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REFLECTION
This text follows immediately
from the baptism of Jesus.
The final words of that text come
from the voice from heaven:
‘This is my Son, the Beloved;
my favour rests on him’ (Mat 3:17).
It is interesting that Satan uses the words,
‘If you are the Son of God …’
to introduce two of his temptations.
In this way, Satan is disputing the claim
from heaven and trying to force Jesus
to prove his Sonship.
In response to the first temptation,
Jesus affirms his trust in God.
Satan seizes on this as the basis for
his second temptation, but again
Jesus rejects any attempt to force God’s hand.
The final temptation reveals the true nature
of the contest: it is a struggle between God
and Satan, but Jesus shows his
choice is made and rejects Satan.
‘Be off Satan! For scripture says:
You must worship the Lord your God,
and serve him alone.’
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This Gospel continues the theme of going beyond
what is required by law but here Jesus takes the
teaching much further.
More than honouring the spirit of the law
over the letter of the law, Jesus advocates
what must have sounded like the ravings of a mad
-man to his hearers.
Don’t just allow a person to strike you once,
offer him the other cheek as well.
If asked don’t just give away your tunic,
give your cloak as well! Love your enemies and
pray for those who persecute you.
What was Jesus thinking?
It is the final verse of this text which gives us the
clue to the meaning of this demanding passage.
In essence, what Jesus is saying is that believers
must emulate God’s own actions.
God is a God of total self-giving.
God is a God of unbounded generosity,
even to those who may not seem to deserve
such magnanimity.
God is a God, whose love and self-giving
embraces all, both the honest and the dishonest.
The offer of the Kingdom of heaven is open
to all who seek to be God-like
in their dealings with others.
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REFLECTION The central theme of this week’s reading
from Matthew is built upon for
the next several weeks.
In this text, Matthew is reassuring
his Jewish audience that Jesus has not come
to replace the Law of Judaism but
to bring it to fullness and completion.
In the longer version of the Gospel,
Jesus reassures his hearers that
“not one dot, one little stroke,
shall disappear from the Law.”
Instead, Jesus extends the Law of Israel
and interprets it in a new way.
His emphasis is on the spirit of the Law
not the letter of the Law.
Doing only what the Law requires as
a minimum is, for Jesus, not enough.
Disciples are called to discern
what is at the heart of faith and to bring
this to all our dealings with people.
The observance of outward expressions of
faith is hollow unless that is accompanied
by an attitude which shapes our whole
being and informs all our actions
and responses.
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