Breaking the Word

GOSPEL READING: LUKE 16:19-31

The story of the prodigal son presented to us the mercy of the Father, forgiveness of sin and the working of the grace of God. This story presents us with the wrath of God. Jesus was preaching against the worldliness and the Pharisees were making fun of it. For the Pharisees worldliness (wealth) was a sign of God’s favour.

The tendency of the Gospel of Christ was to reconcile us to poverty and affliction and to arm us against temptation to worldliness and sensuality. This parable presents to us that the poor godly people, whom men neglect and trample upon, die away out of their miseries, and go to heavenly bliss and joy, which is made the more pleasant to them by their preceding sorrows; and that rich epicures, who live in luxury, and are unmerciful to the poor, die, and go into a state of insupportable torment. The parable presents that this world has a reference to the other world.

இந்த உவமை வழியாக நம்மை ஏழ்மையோடும் துன்பங்களோடும் வாழ வழிசொல்லுகிறார் இயேசு. உலக செல்வங்களால் வரும் சோதனைகளை தவிர்க்கச் சொல்லுகிறார். இந்த உலக வாழ்வு மறுஉலக வாழ்வோடு தொடர்பு கொண்டது என்பதும் விளக்கப்படுகிறது.

GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 20:17-28

Jesus answers the mother but the content of the answer is addressed to the sons (disciples). In his answer he reproves the ignorance and error of their request. They dreamed of a temporal kingdom but Christ’s kingdom was not of this world. They did not know what it was to sit on the right and left of the Father.

The disciples thought, when they had left all what they had for Christ, and had gone about the country preaching the gospel of the kingdom, all their service and sufferings were over, and it was now time to ask, What shall we have? As if nothing were now to be looked for but crowns and garlands; whereas there were far greater hardships and difficulties before them than they had yet met with. They imagined their warfare was accomplished when it was scarcely begun.

சீடர்கள் இயேசுவோடு பயணித்து இறையாட்சியை போதித்திருக்கிறார்கள். புதுமைகள் ஒருசில செய்திருக்கிறார்கள். துன்ப துயரங்களில் அதிகமாக இன்னும் பங்கேற்க வில்லை. அதற்குள் அவர்கள் பலன்களை எதிர்பார்கிறார்கள். பலன்களை எதிர்நோக்கி வாழ்வது இறையாட்சிப்பணி வாழ்வு அல்ல.