![]() ![]() Jesus talks about separating the sheep from the goats according to whether or not they have done the following: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’’ (Mt. The narrative that follows is a familiar one. ![]() And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” (Mt. He says, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. In the reading today we hear Jesus describing the scene that will occur when he returns. 25:1-13) and “The Parable of the Talents” (Mt. This passage appears as a follow up to the parables concerning the end of times from the last two weeks: “The Parable of the Ten Virgins” (Mt. One such example is found in our reading from Matthew for today in a passage titled “The Judgment of the Nations” (Mt. In the Gospels, the evangelists take several opportunities to compare Jesus to this new leader who will shepherd God’s people. The promise for the sheep continues with the appointment of a new leader from the line of David, with whom God will renew the covenant (Ezek. I will judge between one sheep and another, between rams and goats.” (Ezek. ![]() God also issues a warning to the leaders of Israel as a punishment for their poor leadership, “But the sleek and the strong I will destroy. The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, and the sick I will heal.” (Ezek. I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark. God promises to personally care for the lost sheep: “As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep. 34:1-6).Įzekiel says that the scattered sheep, those who have been sent into exile, will be removed from the treacherous shepherds and taken into God’s possession, where they can be protected and cared for in the restored land of Israel (Ezek. They have kept the choice commodities for themselves, they have not helped the sick or injured, they have plundered the people’s possessions, and they have let them stray to false worship (Ezek. These leaders are condemned for the mistreatment they have given to their sheep, the citizens of Israel. One specific message that God sends Ezekiel to preach is directed toward the shepherds of Israel, the leaders in Jerusalem. Like most of the other prophets, the message of Ezekiel contained oracles against Judah and Jerusalem for their sins of apostasy and injustice, as well as words of hope and restoration for the Jewish people. The mission of Ezekiel was to prophecy to the people in exile who were cut off from the Temple and the land. When Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonians, invaded Jerusalem, the prophet Ezekiel was among the first wave of exiles to be deported (597BC). We see how Jesus serves as a king with an image that was created by the prophets of the Old Testament, like Ezekiel, who we hear from today in a passage called “The Parable of the Shepherds” (Ezek. With his ascension, Jesus would ultimately fulfill this role taking his place at the right hand of the Father. It is also the title that Pontius Pilate ironically had placed above his head to mock Jesus as he was nailed to the cross (Jn. This is a title derived from Jesus’ announcement that the kingdom of God had arrived with his Galilean ministry (Mk. Today we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |