Au In the beginning was the Word
 

1.- Ancient Christian tradition attributes to Mathew the publican, taxes collector in Capernaum (Mt 9,9-13) and one of the twelve (10,3), the evangel that carries his name.  The oldest testimony comes from Papias, Hierapolis (Frigia) bishop, who about the year 130 writes in his Explanations of the Lord´s sentences: “Mathew compiled in Hebrew language (arameo) Jesus´ sentences and everyone interpreted (translated) them like he was capable”. (Eusebius from Caesarea, Ecclesiastic History, III, 39,1-16).

2.- Like it is obvious, sentences (logia) or words (logoi) are equivalent terms for Papias: “In his own work Papias also transmits other interpretations of Lord´s words”  (Eusebius, HE, III, 39, 14). Certainly, the sentence is more solemn. According to the dictionary, it is “ a grave and short saying that encloses doctrine or morality”; at the end, Jesus teaches like one who has authority (Mt 7,29); he is the Lord. But the matter is the same: what Jesus said.

3.- A century ago Thomas Evangel´s fragments were discovered, a collection of sayings that begin like this: “These are the secret words said by Jesus the Living One and that Didimo Judas Thomas wrote down”. In 1945 the complete text was discovered in Nag Hammadi (Egypt). It is an apocrypha evangel containing 114 sayings attributed to Jesus. Some of them are similar to those that appear in the canonical evangels. The sayings are named simply “words”. This type of evangel, as a saying collection, is similar to that of Mathew, certified by Papias.

4.- Irenaeus of Lyon  (about 140-202), Pilcarpus´ disciple, who on his time had been apostle John´s disciple, writes the following: “Mathew published amidst the Hebrew, in their own language, a written evangel, while in Rome Peter and Paul were announcing the evangel and founding the church. It was after Paul´s departure, when Mark, Peter´s disciple and interpreter, transmitted also in writing what had been preached by Peter. And Luke, Paul´s follower, also wrote down in a book the evangel that had been preached by him. Later on, John, Lord´s disciple, who had rested on His breast (Jn 13,23), also published an evangel, while living in Ephesus (Asia)” (Against the heresies, 3,1,1).

scribe15.- Mathew´s Hebrew text (arameo) has been lost. Nevertheless, Pantenus, who headed Alexandria’s catechesis school about year 180 and was sent like a Evangel´s herald “till the Indian countries”, “found that Mathew´s evangel had preceded in his arrival amidst some inhabitants of the country that already had met Christ: Bartholomew’s, one of the apostles, had preached them and characters, writing that they still were keeping” (Eusebius, HE, V, 10,2-3)

6. – In the prologue of his evangel, Luke gives us precious indications upon the process of formation of the evangels: “ Many have tried to orderly write down the events that have taken place among us, writing down what were told by the first witnesses who become ministers of the Word” (Lk 1,1-2). We find here three levels: the orderly narration (the redaction), the events that have taken place between us (what is related, Jesus´ history), the transmission of those who were ocular witnesses and word´s ministers (oral and written tradition). Luke assumes the intent: “ Yet after I myself had carefully gone over the whole story from the beginning, it seemed good to me to write an orderly account for you, Theophilus, so that your Excellency may know the truth of all you have been taught” (Lk 1,3-4).

7.- What we know about Mathew´s evangel is the greek text. Like it reaches us, it presents Jesus´ sentences or words (the document known like Q, from the german Quelle fountain, common to Mathew and Luke) and it assumes a large part of Mark´s evangel. It has three large blocks: the evangel of the infancy (1,1-2,23), what Jesus said and made (3,1-25-46), the Passover mystery (26,1-28,20).

8.- Mathew´s addressees are jews, which have Abraham like their father (Mt 3,9), but that go away from the jewish official doctrine, when they convert to the Evangel. The conflict is unavoidable. For many, the jews who become Jesus disciples are a sect (Acts 24,14), that is prosecuted everywhere (28,22), but they understand that they continue being as much jews, as much believers like before.

9.- If Mathew published amidst the Hebrew his evangel, Jerusalem community would have some thing to do in it, above all, the arameo language jewish sector, headed by James, Lord´s brother (Ga 1,19). In Jerusalem, says James, many are the jews who embrace the faith and all of them are fervent adherents to the Law (Acts 21,20). Through Paul we know that in Jerusalem, James, Cefas and John were considered like pillars (Ga 2,9). Clement of Alexandria (about year 190) praises those “men, who kept the true tradition of the blessed teaching that comes in right line from the saint apostles, from Peter and James, from John and Paul” (Eusebius, HE, V, 11,5)

10.- In a special way, Mathew´s evangel collects the experience from the scribe who becomes disciple: It is like the owner of the house who takes out from the chest the new and the old things (13,52). But, in the scribe’s chest, where is the new and where is the old? Besides, can a scribe become a disciple? This evangel tells us how. On his own, the scribe “fully applies to meditate the law of the Highest” and teaches to many “the received instruction” (Eclo 39,1-11). The scribe Ezra presents the book of the law to the people, clearing and interpreting its sense (Ne 8, 1-10). But not all are like this. The scribes who go down to Jerusalem say about Jesus: He is possessed by the devil (Mk 3,22).

11.- A matter is important for Mathew and for the scribe who becomes disciple. In Jesus the plenitude of what is written down is accomplished, he is the Messiah (anointed), son of David, son of Abraham (1,1). In Jesus conception the Scripture is accomplished: He will be named Emmanuel which means God-with-us (1-23); in the wise men narrative : he will be born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea (2,5); in the escape to Egypt: I called my son out of Egypt (2,15); in the killing of the innocents: it is Rachel who cries for her children (2,17); in the return to Nazareth: he will be named Nazarene (2,23); in the beginning of his mission: the people who lived in darkness have seen a great light (4,16); in several cures: He took away our infirmities and took on himself our diseases (8,17);  in his function like the Lord´s servant: Here is my servant… I will put my spirit upon him (12,18); when teaching through parables: Much as you hear, you do not understand (13,14), I will speak through parables. I will proclaim thing kept secret since the beginning of the world (13,35); in the entrance into Jerusalem: See, your king comes to you in all simplicity, riding on a donkey (21,4); in the Judas ending: and they took the thirty pieces of silver (27,9)

12.- Mathew collects what Jesus said in collections or series of sayings. A first series takes the kingdom of God announcement, the Gospel novelty. The Gospel is announced amidst congratulations and beatitudes: Fortunate! (5,7), and in this manner for nine times, you are the salt of the earth… you are the light of the world (5, 13-16). The disciples are the true continuators of the living tradition. Jesus is the new Moses, who takes the Law to its plenitude: Do not think that I have come to remove the Law and the Prophets. I have not come to remove, but to fulfill them (5,17). The traitors are just the representatives of the official doctrine, with their legalism and formalism. They are the ones who really betray what they pretend to defend. With God´s grace the Gospel new Law can be accomplished and it transforms the man: I tell you then, that if you are not righteous in a better way than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (5,29). The contrast that appears in the formula: you have heard that it was said… but I tell you… alerts the disciples over the existing difference with the old Law.

13.- So, you not only will not have other gods (Dt 5,7), but above all you will look for the Kingdom of God and his justice (6,33). You not only will not take the name of Yahweh in vain (Dt 5,11), but you will not swear in any way (Mt 5,33-34), yes or no will be enough, the fraternal sincerity. You not only will keep holy the Sabbath day (Dt 5,12-15), but the Sabbath will be at the service of man (Mk 2,27), the son of man is the lord of the Sabbath (Mt 12, 8). You not only will honor your father and your mother (Dt 5,16), but all those who listen the Word will be your family (Mt 12, 46-50). You not only will not kill (Dt 5,17), but you will love your enemy (Mt 5,43-46). You not only will not commit adultery (Dt 5,18), but you will neither fornicate (Sir 41,17) nor will desire the wife of your neighbor (Dt 5,21), but you will be faithful with all your heart (Mt 5, 27-30). You not only will neither steal (Dt 5,19), nor will covet the house of your neighbor (Dt 5,21), but you will share your goods (Mt 6, 1-4). You will neither give false testimony against your neighbor (Dt 5,20), nor will lie (Pr 12,22), but you will exculpate, forgive (Mt 18,21-22) and you will walk on the truth (Jn 8,32), you will talk frankly and with no fear (Mt 10, 26, 33). All of it without forgetting the charity in secret, the personal prayer, the Our Father, the fast, the true treasure, the necessary option between God and the money, the faith in God, the fraternal love, the two ways, the accomplishment of Jesus word in a practical way (Mt 6-7).

14.- The second series of Jesus sayings reflects the mission of the twelve: Go and proclaim the message: the kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. You receive this as a gift, so five it as a gift  (Mt 10, 7-8), look, I send you out like sheep among wolves. You must be clever as snakes and innocent as doves… Everyone will hate you because of me (10,16-22), don´t be afraid… what I am telling you in the dark, you must speak in the light, and what you hear in private, proclaim from the housetops (10,26-33), do not think that I have come to establish peace on earth (10, 34-36), whoever does not take up his cross and com after me is not worthy of me (10,37-39), he who welcomes you welcomes me, and he who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me… And I promise you if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, because he is a disciple of mine, he will not go without a reward. (10, 40-42).

15.- The third series of sayings collects the parables of the kingdom of God: The sower went out to sow (13,3), a man sowed good seed in his field, but when everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and left (13,24-25), the kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed (13,31), like the yeast which rises the mass of dough (13, 33), like a treasure hidden in a field (13,44), like a pearl of exceptional quality (13, 46), like a fishing net that catches every kind of fish (13, 47)

16.- The fourth series of sayings reflects the life of the community: Whoever makes himself like this child this child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven (18,4), if anyone should cause one of these little children to stumble and fall, it would be better for him to be thrown into the depths of the sea with a great millstone around his neck (18,6), if a man has one hundred sheep and one of them strays, will he not leave the ninety nine on the hills to go and look for the stray one? (18-12), the fraternal correction (18,15-18), the common prayer (18, 19-20), the offences forgiveness (18, 21-22) and the parable of the servant without entrails (18,23-35).

17.- The fifth series of sayings collects the Scribes and Pharisees denouncement: Therefore, woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees; you close the door and prevent people from entering the kingdom of Heaven! You neither enter nor allow those who were entering to do so… Serpents, race of vipers! How can you escape condemnation to hell? From now on, I will send you prophets, wise men and teachers, but you will behead and crucify them, and flog others in the synagogues or drive them from one city to another… (23,13-35) The same denouncement falls over this generation and upon Jerusalem, the one that murders the prophets and stone those sent to you by God (23, 36-37) The kingdom of God will be taken off them.. A signal of this will be the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

18.- The sixth series of sayings is centred over the signals of the end, the future that is coming: not stone will be left upon another (24,2), be on guard and let no one mislead you(24,4) nations will fight one another, and kingdom oppose kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in several places (24,7), they will arrest you, and they will torture and kill you, and you will be hated because of my name (24,9), this Gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world for all the nations to know (24, 14),   when you see the idol of the invader… let those in Judea to flee to the mountains (24, 15),    the coming of the Son of man will be like the lighting which flashes from the east even to the west (24,27-28),  the whole universe will be shaken (24, 29-31), fig tree parable (24,32-35), invitation to be alert (24, 36-44), parable of the wise servant (24, 45-51), the ten bridesmaids (25, 1-13), the parable of the talents (25, 14-30), the nations judgement (25, 31-46). The nations will be judged by the attitude adopted towards the disciples.

19.- It is not important only what he said and made, but also what happened to Jesus. In the process followed against him, the high priest says: In the name of the living God, I command you to tell us: Are you the Christ, the Son of God? Jesus answered: It is just like you say. I tell you more; from now on, you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Most Powerful God and coming on the clouds of heaven (26,63-64). It is what is later on accomplished, the message received by Mary Magdalena and the other Mary: Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen as he said… Now go at once and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead and is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there (28, 5-7). The crucified is going ahead to Galilee, he has raised, he is the Lord. The mission of the disciples is universal: I have been given all authority in heaven and earth. Go and make disciples from all nations… teaching them to fulfill all I have commanded. I am with you always until the end of this world (28,19-20). The scribe who becomes disciple shelters Jesus´ word and acknowledges his mysterious presence

 

*          Dialogue:

- What does Mathew´s evangel adduce to us?

- May a scribe become a disciple?

- In the scribe´s safe, where are the new things and where the old ones?

- We shelter Jesus´ word

- We acknowledge his mysterious presence.