who are sitting in market places and who are calling to each other saying. “We piped to you and you did not dance. We lamented and you did not mourn” For John did not come either eating or drinking and they say

“He has a demon.” The Son of man came both eating and drinking and they say “Behold a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners.” Indeed wisdom is justified from her works." (Note: Text is mainly a paraphrase of the Literal translation in the RSV Interlinear Greek-English New Testament, 1988)

In terms of the “kingdom of heaven” being a balance between a society based on time (law) and a society based on place (order) there is relevance in the discussions above. Jesus recapitulates on the efforts made by people over the centuries to set up a society which will provide a secure environment. In doing so they have tried to use force to achieve this e.g. in the imposition of law or the imposition of order. Inevitably these two are tied together. But the gospels demonstrate that they also are separate entities and either one can be over-stressed. Over-stress is not likely to work as each of them has intrinsic weaknesses and needs to be balanced out by the other. Matthew presents Jesus' mention of the presence of Wisdom which produces an environment of internalised law which in turn leads into balanced order.

2 Excuses

11:20-24

... More tolerable for Sodom

11:20 - 24 Then he began to reproach the cities in which many of his powerful deeds had been performed because they did not repent. “Woe to you Chorazin. Woe to you Bethsaida. If the powerful deeds which had happened in your cities had happened in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago. However I tell you. It will be more tolerable for

Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you Capernaum. Have you not been exalted as far as heaven? So you shall descend as far as Hades. If the powerful deeds which have happened in you had happened in Sodom it would have remained until the present time. However I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

3 Relieves

11:25-30

.. Yoke is easy

11:25-30 At that time Jesus answered someone saying. “I thank you Father, Lord of heaven and earth because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent people and have revealed them to infants. Yes Father such was your good pleasure. Everything was delivered by my Father and nobody fully knows the Son except the

Father. Neither does anyone fully know the father except the Son and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal him. Come to me all those who are labour and have been burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me because I am meek and lowly in heart and you will find rest in your souls. For my yoke is gentle and my burden light

It has already been pointed out that the analysis of Reality Search shows how it is the child that can move comfortably between the society based on law (time) and the society based on order (place). The gospel writers have presented Jesus through their frameworks as an ‘adult child’. Obviously as a human being Jesus would have been convinced of the validity of his ‘new teaching’. He is trying here (above) to convince his hearers that it is not all that hard to follow, but it will get results.

4 Prophesies

12:1-21

Nations will hope (c/f cornfields)

12:1-21 At that time Jesus went through the cornfields on the Sabbath and his disciples who were hungry began to puck ears of corn and eat them. But the Pharisees on seeing this said to him. “Look your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” He replied to them “Did you not read what David did when he was hungry as also those with him? Do you recall how he entered into God’s house and ate the loaves set forth which were not lawful for either himself or the others with him to eat? Were they not for the priests only? Or did you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath (by working) and yet are guiltless? I tell you that there is a greater thing here than the temple. If you knew what was meant by “Mercy I desire and not sacrifice” then you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath. ” (Note: 2nd half re Sabbath issue) And (then) removing from there he came into their synagogue. Behold there was a man there whose hand had withered and they questioned him (Jesus) saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the

Sabbath? They did this in order that they may accuse them. So he said to them. “Which man amongst you who has sheep and if one falls to a ditch on a Sabbath will not lay hold of it and pull it out? Yet how much more the value of a man is as compared to a sheep. So it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath. Then he says to the man “Stretch forth your hand.” And he stretched it forth and it was made as healthy as the other. And going out the Pharisees took counsel against Jesus so that they might destroy him. But Jesus knowing this departed from there. Many followed him and he healed them all. He warned them that they should not make him known so that what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet may be fulfilled, that is “Behold my servant whom I chose. He is my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him and he will announce my judgement to the nations. He will not strive nor shout nor will anyone in the streets hear his voice. He will not break the bruised read and he will not quench the smoking flax until he has put brings justice to victory. In his name the nations will hope.”

Here “the nations” mean the same as the Gentiles. This paragraph presents a situation showing how impractical the detailed rules of Judaism were for everyone to follow. Jesus urges people to internalise the law. In this way he offers a way of observing law which the Gentiles (c/f those using an order-based society) will find valuable. His approach is pleasing to the Father that is, the Originator of the Universe