Studying Matthew 6:33 within a contextual scope
(This message forms part of a Bible study on the passage of Matthew 6:33.)
The second effective method to study the passage of Matthew 6:33 refers to a contextual tool observing and analyzing the circumstances surrounding Jesus statement.
The Bible mentions passages proving that Jesus knew the thoughts of man.
A couple of years of ago, I attended a church home cell of a friend where most members held prophetic and ‘words of knowledge’ gifts. My friends had the God given ability to know some of the deepest secrets in men’s hearts, and I have known a few other people with the similar gift. As cool as the gift may sound, it may also become a burden especially when the ability allows you to read the thoughts of humans.
Humans have multiple thoughts varying from sinful, worries and anxieties, to joyful. Imagine Jesus hearing the thoughts of human on a daily basis: ‘how burdensome it might have been!'
In his journey, He was able to hear the thoughts of anxiety caused by poverty and personal needs (reference Matthew 9:35-36) and in response to those thoughts, Jesus tells them:
‘Do not worry about the food you need to stay alive or about the clothes you need for your body’.
Based on Jesus opinion regarding survival, it is possible to assume that Israel was experiencing extreme level of poverty during Jesus time. Israel was under Roman occupation and which implies that the territory was subject to pay a financial tax to Caesar thus impoverishing its people. In a socio-economic context, the compassion Jesus had towards people before performing miracles simply prove that Israel was extremely poor during his time ( reference Matthew 14:14-16, Mark 12:16-17)
Certain people tend to assume that in Matthew 6: 24-34, Jesus was speaking about spiritual needs only. Certain readers love the idea of spiritualizing the context of Jesus talk in the above mentioned passage but when we clearly read Jesus words, we can only conclude that He was speaking about a list of real material things such as:
-Food and drink to stay alive (reference Matthew 6:25)
-Clothes to cover the body (reference Matthew reference Matthew 6:25)
-He mentions the word ‘body’ (reference Matthew 6:25)
-Jesus mentions ‘money’ as competitor of God for our loyalty (reference Matthew 6:24) and money is not used as a currency of exchange in the spiritual world. Money is only used on earth.
-Jesus also mentioned the ‘wild flowers’ by saying: ‘Look (with physical eyes) at them (reference Matthew 6:28-29)
-He mentions Solomon who existed as a real earthly King (reference Matthew 6:29)
-Jesus also mentions the ‘pagans’, and pagans only belong to the earthly physical realm ( reference Matthew 6:32)
The above mentioned list clearly proves that Jesus was addressing physical needs and concerns of the people during His time in Israel. The reason why certain people have a hard time to admit this truth , is because they lack the faith to believe that God can provide their physical needs now and today. For them, it would be easier to totally convert the passage of Matthew 6:25-34 into an abstract passage. We cannot always blame them, especially if they had never experienced God’s mechanism of provisions. However, if you fall within that category, then I suggest that you read my following articles to boost your faith and elevate your understanding on God’s provision:
The context within which Jesus addresses His audience, is a real socio-economic context touching physical needs BUT in spite of His audience’s reality, Jesus still directs them at shifting their main focus from their real worries towards the Kingdom of God and the righteous life God requires of them.
What can we learn from this contextual study?
At personal level: ‘though we may have our daily legitimate worries, we are still called to be concerned above all else with the Kingdom of God and the life He requires of us. Jesus promises that God will provide for our needs. Jesus promised that our physical needs would be provided for, but we need to have the faith to believe with actions in Matthew 6:33 and we also need to submit our lives to God’s requirements.’
At societal level: ‘It is interesting to note that Jesus had compassion towards people. In spite of the fact that He commands us to seek God’s Kingdom and His righteous life first, Jesus did not ignore the needs and troubles His audience faced. In the midst of doing the will of His Father, He was also able to respond to some societal needs or crisis hitting the people of Israel.
Jesus lived Matthew 6:33 to the perfection. When we live the righteous life as required by God, we will inevitably help solve real needs in our communities or societies because living ‘the required righteous life’ involves love and true service towards God and human.
Whether we are a church or secular leaders,or believers with no titles, if we live according to God’s requirements we will inevitably solve needs around us. A ministry that ignores the physical needs around it, is not a complete ministry.
A good example can be found in Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968); I have no doubt that he lived the purpose God had in mind for him. By living to the requirements of God, Martin Luther King Jr also inevitably touched the societal real issues of his time. What would have happened if Martin Luther King Jr. had decided to live in his own way...?
The world is filled with pain, filled with people who worry about their physical needs on a daily basis. At the same example of Jesus, the church and the believers have to embrace God’s requirements of life in order to solve those problems. All you have to do is to live according to God’s requirements and you will bump against societal issues to solve:'inevitably'.
Jesus ministry was not just only about the ‘preaching part’, but it also involved real actions soothing difficult issues.
Maybe, you will not be a superstar or a historical legend. Maybe you will not solve majestic problems, but at least you will help people when you live your life according to God’s requirements.