odbelongs to the culture of what would be called at a later time _talmudTorah_ (the joining of oneself to a sage in order to learn Torah fromhim).Jesus gathered disciples around himself like the tannaic rabbis wouldcontinue to do in the second century A.D. Jesus' agenda, however, wasdistinctive in that it centered on the Kingdom of Heaven. His agenda wasfirmly rooted in Israel's Torah. He never dishonored nor violated it,***but in focusing upon God's Kingdom he stretched its parameters.Jesus' demands for entering the Kingdom of Heaven were high. Among themwas a readiness to leave family, property and careers (cf. Lk. 5:11, 28;14:25-33; 18:22). After a person joined Jesus' band of disciples, thedemands for remaining at the center of God's Kingdom remained high."Give us this day our daily bread" resonates with the values andpriorities of this cultural context. Jesus expected his followers tomake moving with God's redemptive activity their priority. Oncecommitted to this program, they had no reason to worry about their basicnecessities -- food, clothing and shelter. God would take care of these.Jesus reiterated similar ideas on other occasions. Just before sendingout his disciples two by two, he said: "The harvest is plentiful, butthe laborers are few…Go your way…Carry no purse, no bag, nosandals…Whenever you enter a town and they receive you…heal the sick init and say to them, 'The Kingdom of God has come near to you'" (Lk.10:2-9). As the conclusion for a short homily on anxiety, he exhortedhis audience, "Seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and allthese things will be added to you. So, do not worry about tomorrow…Theday's troubles will take care of themselves" (Mt. 6:33-34). ("Thesethings" refers to food, drink and clothing.)These sayings of Jesus were apparently not intended as hyperbole ormetaphor. Jesus said what he meant. Our hectic lifestyles and theprosperity and materialism of modern, Western...
