I continue revising my book about the Gospels. In regards to Matthew 9, one of the things I wrote was:
Why should the Lamb of God neglect the observance of ritual fasting? The Law of Moses called for one annual fast, but the Pharisees had pressed the Talmudic tradition of fasting Mondays and Thursdays. This was probably on one of those two days. But never mind the Talmud legalism; addressing the bigger question of Mosaic Law, Jesus answered with a bit of humor, referring to this lavish occasion as a wedding feast. In a spiritual sense, it was a wedding, for this was Christ seeking His bride. For Jesus, His whole ministry was a spiritual wedding feast. It was as if to say this partying was fully appropriate, for it signaled a new beginning. As ancient Eastern royalty often did, the vestment of the royal heir took place at the prince’s wedding. Such a wedding was marked by passing the symbolic rule of some small portion of the kingdom, up to that point held by an appointed viceroy about to retire. In this case, the Law of Moses was being retired. The personal stamp of this Messiah Prince would replace the customs of the viceroy, Moses, over the Chosen Nation. Therefore, this celebration at Matthew’s home was the beginning of such changes, a new and invigorating rule marked by joy. This joy could not fit in the old forms of Mosaic rituals, which had reached retirement.
The Pharisees had perverted the Law. The Covenant of Moses was a standard suzerain-vassal treaty with God portraying Himself as an Eastern nomad sheik. Eastern feudalism was all about family; your sheikdom was your kinfolk. God adopted Israel as His own kin; this shifted the expectations dramatically from what they would be were He simply a conquering emperor. They weren’t merely a source of tax revenue, but beneficiaries of all His wealth. And when such a ruler raises up an heir whose whole life was spent under the impression these people were his very literal blood kin, you can bet his attitude toward them would be even more familial. This nation of people are His inheritance, His true wealth and power. The Pharisees forgot all of that, having pulled in the rational objectivity of Hellenism.
For them it was quite reasonable to live in terror of God, while at the same time objectifying Him. God was no longer a person for them, but some body of rational principle. You cannot play on your blood kinship with cold reason. So their legalism was dreary and devoid of life; this was entirely rational. Having a good time was inherently sinful, so everything had to be smothered in ritual — mechanical and fake — penitence. Here was this wannabe rabbi Jesus breaking all their rules and customs. He dared to claim the authority to forgive sins and then wallowed in giddy partying with sinners.
So against their stiff legalism and sending messages inside, rather like wrapping notes around a stone and tossing them through the window, Jesus responded with what must of have been a hilarious parabolic response. Why, this is a wedding party! It was about the only occasion when brooding Pharisees would relax and smile. Except, He pointedly said that His ministry was the wedding of a new heir to the Kingdom of Heaven. It wasn’t a legal confession that He was the Messiah, but it was indicative of where He was taking things. So many times during His disputes with the Pharisees, He indicated He was the Messiah without saying it in terms their legalism could seize upon. It was like a game. He dared to make Himself out to be the Son of God, and was obviously enjoying it entirely too much.
We were created to be His family. Sure, if His own kin folks have the gall to intrude on a wedding feast with some refusal to give due regard to His wishes about something, He can spare a moment to pour out some wrath and even taunt them in the process. But He won’t allow anyone to ruin the wedding day of His Son, so His face won’t be darkened very long. Meanwhile, He has a lot of patience with the little kids who just don’t quite understand everything and make bumbling mistakes.
The wedding feast is just getting started and we are the New Israel — we are the Kingdom of Heaven.
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Yeah, once the Israelites turned their backs completely on God for the last time and were carried off into Babylon and other cultures, their fate was sealed. The few that eventually did return to Israel had already assimilated themselves deep into the other cultures and barely retained any of the original Mosaic teachings, much less any of the relationship with their loving God and Father. Once Alexander the Great came through and built all the many libraries and schools throughout what once was the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the Hebraic culture of old was pretty much done. Blinded by centuries of false teachings and cruel leadership, Jesus’ teachings were probably difficult to understand at first by those who desparately needed and wanted His Truth. Those who thrived from teaching the Lie would naturally be threatened. Not much has changed since then. Same blessed Truth. Same stinking Lie.