MOSES’ SEAT AND THE REST OF US

Moses’ seat! What is this thing called Moses’ seat? What does it look like? What is the color, shape, and height of it? It seems reasonable to imagine this seat is made of a material more precious than what is common to all seats. Knowing the historical place of Moses, his seat must be special and one of honor and dignity. This brief, ordinary but dramatic description of the metaphorical seat of Moses is important to portray the value placed by God on human beings who must act in his name. Indeed, Moses’ seat is a figurative representation of the authority of the law of God. Therefore, our understanding and use of it, here, is metaphorical. Moses was a great man and friend of God through whom God gave the Decalogue to His people Israel. He was the man who conveyed the divine ordinances that must be obeyed by God’s children. He had no such physical seat that people sat on, but all those who speak, interpret, and convey the divine law in various ways and places, occupy his position which is referred to as a ‘seat’.  God is the only one who brings this ‘seat’ into being, giving human beings the vocation to speak on His behalf. He confers honor and dignity to those who speak on His behalf. He adorns and prepares them to become instruments of grace and blessings upon His beloved children. 

Now, can we reveal further the occupants of this ‘seat’? In the gospel account of Matthew (23:1-12), the occupants are mentioned by the Lord. They are Scribes and Pharisees. Historically, the Scribes and the Pharisees, among other definitions and features, are well-known experts in Mosaic Law, they teach and interpret the law. The law was in theory the sole legislation both in civic and religious matters that governed the Jewish people. In our time and context, dear friends, let’s think of those who rightly fit into the occupants of the biblical Mosaic Seat. Who are those who teach and interpret the Scriptures or Word of God for us today? Members of the clergy come straight to mind. That is true. Surely, the Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, to various degrees are primarily our Scribes and Pharisees. Nevertheless, we learn God’s word not only from them but from others too. Our parents, teachers, and all those inspired by God who guides us in the ways of truth, justice, love, holiness, righteousness, and uprightness in many different ways occupy this seat of Moses. The reason we have the seat of Moses is to lead the children of God in obedience to His commands through a life of holiness, righteousness, and virtue. What lessons are there to learn from our gospel pericope about the occupants of this seat and the rest of us?

There are many lessons about our relationship to this seat but let’s consider for the time being only a few of them, and from what Jesus told us in the gospel. One explicit remark is that we should practice and observe whatever they tell us, on the one hand; and do not practice what they do on the other hand. The reason the Lord gives is that they do not practice what they preach. These words of Jesus are to be pondered on and taken seriously by both the occupants of Moses seat and all those for whom this seat is established, including the occupants. Let us take a moment and identify where we belong. Considering the different ways of occupancy, we may end up realizing that we belong to one or more groups. For instance, a parent is both an occupier of this seat in a subtle way and a listener to others who occupy this seat in another way. A cleric who is an occupier and at the same time a listener who is called to obey and observe the commands issued from the divinely established seat. Moses himself, though a conveyor of God’s law, was not exempt from the law he conveyed. When he disobeyed God (Numbers: 20:1-13), he was not spared of the wrath of God. If Moses who was so close to God (Deuteronomy 34:10) could not be spared of God’s wrath for disobedience, what about all those who are mere occupants of his seat?

Beloved brothers and sisters, we all have to pay attention to Jesus. If we find ourselves called to the “office of Moses”, an office of authority in the church, family, and society, we ought to take great care to practice what we preach and teach. We are not to be hypocrites. We are to ensure that our actions speak louder than our words. St. Francis of Assisi reminds those of us who preach the gospel to “preach it at all times and if necessary, use words”. This means that the most powerful sermons are unspoken.  Yes, our authority comes from God and our positions are esteemed but if we fail in our roles to show good example, we may not escape the wrath of God. We should always be mindful that the honor given to us by God is strictly for the humble service of God among our brethren. May we never take the position of the One and Only Master- Jesus the Lord, mindful that all earthly authority is derivative, rooted outside itself, which fact should impart humility to the bearers of such derivative authority. Indeed, all authority is grounded in the Risen Christ.

Again, beloved friends, let us be careful of being dismissive of the authentic teachings of the Lord communicated to us through the occupiers of Moses’ seat (Bishops, priests, deacons, parents, teachers in church and schools, etcetera), on account of noticing them living hypocritical lifestyles. They have a vocation to transmit to us what does not belong to them and, themselves like us, are bound in many ways by the words they convey to us. This is not in a way to excuse the hypocrisy and unfaithfulness of all those in authoritative positions. Let us recall warning of our Lord Jesus, “that servant who knew his Master’s will and does not get himself/herself ready and do it, will be severely beaten” (Luke 12:47). Also, may we remember that most people learn more from actions than from words. Regarding God’s words, personal actions and lives of all those who convey or communicate them may be very instrumental to its assimilation, but their actions or lives in themselves, cannot validate or invalidate the Divine Word which is by its nature self-validating and commands both the preachers and hearers to obey.

Lastly, all of us must strive to be both preachers and doers of God’s word. Doing implies witnessing. As Pope Paul VI beautifully puts it, “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses” (Evangelii Nuntiandi 41). Preaching and witnessing ought to be two sides of the same coin, an inseparable relationship that makes God’s word alive and active in us as God’s children. Let us continue to examine our consciences even as we reflect on our various relationships to the “Seat of Moses”.

                                                                                                          Fr. Emmanuel Madu.

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