:3—Remember the prisoners as if you were with them.
Luke 12:33—Sell your possessions and give to the poor
Hebrews 13:2—Provide hospitality to strangers
Acts 4—Apostles redistributed money to the poor.
Note: No one has to give to anyone not in need
a. Give to those who ask
Matthew 5/Luke 6—Give to those who ask of you
Luke 11—If anyone asks, then they will receive
b. Do not exclude people because they have been evil to you
Luke 6:27-36--Love your enemies... lend and do not expect in return
Romans 12:20-- If your enemy is hungry, feed him
Matthew 5:38-48
c. Do not exclude people because they are unrighteous
Luke 6:35-- The Lord is kind to ungrateful and unrighteous men
d. Give to those who are in need in front of you
Luke 10:30-37- The one who did mercy to the one in front of him in need loved his neighbor
I John 3:17—If you have resources, you must help the brother or sister right in front of you with a need
James 2—The one who has faith is the one who helps another believer in need who comes to them
2. Among those in need, prioritize giving to those who are believers.
Luke 16:9—Use money to make friends with those who will welcome you into the kingdom
Galatians 6:10—Do good to everyone, especially those of the household of faith
I Thess 5:15—Always seek doing good to one another and to all people.
II Corinthians 8-9—Paul and others collecting for believers in need
a. Do not provide for believers who are living in sin.
II Thess. 3:6-12—If a brother does not work, neither let him eat
I Corinthians 5:9-13—Don’t judge the world, but if a brother is in continuous sin, do not even eat with such a one.
3. Among believers, prioritize giving to those who give the gospel to others
Luke 9; Matt 10—The workman (of God) is worthy of his hire
Matthew 10:40-48—The one who gives to these who Jesus sends to do mission work will not lose their reward
I Timothy 5:17-18—Elders who work hard, especially at teaching are worthy of their wages
a. Give to those who give the gospel from a simple lifestyle
Matt 10:9-10; Mark 6:8-9; Luke 9:3; Luke 10:4—Those whom Jesus sends out, he sends telling them to bring nothing except the clothes on their backs.
b. Do not give to those who teach something opposed to the teaching of Jesus.
2 John 1:9-11—Do not greet a person who teaches that which is opposed to Jesus
c. Do not give to those who use the gospel for their own greed.
I Timothy 6:3-11—The false prophet advocates greed.
II Peter 2—The false prophet advocates greed and will be punished eternally
Jude 1:16—False prophets are concerned with their own desires.
d. Do not give to those who sell the gospel
Matthew 10/Luke 9—Freely you have received, freely give.
I Corinthians 9:18—Paul’s reward is to give the gospel free of charge.
4. Among those who give the gospel, prioritize those who minister to the poor and who are being persecuted.
I Tim 5:9-10—Give to widows who are not given to pleasure, but to hospitality and helping the needy.
Hebrews 13:3—Remember the prisoners as if you were with them.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
The Recyclable And The Trash: A Translation of Matthew 25:31-46
When the Emperor of God descends from heaven displaying his power, having all the angels of heaven surrounding him, then he will rule from his throne and every person on earth will be collected and will stand before His throne. He will judge them all and will divide them up as a rag picker will separate the useful from the trash. And the recyclable he will stand at his right, and the trash he will stand at his left.
The King will proclaim to the right, “I welcome you, those whom my Father speaks well of. You may now possess the Kingdom—my Kingdom—which has been made ready for you, the righteous of humanity, from the creation of the world. You are worthy of this, because of your assistance to me. I was hungry in your neighborhood, and you gave me food. I was parched, passing by your dwelling, and you offered me some water. I was an immigrant and outcast and you let me in your house for the night. I was walking around freezing, and you give me your coat. I was sick and you nursed me to health. I was in prison and you came and met my needs. You listened to me when I was lonely. You kept me safe when I was fearful. You gave me work when I was in need and paid me at the end of the day.”
These righteous will answer the Emperor thus, “Our Lord, we thank you. But are you sure you are speaking of us? Did we really see you hungry and feed you? Did we see you needing a drink and gave you something? When did we see you—you of all people-- an outcast and bring you into our house? When were you freezing and we gave you clothes or a blanket? And when, my Lord, when were you in prison and we had opportunity to visit you?”
And the Emperor will answer them, “Listen carefully—whatever you did it to these disciples of mine—even these lowly ones— you did the same to me.”
Then the Emperor will turn to his other side. “You will leave me, you whom the Father curses with his every breath. You will be cast into the punishment which was created for Satan and his messengers. Because I came to your town, hungry, and you told me to get a job. I came to your street, parched with thirst, and you wouldn’t talk to me. I was an immigrant, a homeless person, a mentally ill person on the street, a traveler and you refused me entrance at your doorstep. I was shivering in the cold and you passed by me, although you had closets full of coats, shelves full of extra blankets you weren’t using. I became bed-ridden and disabled and you were too busy with your own life to assist me, or even check in on me. I was in prison, through no fault of my own, and in a locked mental health facility and in the state hospital and you didn’t even write to me, let alone visit me. You cannot live with me in my kingdom, since you did not share your life with me when I was with you.”
They will respond, “But Great Lord, I’m sure you weren’t hungry or thirsty! And you couldn’t have been an outcast or freezing. You were never in our neighborhood—I would remember! And you, being sick—I don’t think so. And you would never have been in prison or a mental health hospital. And if you were, we would have been there for you, serving you, Lord!”
The Emperor answers, “Listen carefully, inasmuch as you did not serve these lowly ones, you did not serve me. I was there, through my disciples, as crazy as they seemed, as insignificant as they seemed, and you didn’t let them in your life. Even so, I don’t want you in mine.”
And they will leave the Lord and go to eternal punishment. But those who acted with justice lived with the Lord eternally.
The King will proclaim to the right, “I welcome you, those whom my Father speaks well of. You may now possess the Kingdom—my Kingdom—which has been made ready for you, the righteous of humanity, from the creation of the world. You are worthy of this, because of your assistance to me. I was hungry in your neighborhood, and you gave me food. I was parched, passing by your dwelling, and you offered me some water. I was an immigrant and outcast and you let me in your house for the night. I was walking around freezing, and you give me your coat. I was sick and you nursed me to health. I was in prison and you came and met my needs. You listened to me when I was lonely. You kept me safe when I was fearful. You gave me work when I was in need and paid me at the end of the day.”
These righteous will answer the Emperor thus, “Our Lord, we thank you. But are you sure you are speaking of us? Did we really see you hungry and feed you? Did we see you needing a drink and gave you something? When did we see you—you of all people-- an outcast and bring you into our house? When were you freezing and we gave you clothes or a blanket? And when, my Lord, when were you in prison and we had opportunity to visit you?”
And the Emperor will answer them, “Listen carefully—whatever you did it to these disciples of mine—even these lowly ones— you did the same to me.”
Then the Emperor will turn to his other side. “You will leave me, you whom the Father curses with his every breath. You will be cast into the punishment which was created for Satan and his messengers. Because I came to your town, hungry, and you told me to get a job. I came to your street, parched with thirst, and you wouldn’t talk to me. I was an immigrant, a homeless person, a mentally ill person on the street, a traveler and you refused me entrance at your doorstep. I was shivering in the cold and you passed by me, although you had closets full of coats, shelves full of extra blankets you weren’t using. I became bed-ridden and disabled and you were too busy with your own life to assist me, or even check in on me. I was in prison, through no fault of my own, and in a locked mental health facility and in the state hospital and you didn’t even write to me, let alone visit me. You cannot live with me in my kingdom, since you did not share your life with me when I was with you.”
They will respond, “But Great Lord, I’m sure you weren’t hungry or thirsty! And you couldn’t have been an outcast or freezing. You were never in our neighborhood—I would remember! And you, being sick—I don’t think so. And you would never have been in prison or a mental health hospital. And if you were, we would have been there for you, serving you, Lord!”
The Emperor answers, “Listen carefully, inasmuch as you did not serve these lowly ones, you did not serve me. I was there, through my disciples, as crazy as they seemed, as insignificant as they seemed, and you didn’t let them in your life. Even so, I don’t want you in mine.”
And they will leave the Lord and go to eternal punishment. But those who acted with justice lived with the Lord eternally.
Faithfulness To The Absent King
Matthew 25:31-46 and Giving
Although often called, “The parable of the sheep and the goats”, it is really a straightforward description of judgment day which initiates the kingdom of God, being neither a parable nor is the phrase “sheep and the goats” anything more than a passing simile.
“My Brothers”
There have been various interpretations of the phrase, “my brothers”, which proves to be the crux of the text. Some have interpreted this phrase to mean the Jews, some to be the poor of the world, and more. However, this phrase is repeated two other times in Matthew, in chapter 12:50—“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” And in 28:10 where Jesus is sending a message to “my brothers” to meet him in Galilee. Both of these specifically designates his disciples. “The will of my Father” has already been associated earlier in Matthew as the teaching of Jesus (Matthew 7:21-24). Thus, these “brothers” of Jesus are those who live out the teaching of Jesus, become his disciples and so suffer loss because of it. This completely parallels the beatitudes, which speak of the persecuted and poor of those who are righteous inheriting the kingdom. Here in Matthew 25, we see this promise fulfilled—the brothers of Jesus and those who assisted them receiving the kingdom of God enter into the kingdom of the one finally coming to rule. It is also interesting to note that the beatitudes mark the first pericope of the first body of teaching in Matthew, while the description of the coming of the Son of Man is the final pericope of the final body of teaching in Matthew. The other phrase to indicate the identity of these brothers is the phrase “the least of these”. Although many translations put the word “even” in the English, the Greek has no equivalent. It is better seen as Jesus’ personal title for the disciples, “the little ones”, or “the least”, as seen in Matthew 10:42; 18:6, 10, 14, as “the little ones”. While specifically a different Greek word, the concept remains close, (see Luke 16:9—“He who is faithful to The Least, will be faithful in much…”)
Judgment in Matthew
There are many other passages in Matthew that deal with the righteous receiving the kingdom, and the unrighteous being punished:
• Matthew 7:21-27—Description of punishment of those who say “Lord” but do not obey Jesus; parable of the two houses.
• Matthew 8:11-12—Statement of judgment of those who apparently will receive the kingdom.
• Matthew 10:14, 40-42—Promise of reward for those who assist the righteous and the prophets.
• Matthew 11:20-24—Prophecy of judgment of the cities who rejected Jesus although works of power were done there
• Matthew 12:36-37—Prophecy that on the day of judgment individuals will be judged on the basis of their careless words.
• Matthew 12:39-41—This generation will be condemned by Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba because they listened to their prophets and one greater than those prophets has come to them.
• Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43—Parable of the wheat and tares
• Matthew 13:47-50—Parable of the fish in the net
• Matthew 16:27—Son of man will come to repay everyone according to what he has done
• Matthew 18:23-35—Parable of the unforgiving servant
• Matthew 21:28-32—Parable of the two sons; Sinners entering kingdom before the Pharisees
• Matthew 21:33-41—Parable of the tenants in the vineyard
• Matthew 22:2-14—Parable of the wedding banquet
• Matthew 24:44-25:13—Warning to be ready; parable of the 10 virgins.
• Matthew 25:14-30—Parable of the talents
Hospitality and Judgment
Out of these passages, Matthew 10:40-42 is most significant in comparison with the description in Matthew 25:31-46. Both in that passage and in this one, it is the one who offers hospitality or mercy to those who are righteous that are focused on, rather than the righteous themselves. The ones who “welcome” the righteous are said to gain the reward of the righteous. The term “welcome” is already used in 10:14, speaking of the hospitality the apostles should receive. If they should not receive this hospitality, Jesus says, then “it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment.”
Genesis 18 and 19 offer a significant paradigm in relation to Matthew 10 and 25. Yahweh and two others appeared to Abraham, and Abraham bowed before them, begging them to accept his humble hospitality. After they accepted, he proceeded to offer them a great feast. There is no indication that Abraham understood his visitors to be powers of heaven, but simply to be strangers passing by. In opposition to this example is the reaction of Sodom to two of the same strangers. They enter the town, and the one righteous person in the town offer them hospitality—but it turns out he does so primarily out of fear of what the rest of the town would do. For even as Abraham went out of his way to offer hospitality to the strangers, so did Sodom go out of their way to do evil to the same strangers, threatening them with perverse acts of sex. This type of treatment of strangers is cause enough to destroy the town and the outlying areas. Jesus compares the towns who refuse to offer hospitality to the apostles with Sodom, but he claims that the punishment will be worse for those who reject the apostles than it was for Sodom.
All of this emphasized the place of those who may not be a prophet or an apostle themselves, but who come in contact with them. The prophet, righteous one or apostle of Jesus (in 25:31-46 called “my brothers”) becomes the point of reward or punishment, depending on how one responds to them. Should one respond with hospitality and kindness (as the teaching of Jesus commands—Matthew 7:12; 9:13; 12:7), then that one will be rewarded in the final judgment. Should one not offer hospitality or kindness to the righteous one, then he will be punished on the final day. This is the paradigm of Genesis 18 and 19, Matthew 10 and Matthew 25.
Faithfulness to the Absent King
There is one other significant point of Matthew 25:31-46. The act on which punishment or reward rests is not primarily an act of kindness, although it reflects a heart of mercy. If it was simply kindness Jesus was looking for, then to act this way to any stranger or poor person would do. However, Jesus emphasizes that it is “my brothers” who are the key point—the righteous ones who follow Jesus. In Matthew 10:42, the focus in on giving hospitality “in the name of a disciple”—“disciple” being a distinctive term of a follower of Jesus. Thus, the reward is not just given to those who are kind to those who are righteous in general, but specifically those who offer hospitality to those who are followers of Jesus. The emphasis is not mercy in general, but a display of faithfulness to Jesus by enacting his command of mercy to those who come in his name.
This fits the paradigm of a king returning to his people after an absence, as the context of 25:31-46 seems to indicate. The parable of the talents (25:14-30) immediately precedes it, describing the judgment of a property owner over his slaves about their work during an absence. The slaves were rewarded or punished in accordance with the instructions of the property owner. The parable of the ten virgins (25:1-13) describes the judgment of the virgins’ actions (or inactions) while awaiting the coming of the bridegroom. The virgins were included or excluded depending on their state of readiness when the bridegroom came. Before that (24:45-51) is the analogy of a slave who needs to be working for when his master arrives. If the slave is not working, he will be punished, but if he is faithful to the master by working when he is absent, then the master will reward him.
All of these parables speak of faithfulness to an absent master through actions. A slave is faithful to his master in his absence by working hard. A virgin is faithful to her coming bridegroom by being prepared in her responsibility. A steward is faithful to his master by increasing his money while he is absent. Even so, while the king is absent, faithfulness is given to him in his absence by caring for his appointed servants—those who obey Jesus’ commands and who suffer loss and persecution for it. On this is the day of judgment based.
Summary
Thus, the teaching of Matthew 25:31-46 can be summarized: While awaiting the coming of the Son of Man, those faithful to Jesus will be characterized by offering hospitality and mercy to those who suffer due to being obedient to Jesus. On the day of judgment, those who offered such mercy will be included in the kingdom, while those who refused will be excluded and punished eternally.
Although often called, “The parable of the sheep and the goats”, it is really a straightforward description of judgment day which initiates the kingdom of God, being neither a parable nor is the phrase “sheep and the goats” anything more than a passing simile.
“My Brothers”
There have been various interpretations of the phrase, “my brothers”, which proves to be the crux of the text. Some have interpreted this phrase to mean the Jews, some to be the poor of the world, and more. However, this phrase is repeated two other times in Matthew, in chapter 12:50—“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” And in 28:10 where Jesus is sending a message to “my brothers” to meet him in Galilee. Both of these specifically designates his disciples. “The will of my Father” has already been associated earlier in Matthew as the teaching of Jesus (Matthew 7:21-24). Thus, these “brothers” of Jesus are those who live out the teaching of Jesus, become his disciples and so suffer loss because of it. This completely parallels the beatitudes, which speak of the persecuted and poor of those who are righteous inheriting the kingdom. Here in Matthew 25, we see this promise fulfilled—the brothers of Jesus and those who assisted them receiving the kingdom of God enter into the kingdom of the one finally coming to rule. It is also interesting to note that the beatitudes mark the first pericope of the first body of teaching in Matthew, while the description of the coming of the Son of Man is the final pericope of the final body of teaching in Matthew. The other phrase to indicate the identity of these brothers is the phrase “the least of these”. Although many translations put the word “even” in the English, the Greek has no equivalent. It is better seen as Jesus’ personal title for the disciples, “the little ones”, or “the least”, as seen in Matthew 10:42; 18:6, 10, 14, as “the little ones”. While specifically a different Greek word, the concept remains close, (see Luke 16:9—“He who is faithful to The Least, will be faithful in much…”)
Judgment in Matthew
There are many other passages in Matthew that deal with the righteous receiving the kingdom, and the unrighteous being punished:
• Matthew 7:21-27—Description of punishment of those who say “Lord” but do not obey Jesus; parable of the two houses.
• Matthew 8:11-12—Statement of judgment of those who apparently will receive the kingdom.
• Matthew 10:14, 40-42—Promise of reward for those who assist the righteous and the prophets.
• Matthew 11:20-24—Prophecy of judgment of the cities who rejected Jesus although works of power were done there
• Matthew 12:36-37—Prophecy that on the day of judgment individuals will be judged on the basis of their careless words.
• Matthew 12:39-41—This generation will be condemned by Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba because they listened to their prophets and one greater than those prophets has come to them.
• Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43—Parable of the wheat and tares
• Matthew 13:47-50—Parable of the fish in the net
• Matthew 16:27—Son of man will come to repay everyone according to what he has done
• Matthew 18:23-35—Parable of the unforgiving servant
• Matthew 21:28-32—Parable of the two sons; Sinners entering kingdom before the Pharisees
• Matthew 21:33-41—Parable of the tenants in the vineyard
• Matthew 22:2-14—Parable of the wedding banquet
• Matthew 24:44-25:13—Warning to be ready; parable of the 10 virgins.
• Matthew 25:14-30—Parable of the talents
Hospitality and Judgment
Out of these passages, Matthew 10:40-42 is most significant in comparison with the description in Matthew 25:31-46. Both in that passage and in this one, it is the one who offers hospitality or mercy to those who are righteous that are focused on, rather than the righteous themselves. The ones who “welcome” the righteous are said to gain the reward of the righteous. The term “welcome” is already used in 10:14, speaking of the hospitality the apostles should receive. If they should not receive this hospitality, Jesus says, then “it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment.”
Genesis 18 and 19 offer a significant paradigm in relation to Matthew 10 and 25. Yahweh and two others appeared to Abraham, and Abraham bowed before them, begging them to accept his humble hospitality. After they accepted, he proceeded to offer them a great feast. There is no indication that Abraham understood his visitors to be powers of heaven, but simply to be strangers passing by. In opposition to this example is the reaction of Sodom to two of the same strangers. They enter the town, and the one righteous person in the town offer them hospitality—but it turns out he does so primarily out of fear of what the rest of the town would do. For even as Abraham went out of his way to offer hospitality to the strangers, so did Sodom go out of their way to do evil to the same strangers, threatening them with perverse acts of sex. This type of treatment of strangers is cause enough to destroy the town and the outlying areas. Jesus compares the towns who refuse to offer hospitality to the apostles with Sodom, but he claims that the punishment will be worse for those who reject the apostles than it was for Sodom.
All of this emphasized the place of those who may not be a prophet or an apostle themselves, but who come in contact with them. The prophet, righteous one or apostle of Jesus (in 25:31-46 called “my brothers”) becomes the point of reward or punishment, depending on how one responds to them. Should one respond with hospitality and kindness (as the teaching of Jesus commands—Matthew 7:12; 9:13; 12:7), then that one will be rewarded in the final judgment. Should one not offer hospitality or kindness to the righteous one, then he will be punished on the final day. This is the paradigm of Genesis 18 and 19, Matthew 10 and Matthew 25.
Faithfulness to the Absent King
There is one other significant point of Matthew 25:31-46. The act on which punishment or reward rests is not primarily an act of kindness, although it reflects a heart of mercy. If it was simply kindness Jesus was looking for, then to act this way to any stranger or poor person would do. However, Jesus emphasizes that it is “my brothers” who are the key point—the righteous ones who follow Jesus. In Matthew 10:42, the focus in on giving hospitality “in the name of a disciple”—“disciple” being a distinctive term of a follower of Jesus. Thus, the reward is not just given to those who are kind to those who are righteous in general, but specifically those who offer hospitality to those who are followers of Jesus. The emphasis is not mercy in general, but a display of faithfulness to Jesus by enacting his command of mercy to those who come in his name.
This fits the paradigm of a king returning to his people after an absence, as the context of 25:31-46 seems to indicate. The parable of the talents (25:14-30) immediately precedes it, describing the judgment of a property owner over his slaves about their work during an absence. The slaves were rewarded or punished in accordance with the instructions of the property owner. The parable of the ten virgins (25:1-13) describes the judgment of the virgins’ actions (or inactions) while awaiting the coming of the bridegroom. The virgins were included or excluded depending on their state of readiness when the bridegroom came. Before that (24:45-51) is the analogy of a slave who needs to be working for when his master arrives. If the slave is not working, he will be punished, but if he is faithful to the master by working when he is absent, then the master will reward him.
All of these parables speak of faithfulness to an absent master through actions. A slave is faithful to his master in his absence by working hard. A virgin is faithful to her coming bridegroom by being prepared in her responsibility. A steward is faithful to his master by increasing his money while he is absent. Even so, while the king is absent, faithfulness is given to him in his absence by caring for his appointed servants—those who obey Jesus’ commands and who suffer loss and persecution for it. On this is the day of judgment based.
Summary
Thus, the teaching of Matthew 25:31-46 can be summarized: While awaiting the coming of the Son of Man, those faithful to Jesus will be characterized by offering hospitality and mercy to those who suffer due to being obedient to Jesus. On the day of judgment, those who offered such mercy will be included in the kingdom, while those who refused will be excluded and punished eternally.
Monday, November 3, 2008
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