The Gospel of Matthew: Facing Challenging Texts The Rev. Ross Kane St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

The Gospel of Matthew: Facing Challenging Texts

The Rev. Ross Kane

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

What Do We Mean By Challenging?

• Texts the trouble us

• Texts that disturb us

• Texts that make us wonder “how did that get in

the Bible?” “What does a loving God have to do

with that?”

Part I: Examples

Examples from Matthew

• Last week’s lectionary text: Matthew 22:1-14

• Matthew 18:34-35 – difficult forgiveness

• Matthew 21:33-46 – the unfaithful (cut up)

servant

• Matthew 24: 45-51 – “wretches in the vineyard”

Examples from Matthew

• Statements about Jews:

• Matthew 27:25 – “His [Jesus’] blood be on us

and on our children!”

• Matthew 21: 43 – kingdom taken from you

• Matthew 23:29-36 – blood falling on Pharisees

and scribes

Part II: Anti-Semitism or

Inter-Jewish Debate?

Part III: Why a Wrathful God at All?

God as Doting Santa

All mercy and no justice

Part IV:

A Challenge

Jacob Wrestling the Angel by Gustave Doré