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Wisdom

February 1, 2023 Pastor: Rev. Peter Mills

CHRIST WISDOM OF GODEPIPHANY 5/A (02/05/2023): Ps. 112; Isa. 58:3-9a; 1 Cor. 2:1-16; Matt. 5:13-20

Wisdom

Yet, among the mature we do impart wisdom although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glorification (vv. 6, 7).

Beginning in Galilee Jesus preached a gospel of Divine presence, healing every infirmity and announcing, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt. 4:17). Great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis and beyond, Jerusalem, and Judea followed after him (vv. 23-25); no doubt many were converted, becoming believers. Jesus withdrew from the “madding crowd” where by the “Sermon on The Mount” (5:1—7:29) he commenced teaching his disciples God’s “hidden wisdom”.

Since the Fall, other than from Torah, the prophets, and inspired writings man was bereft of the HS’ full enlightenment; often Jews galvanized upon Scripture a mix of the world’s wisdom, such as a fence about God’s law thwarting the freedom of God’s original intent.

Jesus, at the outset of his Sermon on The Mount delivered impowering blessings for comprehending heaven’s new wisdom, teaching the touchstones of repentance, confession, faith, love, and true worship.

Jesus first blessed the disciples for hearing in “poverty of spirit” (5:3) sharing the same outcome of “persecuted righteousness” (v. 10), “for reign and rule in heaven”. Ultimately, both humility in hearing God’s word, followed upon by persecution for righteousness would manifest in baptismal death and rising to a righteous new life like his; but this gets a head of Jesus’ teaching moment.

The Sermon beatitudes orient the NT Church to a new understanding for unity with God’s Suffering Servant for the life of the world; thus empowered she would teach God’s hidden wisdom from Jesus through the Spirit (28:20).

So, what is our concern this 5th Sunday after the Epiphany? Jesus warns, “[U]nless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (5:20).

Like Esau, many “Christians”, only marginally value their baptismal birthright and blessing for kingdom reign and rule (Gen. 27). Our fleshly nature is at war with Jesus’ call to poverty of spirit and humility (Micah 6:8) and “persecution for righteousness’ sake”. Thus, Jesus warns against a “righteousness” from the “hyper-religious” and “the crowds” mired with worldly wisdom, that ignores God’s expectation that we reflect his character for grace and mercy in humble hearing of his word.

God speaks to the Church, “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free? ... Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him? ... Then shall your light break forth like the dawn …” (Isa. 58:6-8a).

When we approach Scripture apart from the wisdom imparted to the Church from Christ, hypocrisy and sin crouches behind the tent flap. The scribes were experts of Law and prophets; not surprisingly many were archetypical of a modern-day legal mentality that confuses and confounds law and gospel, distorting God’s heart, visage, and revelation among men.

The very name “Pharisee” boasts of being “separated” as “righteous ones”, outwardly practicing the particulars of Moses by hearts far from God’s desired “fast”. Their religious outlook was, of course, more subtle; but you get the idea, scribes and Pharisees possessed a kind of “righteousness” or “fasting” in tangent with the world; so not “heard on high” (v. 4).

But Jesus would teach his church a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, “Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets … but to fulfill them … not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Mt. 5:17, 18).

Jesus, Son and Servant of God is and always has been the singular OT referent. He is “the hidden wisdom of God decreed before the ages for our glorification …” now revealed and comprehended in the Church through Baptism and a beatific Eucharistic faithfulness.

Jesus’ Baptism concluded with his passion and death fulfilled God’s promised glory and so all the Law and prophets. From the moment Jesus “handed-over” the HS from the cross (Jn. 19:30) all the Old Covenant (Ex. 19:5, 6, 8), every “iota” and “dot” were complete for new wisdom from the Spirit in the Resurrection.

Without new wisdom, St. Paul comments: Jews demand signs beyond the JB’s witness that Jesus is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29, 36); for the unregenerate Jew Scripture continues a dark book; and because Greeks seek sophisticated “wisdom” faith is discarded (1 Cor. 1:22, 23); each are bereft of blessing and new birthright.

Latter day scribes and Pharisees, whether traveling under the neo-evangelical sobriquet, others of the madding denominational crowds, or scholastic doubters are hard pressed to find Jesus as the OT hidden referent, and deny the gospel’s “nearness” in word and sacraments. Instead, many hear the Beatitudes as commands to “good works” for their surety; how sad!

The OT Scripture is not abandoned; rather the Church understands God’s secret Wisdom to be the crucified flesh of Christ; that all who trust in the Lamb’s atoning work have eternal life (Jn. 3:14-16; Num. 21:8, 9); a righteousness exceeding the scribes and Pharisees for kingdom rule.

Next Sunday Jesus will continue our Torah teacher, “You have heard that it was said … but I say to you …” (Mt. 5:27a, 28a). Today Jesus identifies the nature of his empowered Church, “You are the salt of the earth” (5:13a). This gives us pause to consider the OT command that Israel “salt” its grain offerings for peace, in provisioning his priests as, “salt of the covenant with your God” (Lev. 2:13).

“[We] are the salt of the earth” through spiritual poverty and righteous persecution for a life of praise and thanksgiving that partakes the church’s Bread with her High Priest.

Churchly wisdom discerns Christ the “Salt” of our new Covenant. In a final post-Resurrection meal with his Apostles, Jesus, “ate salt with them” (Acts 1:4), he who, with his believing priesthood is the Church’s grain offering for peace (Jn. 12:24) salts our Eucharistic loaf for work in the world. Amen.

pem.