Another Year, Another Try

Another year has arrived and with it another recommitment to blogging.  I have been inconsistent with my efforts here (to say the least), but this year I am determined to make a go of it.  Since I now have the ability to blog from my laptop, my phone, and my IPad, there really isn't much of an excuse is there?

Our year starts with a reading of the book of Matthew.  A chapter a day shouldn't be too taxing.  Of course, the idea is not just to read the chapter but rather to meditate on it and hear the Spirit speaking through it so that we can be better disciples of Jesus.

Matthew 2 has the danger of being so familiar that it is hard to hear the message. I feel as though there is not much that can be said about it that hasn't been said already.  The chapter is disturbing with Herod's violent slaughter of the innocents.  When one reads that dozens of baby boys were slaughtered because God drew the Magi to Bethlehem through Herod, one wants to ask wasn't there another way?  Couldn't God have brought His son into the world in a way that didn't cause mourning for all these families?  I think many want to approach Matthew 2 as an indictment of God, but there is no doubt that is not what Matthew intended.  Herod was known as a cruel, capricious ruler and that is certainly what Matthew intends us to see.  He wants us to be shocked that the King of Israel, who has benefit of special revelation, opposes the Messiah while pagan, astrology loving Gentiles worship and adore the King.  Matthew 2 is the world turned upside down.  The Gentiles love Jesus while Israel rejects Him.

In this chapter, Matthew is setting up one of the themes of his book.  Most likely, by the time Matthew recorded the Gospel, it was pretty obvious to most that Christianity was becoming a largely Gentile movement, flourishing not in Israel but in the Greek world through which Paul  traveled.  Assuming that Matthew wrote to a Jewish audience, this would have been an apologetic issue.  Jews readers would have asked how could Jesus be Israel's Messiah and be accepted by Gentiles but not Jews?  Matthew's answer starts to be seen here in chapter 2.  Christianity is a Gentile movement because it is Gentiles who have accepted him while Israel has largely rejected Him.  This reaction goes all way back to the time of Jesus' birth.

This chapter reminds me that having the Bible is not enough.  Herod had the truth but did not act on it and so was lost.  As we start reading through the New Testament this year, Matthew 2 is a good reminder that reading is not enough.  We not only we have to read.  We have to have faith.  We have to have have obedience.  If not, God can find others to come and worship.