# chhotebhai –
What does a dying man think of? What is uppermost in his mind, obviously? Have we ever reflected on what Jesus’ last thoughts were before his impending cruel death on a Tau-shaped cross? He would have seen many slaves/ criminals dying such a tortuous death, dangling in agony for three or more days while birds of prey plucked out their eyes and wild animals tore at their vital organs. Shudder at the thought.
But Jesus was not thinking of his horrendous death. He was thinking of his mission that needed to be accomplished. As we approach the end of the liturgical year we are treated to a number of ominous warnings about the second coming and judgement day. This again was not the primary focus of Jesus’ thoughts.
For the last few months I have been reflecting on Jesus’ last week, as poignantly portrayed in Mathew’s gospel, chapters 21-28. Before going there a little exegesis is called for.
Mathew, or Mattai in Jesus’ native Aramaic, means “gift of Yahweh”. We shall presently see how precious a gift Mathew’s gospel is. He is identified as Levi the tax collector; hence someone who had metanoia (conversion of heart) on meeting Jesus. He wrote his gospel in Aramaic between 60-65 CE while Peter and Paul were founding the church in Rome. Exegetes (biblical scholars) tell us that, by modern standards, he had no intention of writing a history or biography of Jesus.
So what motivated Mathew to write his gospel? It was his burning desire to share his close-up personal experience of Jesus. He was not writing history per se; he was unravelling the mystery of Jesus for future generations to understand.
Before we delve deeper into this gospel, there is a small caveat. Most Christians start off by affirming that Jesus is the Son of God, and then get stuck, because this is an insurmountable mystery that defies the finiteness of human definitions.
But great mystics like St Francis of Assisi and Theresa of Avilla entered into the life of Jesus by experiencing his humanity. Jesus referred to himself as the son of man (Bar Nasa in his native Aramaic) 82 times in the gospels. He alone used this term to describe himself; hence it is sufficient indication for us to start our pilgrimage into the life and person of Jesus.
Bearing this in mind let us explore the mind of Jesus during his last week on earth, as found in Mathew chapters 21-28.
Chapter 21 begins with the triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, when he was hailed as the son of David (v 9). What were Jesus’ subsequent acts? He takes on the superficiality of the Temple. He expels the traders saying “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it into a bandit’s den” (v 14). Has the mighty institutionalized Catholic Church in particular become like a stock exchange? What shares are we trading? Outside the liturgy, to what extent is the ecclesial community a “house of prayer”? We need to respond to Jesus’ challenge.
Next comes the curse and subsequent withering of the barren fig tree (v 18-19). Like the Temple, the tree could also have prided itself on its deep roots (hoary traditions), strong trunk (institutionalized wealth), branches and leaves (services and sacraments). But it had no fruit (the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace etc (cf Gal 5:22). So it was cursed. Are we in a similar situation today, where traditions and activities have relegated Jesus to the background?
Jesus then throws conventional wisdom on its head when he says “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (v 42). He continues, “I tell you that the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to people who will produce its fruit” (v 43). In today’s context who are the privileged religious heads whose applecart is going to be overturned?
We now move to chapter 22. We find two strong messages here. The first is the parable of the wedding feast where “many are invited but not all are chosen” (v 14). Jesus is sifting the grain from the chaff. Will the strong wind of the Holy Spirit blow us also away?
This chapter also reiterates the greatest commandment, to love God and one’s neighbour as one’s self (v 34-40). Can we see what is playing on Jesus’ mind?
Chapter 23 is probably the most explosive, where Jesus takes on the religious hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees. “You are like white washed tombs that look handsome on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every type of corruption. In the same way from the outside you look upright, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (v 27-28). The great temptation here is to point at the hypocrisy of others; but this cuts across the board. Nevertheless, those in leadership roles with all its crimson razzmatazz are more culpable.
This chapter also reveals Jesus’ strong maternal instincts, the feminine side of his personality, something that male theologians may tend to overlook. He laments “How often have I longed to gather you children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you refused” (v 37). There are two messages here – Jesus’ strong maternal instincts of tender compassion, and the balancing act of our freedom of choice. He invites us, but cannot force our hand.
In chapter 24 we do have warnings of coming tribulations, but that is not the end (v 4-14). “But as for that day and hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels in heaven, nor the son, no one but the Father alone” (v 36). Again there are two messages. The first is the human/ physical limitations of Jesus, reinforcing his self-proclamation as the son of man. The second is, not to be obsessed with the Second Coming, something that bible thumpers use to telling effect. Instead, Jesus is inviting us to focus on the here and now, rather than some distant unforeseeable future.
Jesus’ teaching climaxes in chapter 25. It lays down the criteria by which our Christian response in faith will be judged. Not by our Amens and Alleluias, but by our service to those in need. This is unambiguous. “In truth I tell you, insofar as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me” (v 40). Mother Teresa took this message to heart. However, altruistic charity is just one expression; the struggle for truth and justice is the other side of the same coin. Though one will never get a Nobel Prize for that!
Chapter 26-28 describe the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. They are beyond the purview of this article. However, the conclusion of Mathew’s gospel in chapter 28 is a matter of controversy and misinterpretation. It states, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore make disciples of all nations, baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit … I am with you always, yes to the end of time “ (v 18-20).
Many evangelical Christians give 28 (baptising) precedence over 25 (serving). This would be a dangerous and superficial conclusion. Let me now say with Rajdeep Sardesai’s straight bat: Neither is baptism a life insurance policy for heaven; nor is its absence a ticket to hell.
We also need to learn from the wisdom of biblical scholars. They tell us that the Trinitarian formula (doxology) used here “is probably a reflection of the liturgical usage established LATER in the primitive community…. The attachment of the baptised person to all three persons of the Trinity will have been made explicit only later”. In effect this means that these are not the actual words of Jesus, nor recorded by Mathew. This doesn’t mean that we reject the message outright. We need to see it in its correct context.
Perhaps the best way to end this reflection on Mathew’s gospel is to switch to the ending of John’s gospel. Before the ascension Jesus asks Peter a direct question, “Do you love me more than these others do? … Feed my lambs/ sheep” (Jn 21:15-16). Peter’s answer is blowing in the wind. What about ours?
I have expressed these thoughts on Mathew, the gift of Yahweh, as an aspiring and perspiring Christian pilgrim, in the hope that it will in some way inspire my fellow pilgrims.
The writer is the Convenor of the Indian Catholic Forum