My 2016 Lenten Journey--Day 39

March 19, 2016 ~ Day 39

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 12:21-37 ~ More controversies with the Pharisees—a standoff in which Jesus demonstrates some convincing logic, then follows up with one of the most difficult and mysterious sayings in the Gospels.

There are Pharisees connected with virtually every religion. They are the ones that have it all figured out and reduced to a mathematical formula: do this and don’t do that and you’ll “get it right.” Rules and rituals equal justification.

Jesus starts with a different premise; thus, his logic is different. Jesus doesn’t begin with rules, although he affirmed “the law and the prophets” (they’re not the same as rules and rituals). Jesus begins with a concept of righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees.

It’s interesting that in the original languages of both the Hebrew and Christians Scriptures, the same word is translated “justice” and “righteousness.” Based on their scriptural roots, those two words mean essentially the same; thus, a righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees is a righteousness based upon justice, rather than on rules and rituals. So said the prophets. So said Jesus.

In this passage, Jesus casts out a demon, but the Pharisees, who already have judged him because he won’t cow-tow to their rules and rituals, say he did it by the power of the prince of Demons.

Jesus response is incredulous: “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?” Then he asks, “By whose power do your exorcists cast out demons?”

What follows is that troubling saying about the “unpardonable sin.” Theories abound as to what Jesus intended by this saying; but, they all are speculation. The only qualification Jesus uses is that it is a sin “against the Holy Spirit”. What distinguishes a sin against the Holy Spirit from any other category of sin is left open. I will point out that Jesus did say that people will be forgiven for “every sin and blasphemy” except this one. Every sin and blasphemy.  

When in doubt, look at context: (2) the casting out of a demon and a subsequent encounter with Pharisees who confront him with poorly conceived, illogical accusations, (2) a discourse about a divided house not standing and (3) any who are not for me are against me. I suggest that the latter statement is tied to the previous discourse, implying that Jesus’ “house” is not divided.

Perhaps, then [and like virtually every other suggestion, this is speculation (but informed by my understanding of Scripture and of Jesus)], the “unpardonable sin” relates to division within the “house” of Jesus.

The conclusion of the passage seems crystal clear by comparison: “A tree is known by its fruit.” Jesus doesn’t explain this metaphor/parable, but, while I generally like to let a biblical writer speak for himself, I can’t help thinking immediately of the “Fruits of the Spirit” listed in Galatians: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. If I’m not confident about the sin against the Holy Spirit, I certainly am clear about what fruit I should bear.

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

My 2016 Lenten Journey--Day 36

March 16, 2016 ~ Day 36

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 11:7-19 ~ “To what shall I compare this generation?”

Strains from the opening tenor aria in Handel’s “Messiah” come to mind:

“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness:

‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord!

Make straight in the desert a highway for our God!’”

Had there been any residue of doubt concerning Jesus’ self-awareness as Messiah—at least as far as Matthew is concerned—that doubt is removed in this passage. John is the messenger of Malachi 3:1. He is “the Elijah who is to come” (Malachi 4:5). And Jesus leaves no doubt as the esteem in which he holds John.

But then Jesus shifts his attention to those toward whom he has been addressing his “good news of the kingdom”:

“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,

¹⁷‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
    we wailed, and you did not mourn.’

¹⁸For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; ¹⁹the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

“We played ‘wedding’ and you wouldn’t dance; we played funeral and you wouldn’t cry.” What does it take? John was an aesthete and you called him weird. I involve myself in life, and you call a drunk and a glutton. What is it that you really are expecting?

We have rigid fundamentalists, and we have amoral liberals (sic). But nobody seems to have a clue.

Has anything changed? And yet, the closing comment of this text is, “Wisdom is known by its deeds.” A tree is known by its fruit. What's so confusing about that?

What fruit does my life bear? Paul offers a list of the fruits that are born of the Spirit. I don’t think Paul’s list is exhaustive, but it includes, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).

As I endeavor to follow Jesus and become more like him, what are the fruits by which I am known?

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

Spiritual Fruits, or Just Religious Nuts?

“By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.” ~ Galatians 5:22 (NRSV)

The sermon ended with a simple question: “What fruit does your life bear?” Afterward, she confronted me in the narthex: “You totally omitted all the context that goes before that verse—that stuff about the fruit of the flesh and all that sexual immorality.”

Never mind that of the fifteen listed fruits of the flesh, only three made any reference to sexual immorality. Of the dozen remaining fruits (idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing), most of which she (and I) commit regularly, if not daily, eight relate to animosity in human relationships.

We tend to specialize when it comes to sin; and I suspect it’s the sins we don’t regularly commit that show up most frequently on our list of “worst” sins. I want forgiveness and pardon for my jealousy, factionalism, strife, enmity, etc.; but throw the book at him for his sexual immorality.

And never mind that the New Testament is abundantly clear that there is no hierarchy of sins. Sin is sin, and “the wages of sin is death.” The breaking of one law—one sinful act—makes us sinners. How fast do you drive in a 65 mph zone? If you drive 66 mph you are a law-breaker.

Yeah but…

So, out of a list of 15 fruits of the flesh, she picked out the three that relate to “all that sexual immorality.” She wanted me to damn the sexual sinners to hell.

My response was, “Yes, I recognize that there is a list of fruits of the flesh. My question for us today is, ‘Do our lives bear fruits of the Spirit?’”

“But, what about those sins of the flesh?” she countered. 

“Don’t do them.” I responded. “If your life produces Fruits of the Spirit you won't have to worry about fruits of the flesh?”

“But aren't we supposed to rebuke and correct sin?” Now I was beginning to get it. She felt safe in her righteousness; so, she wanted the bad guys to "get theirs."

“I’m wondering if you’re confusing the task of Scripture[1] with our task. Our task is to bear fruits of the Spirit.”

She persisted, “Well, we can’t be soft on sin,” and turned on her heels and left in a huff.

It’s been my observation that in a culture smothered in the residue of Puritanism and Victorianism, most people already know all about sin. But threats of hell and other fear tactics never seem to make a dent in the preponderance of sinful behavior. Fear tactics, however, do produce a lot of guilt and self-justifying behavior; and one of the easiest ways to justify oneself is to condemn others: “his sin is greater than mine.”

Among the prophetic writings of the Hebrew Scriptures, far and away the most frequently named sins of Israel were idolatry/unfaithfulness toward God and injustice toward the poor. Jesus most frequently condemned the hypocrisy of the religious leaders and their unjust treatment of the poor. Yet in many Christian circles today injustice toward the poor has become a scripturally sanctioned institution by blaming the poor for their lot. 

The obsession over "welfare fraud," [you don't work, you don't eat (II Thessalonians 3:10)] justifies the withholding of all assistance in all forms from all people. Yet it is documented repeatedly that welfare fraud accounts for a minuscule portion of monies spent on public assistance. Administrative embezzlement accounts for much more.

The strategy I infer from the confrontation in the narthex is, “Don’t let anybody get away with anything!” It’s a diversionary tactic to focus attention away from my own brokenness.

We are not responsible for the sin of others (Ezekiel 18:3, 17, 19). Our calling is part of “the more excellent way” of I Corinthians 12:31. Love calls us to bear faithful witness—with integrity of words and actions—to the Love of God. And Jesus was crystal clear: we will be known by the fruit we bear. But by emphasizing the sin of others, we risk neglecting the orchard.

That’s the way I see it through the flawed glass that is my world view.

Together in the Walk

Jim 

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[1] A reference to II Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” The reference apparently was wasted on her.