Jesus, Birds, and Flowers (by John Frye)

Jesus, Birds, and Flowers

“Jesus’ favored form of ‘natural theology’ was to tell parables,” writes Scot McKnight in his SGBC: The Sermon on the Mount (218). In expounding Matthew 6:25-34, Scot opens the text by pressing us to wonder whether we are theists in belief, but deists in behavior. How does the truth of God’s benevolent providence shape our day to day lives about day to day necessities?

Israel expressed a robust gratitude to God for his provisions as their Creator and Sustainer. “A careful reading of our text in the context of Jesus’ own radical itinerant ministry prompts us to think that our full pantries and refrigerators are playing a different game than the one Jesus and his followers played. These are words for radicals about a radical lifestyle of trusting God for the ordinaries of life while devoting oneself unreservedly toward the kingdom mission. …This passage is designed to make us feel uncomfortable about our lifestyle” (216, emphasis Scot’s).

Context, context, context. “This passage requires that we remind ourselves to whom Jesus is speaking: his disciples. He is addressing not the poor as a result of famine but instead disciples who have more or less what they need; in fact, when he sent them out later, he told them not to secure provisions or protection for their mission trips (cf. 9:35-10:14, 40-42).” Scot helps us wrestle with the meaning “Don’t worry” (‘worry’ from the Grk. term merimnao). In the present context, it is an anxious endeavor to provide for our own needs, causing a lapse in trusting a good heavenly Father Who provides. Quoting Guelich, Scot writes, “Jesus sees creation in the light of the presence of the new age” and only “in the light of the new age, the coming of the kingdom, does Jesus assure his own that the Father in heaven will act on their behalf” (218).

I found this to be profound insight: Jesus is so confident of the heavenly Father’s provision for his own because Jesus sees the future reaching back into the present, thus transforming God’s providence into fascinating kingdom energy. Birds and flowers shape the disciples’ faith. Context: the promise of God the Father’s provision is welded tightly to the disciples’ obedience to mission. Jesus does not want his followers to be like the pagans who are consumed by the pursuit of temporal necessities (v. 32). Jesus’ disciples have bigger fish to fry: announcing and demonstrating the arrival of God’s kingdom on earth (v. 33). With “kingdom,” the Story is now realized. With “righteousness,” God’s will is now being done on earth as it is in heaven. The kingdom is to be such a consuming daily focus for Jesus’ disciples that they do worry about tomorrow (6:34, some wisdom from Below).

In the section Live the Story, Scot shares his rebuttal to those who question Jesus’ wisdom and who detract from God’s benevolent providence. The main error many make is forgetting to whom Jesus is speaking and prying the promises of God’s provision away from the central kingdom mission. Jesus is not talking about world hunger and the desperate plight of all people in need. “He [Jesus] is not an economist. He’s talking to first-century Galilean disciples who have access to provisions in their Galilean context. … There is no reason to think God doesn’t still provide for those sent on mission. More importantly, those called will learn to trust God” (222-223). There is also no reason to use this text to be lazy and irresponsible. Jesus does not call us to be care-less about provisions but to be carefree (223). Amen.