Matthew 13:1-23
Welcome back to the heart
of Matthew’s gospel. Last Sunday Carl showed us the chiastic structure of this
book, pointing out how the series of ideas in the first half of the book are
reflected in the second half in reverse order. This structure reinforces
important points and creates a particular focus on the midpoint of the chiasm, the
very center of the text and its key theme. So, the end of chapter 12 and the
whole of chapter 13 are what Carl labeled in his outline as “Boom!” – the focus
of the chiasm that encompasses the entire book.
At the end of chapter 12,
which we looked at last time, Jesus asks an important question about his mother
and brothers: “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” He was in a house,
while his family was waiting outside, wanting to speak to him, it says. The
assumption in that culture was that family deserved special treatment. Family
is important to us as well, but in societies around the world that are more
honor-shame oriented, the ideas of preserving family honor and fulfilling
family obligations are some of the most powerful motivators of a person’s
behavior. One’s extended family provides one’s identity to a very great extent.
Individuals do not have the freedom to choose their own identity, as so many
people try to do in America. That is why, for example, the book of Acts records
entire households converting to Christianity at once. Such decisions may not
have been considered on an individual basis. This is also why in many places in
the world today an individualistic approach to evangelism, encouraging one
person to make a decision for Christ, is less effective than trying to reach
entire extended families or even communities. Sometimes God does want a person
to stand up against the opposition of their family in following Jesus, but
sometimes he works it out for entire families to proceed together toward right
relationship with him.
In any case, when Jesus
asks the question, “Who are my mother and brothers?” he was shaking the
foundation of Jewish worldview. He was not disparaging family but he was
redefining it, in particular the family of God. He was making the point that
the family that one is physically born into is less important than being born
again into the family of God. The Jews had blurred this distinction. They
thought they were automatically part of God’s family because they were Jews,
his chosen people. But Jesus says that “whoever does the will of my Father in
heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Jesus does not mention
following the Jewish law. He, in effect, opens the way for anyone to become
part of God’s family, to have that as their new identity, a new place to
belong. In chapter 13 he talks a lot about the kingdom of heaven, another way
of describing this new community and new identity for his followers to be a
part of, as they acknowledge his lordship and the fellowship of all believers.
Being able to join this universal family is part of the “Boom!” that Carl
identified last time. This is an amazing work and blessing of the Holy Spirit,
making us heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, as Paul describes in Romans
8, sharing in both his sufferings and his glory. “You who were once far away
have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” That’s Paul in Ephesians 2.
Everyone everywhere is invited to be part of this family. This was yet another
part of Jesus’ message that would seem radical to his audience.
