We can discern some very strong parallels between the Old Testament reading and the New Testament Reading this morning. In the Old we read of how Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, in the New, Jesus gives us a parable of betrayal, the wicked tenants betray the landowner, and betray his son.
Why was Joseph betrayed by his brothers? Envy is an obvious motive. They were envious of the relationship Joseph had with his father, they were envious of the many gifts God had given him. But Joseph was also a very virtuous man, and perhaps his virtue made them uncomfortable, as it pointed to their own lack of virtue. The wicked do not like to be reminded of their sins and selfishness.
Jesus offered the parable of the wicked tenants to expose the motives of the Scribes and Pharisees who had already begun plotting to arrest and murder him. Why did the Scribes and Pharisees hate Jesus so? Why did they seek to silence him? Envy, perhaps. Jesus had attracted quite a following of disciples. People came to him to be healed, to be taught, and that was bad for business for the Scribes and Pharisees who prided themselves on being the religious experts—the teachers, the rabbis.
Perhaps the Scribes and Pharisees were envious of Jesus’ obvious wisdom, his purity, his goodness.
Likely, the hated him most of all because Jesus exposed their wickedness, their hypocrisy. They were play-acting at wisdom. They claimed to be pure, while full of moral corruption; they declared themselves to be good, while turning away from the call to conversion.
Why betray Jesus? Why seek to arrest and murder goodness incarnate? Because darkness abhors the light. They killed him precisely because he was good. We killed him precisely because he was good.
These readings expose the darkness within us which abhors the light, those parts of us which reject the call of conversion. We are called this Lent to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, but there are parts of us which prefer banal entertainment and pleasures to praying, which prefer indulgence & drunkenness to fasting & self-control, and selfish accumulation to almsgiving.
Those dark parts of us are precisely the parts which we must bring to the light of Christ this Lent to be converted. Let us respond to the call to conversion this Lent, not turning away from it, not thinking that it doesn’t apply to us, not exempting ourselves from it because of our many good deeds, but allowing the light of Christ to expose our inner darkness, that our selfishness may be transformed into service for the sake of the kingdom, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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