I've been sharing my
personal journal of my Lenten journey. Instead of “giving up” something for
Lent, I've decided to “take on” something. Specifically, I’m taking on the
challenge of learning to “Read the Bible Like (sic) Jesus Did.”
I'm fascinated by the way
unplanned events in life sometimes line up in unexpected and explainable patterns. A buddy plays with the cigarette lighter in my car and drops
it, burning a nickel-sized hole on the seat. As a result, I have to replace the seat
covers. Had Whites Auto Store not been a half-block from where I worked, I
might have gone to Western Auto or Sears and I’d have missed her, because she left
on vacation with her family and then returned to School at TCU.
But there I was, walking
into Whites Auto Store to buy seat covers, and there she was. 51-and-a-half
years later, we’re still soul mates.
Had I not taken that Thomas
Bandy book to read on the flights to and from General Assembly in 2005, the
cumulative understandings of 45 years of ministry would not have taken the
specific turn it took. Had I not been pressured into early retirement three
months later, I probably would never have taken time to develop that new
direction. Had I not served as Interim Minister in Trenton, Missouri, I’d not
have found that Edward Hammett book that was left in the desk—the book in which
I found the concept that united all my work and study so that new direction finally
made sense.
In either story, had any
link of the chain been omitted, who knows where life would have taken me? I don’t
believe life is scripted and planned so that everything happens for a reason. I
don’t believe humans are puppets or robots and God pushes buttons and
manipulates strings to make things happen.
But I do believe God is
present, and that sometimes events string together in unexpected and
unexplained ways. And I believe those two observations are somehow related. I
don’t understand; but for now, I choose to celebrate the Serendipity of God in
life.
Had I not read Edward Hammett’s
book I might never have made the connections regarding the relationship between
the Millennial Generation and the church. Millennials don’t want doctrines or
rules or archaic (and usually ineffective, sometimes even counterproductive) organizational
structures. They want to know how to follow Jesus. Had I not made that
connection, my eye may not have been drawn to the title of Derek Flood’s book, Disarming Scripture: Cherry-Picking
Liberals, Violence-Loving Conservatives and Why We All Need to Learn To Read
the Bible Like Jesus Did (my underlining.)
But here I am, deep into the book, and if you've been following these blogs you’ll recognized that I’m stuck on high center
while the impact sinks in. For the first time in my life the contradictions in
the Bible make sense. I've spent a lifetime in damage control—trying to defend
the Scriptures by explaining away the contradictions.
Well, guess what! I rediscover
that the Scriptures don’t need my defense! Once again I’m challenged to let the
Scriptures speak for themselves without trying to make them say what I learned
in Sunday School.
The contradictions are there intentionally,
and are part of the message! They represent the ongoing debate of the community
of faith, struggling to discern the nature and will of God.
One side of the debate
sees God as territorial, vengeful and blood-thirsty; a warrior calling for genocide,
dashing babies’ heads against rocks and disemboweling pregnant women! This
perspective is the more ancient of the two sides, probably the residue of pagan
superstitions that surrounded the Israelites and continued to influence the practice
of their faith.
The other side relates to Melchizedek,
the mysterious figure who blesses Abram in Genesis 14 and to whom the risen
Christ is compared in Hebrews 7. Melchizedek is the “King of Salem” (or Shalom);
and it’s interesting that in one rabbinic interpretation Messiah would be
called “Prince of Peace (Shalom)”.
This second side of the
debate was largely ignored until the 8th century prophets begin calling
for justice in place of sacrifice and mercy in place of ritual incantations.
Following Babylonian
captivity (ca. 586 – 516 BCE), the debate was fully developed in the diverse Jewish
expectation of a messiah. Would messiah be a military/political hero who would
lead Israel in conquest over Israel’s enemies? Or would he be the Suffering
Servant of the second part of Isaiah: one who would not break a bruised reed or
snuff out a smoldering wick; but would be faithful to justice (Isaiah 42:3
& Matthew 12:20).
Which would Messiah be: a
warrior/king like David (it’s interesting in this context to remember that God
would not allow David to build a temple because David had drawn blood!), or a
selfless healer and reconciler of humanity?
The debate peaked in the
confrontations between Jesus and the leaders of the religious establishment.
And as Jesus quoted the Scriptures, it’s not that he “cherry-picked” the sweet,
gentle passages. He took sides. He made his stand on one side of the debate!
In Luke 4, for example, Jesus’
audience longed for God’s wrath. They believed—like so many Jews and Christians
still do today—that justice is fulfilled by the destruction of their enemies.
Jesus challenged this common religious belief.
This violent view was at
the heart of the common Jewish hope that Messiah would come in vengeance: a warrior
king who would vanquish the pagan oppressors and restore Israel to its glory.
So, in Luke 4:16-30, when
the people hear that Jesus will work to liberate the people from their
oppression, they are pleased. But, when they understand that this will involve
showing grace and not vengeance to Gentiles, they become furious with Jesus and
try to kill him.[1]
Jesus had chosen part of a text (Isaiah 61:1-2) which
contained elements of both sides of the debate; but Jesus didn't ignore the
remainder. He totally rejected it. He
took sides; and that realization impacts the way I read…
…the rest of the story.
That’s the way I see it
through the flawed glass that is my world view.
Together in the
Walk
Jim
[1] Derek Flood, Disarming
Scripture: Cherry-Picking Liberals, Violence-Loving Conservatives and Why We
All Need to Learn to Read the Bible Like Jesus Did (San Francisco: Metanoia
Books, 2014) Kindle edition, Location 938f.
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