Jim:
Numbers 35:1-3, 9-15, 30-34
In reading verses 30 and 31 I was led to wonder how these words compare to our modern criminal justice system. “If anyone kills another, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses; but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of a single witness. Moreover you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer who is subject to the death penalty; a murderer must be put to death.” One of the most persistent controversies surrounding capital punishment is that it is not meted out in a fair or even-handed manner. It is commonly assumed that those with more resources are able to avoid the death sentence more often while those with fewer resources are not. And of course there have been wrongful or questionable executions over the years. The verses from Numbers allow for—insist on—a death sentence in the case of murder, but set a high standard of evidence in such cases, and do not allow for an alternative to death. As forensic science moves ahead one would hope that the instance of wrongful executions would disappear. But I wonder if we are doing enough as a society to provide for evenhandedness in such cases. And while these verses from the Old Testament support the use of a death penalty, what are we to infer from the gospel and the words of Jesus? (Incidentally, I find http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment to be a very helpful overview of the issue of capital punishment from various religious and cultural perspectives.)
Romans 8:31-39
And just like that, Paul moves the entire question of capital punishment out of the way and reminds us that nothing at all can separate us from God’s love. Does that include murder? I believe so. Years ago when Debbie and I lived in Scotland we were made aware of a man found guilty of murdering his mother, who served time in prison for the crime, and, after his release, became a minister in the Church of Scotland. Who better to understand the love of God than one who has done so much wrong and yet been led back to the light of God’s grace and truth? I wonder what he would have said about the passage from Numbers. I wonder also how fresh the word of God appeared to his parishioners in light of his past. As the words of the hymn “Amazing Grace” testify, “I once was lost but now am found/ was blind but now I see.” What God is able to do with a life is beyond our ability to comprehend. Ultimately we belong to God no matter what, and we need to value that in every way possible.
Matthew 23:13-26
In light of the other two readings I find Jesus’ words in verse 23 to be enlightening. There he condemns the religious leaders of the day for paying more attention to the minor aspects of the law and overlooking God’s desire for “justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others,” Jesus says. Do we spend too much time on the minor details while willfully ignoring God’s command to love one another and to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with…God”? That’s the real danger, I’m afraid.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Dressing for the Reign of God
Jim:
Matthew 22:1-14
Matthew’s account of this parable is full of details that Luke omits making Matthew’s version more violent and, it would seem, less inclusive. But give Matthew credit for being emphatic, for here Jesus warns his listeners, both the crowd in Jerusalem and the religious leaders, to be ready; the hour is close at hand when those who are not prepared will not find a place in the reign of God. The most difficult verse for me comes near the end of the passage. One of those brought in to replace the original invitees is discovered to be unsuitably dressed. “Why are you not wearing your wedding cloak?” the king thunders. But the man is speechless, thinking no doubt how he has been nearly carried into the banquet hall by the king’s servants who never once mentioned there was a dress code. But the implication is that this guest should have known better, should have realized that every guest to a wedding banquet must be wearing the appropriate attire. This is where the message of the parable comes closest to our lives. Be prepared, Jesus is saying, be properly dressed for life in the reign of God. Be dressed in your righteousness and your love for God. Taken together with the familiar words of Matthew chapter 25 (“When did we see you hungry and not feed you?”) we may understand the proper dress to be that of sheep as compared to goats. So while I really prefer the Luke telling of this parable––with a wider net cast for “new guests” and with no one killed or tossed into the outer darkness––Matthew serves to underscore the point that God wants us ready, whoever we are, and wants us working for the reign of God here and now.
Matthew 22:1-14
Matthew’s account of this parable is full of details that Luke omits making Matthew’s version more violent and, it would seem, less inclusive. But give Matthew credit for being emphatic, for here Jesus warns his listeners, both the crowd in Jerusalem and the religious leaders, to be ready; the hour is close at hand when those who are not prepared will not find a place in the reign of God. The most difficult verse for me comes near the end of the passage. One of those brought in to replace the original invitees is discovered to be unsuitably dressed. “Why are you not wearing your wedding cloak?” the king thunders. But the man is speechless, thinking no doubt how he has been nearly carried into the banquet hall by the king’s servants who never once mentioned there was a dress code. But the implication is that this guest should have known better, should have realized that every guest to a wedding banquet must be wearing the appropriate attire. This is where the message of the parable comes closest to our lives. Be prepared, Jesus is saying, be properly dressed for life in the reign of God. Be dressed in your righteousness and your love for God. Taken together with the familiar words of Matthew chapter 25 (“When did we see you hungry and not feed you?”) we may understand the proper dress to be that of sheep as compared to goats. So while I really prefer the Luke telling of this parable––with a wider net cast for “new guests” and with no one killed or tossed into the outer darkness––Matthew serves to underscore the point that God wants us ready, whoever we are, and wants us working for the reign of God here and now.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Making the Right Choice
Jim:
Proverbs 7:1-27
How many movies or books have used the sort of literary device we find in this chapter: two women and the man who must choose between them? On the one hand we have “Wisdom” which here is personified as a sister or intimate friend, terms of loving endearment. In her company a young man will be saved from the dangers of seduction and adultery. On the other hand we have the seductress, a literal woman, married but playing the part of a prostitute (and doing a pretty good job of it, according to the passage). Once she sets her sights on the young man he, as so many before him, is doomed. In the company of this woman the young man will find himself “going down to the chamber of death” (verse 27b). This is really a compelling passage that highlights the tension we all face; knowing what we should do but doing something else. Paul addresses this reality in Romans 7:15 where he writes, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” For the writer of Proverbs the answer is clear: if the young man had only trusted sisterly Wisdom then he would have been saved from the snares of the evil woman. I say, if only it were that easy. Over and over again we sin, and yet God remains faithful to us, and the story is allowed to continue, too often repeating the same refrain.
1 John 5:13-21
In this passage from 1 John the person of sisterly “Wisdom” has been replaced by Jesus. “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true…” (verse 20a). The struggle with sin continues, but in Jesus we find God’s fullest expression of mercy and love, the one who confronts our sinfulness and defeats it for us so that we may rise above it and live as God’s people. Still we fall short of God’s intentions, but in Jesus Christ we find forgiveness and, more importantly, hope for the future.
Matthew 11:25-30
And here in Matthew we find words that offer hope. “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (verse 28). The “heavy burdens” we carry are our sins and the “rest” we receive in Jesus Christ is forgiveness. Thanks be to God for the opportunity to start over again and to live as forgiven people!
Proverbs 7:1-27
How many movies or books have used the sort of literary device we find in this chapter: two women and the man who must choose between them? On the one hand we have “Wisdom” which here is personified as a sister or intimate friend, terms of loving endearment. In her company a young man will be saved from the dangers of seduction and adultery. On the other hand we have the seductress, a literal woman, married but playing the part of a prostitute (and doing a pretty good job of it, according to the passage). Once she sets her sights on the young man he, as so many before him, is doomed. In the company of this woman the young man will find himself “going down to the chamber of death” (verse 27b). This is really a compelling passage that highlights the tension we all face; knowing what we should do but doing something else. Paul addresses this reality in Romans 7:15 where he writes, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” For the writer of Proverbs the answer is clear: if the young man had only trusted sisterly Wisdom then he would have been saved from the snares of the evil woman. I say, if only it were that easy. Over and over again we sin, and yet God remains faithful to us, and the story is allowed to continue, too often repeating the same refrain.
1 John 5:13-21
In this passage from 1 John the person of sisterly “Wisdom” has been replaced by Jesus. “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true…” (verse 20a). The struggle with sin continues, but in Jesus we find God’s fullest expression of mercy and love, the one who confronts our sinfulness and defeats it for us so that we may rise above it and live as God’s people. Still we fall short of God’s intentions, but in Jesus Christ we find forgiveness and, more importantly, hope for the future.
Matthew 11:25-30
And here in Matthew we find words that offer hope. “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (verse 28). The “heavy burdens” we carry are our sins and the “rest” we receive in Jesus Christ is forgiveness. Thanks be to God for the opportunity to start over again and to live as forgiven people!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Work as a Blessing and a Curse
Jim:
Proverbs 6:1-19
One of Aesop’s fables tells the story of the ant and the grasshopper (you may be more familiar with the Walt Disney cartoon version of this tale). In the story the grasshopper literally fiddles away the summer while the industrious ant stores up food for the winter. When the weather turns cold the grasshopper has nothing to fall back on, but the ant is well-supplied and able to survive. Proverbs 6:6-11 tells a similar story, though in this case the contrast is between the ant and a lazybones who sleeps when he should be at work. “You are never more than one step from poverty,” the proverb seems to indicate. Much has been made over the centuries of the “Protestant work ethic,” or the great value that some place on hard work and determination. But there is a point at which even work can become a problem for the Christian. When we place too much importance on work it can become an idol, something that stands between ourselves and God’s will in our lives. The story of the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21 comes to mind. After a bumper harvest this man builds bigger barns and prepares for a life of ease. But that very night he died. “So it is,” Jesus said, “with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.” There has to be a balance between our hard work and our willingness to do God’s will in our lives. I believe this is ultimately what the writer of Proverbs would want us to hear.
If you are feeling nostalgic you may watch the Disney version of Aesop's fable below.
Proverbs 6:1-19
One of Aesop’s fables tells the story of the ant and the grasshopper (you may be more familiar with the Walt Disney cartoon version of this tale). In the story the grasshopper literally fiddles away the summer while the industrious ant stores up food for the winter. When the weather turns cold the grasshopper has nothing to fall back on, but the ant is well-supplied and able to survive. Proverbs 6:6-11 tells a similar story, though in this case the contrast is between the ant and a lazybones who sleeps when he should be at work. “You are never more than one step from poverty,” the proverb seems to indicate. Much has been made over the centuries of the “Protestant work ethic,” or the great value that some place on hard work and determination. But there is a point at which even work can become a problem for the Christian. When we place too much importance on work it can become an idol, something that stands between ourselves and God’s will in our lives. The story of the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21 comes to mind. After a bumper harvest this man builds bigger barns and prepares for a life of ease. But that very night he died. “So it is,” Jesus said, “with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.” There has to be a balance between our hard work and our willingness to do God’s will in our lives. I believe this is ultimately what the writer of Proverbs would want us to hear.
If you are feeling nostalgic you may watch the Disney version of Aesop's fable below.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Love and Wisdom
Jim:
Proverbs 4:1-27
The fact that our daughter is about to graduate from high school makes this reading especially meaningful for me today. Soon she will enter college and be faced with challenges and choices that will determine a great deal about her life. For nearly 18 years her mother and I have had the privilege of offering her what wisdom we could and what council we thought best. But the greatest source of hope I have for her is that she has been raised in the church where she has been exposed to greater wisdom than her mother or I could have offered alone. She has heard us preach, yes, but she has had others to teach her Sunday school classes, and others to sponsor the youth group, and others who have visited with her at pot lucks and church gatherings. It is the collective wisdom of that community, blessed by the Holy Spirit and centered on God in Jesus Christ, that I believe will serve her best. Her life will not be perfect, but she knows that God loves her and she knows there are people of faith who genuinely care for her. This is how she will “keep straight the path of (her) feet” (v.26a).
1 John 4:7-21
I’ve got most of this passage underlined in my study Bible for various reasons. But just today I have underlined verse 21: “The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.” And what a challenge this is! I can honestly say that I have hated very few people in my life, and mostly when I was a child. Now that I’m an adult I can rationalize my antipathy toward others without calling it hate. But if I am to love God, truly love God, I’ve got to recognize the imperative to love my sisters and brothers, no matter how difficult that may be. And by love I believe the writer of this passage would mean to have genuine concern and compassion for. This means that it is my responsibility to love even the people who cut me off in traffic, or who vote for “the other guy,” or who, regardless of their motivation, cause me pain. Clearly this is tough work. But then, who ever said the way of the cross is easy?
Proverbs 4:1-27
The fact that our daughter is about to graduate from high school makes this reading especially meaningful for me today. Soon she will enter college and be faced with challenges and choices that will determine a great deal about her life. For nearly 18 years her mother and I have had the privilege of offering her what wisdom we could and what council we thought best. But the greatest source of hope I have for her is that she has been raised in the church where she has been exposed to greater wisdom than her mother or I could have offered alone. She has heard us preach, yes, but she has had others to teach her Sunday school classes, and others to sponsor the youth group, and others who have visited with her at pot lucks and church gatherings. It is the collective wisdom of that community, blessed by the Holy Spirit and centered on God in Jesus Christ, that I believe will serve her best. Her life will not be perfect, but she knows that God loves her and she knows there are people of faith who genuinely care for her. This is how she will “keep straight the path of (her) feet” (v.26a).
1 John 4:7-21
I’ve got most of this passage underlined in my study Bible for various reasons. But just today I have underlined verse 21: “The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.” And what a challenge this is! I can honestly say that I have hated very few people in my life, and mostly when I was a child. Now that I’m an adult I can rationalize my antipathy toward others without calling it hate. But if I am to love God, truly love God, I’ve got to recognize the imperative to love my sisters and brothers, no matter how difficult that may be. And by love I believe the writer of this passage would mean to have genuine concern and compassion for. This means that it is my responsibility to love even the people who cut me off in traffic, or who vote for “the other guy,” or who, regardless of their motivation, cause me pain. Clearly this is tough work. But then, who ever said the way of the cross is easy?
Monday, May 19, 2008
Creation and Boldness Before God
Jim:
Proverbs 3:11-20
Verse 19 says, “The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding (God) established the heavens.” In the continuing debate between those who accept the theory of evolution as fact and those who reject evolution for creationism this verse seems uniquely qualified to support either argument. Which is why, more and more, I find myself saying, “Who cares?” Who cares how God created the universe, established the order of things, made human beings in God’s own image? For me it is far more important to acknowledge the superiority of God’s wisdom to my own, and to praise God for the magnificence of the created order. In Psalm 8 the psalmist expresses awe at all that God has done, and marvels that God would even be mindful of humanity. But God is mindful of us, and by the same wisdom with which God “founded the earth” we were created in God’s image to act as stewards of creation. There are some arguments that just aren’t worth having, and the one about how God brought the universe into being is one of them as far as I’m concerned. It’s enough just to marvel at the vastness, the wonder, the majesty, the power and to thank God for our own lives.
1 John 3:18-4:6
I was struck by 1 John 3:21 which says, “Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God…” I’m not sure where to go with this verse, because it seems to me that my heart is constantly condemning me; for things I have failed to do, for things I should not have done, for words that have left my mouth. I regret many things from my life, and even wince at some of my memories. How can I ever show boldness before God? I don’t think I can, at least not alone. But because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on my behalf my sins are forgiven and I am able to go on living, even with my regrets and misgivings. I’ve got to think this is the only way I am emboldened before God, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 3:11-20
Verse 19 says, “The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding (God) established the heavens.” In the continuing debate between those who accept the theory of evolution as fact and those who reject evolution for creationism this verse seems uniquely qualified to support either argument. Which is why, more and more, I find myself saying, “Who cares?” Who cares how God created the universe, established the order of things, made human beings in God’s own image? For me it is far more important to acknowledge the superiority of God’s wisdom to my own, and to praise God for the magnificence of the created order. In Psalm 8 the psalmist expresses awe at all that God has done, and marvels that God would even be mindful of humanity. But God is mindful of us, and by the same wisdom with which God “founded the earth” we were created in God’s image to act as stewards of creation. There are some arguments that just aren’t worth having, and the one about how God brought the universe into being is one of them as far as I’m concerned. It’s enough just to marvel at the vastness, the wonder, the majesty, the power and to thank God for our own lives.
1 John 3:18-4:6
I was struck by 1 John 3:21 which says, “Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God…” I’m not sure where to go with this verse, because it seems to me that my heart is constantly condemning me; for things I have failed to do, for things I should not have done, for words that have left my mouth. I regret many things from my life, and even wince at some of my memories. How can I ever show boldness before God? I don’t think I can, at least not alone. But because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on my behalf my sins are forgiven and I am able to go on living, even with my regrets and misgivings. I’ve got to think this is the only way I am emboldened before God, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Unity
Jim:
Ezekiel 37:21b-28
1 John 2:18-29
The words that really caught my attention in the Ezekiel passage were those in the last part of verse 22: “Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.” This brings to my mind the words of Psalm 133, “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” Unity is something to be desired, to be worked for, to be prayed for, to be cherished, but not at any price. The congregation to which the First Letter of John is written has obviously experienced division, but in this case the ones who have left the community represent deception and lies, a faith which the readers of First John cannot accept as true. For this reason there can be no unity. But assuming that we all strive for the common good, that we seek justice and righteousness, what stands in the way of unity in our neighborhoods, our country, our world? It’s a question that perplexes us. Too often we see peoples united in evil, bound together in hatred or war. Too seldom do we see peoples united in love and compassion. Or if we see a shared, common purpose, as in the world’s response to tragedy, it seems to last only so long, and soon we are back to a state of disunity. Ezekiel promises that the people of Israel will someday be reunited into one nation. We should pray that such unity and harmony would come to us as well, that we might find common cause in our own nation, our own day and age. But clearly, if we do find such unity it will be a gift from God and something to be prized.
Ezekiel 37:21b-28
1 John 2:18-29
The words that really caught my attention in the Ezekiel passage were those in the last part of verse 22: “Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.” This brings to my mind the words of Psalm 133, “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” Unity is something to be desired, to be worked for, to be prayed for, to be cherished, but not at any price. The congregation to which the First Letter of John is written has obviously experienced division, but in this case the ones who have left the community represent deception and lies, a faith which the readers of First John cannot accept as true. For this reason there can be no unity. But assuming that we all strive for the common good, that we seek justice and righteousness, what stands in the way of unity in our neighborhoods, our country, our world? It’s a question that perplexes us. Too often we see peoples united in evil, bound together in hatred or war. Too seldom do we see peoples united in love and compassion. Or if we see a shared, common purpose, as in the world’s response to tragedy, it seems to last only so long, and soon we are back to a state of disunity. Ezekiel promises that the people of Israel will someday be reunited into one nation. We should pray that such unity and harmony would come to us as well, that we might find common cause in our own nation, our own day and age. But clearly, if we do find such unity it will be a gift from God and something to be prized.
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