Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Matthew 7:24-27
This particular passage is the last teaching of Jesus within the Sermon on the Mount; a sermon that has likely been fashioned together from a variety of traditions by whoever wrote the Gospel of Matthew. For this gospel’s community, Jesus’ teachings function as the ultimate authority. Jesus is even the interpreter of the Torah, as illustrated in Matthew 5:21-48. The contrast between a house built on a rock versus a house built on sand serves as an illustration of how Jesus’ teachings form a solid foundation. For this community, wherever it was, obedience to Jesus’ teachings is required for entry into the kingdom of God. The Gospel of Matthew is yet another example of how Jesus and his teachings were interpreted in light of the questions and needs of people attempting to follow Jesus 50 or more years after his death (The Gospel of Matthew as likely written around 80-85 CE). It is a reminder that contemporary groups who want to follow Jesus have the complex task of figuring out how best to attempt to understand and live out Jesus’ wisdom in light of the very different context we live in today. Do we agree with Matthew’s interpretation, or are there other ways of understanding Jesus?
- Alicia Batten
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