In Matthew’s concise account of the healing of the mute demoniac, I can almost hear the thoughts of the Pharisees. Faced with Jesus’ undeniable power, which leaves the crowds amazed and exclaiming, ‘Never has anything like this been seen in Israel’, the Pharisees would no doubt be thinking that, as the official leaders of Israel, they have fallen short. Since they cannot deny what was happening in front of their eyes, they resort to questioning the authority of Jesus.

It is tempting to judge the Pharisees, but we benefit from centuries of hindsight, not to mention a resurrection, an ascension, and the coming of the Holy Spirit. But to accept that Jesus was not only acting with the authority of God, but also embodying the Kingdom of God in their midst (as his actions implied) was a scandalous claim for faithful Jews who held God’s transcendence dear.

What Jesus goes on to do is even more extraordinary: he imparts this authority back to us. In the next chapter, Jesus commissions the twelve (echoing the twelve tribes of Israel), sending His disciples with His authority over unclean spirits and sickness. With this in mind, the final sentence in today’s Gospel reading takes on a significance which Matthew intends: the Lord of the Harvest (which we, if you are like me, assume is God) is Jesus Himself. And by extension, Jesus commissions us to participate in what only God can do.

By Paul Asnicar