Matthew 1 Has No Maccabees

Unless you’re a Jew or a Bible scholar, you’ve probably never heard of the Maccabees.

The one’s I’m talking about are NOT the British rock band

Nor are they the Yeshiva University N.Y. basketball team

The Jewish Maccabees were a revolutionary group in the 2nd century BC who revolted against the Selucid Empire (Greeks) trying to wipe out all traces of Judaism in Palestine. Their guerilla tactics where very successful and although they could not withstand the might of the Greek army, they did manage a negotiated peace where they could openly practice Judaism.

Some thought that they were God’s answer to centuries of domination by others. Some thought that out of these would come the promised Messiah who would restore the kingdom to the house of David and make Israel a great world power once more. This was the answer to all the prophecies and all the promises God had made to his people about their glorious future.

But it didn’t happen. The Maccabees lasted until the middle of the 1st century BC when the Romans arrived, replaced the Maccabean kings with Herod the Great. The revolutionary experiment that lasted a century was over. Jews were once more a subjugated people.

What has this got to do with Matthew 1? Nothing. And that’s the point.

When I read the genealogies in the Bible, I often struggle because I don’t know who these people are. It’s like looking at old family photographs belonging to my parents or grand parents. There are all these people who might as well be total strangers because I have no names and no stories. I’m wondering ‘Why are they here?’

When I read the list of names in Matthew chapter 1, it’s not too bad because we know something about the first 30 or so names. But those in Matthew 1.12-15 are largely unknown except in some legends, and even then, it’s uncertain who they are. So I think, ‘Why are they here?’

Then I read someone who said, ‘There are no Maccabees’ and the penny dropped.

This genealogy is about God’s plan to save the world. It includes 4 women of very questionable background: women who committed incest and adultery, were prostitutes, came from rejected peoples. Not the kind of women that you would normally associate with the family of God.

But that’s really our problem isn’t it? God values them. God accepts them. God has a place for them even to be ancestors of Jesus Christ. God could include them because they were people who trusted their lives to him.

The Maccabees had good motives. They were trying to restore Judaism. God had a much bigger plan. He wanted to restore the world. The Maccabees used force and violence, sometimes bribery and corruption.

God used unknown people to say his plan is better, more mysterious, and more complete. God was saying, ‘I don’t need you. You need me.’ It is not military power, or clever diplomacy or wealth or government that will save the world. It is God alone.

That’s why those verses in Matthew have names unknown. That’s why there are no Maccabees. People can try, but God succeeds.

Whose plan are you trusting?

Exciting times ahead

It’s been a couple of busy weeks since getting back to work. I haven’t actually said anything in our Sunday service yet. Our leaders are so well organized that they’re running everything. Although there might be a couple of hiccups in the background, nobody noticed anything. I was able to sit with the members and focus my attention on worshipping God. Very nice.

This Sunday will be the first time I will speak in an official capacity. It was a bit of a struggle.  The topic was Joseph and his Brothers based on Genesis chapter 50.This was a topic that I had set last year and it was to close our series on the book of Genesis.

However in the past 10 days, it became quite clear to me that our Lord had another message for the church. So here’s my dilemma: to go with our program, to try and merge the two, or to just go ahead with what God really wants me to say. I did spend several hours looking at the text of Genesis 50 and the clear message from that text is: People might do evil to us but God will work it out for our good. But there was just no way I could talk about that faithfully and what God wants me to say.

I hope you will think that this should not be an issue. Just do what God wants. But that’s the point isn’t it? Of course I should do what God wants. Of course I should be free to toss out what God doesn’t want. Yet this is a choice you and I face every day. Are we going to be faithful to our Lord, or not? Are we going to love our God with more than words, or not? Am I going to be God’s man, or not? That’s the question.

I decided that it’s actually too difficult to NOT do what God wants. Joseph and his brothers will have to wait for another time.

This Sunday I hope we will hear what God wants us to hear. I hope I will say what God wants me to say. Pray for me. I think this might be the beginning of some exciting times in our church.

And so the adventure begins…