During Jesus life time people were aware of 613 prohibitions and prescriptions of the law. Seems it was common to discuss these 613. But Matthew tells us that one of the pharisees, a scholar of the law, poses his question to “test” Jesus. The question is asked not for information but out of hostility. Last […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...Listening to this Gospel we realize that the tension level between Jesus and the religious leaders is rising. The opening verse of today’s Gospel tells us that the Pharisees are plotting “how they might entrap Jesus in speech.” They send their disciples to him, with the Herodians. Notice that the Pharisees do not go […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...Introduction: Today’s image offered to us is that of a banquet or wedding feast. Last Sunday we were offered the image of the vineyard. We can think of ourselves as the vineyard that the Lord is cultivating and ask what fruits we are bringing forth and how much we produce sour grapes. But this Sunday […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...b) The Wicked Tenants. (THE REFUSAL IS OF THE HISTORICAL MINISTRY OF JESUS.) l) Israel, the Lord’s vineyard (Is 5:lff) is tended by laborers who prove to be faithless. They make a contract, say yes, and then renege on it say no. They reject REFUSE the servants of the landowner who comes to claim his […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...Introduction: This Sunday we arrive at a point in Matthew’s Gospel where the conflict between Jesus and the authorities is heating up. Just prior to today’s reading, Jesus in chapter 21 had entered Jerusalem in triumph. He had cleansed the temple and worked miracles of healing. The chief priests and elders of the people question […]
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