February 28,
2016 ~ Day 19
My 2016 Lenten Journey: Exploring the
Gospels to discover what following Jesus and becoming more like him would look
like? ‘And I, when I am lifted
up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32 NRSV).
Matthew
7:6 ~ “Do not give what
is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will
trample them under foot and turn and maul you.” This is a most
troubling verse, made even more troubling by its position immediately following
the passage condemning double standards.
In Rabbinic writings of the period, dogs and pigs were metaphors for
gentiles; and at least once Jesus made such a reference (Matthew 15:21-28).
I’m going to go out on a limb here; so follow me carefully. It will
be difficult for some of you. It’s not easy for me.
Jesus was called, “Rabbi,” and we may thus assume he was schooled in
rabbinic tradition. We also acknowledge him as Christ, and Christians generally
tag his baptism and wilderness temptation as the point at which he became fully
aware of and accepted his calling as Messiah/Christ. There also is evidence throughout
the New Testament that from the temptation in the wilderness to the final
surrender in Gethsemane, he struggled to know how to embody the fusing of
divinity and humanity that was his calling (and which I believe is the calling
of all who choose to follow him).
All this will be difficult for many who are uncomfortable with any
portrayal of weakness or uncertainty or struggle in Jesus. But the evidence is ample:
“For we do not
have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have
one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15 NRSV). The “yet without sin”
does not reduce the impact of the “testing”; rather, it magnifies the
significance of his victory over sin.
Franky, unless
Jesus struggled and questioned his calling, he offers no point of contact with
which I can identify and follow; thus, he remains a gnostic apparition, and I
have no idea how, as a human, I can relate to him. So I’ll accept his struggle
and simply trust in that final phrase, “yet without sin,” as the evidence of
his divinity.
So, here is where
I’m going to stand until I see convincing evidence otherwise: Jesus continued throughout
his ministry to grow into his identity as Christ, the Son of God. Early in his
ministry he was rooted in rabbinic tradition and believed he was sent only to
the Jews (Matthew 15:24, et. al.). Thus, his early references to gentiles as
dogs and pigs. But he remained open to God’s revelation, and increasingly
extended God’s grace (unconditional love) and restoration to all people.
I pray that I
may remain even partially as open to God’s ongoing revelation in my own life and
ministry.
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father (John
14:9 NRSV)
‘And I, when I am lifted
up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32 NRSV).
That's the way it looks through the flawed glass that is my world
view.
Together in
the Walk,
Jim
