Keys of the Kingdom

QQUICK

QUIZ 1 Which musician recently published the memoir Surrender? 2 In Scrabble, how many points is the letter ‘J’ worth? 3 In which year did Andy Murray first win Wimbledon?

4A ANSWERS 1. Bono. 2. Eight. 3. 2013. 4. St David. 5. Tom Hanks. 6. Revelation. Who is the patron saint of Wales? Which actor voiced Woody in the film Toy Story? What is the name of the last book in the Bible? 5 6

In this occasional series, Nigel Bovey unlocks the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven, which Jesus speaks to his disciples about in Matthew’s Gospel The unmasked Kingdom

IN his teaching, Jesus defines who will be ‘least in the Kingdom

of Heaven’ and who will be called ‘great’. The latter description, Jesus says, applies to ‘whoever practises and teaches these commands’ (Matthew 5:19 New International Version). This is not the only time that Jesus connects saying and doing.

A place in the Kingdom depends on consistency between words and deeds. Jesus warns: ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven’ (7:21).

Jesus observes a credibility gap among some of his listeners. He says: ‘You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me”’ (15:7 and 8).

‘Hypocrite’ is an uncomfortable word. It smacks of being fake, false and fraudulent. The avoidance of hypocrisy is a priority for those who would be considered ‘great’ in the Kingdom of Jesus lists Heaven. traits of ‘Hypocrite’ comes from a Greek term used to describe someone who’s playing a part – an hypocrisy actor. In Greek theatre, actors wore masks from behind which they delivered their lines. A hypocrite, then, is someone whose words and actions are pretend; someone who is masking their true identity.

Jesus uses this term about the Pharisees and teachers of the Law, and about their virtue-signalling behaviour. At one point in his ministry Jesus says: ‘Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to’ (23:13).

To this sin of obstructionism, Jesus lists further traits of hypocrisy: misguided enthusiasm, selective judgement, emphasis on outward appearance while ignoring the inner life and self-righteousness. Describing his targets as ‘whitewashed tombs’, Jesus defines the behaviour that has no place in the Kingdom: ‘On the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness’ (23:27 and 28).

In short, the Kingdom of Heaven is no place for pretence.