Thoughts going in, Sunday July 3rd

Matthew 11: 16 "To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 17 " 'We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is proved right by her actions." 25 At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. 27 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

This is a really neat section of scripture, loaded with all sorts of stuff under the surface. I’ll see if I can do it justice.

The passage begins **like a parable. Indeed, it makes it into Hultgren’s very useful work “The Parables of Jesus, a commentary.” But it’s important to keep a few things straight. Let’s see if we can do that.

Vss 16-17: “This generation,” of course would be the people alive and walking around as Jesus uttered the words. Yet, there is a specific ‘woe’ or ‘reproach’ in the statement that has application to ALL of the “this generations” of all time. In every place and time there is a “this generation” that fits the description of Matthew 11:16a.

“They” is more literally expressed as “it” in the older translations. Regardless, the point is that Jesus is going to tell us what he likens all of the “this generations” to.

All of the “this generations” that Jesus reproaches are like children at play; playing at life…sometimes ‘rejoicing,’ sometimes ‘mourning,’ but always at play. Choosing to play their games; choosing the distractions of their own imagination. Even going so far as to chide those who won’t play along with them.

Vss 18-19: Jesus then switches gears and begins talking about himself and John the Baptist. Both were sent to get the attention of the “children.” Both were sent to CALL them. The method of each of God’s messengers was different—John the ascetic vs Jesus the libertine—but both were from God. Yet, what both had in common is that they were *largely ignored. Curiosity seekers went out to see John the Desert freak-show, and thrill seekers couldn’t wait to see Jesus the wonder-worker pull rabbits out of hats, but most people—like children at play—ignored them both in the end.

Of course the primary application of the text is that most people CONTINUE to ignore the message. Most people CONTINUE to be at play….either fretting about the economy, or how they’re going to further their comfort in *this life, or paying the greatest attention to the ‘toys’ of life and no attention whatsoever to their relationship with God. There is a time for play and a time for seriousness.

One of the neat things about this text is that it does lend itself very nicely to the typical Lutheran law/gospel dichotomy. The Law is very clear. Jesus issues a reproach: stop goofing around; put down your toys & listen up; stop playing at life long enough to hear what life is truly all about…

And then the gospel (vss 28-30). Whether we always fully realize it or not, just playing at life is WEARYING; it’s wheel-spinning; it’s like being a hamster on one of those wheels…running at full speed and getting nowhere, or at least nowhere of lasting relevance and value. YES, everyone else is doing it. YES, you’re expected to run fulltilt on your hamster wheel too. YES, they’ll all look at you weird if you stop. They looked at Jesus weird too. In fact, they did even more than that. It’s no accident that vs 19 is worded the way it is. In the voice of his detractors, Jesus hears Deuteronomy 21:18-21

18 "If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, 19 then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, 20 and they shall say to the elders of his city, 'This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.' 21 Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst…

In Matthew 11:19, Jesus cites his rejection and predicts his death. Doing the will of his Father, calling people to stop PLAYING at life and embrace the true life of the Father is not only unappreciated and misconstrued….it will get him killed.

Yet, wisdom will be vindicated.
For those who do listen and respond, Jesus has no intention of working them to death or engaging them in worthless pursuits. In living the Christian life we find the rest, refreshment, and relevance that just ‘playing at life’ lacks.

Cheers,