Advent 1
Preaching
PREACHING MATTHEW'S GOSPEL
A Narrative Approach
As we indicated in the Preface we have chosen to arrange the chapters of this work in their Matthean order. This means that for most readers your first reading from this publication is Chapter 34; First Sunday in Advent. We are confronted immediately, therefore, with the difficulty that the lectionary system can pose to understanding the Gospel of Matthew as story. One would certainly not begin to read a novel in Chapter 24.
It is likewise very difficult to begin reading Matthew in his chapter 24! The verses for this week's assigned text from Matthew 24, therefore, come to us totally out of context. In a traditional reading of the text for preaching we would study these eight verses and produce an Advent sermon. To follow this approach, however, distorts Matthew's narrative. We might get ourselves a sermon from such an approach, but it will likely have little to do with the reason that Matthew tells this story at this precise point in his gospel tale.
Chapter 1 of this work treats the text for the Fourth Sunday in Advent: Matthew 1:18-25. We would advise you to read this chapter now in conjunction with your preparation. There are suggestions made in that chapter, comments on the beginning of Matthew's story, for Advent preaching. We particularly recommend that some years during the Advent season we preach a series of sermons on the women in Matthew's opening genealogy: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary. What stories these are to tell! Matthew's genealogy is found in 1:1-16. (Chapter 30 also touches on the use of these women for preaching.)
Genealogy. That's how Matthew begins his story. He begins his story in a very surprising way by including women in his genealogy. Women don't belong in Jewish genealogies! Most certainly Gentile women don't belong in Jewish genealogies. What are these women doing in the opening verses of Matthew's story? Clearly they are a sign that the central figure of Matthew's story, Jesus of Nazareth, brings salvation (1:21-23) to all the peoples of the earth.
According to the outline we proposed for Matthew's Gospel, this week's text comes from the Fifth Discourse of Jesus: Discourse on the End of Time, 24:1--26:1. Verses 1-35 of this chapter are omitted from the Matthean lectionary. These verses are important to us in setting this week's text in its narrative frame. As Matthew tells the story, Jesus makes his Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem in 21:1-11. Following this event Jesus immediately enters and cleanses the temple: 21:12-13. Except for the story of the cursing of the fig tree (21:18-22) Jesus is in the temple continuously until the opening of Matthew 24 where we read that Jesus left the temple. On leaving the temple the disciples point out to Jesus the glory of the temple buildings (24:1). (Was there another building like it anywhere in their experience?) Jesus' reply to his disciples is that the temple will be destroyed (24:2). Jesus' comment would appear to be related to his lament over Jerusalem in 23:37-39.
Following Jesus' harsh and surprising words about the temple the disciples ask him two questions. "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (24:3). These two questions govern all the material in this Fifth Discourse. The material in 24:3-35 answers the question about the sign. As we noted above, none of this material is included in the Matthean lectionary.
The material itself is strongly apocalyptic in character. According to Robert Smith, however, its content is compassion.
Jesus uses apocalyptic but teaches compassion. The discourse opens with the disciples talking about the splendor of sacred buildings (24:1-2) and closes with Jesus speaking of the unsurpassable splendor and holiness of compassion toward the little ones (25:31-46). Between that beginning and that end Jesus focuses on the transitoriness of all things. What endures?...We are finally confronted (25:31-46) with a new version of the old commandment of love. Compassion or care for the needy is the most splendid and only really durable work of the human community. ...traditionally apocalyptic rhetoric is stretched to its limits and made to carry the message of the everlastingness of love.1
The material in Matthew 24:1-35, that which precedes our assigned text in this chapter, is basically given to Jesus' answer of the second question asked by the disciples: what will be the sign of the coming age? 24:4-14 gives Jesus' first answer. He urges his disciples not to be led astray by those who come in his name with all kinds of prognostications. The most important sign that we are to cling to in the midst of the rage of those who wish to lead us astray is the sign of the preaching of the gospel throughout the whole world. This is a hopeful sign indeed, for this is where we live. We live in the time of the preaching of the gospel. We, ourselves, are preachers of that gospel. We participate in this sign of the coming age. God is at work in such preaching. Preaching itself is a sign that God is moving history towards its fulfillment.
In 24:15-28 Jesus offers a second word concerning the sign of the end. His word here is that his coming will not be done in a corner. It is not some esoteric occurrence that only few can know. The world always seems to abound with people who claim to have the "inner secret," the biblical code, to decipher the time of Christ's coming. Don't believe them. Jesus' coming is an exoteric occurrence. It will be plain for all to see. It will be as plain as lightning in the skies. The sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven and all the earth's people will witness his coming.
In 24:32-35 Jesus offers a fig tree as a sign. Just as we know when a fig tree is ripe with fruits, so shall we clearly see when the time is fruitful for Christ's coming. One final word of comfort for all concerned with signs: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" (24:35).
His words are the great treasure of Matthew's Gospel, the reason this book has been prized through successive generations. They have endured and have enabled readers to endure, by placing them squarely within a structure of love: loved by God in the mercy of Christ and summoned to yield an answering love toward every neighbor and toward God, no matter how evil waxes and no matter how foolish compassion appears to be.2
The appointed text for the First Sunday in Advent occurs next in this Matthean context. The context is basically set by the two questions asked by the disciples in 24:3. Jesus has dealt with the question of the sign of his coming. The text now turns to the second question: When will this be? The remainder of the material in the Fifth Discourse is an answer to this question. Jesus thinks in stories. He tells five consecutive stories to answer the when question. Jesus' first answer is the story he tells in our "First Sunday in Advent" text.
The second story-answer is given in 24:45-51. This story makes it clear that the Master comes in an hour we do not expect. We are called, therefore, to be watchful and faithful to our humble earthly calling. This answer of Jesus is omitted from the lectionary.
Jesus' third story-answer to the when question is Matthew 25:1-13, the story of the wise and foolish maidens.
This text is appointed for Proper 27 of the Matthean year.
His fourth story-answer is Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the talents. This text is appointed for Proper 28 of the Matthew cycle of text.
His fifth and final story-answer to the when question is the story which brings Matthew's presentation of the ministry of Jesus to a close: 25:31-46. This is the great judgment parable which is appointed for Christ the King Sunday. We deal with ways in which these several stories can be put together in a single sermon in our Chapter 35.
We come then to the verses appointed for the First Sunday in Advent: 24:36-44. As we indicated above this material picks up the second of the disciples' questions: "When will this be?" Jesus' first answer to this question is that no one knows the day or the hour. No one knows when. Only the Father knows. This is a vitally important answer. In it lies the very possibility of our salvation.
If we knew the hour, we would think to prepare ourselves in some perfect manner for its coming. We would bend every effort of mind and will to be ready. And we would be surprised. We would be surprised when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne and selects us, with the goats, to be at his left hand. Judgment shall be ours! (25:31-34). The goats have one thing in common. They are quite sure they are properly prepared. They are quite ready to defend their own righteousness. "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?" (25:44). The goats are always confident in their own righteousness. But salvation does not come to humans as a reward for their own righteousness. Salvation comes to humans as a gift of God's grace. We don't know when. So we cannot get our righteousness in order. We must rely on God's grace alone in the day of judgment.
Matthew 24:40-41 are the biblical verses on which much of the "rapture" theory is based.
But these stories have nothing to do with the rapture. They have everything to do with vigilance in the time before the sudden advent of the Son of man.... These biographies of Noah's generation and of peasants and housewives are intended to do nothing more complicated than make the case for unrelenting watchfulness, as the conclusion (v. 42) plainly shows.3
The plain ending, v. 44, is that preparation for the Day of the Lord is watchfulness. We watch because we do not know the day nor the hour. We have defined the nature of this watchfulness. Watching for the end is a matter of trust in the grace of God to take away our sins (Matthew 1:21) and clothe us with divine righteousness (Matthew 3:13-17, 15).
Homiletical Directions
The assigned text for the First Sunday in Advent is plucked out of its context in Matthew's tale telling. Advent, of course, means simply "to come." Advent texts have historically centered on God's coming, whether that coming be in the birth of Jesus Christ (in preparation for Christmas) or in the coming of the Son of man at the end of the age.
It is the coming at the end of the age that is accented in the text appointed for Advent I.
In some years' preaching on this text we ought to deal seriously with its framework in the Gospel of Matthew. This can be done most simply by beginning our sermon with the questions of the disciples in 24:3. The disciples want to know when; they want to know the sign. Verses 4-35 deal with the matter of a sign. These verses are nowhere appointed for preaching. We have commented on the content of these verses in the above material. Our sermon certainly could begin with the sign question and the stories Jesus tells about a sign. Jesus gives us some very helpful teaching in these verses.
In Matthew 24:36 and following, the conversation turns to the second question the disciples asked of Jesus: when will this be? Jesus proceeds to tell five stories in order to answer this question. This week's appointed text is the first of these stories. Jesus' first answer to the when question is about being ready for the day of which we know neither day nor hour. The most vital element of this story is this reality of our lack of knowledge of the coming of the Day of the Lord. As we indicated above, it is precisely this lack of knowledge which opens for us the possibility for salvation. The call to "be ready" must not be interpreted as a call to get our own righteousness in order. The call to "be ready" is a call to put our lives in the hands of the One Who Knows: our gracious God. Our first day with God, our baptismal day, was a day full of grace. Our last day with God will be gracious as well. We trust in that graciousness. We believe that righteousness is a gift from God. Trusting, believing, we shall certainly be prepared for the coming of the Son of man.
If we choose to work only with the appointed text for this Sunday we will have a fairly simple teaching sermon which makes clear the reality of v. 44!
Such a sermon could certainly make use of contemporary stories we tell which would demonstrate proper and improper ways of preparing for the Son. Probably the most important kind of story we could tell would be of a person who gave every ounce of one's life in order to create one's own righteousness and thus be prepared for Christ's coming. Such a person will receive a shock in that great day. The righteousness that carries us through the Day of the Lord is the righteousness offered to us as a gift by God through the Son, and not the righteousness of our own doing.
We will have more to say about this alien righteousness in our discussion of Matthew 25:31-46. In this parable the righteous are surprised by their righteousness. "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink...?' " (Matthew 25:37)
____________
1. Robert H. Smith, Matthew: Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament (Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1989), pp. 280-281.
2. Ibid., p. 290.
3. Ibid., p. 291.
It is likewise very difficult to begin reading Matthew in his chapter 24! The verses for this week's assigned text from Matthew 24, therefore, come to us totally out of context. In a traditional reading of the text for preaching we would study these eight verses and produce an Advent sermon. To follow this approach, however, distorts Matthew's narrative. We might get ourselves a sermon from such an approach, but it will likely have little to do with the reason that Matthew tells this story at this precise point in his gospel tale.
Chapter 1 of this work treats the text for the Fourth Sunday in Advent: Matthew 1:18-25. We would advise you to read this chapter now in conjunction with your preparation. There are suggestions made in that chapter, comments on the beginning of Matthew's story, for Advent preaching. We particularly recommend that some years during the Advent season we preach a series of sermons on the women in Matthew's opening genealogy: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary. What stories these are to tell! Matthew's genealogy is found in 1:1-16. (Chapter 30 also touches on the use of these women for preaching.)
Genealogy. That's how Matthew begins his story. He begins his story in a very surprising way by including women in his genealogy. Women don't belong in Jewish genealogies! Most certainly Gentile women don't belong in Jewish genealogies. What are these women doing in the opening verses of Matthew's story? Clearly they are a sign that the central figure of Matthew's story, Jesus of Nazareth, brings salvation (1:21-23) to all the peoples of the earth.
According to the outline we proposed for Matthew's Gospel, this week's text comes from the Fifth Discourse of Jesus: Discourse on the End of Time, 24:1--26:1. Verses 1-35 of this chapter are omitted from the Matthean lectionary. These verses are important to us in setting this week's text in its narrative frame. As Matthew tells the story, Jesus makes his Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem in 21:1-11. Following this event Jesus immediately enters and cleanses the temple: 21:12-13. Except for the story of the cursing of the fig tree (21:18-22) Jesus is in the temple continuously until the opening of Matthew 24 where we read that Jesus left the temple. On leaving the temple the disciples point out to Jesus the glory of the temple buildings (24:1). (Was there another building like it anywhere in their experience?) Jesus' reply to his disciples is that the temple will be destroyed (24:2). Jesus' comment would appear to be related to his lament over Jerusalem in 23:37-39.
Following Jesus' harsh and surprising words about the temple the disciples ask him two questions. "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (24:3). These two questions govern all the material in this Fifth Discourse. The material in 24:3-35 answers the question about the sign. As we noted above, none of this material is included in the Matthean lectionary.
The material itself is strongly apocalyptic in character. According to Robert Smith, however, its content is compassion.
Jesus uses apocalyptic but teaches compassion. The discourse opens with the disciples talking about the splendor of sacred buildings (24:1-2) and closes with Jesus speaking of the unsurpassable splendor and holiness of compassion toward the little ones (25:31-46). Between that beginning and that end Jesus focuses on the transitoriness of all things. What endures?...We are finally confronted (25:31-46) with a new version of the old commandment of love. Compassion or care for the needy is the most splendid and only really durable work of the human community. ...traditionally apocalyptic rhetoric is stretched to its limits and made to carry the message of the everlastingness of love.1
The material in Matthew 24:1-35, that which precedes our assigned text in this chapter, is basically given to Jesus' answer of the second question asked by the disciples: what will be the sign of the coming age? 24:4-14 gives Jesus' first answer. He urges his disciples not to be led astray by those who come in his name with all kinds of prognostications. The most important sign that we are to cling to in the midst of the rage of those who wish to lead us astray is the sign of the preaching of the gospel throughout the whole world. This is a hopeful sign indeed, for this is where we live. We live in the time of the preaching of the gospel. We, ourselves, are preachers of that gospel. We participate in this sign of the coming age. God is at work in such preaching. Preaching itself is a sign that God is moving history towards its fulfillment.
In 24:15-28 Jesus offers a second word concerning the sign of the end. His word here is that his coming will not be done in a corner. It is not some esoteric occurrence that only few can know. The world always seems to abound with people who claim to have the "inner secret," the biblical code, to decipher the time of Christ's coming. Don't believe them. Jesus' coming is an exoteric occurrence. It will be plain for all to see. It will be as plain as lightning in the skies. The sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven and all the earth's people will witness his coming.
In 24:32-35 Jesus offers a fig tree as a sign. Just as we know when a fig tree is ripe with fruits, so shall we clearly see when the time is fruitful for Christ's coming. One final word of comfort for all concerned with signs: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" (24:35).
His words are the great treasure of Matthew's Gospel, the reason this book has been prized through successive generations. They have endured and have enabled readers to endure, by placing them squarely within a structure of love: loved by God in the mercy of Christ and summoned to yield an answering love toward every neighbor and toward God, no matter how evil waxes and no matter how foolish compassion appears to be.2
The appointed text for the First Sunday in Advent occurs next in this Matthean context. The context is basically set by the two questions asked by the disciples in 24:3. Jesus has dealt with the question of the sign of his coming. The text now turns to the second question: When will this be? The remainder of the material in the Fifth Discourse is an answer to this question. Jesus thinks in stories. He tells five consecutive stories to answer the when question. Jesus' first answer is the story he tells in our "First Sunday in Advent" text.
The second story-answer is given in 24:45-51. This story makes it clear that the Master comes in an hour we do not expect. We are called, therefore, to be watchful and faithful to our humble earthly calling. This answer of Jesus is omitted from the lectionary.
Jesus' third story-answer to the when question is Matthew 25:1-13, the story of the wise and foolish maidens.
This text is appointed for Proper 27 of the Matthean year.
His fourth story-answer is Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the talents. This text is appointed for Proper 28 of the Matthew cycle of text.
His fifth and final story-answer to the when question is the story which brings Matthew's presentation of the ministry of Jesus to a close: 25:31-46. This is the great judgment parable which is appointed for Christ the King Sunday. We deal with ways in which these several stories can be put together in a single sermon in our Chapter 35.
We come then to the verses appointed for the First Sunday in Advent: 24:36-44. As we indicated above this material picks up the second of the disciples' questions: "When will this be?" Jesus' first answer to this question is that no one knows the day or the hour. No one knows when. Only the Father knows. This is a vitally important answer. In it lies the very possibility of our salvation.
If we knew the hour, we would think to prepare ourselves in some perfect manner for its coming. We would bend every effort of mind and will to be ready. And we would be surprised. We would be surprised when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne and selects us, with the goats, to be at his left hand. Judgment shall be ours! (25:31-34). The goats have one thing in common. They are quite sure they are properly prepared. They are quite ready to defend their own righteousness. "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?" (25:44). The goats are always confident in their own righteousness. But salvation does not come to humans as a reward for their own righteousness. Salvation comes to humans as a gift of God's grace. We don't know when. So we cannot get our righteousness in order. We must rely on God's grace alone in the day of judgment.
Matthew 24:40-41 are the biblical verses on which much of the "rapture" theory is based.
But these stories have nothing to do with the rapture. They have everything to do with vigilance in the time before the sudden advent of the Son of man.... These biographies of Noah's generation and of peasants and housewives are intended to do nothing more complicated than make the case for unrelenting watchfulness, as the conclusion (v. 42) plainly shows.3
The plain ending, v. 44, is that preparation for the Day of the Lord is watchfulness. We watch because we do not know the day nor the hour. We have defined the nature of this watchfulness. Watching for the end is a matter of trust in the grace of God to take away our sins (Matthew 1:21) and clothe us with divine righteousness (Matthew 3:13-17, 15).
Homiletical Directions
The assigned text for the First Sunday in Advent is plucked out of its context in Matthew's tale telling. Advent, of course, means simply "to come." Advent texts have historically centered on God's coming, whether that coming be in the birth of Jesus Christ (in preparation for Christmas) or in the coming of the Son of man at the end of the age.
It is the coming at the end of the age that is accented in the text appointed for Advent I.
In some years' preaching on this text we ought to deal seriously with its framework in the Gospel of Matthew. This can be done most simply by beginning our sermon with the questions of the disciples in 24:3. The disciples want to know when; they want to know the sign. Verses 4-35 deal with the matter of a sign. These verses are nowhere appointed for preaching. We have commented on the content of these verses in the above material. Our sermon certainly could begin with the sign question and the stories Jesus tells about a sign. Jesus gives us some very helpful teaching in these verses.
In Matthew 24:36 and following, the conversation turns to the second question the disciples asked of Jesus: when will this be? Jesus proceeds to tell five stories in order to answer this question. This week's appointed text is the first of these stories. Jesus' first answer to the when question is about being ready for the day of which we know neither day nor hour. The most vital element of this story is this reality of our lack of knowledge of the coming of the Day of the Lord. As we indicated above, it is precisely this lack of knowledge which opens for us the possibility for salvation. The call to "be ready" must not be interpreted as a call to get our own righteousness in order. The call to "be ready" is a call to put our lives in the hands of the One Who Knows: our gracious God. Our first day with God, our baptismal day, was a day full of grace. Our last day with God will be gracious as well. We trust in that graciousness. We believe that righteousness is a gift from God. Trusting, believing, we shall certainly be prepared for the coming of the Son of man.
If we choose to work only with the appointed text for this Sunday we will have a fairly simple teaching sermon which makes clear the reality of v. 44!
Such a sermon could certainly make use of contemporary stories we tell which would demonstrate proper and improper ways of preparing for the Son. Probably the most important kind of story we could tell would be of a person who gave every ounce of one's life in order to create one's own righteousness and thus be prepared for Christ's coming. Such a person will receive a shock in that great day. The righteousness that carries us through the Day of the Lord is the righteousness offered to us as a gift by God through the Son, and not the righteousness of our own doing.
We will have more to say about this alien righteousness in our discussion of Matthew 25:31-46. In this parable the righteous are surprised by their righteousness. "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink...?' " (Matthew 25:37)
____________
1. Robert H. Smith, Matthew: Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament (Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1989), pp. 280-281.
2. Ibid., p. 290.
3. Ibid., p. 291.
