tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post4319184022708349522..comments2024-03-28T10:26:20.408-04:00Comments on Ponderings on a Faith Journey: Love Wins -- A Lectionary ReflectionRobert Cornwallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581876323110725024noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-6198331973610879362011-08-11T11:17:21.591-04:002011-08-11T11:17:21.591-04:00Certainly we can learn from these pericopes in iso...Certainly we can learn from these pericopes in isolation from their context, as Bob has shown. However, their primary meaning arises from Matthew’s immediate purpose. Often in Literary Criticism the end of a work discloses its major purpose. In Matthew’s case, the book ends with the so-called Great Commission. Matthew’s dilemma is this: How can he convince a Jewish congregation that Gentiles are worthy of the gospel? Here’s where the Gentiles in his Gospel come in. Each one is a stereo typically undesirable Gentile: Ruth, the Moabitess seducer, Rahab the harlot, the sorcerer Magi (worthy of stoning to death), the Canaanite woman (a Baal worshiper), the Roman Centurion (certainly an oppressor if not a pederast). Each one who engages Jesus is proved to have a superior faith to the observing Jews. The moral of these stories? How can we withhold the gospel from those whom Jesus declared righteous? Get on with the Great Commission. When we endeavor to exegete any of these pericopes, we need to keep this overall purpose in mind.Steve Kindlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16634130965524334750noreply@blogger.com