Easter Saturday: Matthew 22.34-40

22.34  Not again!  The first group (v15) return for round two.

22.36  Presumably they debated this themselves, and could not agree; or perhaps they believed that all commandments were equal.  Jesus’ straightforward answer has an innate authority which leaves them speechless.

This “Matthew in Lent” has been very good to do, but hard work keeping up; especially with reading through the Bible in a Year at the same time!  Now, back to simply Kings…

Easter Friday: Matthew 13.1-23

13.3    We need to recover the art of telling simple stories: they capture the imagination.  See v34.

13.11  This seems like favouritism.

13.12  Compare 25.29

13.15  In the second half of this verse it seems as if turning to God is wrong: from a human perspective, this is puzzling.  Perhaps these are (from God’s perspective) those who are not his chosen people, and therefore full clarity is hidden from them by parables.  Acts 13.48 shows a clear statement of predestination.  Stories can be taken on many different levels: perhaps parables are merciful, in that they invite but do not compel belief.

13.17  We too are greatly blessed, to see and hear about the Christ.

13.19  This is a parable about the understanding of parables!  How self-referential is that?  Like a media soap about the media.  And yet, the responses in the parable seem very human reactions.

Easter Thursday: Matthew 6.25-34

6.32    Have people changed in two millennia?

“I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist.”  Optimism and Pessimism are both distortions of reality, to appear either better or worse than it truly is.  “Jesus Christ is risen from the dead!”  That is the true reality, which puts everything else in proper perspective.

Easter Wednesday: Matthew 2.1-12

2.1   Scholars think that “After” may mean a considerable time afterwards; that the star in v7 is announcing the birth; v11 mentions a house not a stable, and a child not a baby; and v16 means that it was up to two years later.  That’s why Epiphany is separate, after Christmas.

2.7   “Secretly”?  But all Jerusalem was disturbed!  Surprising that Herod didn’t send soldiers with them.

“Three wise men,” Tom?  I’m surprised at you, making that assumption!  I like the idea of carrying on this week, to link the story to our story today.  But I’m not sure it isn’t reading too much into Matthew to see him as a subtle theologian making points of principle: is Tom Wright seeing Matthew in Tom’s own image?

Easter Tuesday: Matthew 28.16-20

28.16  This has the feeling of a wrap-up, the conclusion; but it remains an open-ended conclusion, and with none of the textual doubt surrounding Mark’s ending.

28.17  This “some doubted” is amazing, I think: a tribute to the resilience of non-belief!  Was it because He looked different after the Resurrection; or purely because they did not wish to believe?

28.20  God with us: see 1.23

“All authority…on earth has been given to me.”  Jesus is King over all!
“Therefore, go and make disciples, baptising them…”  A different kind of kingdom, and a different way of living.  I think the best example might have been those Christians in the Roman Empire who suffered and died like Christ, but whose courageous lives eventually persuaded even the Emperor towards Christ.  “If Jesus himself is with you, what should you be doing?”

Easter Monday: Matthew 28.11-15

28.11  A guard who let the prisoner escape would normally be executed, but this prisoner was a corpse: the threat was meant to come from the disciples (27.64), not from an angel (v2-4).

28.13  Not very interested in the truth, then?

28.15  Matthew alleges that the official account is a deliberate conspiracy to lie and conceal the truth.

I love Tom turning the tables on the sceptics: that it is they who are adjusting the facts to align with their beliefs.  He also neatly points out how the disciples were not expecting the Resurrection anyway.  Sceptics so often caricature the beliefs of Christians; and if we’re not careful, we meekly accept the caricature.  For example, Dawkins saying that all Christians believe in a nasty vindictive deity, instead of a God of love.  We should be quick to explain what we really believe.

Easter Day: Matthew 28.1-10

28.6    The women arrive at the tomb; then the angel comes down and rolls back the stone; the angel tells them that Jesus has already risen, presumably before they arrived and while the stone still sealed the tomb.  The stone is rolled back so that they can inspect the tomb (6).

28.7    I love the angel’s artless phrase “Now I have told you”, as if he has discharged his commission and feels relieved and satisfied at a task completed.

28.8    “Afraid yet filled with joy” describes perfectly the mix of powerful emotions after an encounter with God.  How often, in these encounters, are people told “Do not be afraid” (v10)?

28.9    They did hold onto him: John 20.17 sounds like a warning not to start, but may instead be a request to desist.  Or perhaps different words to each of the Marys?

Christus Aneste!  Christ is Risen – He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!