Matthew 20:1-16
As is often the case in Matthew’s
gospel, there is no clear context for the parable. Nor is there a parallel to
this parable in another gospel. We may guess that in telling this parable,
Jesus was responding to criticism that he was paying more attention to those
outside the law (e.g., tax collectors, prostitutes) than to those who abided by
the law of Moses. . .
The evangelist gives his own
interpretation by locating the parable after the exchange between Jesus and his
disciples about what the disciples will receive for having left everything to
follow Jesus. Jesus promises great rewards to his disciples, but he also adds
the warning: “many who are first will be last, and the last will be first”
(19:30). The parable of the laborers in the vineyard reminds the original
twelve that other disciples will follow them, and God’s generosity is such that
they all receive the same reward: eternal life in the kingdom of heaven. . .
The . . . parable is neither a
lesson in economics nor in morality. It is about the generosity of God’s grace
to the last as to the first. –– Frank C. Senn
Jonah 3:10––4:11
The prophet Jonah had been called
to proclaim to the great Syrian city of Nineveh that unless the city repented
of its evil ways, God would destroy it. After evading God’s call once (and
being thrown into the sea and swallowed by a great fish), Jonah did the job God
had given him. . . and the whole city repented. . .
Jonah is angry that God relented and did not punish the
Ninevites. God uses the bush that shades Jonah and then withers (further
angering Jonah) to make a point:
. . . If Jonah cared so much for
the bush, which he didn’t even cause to grow, why should God not care for the
great city of Nineveh?
Since Nineveh was a gentile city,
the whole story of Jonah can be taken to be an expression of God’s concern and
grace for God’s gentile children, with the implication that God’s Jewish
children ought to . . . sympathize with . . . all God’s wayward children. –– Frank
C. Senn
Philippians 1:21-30
Remaining faithful in the absence
of the apostle to lead them must have been an issue for this church since
Paul’s letter emphasizes persistence in the faith in the face of opposition.
This opposition perhaps came more from the pagan society of Philippi. . . than
from opposing parties in the church since Paul does not get into particular
theological controversies in this letter but does make the Christian faith a
life and death matter.
Since Philippi was a military town,
the Roman civil religion probably flourished as strongly as any local cult. We
are aware that Christians were not considered good citizens because of their
refusal to participate in emperor worship. . . .
Perhaps in this context, Paul
presents the example of his own situation as an encouragement to the Philippian
Christians. Paul is apparently under armed guard, but this has given him an
opportunity to witness to Christ. He . . . sees positives no matter what
happens. If he lives, he continues to witness to Christ. If he dies, he gets to
be with Christ. . . . The bond between apostle and church is that they suffer
together because of their faith in Christ. –– Frank C. Senn
Frank C. Senn,
an ELCA pastor who served Immanuel Lutheran Church in Evanston, Illinois, from
1990-2013, has also taught liturgy courses at a number of seminaries and
divinity schools and published thirteen books mostly on the history of the
liturgy.
Homily Service 38, no. 10 (2005): 33-45.
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