Commentary on the Gospel of

Fr. Johnson Joseph Thurackal CMF

Jesus and the disciples are on the way to Jerusalem (Mt 20:17). Jesus knows that He will laid down his life (Mt 20:8). He had already said to his disciples that they who follow the Master will carry his cross behind him (Mt 16:21,24). But the disciples did not understand what was happening (Mt 16:22-23; 17:23). Suffering and the cross did not correspond to their Messianic idea. They had not understood Jesus’ proposal. They were concerned only about their own interests. This shows clearly the tensions in the communities, both at the time of Jesus and of Matthew, as we also see in our own communities.

They faced a strong temptation of conforming to the ways of world and adapting the values not part of Jesus’ proposal. The Roman Empire controlled the world, subduing it with the force of arms and, in this way, through taxes and customs, succeeded in accumulating riches through repression and the abuse of power. Jesus visualised a different world and he was inviting his disciples to be the agents of that new system. He taught against privileges and against rivalry. He overthrew the system and insisted on the attitude of service, which is the remedy for personal ambition. The community of the disciples are called to prepare and provide an alternative. Jesus knows that the repressive and egoistic structures will disintegrate, and the followers of Jesus are called to offer an alternative way of living together. The alternative rests in the definition he gives for himself: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

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