Welcome to my annotated commentary on Sunday’s readings. The purpose of my commentary is to give you the background for each reading, a little better understanding of its message and the message that all of the Sunday readings together provide us.
Ezekiel 33:7 – 9
This Sunday, we will hear from the prophet Ezekiel. As you will recall from our previous encounters with this book, he is a most exciting prophet, the first to prophesy in Babylon; his prophecy is directed to the Jewish community still in Jerusalem. As you see from the first few verses of the book, he was called to be a prophet while he was in exile. The first half of his prophecy is filled with warnings about the destruction of Jerusalem; the second half is filled with hope of its restoration. The verses we will hear this Sunday are almost identical to 3:17-21. Let’s read that passage and the footnote. Repeating it in chapter 33 is apparently an editorial work used to bind the first half to the second. Whereas the passage in chapter three was an introduction to judgment oracles, the passage in chapter 33 introduces salvation oracles. Recall the signs of a true prophet:
- Reluctance to prophecy;
- He speaks for God;
- His prophecies are fulfilled;
- There is always hope, even in the moments of great despair.
Let’s read the first six verses of chapter 33. This oracle is most likely a warning of Nebuchadnezzar’s army’s advance against Jerusalem – remember the siege lasted some 10 years. If they had heeded the watchman’s warning, they might have saved their lives. In the passage we will hear Sunday, Ezekiel considers himself a watchman for the people of Israel. He saved himself because he has discharged his duty, even though the people would not listen. Notice that the prophecy is addressed to individuals, not to Israel as a whole. Those individuals who listen to him can be saved; Israel as a body, however, is doomed.
7 You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.
8 If I tell the wicked man that he shall surely die, and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked man from his way, he (the wicked man) shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death.
9 But if you warn the wicked man, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.
Matthew 18:15 – 20
This week, we continue to hear from Matthew’s Gospel, although we have skipped over several pericopes, including the account of the Transfiguration; we always hear that account on the Second Sunday of Lent. The rest of chapters 16, 17 and 18 since last Sunday are proclaimed only during the weekday Masses. The passage we hear picks up the theme of correction that we heard in Ezekiel and applies it to all Christians. It follows two sections in which we hear Jesus teach against leading others astray (vv. 6 – 9) and the parable of the lost sheep (vv. 10 – 14); let’s read these for some more context.
After these two teachings, Jesus passes from the duty of Christian disciples toward those who have strayed from their number to how they are to deal with one who sins and yet remains within the community. Here, we see Jesus encourage the faithful to go after those who have strayed on their own.
15 “If your brother sins (against you), go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
Your brother: a fellow disciple; see Matthew 23:8.
against you: these words are found in many Greek manuscripts and the Vulgate but they are not in the important codices Sinaiticus and Vaticanus or in some other textual witnesses. This is an important phrase because if they are not original, then the duty of correction is not limited to offenses that are personal.
Won over: literally, “gained.”
As you will read in your footnotes, first there is to be private correction (Matthew 18:15); if this is unsuccessful, further correction before two or three witnesses (Matthew 18:16); if this fails, the matter is to be brought before the assembled community (the church), and if the sinner refuses to attend to the correction of the church, he is to be expelled (Matthew 18:17). The church’s judgment will be ratified in heaven, i.e., by God (Matthew 18:18). This three-step process of correction corresponds, though not exactly, to the procedure of the Qumran community; see 1QS 5:25-6:1; 6:24-7:25; CD 9:2-8.
16 If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
take one or two others: Cf. Deut 19:15. The principle of multiple witnesses is loosely applied here, but their purpose is to add weight to the reproval, which they do by sharing it.
17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
The church: the second of the only two instances of this word in the gospels; see the note on Matthew 16:18. Here it refers not to the entire church of Jesus, as in Matthew 16:18, but to the local congregation.
Treat him . . . a Gentile or a tax collector: You will find one interpretation of this last line in the footnotes that reflects what might have been the climate in the early Christian community for which Matthew wrote his gospel; let’s read it. “Just as the observant Jew avoided the company of Gentiles and tax collectors, so must the congregation of Christian disciples separate itself from the arrogantly sinful member who refuses to repent even when convicted of his sin by the whole church. Such a one is to be set outside the fellowship of the community. The harsh language about Gentile and tax collector being excommunicated is at tension with the general tone of the Gospels, in which Jesus is called a friend of sinners and tax collectors (cf Mt 9:10), and probably reflects a stage of the Matthean church when it was principally composed of Jewish Christians. That time had long since passed, but the principle of exclusion for such a sinner remained. Paul makes a similar demand for excommunication in 1 Cor 5:1-13.
However, other scripture scholars provide another interpretation. Remember how Jesus treated sinners and tax collectors. He sought them out, ate with them and called one of them – Matthew – to be his disciple. I would suggest that interpretation for your consideration.
The following verse only adds to the confusion; it can be used to support either interpretation of this previous verse:
18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: this verse is practically identical with Matthew 16:19b and many scholars understand it as granting to all the disciples what was previously given to Peter alone. For a different view, based on the different contexts of the two verses, see the note on Matthew 16:19.
19 Again, (amen,) I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.
Let’s look at the footnotes again: “Some take these verses as applying to prayer on the occasion of the church’s gathering to deal with the sinner of Matthew 18:17. Unless an a fortiori argument is supposed (that is, an even stronger reason), this seems unlikely. God’s answer to the prayer of two or three envisages a different situation from one that involves the entire congregation. In addition, the object of this prayer is expressed in most general terms as anything for which they are to pray.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
For where two or three . . . midst of them: This is a very popular phrase that we all attribute to Jesus. But, as you see in the footnote, it seems that even he wasn’t above borrowing an already well-known phrase. Let’s read the footnote: “The presence of Jesus guarantees the efficacy of the prayer. This saying is similar to one attributed to a rabbi executed in A.D. 135 at the time of the second Jewish revolt: “. . . When two sit and there are between them the words of the Torah, the divine presence (Shekinah) rests upon them” (Pirqe Abot 3:3). We see the section end with a saying about the favorable response of God to prayer, even to that of a very small number, for Jesus is in the midst of any gathering of his disciples, however small (Matthew 18:19-20). This section demonstrates the efficacy of common prayer in the Church. The entire Church does not have to be in prayer; even two or three can be sufficient. Whether this prayer has anything to do with the preceding judgment is uncertain.
This teaching about correction is an important lesson in Christianity. We are called to love one another as God loves us. God sent his son to turn us back to the true way and we are called to do the same. Of course, we must temper this lesson with Christ’s teaching about removing the beam in our own eye before we try to remove the speck in our neighbor’s (cf. Mt 7:3ff).
Today’s Gospel speaks of how to achieve reconciliation within the community. Jesus is not simply offering a mediation technique, he is teaching the community how dealing with their dissensions can deepen their integrity and participation in his mission.
Jesus presents a four-step methodology for dealing with an offender. In step one, the offended person simply seeks out the other to explain what is wrong, hoping to restore the relationship. If that does not succeed, the injured party is supposed to seek others to help in the process of restoring communal peace. If a few who agree on that goal still don’t achieve it, then the entire community is called to make a prophetic statement about the problem. If the community’s assessment goes unheeded, then Jesus says they should treat the offender “as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.”
As I mentioned earlier, you will note that Jesus didn’t tell them to punish, shun or excommunicate the person, but to treat him or her like someone who has not yet made a commitment to the Gospel, somebody Jesus would love to have dinner with. The community’s approach to this person is no longer to seek reconciliation but to evangelize. And, the evangelization entails the message of love that we hear in today’s second reading; we’ll see that in a moment.
This entire process demands a great deal of the community. From the first step, the person who was offended has been struggling, reaching out in order to bring back someone who has lost the way. The victim has become identified with Christ, not focusing on personal injury, but focusing on saving the other. The injured party and the community are seeking the restoration of the offender’s integrity, interpreting the offense as a betrayal of commitment to the Gospel. The person who was offended has taken up Ezekiel’s role as a watchman and, with the community, is speaking a prophetic message. They are not seeking punishment, but striving for the common good.
At first glance, Jesus’ teaching about how to handle offenses in the community seems practical even if it demands more forthrightness than we normally want. After all, there’s a serious risk that the other two I talk to or the church community won’t see it my way! But, when we reflect on this teaching a little more deeply we see that it reflects Paul’s teaching that we “owe nothing to anyone except to love one another.” The commitment to unity in the community, the commitment to the common good, becomes a blank check, an open-ended commitment.
The last lines of today’s Gospel offer challenge and reassurance. The challenge is to genuine communal discernment. When two or three sincerely desire the reconciliation of a straying member or pray for any other important issue, when they become as open as possible to understanding the will of God, Jesus promises to be with them as they seek the truth. That means that when we are seeking reconciliation, when we gather as community to read the signs of the times, we can count on the real presence of Christ among us. Then, we will be able to discern how to love one another and live as the prophets our world needs.
Now, let’s look at the second reading, taken from Paul’s letter to the Christian community in Rome.
Romans 13:8 – 10
We hear a couple more verses of Paul’s letter to the community in Rome that he has not yet met; this letter is meant as a letter of introduction and exhortation. As Paul comes to the end of his letter to the Roman community, which has been primarily doctrinal, he now adds an exhortation similar to one he used in 1 Thes 4 -5.
Before reading Sunday’s passage, however, let’s read the verses that immediately precede it. We never hear these verses at Mass – either Sunday or weekday Masses; they portray a common perception of the day that perdured down through the ages until just a few centuries ago: the divine appointment of rulers. After this very practical – but time-restricted – bit of advice, we hear Paul clarify the difference between the law of the Old Covenant and the law of the New Covenant.
8 Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Owe nothing to anyone: Paul has just exhorted his audience to obey civil authority. He now moves on to the obligation of charity, which sums up for those in the new Dispensation the whole Mosaic law.
love one another: When love directs the Christian’s moral decisions, the interest of law in basic concerns, such as familial relationships, sanctity of life, and security of property, is safeguarded (Romans 13:9). Indeed, says Paul, the same applies to any other commandment (Romans 13:9), whether one in the Mosaic code or one drawn up by local magistrates under imperial authority. Love anticipates the purpose of public legislation, namely, to secure the best interests of the citizenry. Since Caesar’s obligation is to punish the wrongdoer (Romans 13:4), the Christian who acts in love is free from all legitimate indictment.
9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, (namely) “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The commandments: Paul quotes commandments from the Decalogue and sums them up with a new command – the command that Jesus gave and lived.
10 Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.
Love is the fulfillment of the Law: the Jewish people can be described as people of the law. Christians are best described as children of love. And, as we see in this Sunday’s readings, Christian love is much more all-encompassing than the love this world espouses. Next Sunday, we hear this teaching expanded even more as we hear Peter ask Jesus: How often must I forgive? As we will see next week, Peter thought he was being generous with his response: “Seven times.” Jesus stretches him – and us to a much great love. See you next week!