5. A Community in Transition

The Gentile mission could never be successful if the Matthean community did not learn to manage their internal confusion, tension, conflict, and the divisive influence of false prophets. Hence, the Matthean Jesus invites his disciples, and at the same time the evangelist invites his community, to deepen their faith. Jesus calls them "men of little faith" (Mt 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8; 17:20).

The episodes in which the need for greater faith is most strikingly taught are the calming of the storm at sea (Mt 8:18-27) and the walking on the water (Mt 14:22-33). Prior to the first storm, the Matthean Jesus commands the crowd around him to go over to the other side of the lake, but only the disciples will follow him into the boat. Who are these disciples, and how are they different from the rest of the crowd? Matthew identifies them as those who are ready to share all that is implied in the fact that their master has no place to lay his head, and to put familial piety in second place when it conflicts with their commitment to follow Jesus (Mt 8:18-22). With the meaning of their action understood, the disciples follow Jesus into the boat. A storm rises, but Jesus is asleep. The disciples awaken him with an appeal for help: "Save, Lord; we are perishing." Jesus responds with the question, "Why are you afraid, 0 men of little faith?" (Mt 8:26). The disciples' inadequate faith refers to their lack of confidence in Jesus' power over the storm. But Matthew's readers, swamped by waves of opposition and conflict and with some beginning to lose heart, would easily identify with the disciples. Matthew calls for a deeper faith in Jesus' power over the evil symbolized by the storm at sea.

Similarly, when Jesus walks through the storm to the disciples in the boat, he invites Peter to come to him on the water. Peter gets out of the boat, begins to walk toward Jesus, but becomes afraid and begins to sink. Jesus catches him with the words, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Mt 14:31). Once they are safe in the boat and the storm has ceased, the disciples worship Jesus: "Truly you are the Son of God" (Mt 14:33). Once again Matthew intends his community to see their situation mirrored in the storm at sea, and their fears and doubts expressed in Peter's hesitation. He invites them to join the disciples in their renewed faith in Jesus as the Son of God.

Also through Jesus' instructions to his disciples Matthew address the confusion and conflict that was dividing his community. The Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:1-7:28) and the Communitarian Discourse(Mt 17:22-18:35) are the clearest examples. In the Sermon the disciples and the crowd are called "blessed" when they experience persecution and all kinds of evil (Mt 5:11-12). In the first antithesis they are warned against divisive anger and urged to reconciliation (Mt 5:21-26). In the fifth they are taught not to resist an evildoer (Mt 5:38-42). In the final antithesis Jesus instructs them to love their enemies (Mt 5:43-48). The need for mutual forgiveness is expressed as a petition in the Our Father (Mt 6:12) and elaborated at the end of the prayer (Mt 6:14-15). Finally, in the epilogue to the Sermon, Jesus warns against false prophets (Mt 7:15-20) and against those who would claim a place in the kingdom of heaven on the basis of mighty works in his name (Mt 7:21-23). Matthew's community could easily apply these instruction to their own confusion and conflicts and to the divisive influence of false prophets in their midst.

In the communitarian discourse in chapter 18, Matthew addresses the same issues, but against the background of Jesus' prediction of his own passion, death, and resurrection (Mt 17:22-23). His instructions concern attitudes and behaviour among the disciples. If they would enter and achieve greatness in the future kingdom of heaven, they must now humble themselves like the child in their midst (Mt 18:1-4). Under no circumstances are they to weaken the faith of a fellow disciple through scandalous behaviour (Mt 18:5-9). Instead, they should care for the one going astray and do everything possible to reconcile a brother or sister who has wandered into sin (Mt 18:10-20). Finally, they are to forgive personal offenses without limit (Mt 18:21-35). Once again through these instructions Matthew teaches his community how to cope with their internal situation.(12)

6. Final Judgment

Given his ideas about the Gentile Mission, it is not surprising that in the final sections of his eschatological discourse, Matthew has Jesus describe the judgment of the disciples and the Gentiles.

The Matthean Jesus exhorts his disciples to vigilance (Mt 24:36-25:30). He stresses the fact that, as the Son of Man, he will certainly come (Mt 24:37, 39, 43, 46; 25:6-7, 19), but also that his coming will be delayed (Mt 24:48; 25:5). Since the exact day and hour cannot be known, the disciples should watch and remain alert, like the faithful servant in his master's household or the virgins waiting for the bridegroom (Mt 24:36. 42, 44, 50; 25:13). When the Son of Man comes, however, the disciples will be divided one from another, like the men in the field or the women at the mill, like the faithfill from the wicked servants, like the wise from the foolish virgins, or like the servants to whom the talents had been entrusted (Mt 24:40-41, 45-49; 25:2-4, 16-18).

Matthew addressed Jesus' words to his community in the aftermath of the Jewish war to correct the false impression that the end had already arrived and to call them to constant vigilance and readiness. He also wanted to motivate them to carry out the mission to all nations. Merely belonging to the community would not guarantee entrance into the kingdom of heaven; for they will be judged on how well they used their different talents in the common task of "making disciples of all nations" (Mt 28:18). When Jesus returns he will not judge them according to their abilities but according to how well they carried out their tasks with love and respect for one another.

Jesus ends this final discourse by describing the judgment of the nations to whom he sends his followers (Mt 25:31-46). When he returns as the triumphant Son of Man, Jesus will separate the nations into sheep and goats. He will invite the sheep to possess the kingdom of heaven; he will condemn the goats. Both sheep and goats will be surprised. Then Jesus will explain the criterion for judgment: how well or ill the nations treated the least of his brethren. Jesus declares that he will reward or punish Jews and Gentiles according to whether or not they gave them food and drink, clothed and sheltered them, and visited them when sick or in prison. Without the nations knowing it, they encountered Jesus himself in these little ones because he sent them to announce the good news about God."

11.Leonard Doohan, Matthew. Spirituality for the 80's and 90's (Santa Fe, New Mexico: Bear & Company, 1985) 38-39.