Introduction

The episode about the two greatest commandments appears in all Synoptic gospels in different contexts. In Mark and Matthew, it appears within a a series of disputations with the power groups of Jerusalem. In Luke, it appears in the context of Jesus' journey towards Jerusalem and introduces the parable about the Good Samaritan. Matthew follows the outline of Mark in presenting the episode. The Pharisees are out to "test" Jesus. In Matthew's gospel, this has been happening since the time Jesus heals a man with a withered hand in a synagogue (Matthew 12:14). The resolve then was to "destroy" Jesus (12:14). Since then, Matthew presents the question about a sign (16:1-4) and the question about divorce (19:1-12) as specific examples by which the Pharisees carry out their plan. After Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and the commotion he causes in the Temple, he is approached first by chief priests and elders who ask him about his authority, then by students and Pharisees and Herodians (22:15-22), Sadducees (22:23-33) and finally by the Pharisees themselves.

1 Peter 1:13-25 draws of the consequences of the preceding verses (vv. 3-12) to the life-style of the Christian community. Christians have been given a new birth (v. 3) into a heavenly inheritance (v. 4) through the gospel proclaimed to them (v. 12). For a little while they will be in the midst of diverse tribulations, but they are preserved by God until the moment when Christ is revealed. So now they are exhorted to have their minds prepared with hopes perfectly fixed "on the grace offered" to them until the manifestation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:3-12 is the opening berakah of the epistle. A berakah is a blessing addressed to God . In 1 Peter, it sets the theological motive for the rest of the epistle which has three main parts (Dalton, "First Epistle of Peter" in NJBC) : The Dignity of the Christian Vocation and its Responsibilities (1:3-2:10), The Witness of Christian Life (2:11-3:12), and The Christian and Persecution (3:13-5:11). The sub-section constituted by 1:3-12 is set apart from 1:13 by the word Dio, (dio) "therefore", which begins another sub-section on the vocation to holiness (1:13-2:10).

Acts 10:34-43 is Peter's kerygmatic speech to a Gentile god-fearer's household. The context of the speech is Peter's meeting with Cornelius who was instructed in a dream to send for the apostle while he was residing at Joppa. Below is the outline of Acts 10:1-48 illustrating the place of the speech.

• 1 - 8: Cornelius, his dream and his sending for Peter
• 9 - 16: Peter's dream of the unclean animals and the command for him to kill and eat.
• 17 - 23: Peter receives Cornelius' messengers
• 24 - 33: The meeting of Peter and Cornelius
• 34 - 43: Peter's Speech
• 44 - 48: The Pentecost in Cornelius' House and his baptism

Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem is recalled by the Church at the beginning of Holy Week. It is reenacted before the beginning of the Mass for Passion Sunday, so called because the Gospel proclamation for that particular day is about the Passion of Jesus. Palm fronds are used in the reenactment where olive branches would not be available. The passage about Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem is read at the doorway of the Church and is followed by the priest's entrance and procession towards the altar for the beginning of the Eucharistic celebration. In Year A, the Church reads Matthew 21:1-11 for the reenactment. Matthew's account of Jesus' entrance is not so much a report about what happened two thousand years ago, but a proclamation of the significance of Jesus' final entrance into the city that he loved and often visited (cf. the many times Jesus goes to the Temple in the Gospel of John). Matthew retells the story of Jesus' entrance in order to invite his hearers to see in Jesus the "Son of David" who chooses the way of humility and obedience and so enters his glory as the Christ (see Matthew 28:18-20)

Introduction

The account of the Passion of Jesus is the oldest layer of the Gospels, understood in its literary form. When Mark incorporated it into his Gospel, he provided other Christian writers with an impartial and descriptive record of Jesus' last days on earth. In writing his Gospel, Matthew rewrites the Passion in a way that fits his "theology" of Jesus. He is "the Christ, Son of God" who submits himself totally to the Father's will and in his person fulfills the prophecies of old. Our discussions will follow the presentation of the liturgical reading of the Passion of Jesus for Palm Sunday, Year A.

The gospel account of Jesus' raising of the dead Lazarus to life stands out among the "resurrection miracles" of Jesus because it is performed not on the newly dead but on one who is already four days in the grave. The raising of Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:35-43 and parallels) and that of the son of the widow of Naim (Luke 7:12-15) were all performed on people who just died. (Filipinos would wonder whether this be true with the case narrated in Luke since the dead young man was already being carried out to the grave when Jesus raised him. The fact is, first century Jews buried their dead on the day of death and mourning continued in the house of the deceased after burial for seven days. In 21st century Philippines, mourning precedes the burial.) John was careful to show that Lazarus was already four days buried (v.17) and that the grave already stinks of death (v.39) when Jesus performs the miracle.

The account of the healing of the man born blind in John 9:1-41 is often treated as if it were another healing miracle. A healing miracle often has the following elements:

• Jesus' attention is drawn to one who needs healing
• Jesus heals
• There is a reaction

The pattern is easily seen in the healing of Peter's mother-in-law (cf. Mk. 1:29-31 and par.), the cleansing of a leper (Mk. 1:40-45) or the healing of blind Bartimaeus (Mk. 10:46-52).