authority?

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An untitled Sermon on Matthew 21:21-32

Proper 21- Lect. 26, September 24/25/26 – FE & PLC (Monday)
Matthew 21: 23-32 (Argument about Authority, two sons refuse)

A little Bible Study first. To understand what the scripture is telling us, we need to understand the culture and the politics swirling around this Jesus of Nazareth. Up to this point in the story of Jesus, we have heard of Jesus living and working in the hill country around the Sea of Galilee – he has been dealing – with some exceptions – with the people who live in such villages and towns. The local men and women, peasants, fisherman, some small traders, a few tax collectors – those who pressure the people for coins for the oppressing Romans.

Jesus had some contacts with the better educated, the better type of people – the head of the synagogue there, a Roman officer, and especially the men called Pharisees. In the villages these would be those who had more education, probably more land, so they were more comfortable. They were challenged by Jesus because they believed in keeping the law strictly, without gray areas.

Jesus had been working in the back country. His message was upsetting to some people – his powerful vision of the kingdom of God/heaven as present, near, accessible to the ordinary believing person, without going through Temple rituals or keeping every last tiny requirement of the expanded set of regulations – was deeply offensive to the believing Pharisee.

But the ultimate issue, the real trouble, the button-pushing offense was this: Jesus and his followers implied that Jesus himself was somehow connected to the Saving Work of God Almighty in a critical, exclusive and powerful way. Jesus was . . . even at this point in his ministry, the claim spread . . . Jesus was not only a charismatic traveling preacher, not only a great teacher, not only a Rabbi, but more – a divinely appointed prophet – no, more – the Messiah, the Chosen One, the anointed inheritor of David’s power as King, or in addition that he was the mysterious Son of Man bringing in the End of Days – and even whispered the non-Jewish idea that he was the Son of God –that God’s own exclusive divinity had been divided and rested in Jesus – the laborer from the village of Nazareth.

That is what we need to remember when we contemplate these tough passages. The day before this discussion - about authority and two sons who refused in different ways - Jesus had dropped the cloak of hidden-ness as just a traveling preacher.

He entered Jerusalem and his reputation ran before him – and the crowds proclaimed him King, Messiah, David’s heir – they gave a royal welcome – the streets sang. The people in power – the Pharisees of Jerusalem, the minders of the Temple, the Romans – looked on with surprise, perhaps horror.

Jesus entered the temple and in great anger turned over the tables of those who sold animals for the sacrifices. The sick who haunted the temple courts, yearning for healing, converged on him and received his blessing, and found their answer. The cry – Hosanna to the Son of David filled the temple – not only the streets – the cry Hosanna to the Son of David was heard in the temple, shaking the very stones and the very hearts of those in authority.

The next day he comes back to the Temple, and is teaching, and that is the context for this story. “By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?” These things – coming into Jerusalem like a king, turning over the tables in the outer courts like the Master of the Temple, healing directly by hand, without sacrifices, without the blessing of the priests, teaching as if he is a famous man – these things must be explained. These things are too defiant to be allowed.

Jesus is no longer hidden in the back country of Galilee. He is out there in front of all – peasants in the country and tenement dwellers in the city, soldiers and scribes, priests and governors.

“By what authority do you do these things?” The same authority that John the Baptist had. The Will of God.

He is fulfilling God’s will and he understands that his power comes from the same place that John’s baptism came from – the Will of God. God willed John’s baptism for repentance and the forgiveness of sins – that baptism also challenged the authority of the Temple. God wills Jesus’ ministry in the same way – to challenge the authority of Temple and Priest and Law. God wills that Jesus himself shall be the avenue to God’s kingdom – that this path Jesus is taking – this path, now of conflict and challenge, this path which now leads straight to the horrific death of the cross – this path shall be the way for the followers of God’s will. That was Jesus’ answer then, and it is the answer now.

To understand the will of God is the peculiar task of every citizen of the kingdom. To do the will of the FATHER is the duty of every child. And every child has the question asked of them – “Son, daughter, go and work in the vineyard today.” “By whose authority?” If you were ever an adolescent (most of us are past that age, praise be to God) you recognize this dynamic of defiance of authority, defiance of the parent, the eternal questioning: “why is his will to be dominant over mine?” Why is the will of the Father more important than what I want? Why should my freedom be constrained by the requests of my father?”

Is this resistance fear? Selfishness? Stubbornness? Sin? In the story of Jesus coming into the Temple it was all these things - all these things that lead to the last days, the arrest, the torture, the cross.

And for all of us – it is the same set of responses to that question – asked of us: “Go and work in the vineyard today.” And we are stubborn and selfish and certainly we say – oh, yes sir, but we do not go. We answer the question, in our hearts – by whose authority will our lives be run? By whose authority will our days be ordered? By whose authority will our choices be made?
By our own authority – we think. I choose how to spend my days and I don’t choose to be with the community at worship on Sunday. I choose to how to spend my money, and I don’t choose to support my faith community, much. I choose my friends, and how I spend my time, and how my morals are expressed in my life.

I am my own authority, we say. The book of God – well, it’s only advisory. The will of God – is unclear, but it probably is exactly like my will. The story of Jesus the Christ – it’s all about love and acceptance and being true to yourself – not about crosses and pain and sacrifice and work and honor. I am my own authority and I don’t really know what this vineyard is – I don’t know and really don’t care about the work of the kingdom. So the call to give falls on deaf ears. The call to teach is passed on to a very few. The call to worship is answered by absence. The call to leadership is denied.

By whose authority do you do these things, the Pharisees asked Jesus. John the Baptist came in righteousness and did the will of the Father – and called people to repentance. Did you notice? And Jesus came and called people to love and serve and sacrifice. Did you notice? By whose authority do you live?

(the call to the vineyard takes many shapes – the call to give support, the call to teach, the call to worship, the call to justice, the call the leadership.)

What do you think? A man had two sons – one gave lip service to the father’s will and authority, and never went to the vineyard and the other resisted at first, but bowed his head, and went and did what the father desired. Which one are you?
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