Day 79: Christian Wisdom

Here's a little secret:  Lutherans are not supposed to like the book of James, much.  It might be because the author seems to be arguing with the apostle Paul (someone Lutherans really love) regarding salvation by faith alone.  The author of James (and some people think he might have been James, the brother of Jesus) seems to be picking a fight with Paul, saying "Oh yeah?  Faith alone?  I say faith plus works!  Faith without works is DEAD!"

But the argument is overstated, I think.  If we think of faith the way Luther (and Paul) did, faith in Christ Jesus is what raises us from the dead.  And, people who are alive do things.  They act.  Because they are alive.  But the works do not save us.  They are just what we do because we are alive.

At least, that's what Paul would say.

Even though I'm Lutheran, and even though I'll grant that the book of James wouldn't be the one book of the Bible I'd take with me if I could only take one book, I still harbor a sort of fondness for it.  Maybe it's the picture James paints of the poor man and the rich man entering the church, and people fawning all over the rich man, and James saying, "Don't play favorites!"  Or maybe it's the image James paints of a poor beggar with his cup out, and people saying, "God bless you!" to the beggar, but not giving him a penny, or a sandwich or a coat to keep him warm.

Maybe it's the wise sayings about the power of the tongue (I've always liked those), or the advice about what to do if someone in your congregation is sick.

I think of James as Christian wisdom literature.  It's full of true sayings for how to live in Christian community.

Another scholar once told me that James is an example of the survival of the minority opinion in the church.  It's a small peek into what the piety of the Jewish Christian believers might have looked like.  We don't have much of their wisdom in the New Testament, but we have this letter.

So, what do you think of the letter of James?   Do you agree with Luther, that it is an "epistle of straw"? (which was not a compliment).  Or do you harbor a fondness?  If so, why?

Day 24: From Jericho to Jerusalem

Before Jesus rides into Jerusalem to begin Holy Week, he goes through Jericho, where he meets a short tax collector named Zacchaeus, who is not only short, but universally disliked by everyone else in town (probably becomes of what he does for a living). Zacchaeus wants to see Jesus so badly that he climbs a tree, and Jesus surprises evveryone by inviting himself over to Zacchaeus' house for dinner. I mean, really! Why couldn't Jesus have gone to the house of one of the deserving people!!!

Zacchaeus responds by offering to give half of his possesssions to the poor, and offering to repay what he has cheated four times. He must not consider money quite as important as he once did. Or perhaps he thinks that now he is rich, but in a different way....

The following parable (which is similar to Matthew's Parable of the Talents) also deals with money. Where Zacchaeus distributes his money to the poor (redistribution of wealth), the parable ends by stating that 'everyone who has will be given more, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.' This is a scripture verse I've had a problem with since hearing Billie Holiday sing, "God Bless the Child." It seems to fly in the face of the extravagant grace-giving God that I encounter in other portions of scripture. I'm doing a little background study, and I'll get back to you. In the meantime, anyone who has an idea about this verse, let me know.

Jesus enters Jerusalem then, to cheering crowds and grumbling Pharisees. He weeps over Jerusalem, and then clears the temple. The house of prayer has become (in my version of the Bible) a house for crooks.

In Jerusalem, Jesus gets right into controversies, with Pharisees, Saducees and other legal experts. We have heard this before, and how he figures out how to answer every question, and confounds them all. He also tells the story of the tenant farmers who reject the son of the owner of the vineyard as well as all of the messengers he had sent before.

The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, Jesus quotes Psalm 118. A fitting entry to the next few days.

Day 23: As Jesus Gets Nearer to Jerusalem....(Luke 17 -18)

The mustard seed re-appears again in this section of scripture -- if only we had that teeny amount of faith, we could uproot trees and plant them in the sea (why we would want to do that is another question).   Chapter 17 opens with a number of small vignettes:  about not causing a little one to stumble, about faith, about the servant not expecting a reward.  How do they connect with one another?

An amazing healing follows:  ten lepers are cleansed -- sort of matter-of-factly, actually.  Jesus doesn't say anything but "go and show yourself to the priest," and they go, they obey.  Just by going, they are cleansed.  But one notices what has happened and turns back to give thanks.  Only one -- a Samaritan.  Huh. 

After the amazing act of thanksgiving, Jesus warns his disciples about coming persecution.  Jesus says, as in the days of Noah, there will be no warning given before the time of persecution.  Don't try to go back and get your suitcases, don't hesitate.  And the famous phrase, "Left behind" is in this section of scripture, as in "two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and one will be left behind."  I remember that in college one of my friends told me that he thought "left behind" should be interpreted as just the opposite of the way we have heard it.  The one who is left behind is the fortunate one, and the one taken is "taken away", as in the days of Noah.  I find this idea intriguing.

The next two parables are both about prayer, although in different ways.  The first, about the widow and the unjust judge, is one of the most haunting to me.  Prayer and justice -- to Luke, these two go together.  In modern life it often seems to me that those who are most concerned about prayer are not so concerned about justice (at least, justice for the poor); those who are concerned about justice often don't make much mention of prayer.  But for Luke, they go together and are, in fact, the basis for faith. "Persist in seeking justice; persist in prayer."  Both are difficult, maybe impossible, like the camel going through the eye of the needle, or the rich man getting into the kingdom.

But with God, all things are possible --- justice for the widow, justification for a tax collector.

Jesus is almost to Jerusalem.  He heals a blind man -- his last reported miracle.

What will he do next?

Day 20: The Twelve and the Seventy-Two, Sent Out, Two Familiar Stories

At the beginning of chapter 9, the twelve disciples are commissioned and sent out with the power to heal and preach.  At the beginning of the next chapter, 72 disciples (missionaries) are sent out with the power to heal and preach, and with instructions.  I never noticed this before:  the multiplication of ministry in one short chapter. 

And it continues even today.

What else do I notice in these two chapters, which have more than enough material that seems familiar?  There are certain details that are unique to Luke, even in the middle of familiar stories.  There are also stories that only Luke will tell.

For example, Luke reports that Jesus had gone away to pray when the disciples find him, and he asks the well-known question, "Who do the crowds say that I am?  Who do you say that I am?" 

Shortly afterwards, Jesus begins to predict his death and resurrection, and also to urge the people that want to follow him to "take up their cross daily and follow me."  Only Luke adds the little word "daily" to this sentence.  Do you think this little word is important?

In the transfiguration story, while Jesus is talking to Moses and Elijah, they are talking with him about the things that would happen when Jesus goes to Jerusalem.  Clearly, the trip to Jerusalem, and what will happen there, are important to Luke.

Jesus "sets his face toward Jerusalem", and we begin to see that there are people who say they will follow him, but aren't ready to give up the life that they already have.  It is a sobering thought.

After Jesus "multiplies the ministry" with the 72 missionaries (who are stunningly successful, by the way), there are two stories unique to Luke:  the story of the lawyer who wants to test Jesus' knowledge becomes the parable of the Good Samaritan, one of the most familiar stories in scripture.  Immediately following, is the story of Mary and Martha.  (Notice how Luke again tells a story that features men, followed by a story that features women.)

I'm remembering that Jesus told the lawyer that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength -- and your neighbor as yourself.  Some people wonder if the two stories taken together illustrate both those commandments.  What do you think?

As we go along, pay attention to details, if you can:  even if is only the word "daily," or the presence of two women, or Jesus going away to pray.  It's not just the devil that may be in the details; sometimes the gospel is there, too.

Day 7: Coming into Jerusalem (Matthew 19-21)

By the end of Matthew, chapter 21, Jesus has entered Jerusalem.  He's still speaking in parables, but (it seems to me) they are becoming more urgent.  In the next couple of days, as you read Jesus' parables, imagine the cross in the background.  We are only a few days away. 

Theologian Robert Farar Capon calls the upcoming parables "The Parables of Judgment."  The parables we heard earlier, in Matthew chapter 13, are parables of the Kingdom. (Because they all start with the words, "the Kingdom of heaven is like...").  I'm not sure we can divide them all so neatly, but as you read ahead, and perhaps consider what you are reading to be harsh and difficult, remember that others have wrestled with the same thoughts.

I couldn't help thinking about the juxtaposition between the familiar and the odd in these passages of Scripture.  Despite the fact that I have preached on the Gospel of Matthew for several years now (but who's counting), the verses about being eunuch for the Kingdom of God still sounds foreign to me.  Does Jesus mean more than those who are either voluntarily or involuntarily celibate?  What do you think?

There's the familiar story about the rich young man who asks Jesus what he must do to be saved?  Give all you have to the poor, Jesus says.  The young man goes away sad.  But somehow I am not as familiar with Peter's exchange with Jesus, "Lord, we've given up everything for you?  What are we going to get?" and Jesus' answer, "In my kingdom you will sit on twelve thrones and receive back one hundred-fold everything you gave up."  Well, then.  (I thought I remembered that Jesus also promises persecutions, but that must be in another Gospel.  Let's watch for that one, later.)

It sort of makes more sense when the mother of James and John tries to secure the best seats for her sons, a little later.

The parable of the tenants who worked all day and the ones who worked for one hour:  is it a parable of generosity?  or a parable of unfairness?

YES.

There is more teaching and less healing going on, now, although Jesus does stop to heal two blind men who ask him.  But it's worth noting that the action is far more skewed toward teaching than to healing.

Then Jesus rides into Jerusalem, heals people, cleanses the temple, hears the praises of children, angers the religious leaders.  (This is getting worse and worse.)

He curses the fig tree, which seems to me the opposite of healing. 

We close with two parables.  The less familiar of the two is the story of two sons, one who says he will obey his father, and then goes out and does whatever he wants.  The second who publicly disrespects his father, and then later goes and does what his father wants.  Which would you want as your son? 

Jesus makes it sound like a no-brainer, but actually in a culture that values honor, being publicly disrespected by your children (even though secretly obeyed) is not a very attractive option. 

As you read through Matthew now, what sort of picture of Jesus do you have?  What adjectives would you use to describe him?  What attracts you to Jesus?  What might give you pause about him?

Do you think you would follow him?