Tuesday 21 February 2023

Background

Today is traditionally marked as ‘Shrove Tuesday’, the day before the beginning of Lent, when Christians would be encouraged to confess their sins and receive forgiveness before the beginning of the Lenten fast. In today’s reading we have a very relevant call to take a look at our own role as part of the exploitation of others. This short passage continues the theme of true and false shepherds, good and bad leaders. God’s judgement will, says Ezekiel, sort out the exploiters and their victims. The promise is that a new David will come to represent God’s good and just rule. This hope would later develop into the hope for a Messiah – one anointed to be king. Although we often think of judgement as something negative, Ezekiel is clear that God’s judgement uncovers the truth and vindicates the victim as it condemns the perpetrator.

Christians reading this passage will be reminded of Matthew 25:31-46. This is Jesus’s famous parable of the sheep and goats, with God separating those who have served Christ in ‘the least of these’ from those who have failed to do so. Jesus’ list of actions that serve the needy is very similar to Ezekiel’s list of how God will act out the role of good shepherd: feeding, clothing, visiting. We might also be reminded of 1 Corinthians 11, where Paul chastises the Corinthian Christians for using the Lord’s Supper as an expression of greed rather than mutual service.

To Ponder:

• What are your feelings about God’s judgement after reading this passage?
• Where have you seen examples of servant leadership?