Reading Jewish Jesus with Titles and Layers and Life
Ōtūmoetai – 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time + Matariki 2026
Readings:What I want to say:
What I want to happen:
The Sermon
1. Introduction:
One people help me “put it back” is Jewish New Testament scholar Amy-Jill Levine
- doesn’t bring all that Christian Theology baggage when reading New Testament
- see Jesus and NT writers through Jewish eyes
- helpful given Jesus was a Jew
- all Jews
suggests that Jesus the rabbi used stories we know as parables
- in different places and people
- different tweaks and meaning in each place
more than one meaning in parable
- very Jewish way reading scripture
- depends where we put emphasis.
The Sower by Vincent van Gogh
2.
Titles
The Sower by Vincent van Gogh
said in past that titles in Bible put there by publishers
helpful in finding passages
can unhelpfully predetermine what meaning we give those passages
wonder what happens when give stories different titles
like today's
This case use title Jesus uses
® Parable of the Sower
except Jesus doesn’t talk about the sower
I wonder what words we might use to describe the sower – ask
don’t do gardening but this seems wasteful
many commentators – seen as incredibly wasteful
no way poor peasant waste precious seed in this fashion
they carefully place it in prepared soil had best chance harvest
like many Jesus stories – this is shocking picture
This sower scatters seed willy nilly
wherever
no care for chance harvest
good picture of Jesus ministry and people he spends time with
Use this as picture recklessly generous God we meet in Jesus,
- abundant God
- scatters seed life and blessing wherever and everywhere
don’t have do anything receive
there it is
scattered all over us and around us
3.
Parable
of Soils
a good thing to remember when read Gospels
3 audiences
- people Jesus talking to
- community Matthew writing for
- us
second part of today’s reading is a good example of this
Jesus explanation - Parable of Soils @@@
Jesus commenting on those oppose John and him using this parable
Matthew’s church community hearing this story in light their experience of struggle
trouble was
despite stories of amazing growth find Acts
reality was
hard work
weren’t vast numbers
a lot of opposition
not everyone stuck
persecution making life hard
numbers converts drifting away
kind of like today
- mission was and is hard
- it all feels very uncertain
early followers of the way in Matthew’s community trying make sense of that
this story offers an explanation
some were paths – seed not grow at all
some rocky ground – some response
but then heat is on – they are out of there
roots are not sunk deeply into God
some have lives full of weeds - choked response
some good soil
at one level –
all this helps us understand why mission is so hard
yes God is abundantly, recklessly generous
but soil people’s hearts not always ready
4. where are we?
I wonder then where we see ourselves
- what kind of soil are we?
- what kind of soil is this church?
danger here
becomes really tempting for those us seemingly have responded
feel pretty smug about it all
look at us
responding to God’s seeds
we must be good soil
leaves us feeling somewhat smug and self-righteous
suddenly no longer good soil
somewhere else in continuum of soils
weeds choking
our roots shriveling
yes – all us here will be good soil at times
but if we were honest
other times we will be like path
or rocky soil
or thorns will grow and choke
no better than anyone else
which takes us back to last week and
"I do the things I should not do.
I skip the things I should pursue.
I do not want to sin, I say!
And yet I do it anyway.
Gripping | Lisle Gwynn Garrity
5. Rebekah and her family
Gripping | Lisle Gwynn Garrity
like the story in our first reading this morning
ongoing story Isaac and Rebekah
two sons – Esau and Jacob
some ways extraordinary family
world where polygamy was norm
we are told Isaac only has Rebekah
even when she is barren – no children
no heirs
name, legacy, promise – disappear
Isaac stays true to Rebekah - good soil
but given picture real people in this story
many ways - this dysfunctional family
Jacob and Esau – fighting even before born
parents and sons filled with
complacency
jealously
intrigue
these do not seem to be the kind of people we would describe as good soil
not kind people on which God’s promise to all humanity hinges
yet that is exactly who they are
for all humanness
are good soil at times
history changed through them.
history littered followers of the way
who despite all their faults
despite all times they were paths, rocky soil, filled with weeds and thorns
remembered for ways they were good soil
who made real promises of God
lived Kingdom of Heaven
6. Parable of seeds and fruit
whole purpose Jesus says is to bear fruit
Might also title this story Parable of seeds and fruit
what then are seeds that are planted in us
- individuals
- church community
what is the fruit we bear when we are good soil?
many ways that has been answered over the centuries
- making new believers
- growing in our own faith
some suggest that we need to go back to the Beatitudes
Where Jesus gathers his brand new disciples
Up a hill
 |
| view from Mount of Beatitudes |
Overlooking their world
All they had known of life
With all its grief and despair
Violence always lurking on the edge
Poverty defining each day
Jesus looks around
At his new disciples
And those others who saw them go
Who tagged along to listen in
Gesturing at this world he says @@@
Imagine a world where the most important people are the poor in spirit,
How different would this world be
Can you imagine a world where we look up to those who mourn,
Or where people aspire to be like the meek.
That is what the reign of God looks like
I long for people to join me in honouring those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
where we all revere the merciful.
Not powerful
Imagine a world where the pure in heart receive greatest honour.
Or where children grow up aspiring to be numbered among the peacemakers.
For the sake of all you see out there
Hold in the greatest honour those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
what would this world look like?
…..
Big vision
these are the seeds that Jesus is sowing with such radical generosity
everything seems well beyond you and me
it’s just too big
Paul reminds us that it is the Spirit making a home in us that allows those seeds to come to fruit
we are good soil when we welcome the Spirit’s humbling work in our lives
join in the Spirit’s work
becoming the fruit of people living God’s mercy to all
especially those who don’t normally receive it
7. Matariki
Friday celebrated Matariki
gift from ngā iwi o Aotearoa to all people of Aotearoa
- remember those who have died,
- celebrate the present and our shared history,
- and plan for the future
opportunity to remember those who have gone before us
- were good soil
- allowed Spirit’s work within them
- bore fruit of God’s justice, hope and love
time for us to reflect on how we
- allow Spirit’s work within us
- give thanks for time we have been good soil
- living God’s mercy to all
- especially those who don’t normally receive it
Finally chance for us to consider
as we hear the Parable of the sower, the soils, the seeds and fruit
holding story of Rebekah, Isaac, Esau and Jacob
with Paul’s promise of the Spirit taking up residence within us
- what does the recklessly generous and abundant God longs for in this world
o as those seeds are being scattered within and around us
- what fruit does God we hope for
o us individuals
o us faith community of Hoani Tapu- St Johns
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