Recently, I was listening to a reading from Matthew 24, a story I have heard many times before. However, this time something seemed out of place. Jesus is talking to his disciples about the coming of the Human One (Son of Man). He states that they do not know what day the Lord is coming, so they must keep alert. His metaphor of choice is unexpected. “But you understand that if the head of the house knew at what time the thief would come, he would keep alert and wouldn’t allow the thief to break into his house. Therefore, you also should be prepared, because the Human One will come at a time you don’t know” (Matthew 24:43-44, CEB).
Did Jesus just
compare himself to a thief? That would be disturbing. If he wanted to emphasize
the unpredictability of divine/human encounters, why didn’t he use a positive
metaphor, like an unexpected visit from a beloved relative, or a serendipitous
encounter with a long-lost friend? Why a thief? No one wants an encounter with
a thief. Such a visit invokes a sense of danger and produces fear. An
unexpected intrusion can also result in violence. In John 10, Jesus is quoted
as saying, “A thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came so that
they could have life – indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest”
(John 10:10, CEB). Jesus clearly states that he is not a thief, that he comes
to give, not take away. Even though it seems that Jesus is comparing himself to
a thief in this passage, the larger context of the Scriptures disallows this
interpretation.
Nevertheless,
some have equated God with a thief. This has, unsurprisingly, led to some bad
theology. I was exposed to this in my younger years through films like A
Thief in the Night which depicted frightening eschatological scenarios
based on Matthew 24. The depictions scared and scarred me, leaving me with the notion
that this God frightens unbelievers into becoming believers. This God is not
above stealing, killing, and destroying if it serves divine purposes. It has
taken me years to learn that the person of Jesus is nothing like this thieving God.
The more
you read through the teachings of Jesus, the more you become familiar with his
style. Often, he uses extremes and binaries to challenge assumptions. He
compares unlike things and invites his hearers to work out how they might be
alike. He provokes and argues and changes the subject and answers questions
with more questions and sometimes says nothing at all. Even Jesus’ most straightforward
teachings are incredibly challenging, mostly because they require drastic
changes in how people view and interact with the world. When we observe Jesus’
pedagogy, we begin to expect the unexpected. We look for the plot twist, the unlikely
metaphor, the shocking contrast, the challenge to our presuppositions.
So what do
we do with the passage in Matthew 24? Assuming that Jesus is not just having a
bad metaphor day, it seems likely that the jarring image of a thief in relation
to the Human One is meant to challenge the hearer in some way.
Let’s begin
by questioning our assumptions. If Jesus is not the thief, who might he be in
this metaphor? One possibility is that even though Jesus is not a thief, a
thief might be Jesus. Later in this series of teachings on the end of the age (Matt.25),
Jesus recounts a judgment scene of some sort in which he chides those who have neglected
the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned. He
then reveals that he was the hungry one, the thirsty one, the stranger, the one
who needed clothes, the sick one, and the one in prison. Could Jesus also be the
thief who is poor and desperate, stealing to provide for himself and his
family? Could the metaphor be reinforcing the notion that Jesus appears in
unexpected forms?
Another
possibility is that Jesus is contrasting himself to the thief. We see Jesus
doing this in other stories. One example is the unjust judge who metes out
justice because a persistent widow does not give up (Luke 18). The point of the
story is not that God needs to be badgered into responding to our requests, but
that God is quick to help those who call out for justice. The unjust judge is a
contrast to God, not a picture of God. Another example is the imperfect (evil)
father who knows better than to deprive his children of food or trick them
(Matt. 7). Here, God is portrayed as a good heavenly Father who goes above and
beyond the human decency expected from earthly fathers. Not all metaphors are
parallels; sometimes they are contrasts. Perhaps the thief is meant to provide a
contrast to the Human One (Son of Man). This is a thief who gives instead of
takes, who incites joy instead of fear, whose coming is like a beloved relative
or friend.
I will mention one more possibility. Perhaps Jesus is not the thief but the head of the household. In another version of the parable (Mark 13:32-37), this does indeed seem to be the case. In the parable in Mark, there is no thief; the servants are told to watch for the arrival of the head of the household. In Matthew 25, Jesus as head of the household could be inviting the disciples to be watchful like he is watchful, careful that the thief does not catch them unaware.
When we read the passages preceding and following this metaphor in Matthew 25, watchfulness
is a recurring theme. Jesus alludes to watchfulness at the beginning of chapter
24 when he cautions his disciples not to be deceived by false prophets,
betrayals, people falling away, etc. Watchfulness is also the theme of the
parable of the ten young women who are waiting for the bridegroom (Matt. 25). Like
the metaphor of the thief, the bridegroom turns out to be a less than exemplary
character (late, abrupt, and somewhat inhospitable), so we must not assume that
he represents God or Jesus. It seems fair to conclude that some of these metaphors
and parables are not meant to tell us about the character of God but to relay
some invitation to action.
Jesus urges
his disciples to be watchful against betrayal or falling away. Jesus tells a
story about watchfulness being linked to preparedness. In the events following Jesus’
teachings on the end of the age, he calls his disciples to stay awake and watch
with him while he prays in the garden (Matt. 26). Shortly thereafter, Jesus is betrayed,
and the disillusioned disciples flee. Their watchfulness still needs some
work. These stories and metaphors seem to call the hearer/reader to
watchfulness, even in dangerous or unfortunate circumstances. Especially when
the scenarios are frightening or catch us off guard or don’t make sense.
When
reading Matthew 24, it is important to note that Jesus is not a thief. Jesus comes
to give, not take away, not steal, not kill, not destroy. By invoking the
metaphor of a thief, Jesus calls us to be watchful and attentive to the difficult
and decisive moments right before us. Let us be watchful against distortions of
the good news. Let us be careful not to participate in betrayals. Let us not
let fear rule our thoughts and actions. Let us be watchful for the appearance of Jesus in
distressing disguises. Let us be present in prayer and solidarity with those
facing uncertainty, danger, and injustice. Let us be givers of life, just like
Jesus.
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