Seasons of Life

Chapters Twenty-four and twenty-five in the book of Matthew are designated as Apocalyptic literature — describing or prophesying the end of the world. 

 

I have to confess it is not my favourite genre nor something I have done a great amount of in-depth study on. Today, while briefly reading and re-reading a few articles on the subject, which include some wild and wonderful interpretations, I came to the conclusion that actually no-one really understands it! The differing opinions are wide and varied. As always it is a mistake to assume one’s interpretation is the correct one. No-one is really sure what the author of Matthew meant. Certainly, it is a literary device not to be taken, well, literally.

 

Today’s lectionary reading is Matthew 24:30-35. This includes the oft quoted line “this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place”. Matthew is usually dated as being written about 70 CE — although some discussion of an earlier Aramaic version has been mooted.

 

Therefore, to read it literally makes no sense — many of the generation alive with Jesus would already have died by the time it was penned. Even if understood that Matthew, as an old Man, was writing it as a comfort to new, young, early believers — a generation undergoing persecution — they too died without seeing the fulfillment of this verse.

 

Yet, countless generations have used those words to claim they are the generation who will see Jesus return. Lists of people who have predicted a bodily second coming of Jesus  with the end of the known world can be found. Here are just three quick examples: 

 

It was prophesied that it would happen in 500 CE. (Irenaenus, Hippolytus of Rome and Julius Africanus). 

Beautus of Liebana, a Spanish monk, prophesied the end of the world in 793.

 Pope Sylvester 11 predicted a millennium apocalypse — when it didn’t happen, it was changed to say it must be 1,000 years from Jesus death rather than his birth so 1,033!

 

I could include many other historical predictions, there was almost one or more documented for every century. In the nineteenth century the prophecies increased and have continued to do so to present day. Of course, it maybe that more were just documented. 

 

Interestingly, in 2010 Pew research focused a question on the second coming of Christ. Their data show that 41% of Americans believe that Jesus Christ definitely (23%) or probably (18%) will return to earth before 2050. 

 

When broken down further the results showed that —

58% of white evangelical Christians believe Christ will return in this period. 

59% of those with no college experience believe Christ will return in this period.

Whereas only 19% of graduates share the same belief.

52% of those who believe Christ will return by 2050 live in the south.

(I’ve included the link at the bottom where more details can be found)

 

So, what do I think? I think it is a pointless exercise to try and predict dates. I think it is much more profitable to focus on how I am living my life in the time I am given on earth. Much of apocalyptic literature is urging the readers to consider their lifestyles.

 

In the same reading in Matthew the author of the gospel uses the illustration of the fig tree — “as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.” I find this a helpful phrase. Perhaps, because it brings me back to a Celtic understanding of seasons and times of life. 

 

Right now, as I look out of my window, I see a beautiful vista of Autumnal colours. Yet, the leaves are already dropping. Friday was a very hot day with an overnight storm which caused a severe drop in temperature. On Saturday as we walked, Andy and I remarked how many leaves had fallen, how different the trees looked than the previous day. The season is changing. For us, in the Western hemisphere, in Upstate New York winter is drawing near. 

 

I don’t even need to look at a calendar to know the date of the approaching new season. The signs in nature reveal it. Life too has seasons — I once heard it said that as one got older the winter of life is approaching. I think to see winter as the last season of life is a wrong way of thinking about it. 

 

Winter is a beginning, a time of hiddenness, a time of much growth. Spring is a time of visibility, tender shoots, freshness and growth while Summer is colour, ripening, beauty and vibrance. 

 

If winter is the beginning of the cycle of life, then Autumn becomes the end. Autumn has its own particular beauty, a time of fruitfulness, harvest and shedding seeds to bring forth the life of the next generation. 

 

Each season is rich and full. Each season can, and should, be enjoyed for the rewards it brings.

 

So, I don’t know when, or even if, Jesus will return in bodily form. I don’t actually want to concern myself with that. I want to focus on how I am living my life now, in the season I find myself in. 

 

The lectionary also includes the passage in Colossians (3:12-17) that hints about how to live life — forbearance, forgiveness, love, peace, wisdom, thankfulness and gratitude.

 

As I live every day afforded to me these the important things to focus on. 

 

(https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2010/07/14/jesus-christs-return-to-earth/)

Violence doesn’t Win

The lectionary reading today is another complex parable (Matthew 21:33-46). I have blogged about it before and probably will again in the future — it seems the older I get, the shorter the three-year lectionary cycle seems!

The parable doesn’t make great reading. It is full of violence, hatred, greed, discontentment, disregard for human life and sadness.

The first thing I’m going to say about this parable is something many will have heard me say before. It is a drum I keep banging as I think it is important. When reading parables just look for the punchline, the message being put out there. Resist the temptation to assign roles to the characters. I believe that is always a mistake. If roles are allocated to the various players, then the text often has to be twisted as characteristics that are unfavourable are lauded. 

This particular parable is the story of a person who bought land, fenced it in, built a winepress and a watchtower. After the vineyard was leased to tenants the owner left, probably to continue his business exploits elsewhere. I imagine this was a familiar model to the audience of the time.

Indeed, it is a model that is reflected in contemporary times in big business. Owners have multiple investments, they put managers in to run them and scoop up the profits as a return on their investments. Often with this model of business enormous profits are made while workers toil for a pittance — the lower on the hierarchical chain the workers are the less money is earned. As this parable is explored it is worth thinking through a contemporary example as it helps to ground it. 

Back to the text — in the story when the time of the harvest arrived the landowner sent his slaves to collect the produce. The tenants seized them, stoned them and killed them (35). The story does not reveal why the tenants did not want to turn over the harvest. It raises a number of questions: 

Were they greedy? 

Were they disloyal?

Were they starving or likely to starve through the winter months? 

Were their families starving? 

Did they feel the return on their work was unjust? 

Was the landowner demanding more than agreed?

Why turn on the slaves who were themselves in an unenviable position?

Anyway, a second set of slaves sent to take the harvest. The same violent treatment was afforded to them. Finally, the landowner sent his son anticipating (or hoping) that he would be respected. Not so — he also was seized and killed.(39). The landowner would then put the tenants to death and start again with new tenants who he hoped would give him the harvest.

So, I want to return again to why it would be difficult to assign roles in this parable. I have heard the landowner sometimes equated to God. A male God who kept slaves and, possibly, treated his workers unjustly. In addition, God would be portrayed as vengeful thus “putting the wretches to a miserable death” (41). Personally, I don’t think that is an acceptable image of God. Maybe one could argue it is an Old Testament image, but the gospels and epistles have tended to change the image of God from violent to loving, a view which has increased in contemporary times. I don’t want a God whose violent image is affirmed.

Furthermore, roles would then have to be assigned to the tenants, the servants, the son, even the new tenants. The most common interpretation says the tenants are the Sadducees and Pharisees, the servants are the old prophets and the son obviously Jesus. Maybe the new tenants Christians? I would also want to reject this. I dislike the anti-Semitic emphasis it would bring to the text as the tenants killed the slaves and the son. 

So, that leaves me with a story that has no winners, only losers. There is no satisfactory ending. The landowner lost profits, slaves and a son. The slaves and the son lost their lives. The tenants lost their vineyard then their lives. No solution is given in the parable. I don’t have any great interpretation or profound thoughts. Much of it just leaves me feeling it is another unpleasant and disturbing parable. 

I tried reading it from the viewpoint of each of the characters — reading against the grain. As I read it from the tenants’ point of view, I see possible exploitation, injustice, unrest which results in anger and violence in their desire for change. As I read it from the landowner’s point of view, I see also feelings of injustice, of being used, taken for granted, dishonoured, great loss and ultimately wanting to turn to violence. As I read it from the slaves’ point of view, I see victims of a system which disregards their humanity and makes them victims of violence, As I read it from the son’s point of view, I see again injustice and a victim of a parent who cared more for material things than kinship. No winners! 

Perhaps, this is simply a story to illustrate that a time of change was coming. It reflects the unrest and injustices in the society of the day. And change always starts with those who see injustices and are bold enough to stand against them. It has happened with every generation. Hopefully, as this story is read it will show the futility of trying to bring change through violence. With violence there are no winners, only losers.

 

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