Friday 2nd January
Read Matthew 3:9-10
“And do not think you can say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The axe has been laid to the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (NIVUK)
Already Matthew, in John’s preaching, is reinforcing the disconnect between bodily descent and secure salvation. The genealogy focussed on Abraham and David as key descendants in the line leading to Jesus – but it was likely the promises fulfilled in and by Jesus that are the true focus. For all through the genealogy we read of interlopers grafting themselves into the supposedly pure line. Interlopers with blood that would normally disqualify them from privilege.
John draws this out and calls out the presumption that bodily descent has meaning in the way they believe it has meaning. They rely on their heritage harking back to Abraham. In so doing they believe all the divine promises will eventually be fulfilled in and through them as a people. John bursts that bubble ferociously. It is not even other people that can displace them – God can replace them with inert, unfeeling, rocks.
The true mark of someone who is an heir to the promises given to Abraham is the production of good fruit, not the possession of good genes. To a church wrestling with its heritage, this is good news indeed.
