PARABLE OF MARRIAGE FEAST – AUGUST 18th THURSDAY (Mt 22: 1-14)

1.      Great Church writer Origen understood the king as God, the marriage as the restoration of Christ’s Church to him, the servants as the rejected prophets, the banquet as the spiritual food of God’s mysteries, ‘all things ready’ as discourses concerning ultimate realities, the destruction of the city as the Jewish war, the command to invite all as the turning to the Gentiles, and the missing garment as ethical qualities like mercy and kindness. He also took the parable as referring to the marriage of the Logos and the individual.

2.      The kingdom is still and will be like a banquet at which those who were supposed to attend were too preoccupied to come and others not expected to attend come and enjoy the feast. The expected are absent and the unexpected are present.

3.      No one should take attendance at the Messianic banquet for granted. Unfortunately many people do: they have made a decision, they belong to the right group, they have the right schooling, and they have participated in numerous services and charitable efforts, so they can now get on with their lives.

4.      The Church should manifest the sense of joy and urgency in inviting people to participate in the banquet of the Lord. This invitation should not be forced upon. The preachers should preach with a sense of urgency only then people will understand the worth of the Great banquet.

5.      Jesus has been attacking the Pharisees through quite a few parables. In this parable he is focusing on the ones who are given an entry in spite of their unworthiness. But the moment they enter, they should try their level best to change their way of life and become worthy by following the rules and regulations of the banquet.

The concept of strict attire for the party is not something new. Many of us are aware of certain parties in which we cannot enter without wearing formals. Imagine a person who cannot afford to go for a party of this sort, gets a free entry pass with the generosity of his/her friend. If he/she is keen on attending the party at least he/she should find ways and means to get himself/herself a formal dress. Getting free pass alone does not ensure your entry. From our part we should also do something to enjoy a privilege.

Courtesy

Stories with Intent – A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus – Klyne R. Snodgrass

QUESTION ON DIVORCE – AUGUST 12th FRIDAY (Mt 19: 3-12)

1.We were made for each other and we were all made for God. Honey of generation; marriage was made in paradise, and is the human heart of God, the ultimate mystery of man. But in paradise too the marriage covenant was broken, not by Adam, not by Eve but by the Serpent. What God had joined together the serpent put asunder.

2. Let not man separate: The man here is the husband not some third party like a judge. In Judaism marriage was a contract, which could be broken by the male partner. Such a case is envisioned in Duet 24: 1. The Pharisees take Deut 24:1 as the positive commandment, whereas Jesus in 19:8 understood it as merely a concession because of people’s hardness of heart. He contrasts this concession with God’s original will for men and women expressed in the creation story.

3. Indeed in different ways and in varying degrees we are all divorced- each from each other and all of us from the Great Heart that loves us like children, beating in time as it beats in eternity; but in time we have little time and much less feeling for those that are eternal.

4. Is it lawful? It was common to consult great teachers on points of controversy; but this question was not asked honestly. They were tempting him, seeking to entangle him and bring him in collision with one or the other two great schools.

· Herod Antipas, the ruler himself was living an immoral life.

· The famous Hillel had taught that divorce was allowable for any cause

· Shammai: Divorce is lawful only in the case of adultery. The Lord had taught the strict view of marriage in his sermon on Mount; would he dare to maintain the same doctrine in the dominion of Herod.

5. Jesus talks about those who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of God. We must be quite clear that this is not to be taken literally. Some people like Origen took the text literally and castrated themselves whereas people like Clement of Alexandria come nearer to it. He says: The true eunuch is not he who cannot, but he who will not indulge in fleshly pleasures.’ The world would be a poorer place were it not for those who accept the challenge to travel alone for the sake of the work of Christ.

Today the understanding of marriage, divorce and celibacy is getting newer meanings and newer orientations. The generation of today find difficult to accept the concept of marriage as a life time commitment. When people think that the relationship does not work, they opt for divorce as the easy way out. Live –in relationship is attracting the youth of today as it appear very pragmatic and convenient. To bring back forcefully the message of Jesus Christ would be the challenge for the parents, Church authorities and other responsible adults.

Courtesy

The Pulpit Commentary

Sacra Pagina Series

William Barclay’s Commenta