Leviticus 23:23-44

The following texts and comments are repeated here from May 20, 2006 (Saturday in the week of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year Two):

The Festival of Trumpets [later the New Year] (Num 29.1-6)

23 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 24 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of complete rest, a holy convocation commemorated with trumpet blasts. 25 You shall not work at your occupations; and you shall present the LORD's offering by fire. (Leviticus 23:23-25, NRSV)

According to Rabbi J. H. Hertz, “As the seventh day in the week was a holy day, so the seventh month was the holy month in the year” (Pentateuch & Haftorahs, 2^nd ed., 24^th printing, 1981, p. 522, on Lev. 23:24-25). He adds:

Each New Moon was made the occasion for additional offerings (Num. xxviii, 11 f). It is, therefore, not surprising that the New Moon of the seventh month should be a Festival of special solemnity. In later times, it was known as Rosh Hashanah, New Year’s Day. But unlike the New Year celebrations of many ancient and modern nations, the Jewish New Year is not a time of revelry, but an occasion of the deepest religious import.

The Day of Atonement (Num 29.7-11)

26 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 27 Now, the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you: you shall deny yourselves and present the LORD's offering by fire; 28 and you shall do no work during that entire day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the LORD your God. 29 For anyone who does not practice self-denial during that entire day shall be cut off from the people. 30 And anyone who does any work during that entire day, such a one I will destroy from the midst of the people. 31 You shall do no work: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your settlements. 32 It shall be to you a sabbath of complete rest, and you shall deny yourselves; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening you shall keep your sabbath. (Leviticus 23:26-32, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from April 26, 2008 (Saturday in the Fifth Week of Easter, Year Two):

The Day of Atonement is the subject of Leviticus, chapter 16, which was discussed at length in the comments for May 15 and 16, 2006 (Monday and Tuesday of this week). David P. Wright points out that “In contrast to the description of ch. 16, from the Priestly Torah, the focus here in the Holiness Collection is on lay observance of this day” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Lev. 23:26-32). The Israelites are to deny themselves “and present the LORD’s offering by fire” (Lev. 23:27). The Rabbi comments on the admonition to “afflict your souls” (JPS Trans., 1917; ‘deny yourselves’ NRSV). He says,

this Day, set aside for penitence and moral regeneration, is the only one for which the Torah prescribes fasting–which is the intensest form of devotion and contrition. ‘On that Day,’ the Rabbis state, ‘the Israelites resemble the angels, without human wants, without sins, and linked together in love and peace.’ . . . Confession of sin is the most essential and characteristic element in the services of the Day of Atonement; ‘every one entreating pardon for his sins and hoping for God’s mercy, not because of his own merits but through the compassionate nature of that Being who will have forgiveness rather than punishment’ (Philo). The Confession is made by the whole Community collectively; and those who have not themselves committed the sins mentioned in the confession regret that they were unable to prevent them from being committed by others (Friedlander). (Rabbi Hertz, p. 523 on Lev. 23:27)

As on a sabbath, they are to do not work, “for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the LORD your God” (vv. 28, 30-32).

The Festival of Booths (Num 29.12-40; Deut 16.13-17)

33 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 34 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: On the fifteenth day of this seventh month, and lasting seven days, there shall be the festival of booths to the LORD. 35 The first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. 36 Seven days you shall present the LORD's offerings by fire; on the eighth day you shall observe a holy convocation and present the LORD's offerings by fire; it is a solemn assembly; you shall not work at your occupations.

37 These are the appointed festivals of the LORD, which you shall celebrate as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the LORD offerings by fire-burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its proper day- 38 apart from the sabbaths of the LORD, and apart from your gifts, and apart from all your votive offerings, and apart from all your freewill offerings, which you give to the LORD.

39 Now, the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall keep the festival of the LORD, lasting seven days; a complete rest on the first day, and a complete rest on the eighth day. 40 On the first day you shall take the fruit of majestic trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. 41 You shall keep it as a festival to the LORD seven days in the year; you shall keep it in the seventh month as a statute forever throughout your generations. 42 You shall live in booths for seven days; all that are citizens in Israel shall live in booths, 43 so that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

44 Thus Moses declared to the people of Israel the appointed festivals of the LORD. (Leviticus 23:33-44, NRSV)

The Feast of ‘Tabernacles, or “Booths” (Succoth) is the “Feast of the Ingathering” which occurs “at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor” (Exod. 23:16; cf. Rabbi Hertz, p. 524 on Lev. 23:34).

In Rabbinic literature, it is known as ‘the Feast’, because, as the time of the harvest, it would naturally be a period of rejoicing and holiday-making. It really consists of two groups: the first seven days, Tabernacles proper; and the eighth day Atzeres. The seventh day of Tabernacles became in later times an echo of the Day of Atonement and was known as Hoshanah Rabbah; and the second day of Atzeres assumed the nature of a separate Festival under the name of Simchas Torah, Rejoicing of the Law, the day on which the annual reading of the Torah was completed and restarted. (Ibid.)

On the booths, the Rabbi says,

The Heb. Sukkah represents a hastily-constructed and unsubstantial edifice , such as the Israelites must have set up during the wanderings in the Wilderness. In addition to its historical associations, reminding the Israelite of the Divine protection during the desert-journey, the command to dwell lin booths has also a religious signification. ‘Man ought to remember his evil days in his days of prosperity. He will thereby be induced to thank God repeatedly, to lead a modest and humble life. We, therefore, on Tabernacles leave our houses in order to dwell in booths. We shall thereby remember that this has once been our condition’ (Maimonides). (Rabbi Hertz, p. 525 on Lev. 23:42)

David P. Wright points out that this is the only place in the Bible where “the festival of booths [is] historicized” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Lev. 23:43).

2 Thessalonians 3:1-18

Request for Prayer

3:1 Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you, 2 and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Warning against Idleness

6 Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, 8 and we did not eat anyone's bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. 9 This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11 For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

14 Take note of those who do not obey what we say in this letter; have nothing to do with them, so that they may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard them as enemies, but warn them as believers.

Final Greetings and Benediction

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with all of you.

17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the mark in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. (2 Thessalonians 3:1-18, NRSV)

The following comments are based on comments on 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18 from December 13, 2008 (Saturday in the week of the Second Sunday of Advent, Year One), when comments were repeated with editing and supplement from April 26, 2008 (Saturday in the week of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year Two), when comments were repeated with revision and supplement (to include vv. 1-5) from December 16, 2006 (Saturday in the week of the Second Sunday of Advent, Year One), when comments for 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18 were repeated with revision and adaptation from May 20, 2006 (Saturday in the week of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year Two) and from December 11, 2004, (Saturday of the week of the Second Sunday of Advent, Year One).

Paul begins 2 Thessalonians, chapter 3 with a request that the Thessalonian believers pray for him and his coworkers. “Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you” (2 Thess. 3:1). “In the face of afflictions,” says Abraham Smith, “a prayer that the word of the Lord may spread suggests that the gaining of converts is one strategy for overcoming opposition” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on 2 Thess. 3:1). He apparently refers to the afflictions described in 1:4. 6-8, but implicit in what follows. Earlier, Paul tells the Thessalonians, “To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfill by his power every good resolve and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:11-12; cf. 2:13). But now he requests that they “pray for us,” including Silvanus and Timothy (1:1). In the current section, Jouette M. Bassler says, “Exhortations alternate with intercessory prayers” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on 2 Thess. 2:15-3:16). In both instances noted here, the purpose for which one prays is for the effective presentation of the Christian gospel message, “so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him” (1:12), and “so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere” (3:1). In the present instance, Paul’s prayer continues with a further purpose of the prayer, “and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people; for not all have faith” (3:2). “Wicked and evil people,” says Bassler, “may be the source of the affliction of 1:6-8 [cf. v. 4]” (ibid., on 3:2).

Paul may have already experienced severe persecutions himself (cf. 2 Cor. 11:23-29), but if so, he chooses not to elaborate on them at this point. Instead, he focuses on assurance for his readers. “But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one (ajpo; tou: ponhrou:, apo tou ponērou)” (v. 3 NRSV; cf. Mt. 6:13 NRSV). The expression “from the evil one” understands ponhrou: (ponērou) as masculine genitive singular, but the same form may be understood as neuter gender genitive singular, used as the abstract noun “evil” (cf. NRSV text note f ) as in the traditional form of the Lord’s Prayer, “deliver us from evil” (Mt. 6:13 AV/KJV, cf. NRSV text note d), where the recent translation is “deliver us from the evil one” (NRSV, TNIV). In comment, Bassler says, “Evil one, Satan (2:9; see also Eph. 6:16). If the reading in text note f is correct, the reference is to the evil conditions of the time (1:4; 2:7)” (ibid., on 2 Thess. 3:3). In Christian understanding, to be delivered or guarded from evil is to be delivered or guarded from the evil one, Satan. “And we have confidence (pepoivqamen, pepoithamen) in the Lord concerning you,” says Paul, “that you are doing and will go on doing the things that we command” (v. 4). Note that in translation, Paul refers to his “confidence” as in the Lord, not in the Thessalonians, though it is confidence that they will be faithful. According to Frederick William Danker, the verb translated “have confidence” often means “persuade, convince” or “reassure”; but “the use of trhe perfect and pluperfect active involves what might be called grammatical metonymy, with a nominal aspect (compare peiqwv [peithō, the related noun “persuasiveness”]) expressing in effect the product of persuasion which one receives; hence one can be said to get persuasion i.e. have confidence [in]” (The Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2009, s.v. peivqw, peithō ). “May the Lord direct your hearts,” says Paul, “to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ” (v. 5).

Following this request for prayer (vv.1-2) and expression of confidence (vv. 3-5), Paul moves toward the closing of 2 Thessalonians with another warning against idleness. “Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness (ajtavktwV peripatou:ntoV, ataktōs peripatountos) and not according to the tradition that they received from us” (2 Thess. 3:6). According to Danker, the adverb translated “in idleness” means “disorderly, of behavior that is out of step with what is considered good public order”; compare the adjective a[taktoV (ataktos) “disorderly, undisciplined 1 Thess. 5:14” (ibid., s.v. ajtavktwV, ataktōs, and a[taktoV, ataktos). This reminds us of Paul’s earlier admonition, “And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers (oiJ a[taktoi, hoi ataktoi), encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them” (1 Thess. 5:14). On whether the admonition relates to idleness or disorderliness, see the comments of last Wednesday (May 5, 2010). But whereas 1 Thessalonians quickly moves on to other admonitions, “See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:15-18), 2 Thessalonians dwells on the subject of idleness (or disorderliness). Paul presents himself as a role model. “For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle (hjtakthvsamen, ētaktēsamen; see the comments of last Wednesday as noted above) when we were with you, and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you” (vv. 7-8). This reminder recalls Paul’s earlier description of his work in Thessalonica. “You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God” (1 Thess. 2:9). And Paul reminds the Thessalonian believers, as elsewhere he tells the Corinthians, that he did not accept payment for his work of ministry in Thessalonica. “This was not because we do not have that right,” he says, “but in order to give you an example to imitate” (v. 9; cf. 1 Cor. 9:3-15). Paul reminds them of his earlier command, “For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat” (v. 10). He has been informed of some laxity in this area, “For we hear that some of you are living in idleness (peripatou:ntaV . . . ajtavktwV, peripatountas . . . ataktōs), mere busybodies, not doing any work” (v. 11). For Paul, this state of affairs will not do, and he gives a further command. “Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living” (v. 12). Perhaps some of the people, remembering Paul’s statement that “the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2), believed that regular work was pointless; the end would come soon. Second Thessalonians counters that view. The community of believers is exhorted to “not be weary in doing what is right” (v. 13), but to “take note of those who do not obey what we say in this letter; have nothing to do with them, so that they may be ashamed” (v. 14). But those so shamed are not to be regarded as “enemies,” but warned “as believers” (v. 15). “Despite the stern warning against behavior,” says Smith, “the goal for the writer is reclamation” (op. cit., on v. 15).

Paul’s benediction is a prayer for peace. “No may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with all of you” (v. 16). To this we may compare, “May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 5:23). Paul authenticates the letter with a greeting in his own hand. “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the mark in every letter of mine; it is the way I write” (2 Thess. 3:17). According to Bassler, “Paul often wrote Letter closings with his own hand (see 1 Cor. 16:21; Gal. 6:11; Col. 4:18; Philem. 19); the emphasis here, however, is striking and difficult to interpret according to any theory of authorship” (op. cit., on v. 17). On the contrary, Paul may well be offering correction due to letters not written by him as they claimed. The final greeting, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you” (v. 18), is apparently from Paul himself, repeating that of the amanuensis (scribe), “The Lord be with all of you” (v. 16b).

Matthew 7:13-21

The Narrow Gate (Lk 13.24)

13 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14, NRSV)

A Tree and Its Fruit (Mt 12.33; Lk 6.43-45)

15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will know them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:15-20, NRSV)

Concerning Self-Deception (Lk 6.46; 13.26-27)

21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. (Matthew 7:21, NRSV)

The following comments are based on those of September 30, 2009 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to September 28, Year One), on relevant comments from May 3, 2009 (the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year One), and earlier comments as noted there.

On the Saying about the Narrow Gate

"Enter through the narrow gate,” says Jesus; “for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Mt. 7:13-14). Luke’s version of this saying is somewhat condensed and somewhat explanatory, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able” (Lk. 13:24). We talk much about free grace, and so it is, but it is also true that Christian faithfulness and endurance requires a commitment of ourselves to Lord and to his way of life. The opening lines of the Didache or Teaching of the Twelve Apostles reflect Matthew’s version of this saying. “There are two Ways, one of Life and one of Death, and there is a great difference between the two Ways” (Didache i, 1). In the Didache, the phrase “the two Ways” becomes a topic elaborated by further sayings, for example, “The Way of Life is this: ‘First, thou shalt love the God who made thee, secondly, thy neighbour as thyself; and whatsoever thou wouldst not have done to thyself, do not thou to another’ ” (Didache i, 2; cf Mt. 22:37-39; Mk. 12:30-31; Lev. 19:18). The Didache text is quoted here from the translation of Kirsopp Lake (The Apostolic Fathers, Loeb Classical Library, vol. I).

William Barclay speaks in this connection of “life at the crossroads” “In every action of life,” he says, “man is confronted with a choice, and he can never evade the choice because he can never stand still” (The Gospel of Matthew, rev. ed., 1975, The Daily Study Bible, vol. 1, p. 277). He quotes John Oxenham (p. 278):

To every man there openeth / A way and ways and a way;

And the high soul treads the high way, / And the low soul gropes the low;

And in between on the misty flats / The rest drift to and fro;

But to every man there openeth / A high way and a low;

And every man decideth / The way his soul shall go.

On the Saying about A Tree and Its Fruit

In Matthew Jesus continues with sayings about the “fruits” people produce (Mt. 7:15-20; cf. Mt. 12:33-35; Lk. 6:43-45). Parallel texts are presented in the table below. The Bible has several passages on good and bad fruit. Well known is Isaiah’s song of the vineyard (Isa. 5:1-7), in which God laments the fact that he expected “grapes” from his vineyard Israel, but instead received “wild grapes” (literally ‘stinking things,’ Isa. 5:2, 4); he expected “justice, but saw bloodshed/righteousness,/but heard a cry” (v. 7). A happier picture emerges later, when Israel becomes “a pleasant vineyard” (Isa 27:2, cf. vv. 2-6). Paul’s passage on the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22-23) is well known. Here, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns us to “beware of false prophets” (Mt. 7:15), understood by Matthew, apparently, as a reference to false teachers arising within the Christian community. “You will know them by their fruits,” says Jesus (v. 16a). The “bad plants” are just weeds, “thorns” and “thistles” (v. 16b). In the parallel passage in Luke, the saying is more directly addressed to Christian believers. One could make the case that figs and grapes are better than the somewhat sour fruit of a thorn tree, or the blackberries from a bramble bush (Lk. 44). Wholehearted faithful Christian living produces the best fruit.

The thistles (a[kanqai, akanthai) and thorns (trivboloi, triboloi) mentioned by Matthew are simply useless weeds. But Luke’s terms, the thorns (a[kanqai, akanthai) and the bramble bush (bavtoV, batos), are different. The latter is a kind of blackberry bush, according to botanists Harold and Alma Moldenke (The Plants of the Bible, 1952). Luke’s thorn is the “Christ Thorn,” which produces a useful fruit, dry, but somewhat comparable to figs, and with a little imagination, one may see a resemblance between a blackberry and a bunch of grapes. Clearly, Jesus was talking about good trees and bad trees, but in reference to the false prophets, the bad plants were worthless weeds. In the other context, when Jesus was talking to disciples, there was something of a call for improvement. Figs are better than the fruit of the thorn bush (like apricots? sand hill plums? [found in Kansas]) and grapes are better than blackberries. Could we make a similar point with oranges and lemons? The warning about false prophets is to recognize and avoid them. But the admonition to the disciples is to bear good (better?) fruit. A key to that is the statement, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Mt. 12:34; Lk. 6:45). “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Prov. 4:23).

The warning in Matthew about false prophets called “wolves” is echoed by Ignatius of Antioch. “Therefore as children of the light of truth flee from division and wrong doctrine. And follow as sheep where the shepherd is. For there are many specious wolves who lead captive with evil pleasures the runners in God’s race, but they will find no place if you are in unity” (Ignatius to the Philadelphians, ii, 1-2, trans., Kirsopp Lake, op. cit.; cf. Didache 16:3). Justin Martyr has a similar warning. “Then shall there be wailing and gnashing of teeth, when the righteous shall shine as the sun, and the wicked are sent into everlasting fire. For many shall come in My name, clothed outwardly in sheep's clothing, but inwardly being ravening wolves. By their works ye shall know them. And every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire” (Apology, I, 16, 12-13, trans. Roberts-Donaldson, on the Internet at http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/justinmartyr-firstapology.html, accessed Sept. 29, 2009).

On the Saying about Self-deception

Luke’s version of this saying is a rather direct question: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?” (Lk. 6:46). But in another context, Luke’s version is very strict. “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught us in our streets.’ But he [the “owner of the house” in the parable] will say, ‘I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!’” (Lk. 13:26-27). In the context of today’s reading, both Matthew and Luke continue with the story of the House Built upon the Rock (Mt. 5:21-27; Lk. 6:46-49), which illustrates the fate of those who hear Jesus’ words and obey them, versus the fate of those who do not do so.

Matthew’s version of Jesus’ warning of the listeners against themselves is, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (v. 21). Either way, it’s a stern warning to “be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves” (Jas. 1:22), and comparable to the prophetic warning given by Samuel to Saul, “Surely, to obey is better than sacrifices, / and to heed than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22).

At the judgment, “on that day,” says Jesus, “many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’” (Mt. 7:22). Jesus adds that he will say, “I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers” (v. 23). Similar teaching occurs in Luke in a context which includes various teachings about the kingdom of God. After admonition to “strive to enter through the narrow door” (Lk. 13:24a; cf. Mt. 7:13-14), Jesus expands the image of the door in a kind of mini-parable. “Many,” he says,

will try to enter and will not be able. When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then in reply he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!’ (Lk. 13:24b-27, NRSV)

John Wesley took the warnings here to heart. On Matthew 7:22 he says, “We have prophesied–We have declared the mysteries of thy kingdom; wrote books; preached excellent sermons. In thy name done many wonderful works–So that even the working of miracles is no proof that a man has saving faith” (John Wesley, Explanatory Notes on the New Testament, reprint, 1981, vol. I, no page no., on Mt. 7:22). On the following verse (23), he says, “I never knew you–There never was a time that I approved of you; so that as many souls as they had saved, they were themselves never saved from their sins. Lord, is it my case?” (Ibid. These notes are found online at http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/notes/matthew.htm#Chapter+VII, accessed again May 8, 2010).

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net