Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Matthew 16: the sign of Jonah, and my brother makes a fool of himself

from Andrew's journal - 
Today the Master sounded sad after the Pharisees demanded a sign even though they clearly wouldn’t follow the Master if the birds of the air wrote his name in the air in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic. Instead he said they would only see the Sign of Jonah. Everyone knows that story, about the self-righteous Jew sent out against his will to preach repentance to a militaristic empire that would eventually destroy and enslave Israel. Was he saying Rome might do likewise to Israel? And whatever could spending three days entombed inside a fish mean?

And Peter, my brother……oy. Leave it to Peter to tell the Master His business. When we were kids he was always tell the farmers how to grow wheat better and us kids how to get what we want from our parents. He always meant well, but it usually didn’t end well, because his high opinion of himself got in the way. But like me he is a disciple of the master and a child of the Kingdom – what this bodes for him, God only knows. Perhaps his cross will be learning just how weak his arrogance makes him.

No comments:

Post a Comment