Scriptures and the Power of God

Matthew 22:29 - Jesus answered, and said to them, "You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God."

"You know neither the scriptures nor the power of God." This seems like a non-sequitur. It's not even an answer! Jesus doesn't bother to give their question any credence. He has more important things to talk about than which hypothetical man gets a hypothetical woman in heaven. Instead, he diagnoses them as being ignorant of both the scriptures (writings) and the power of God. His words hint that there is a relationship between the two. How are they related?

First, knowing the scriptures entails much more than going to church, Bible study, or even seminary. The majority of people Jesus encountered were illiterate. They couldn't just look up a verse in their books - they had the words in their hearts. Ideally, anyway. The scriptures weren't meant to be read; they were meant to be LIVED.

The Sadducees, however, did not live the scriptures. Rather, they were the theologians we spoke of yesterday. They, the Pharisees, the chief priests, and the elders all weaponized the scriptures against Jesus. Instead of endorsing this misuse of scripture, Jesus flat out told the Sadducees they were wrong. They didn't have the scriptures in their hearts; they didn't humble themselves, and, thus, were not teachable. They knew the surface rules, but their hearts were stone. They closed their hearts to God's love, and, therefore God's power.

I don't blame them. It is a scary thing to come into the presence of the Living God. Isaiah spoke for all of us when he cried out in God's presence, "Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips living among a people of unclean lips!" It's much safer and easier to just follow a set of rules, and insist that everyone else follow those rules too. Jesus calls this attitude, "Wrong."

The scriptures - Jesus' and ours - are not a book of rules to be followed. The stories, poetry, laws, love songs, and prophets' writings record the people's encounters with YHVH. The Bible is not inerrant; it was written by people as a record of their lives, and their relationship with their God. The gospels tell the story of Jesus, including his summary of his scriptures: You shall love YHVH your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

The Sadducees missed this. Because they missed God's words, they missed God's love. Because they missed God's love, they also missed the power of God to transform not just their hearts, but also their minds, their lives, and their world. Or as Paul wrote, "If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!"

That is the paradox about God - we must first be open to her love, scary as that may be. Remember the assurance God gave Moses: when you have freed my people, you will worship on this very mountain. The benefit, the assurance only comes after we follow. We can only be changed after we open our hearts to such a possibility. God isn't looking for people who are already perfect or have their life together. Our lives will never be perfect or orderly. God is looking for people who are willing to follow Jesus, and when we let him in, we will be changed; resurrected into someone new.

What's holding you back from allowing God's love to transform your life?

Lifting Up the Poor

Matthew 22:27-8 - "Last of all, the woman died. In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be?"

I have always had a problem with theologians whose main concerns were dogma or doctrine; asking questions such as "how exactly God can be three-in-one," or "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin," or "how exactly is Christ present in the Lord's Supper?" Especially when such thoughts are discussed by elite, white men who don't follow Jesus' actions, or have his concern for the poor and oppressed peoples of the world. This is what the Sadducees are doing here. Their concern is not for the men and definitely not for the woman. Their concern isn't even what happens in the after-life. No, their only concern is to trap Jesus. Thus, they ignore the misery and suffering right in front of them. If theology isn't done from a specific social location and/or doesn't include care or concern for poverty, homelessness, illness, or oppression, it's not worth much.

I say this as a reminder to me. In the fall, I will be a master's student at Iliff School of Theology in Denver. An online student. I'm not sure yet what I'll write my thesis on, but I'd like to do it on the passive oppression of disability and where God is in that situation. I have a disability, although you would never know it to look at me. I have systemic lupus erythematosus, better known as lupus. It makes me extremely light sensitive. The only way I was able to do my Master of Divinity was medication (gotta love prednisone) and having all the fluorescent lights covered to block the UV rays. And I still felt shitty much of the time.

I have been hanging out on 'disability twitter,' and let me tell you, it is eye-opening. Many businesses and universities fight accommodation requests as if their lives depended on rejecting them. They dehumanize people with disabilities by seeing them as problems to be solved or gotten rid of rather than seeing their shared humanity. When I was contemplating seminary, I decided I wanted to go somewhere that would accommodate me with pleasure. As such, I made a list of all the Presbyterian seminaries in acceptable locations, and called or emailed four of them. Two of them (McCormick and Louisville) immediately responded positively. Of the other two, one was grudging about it (well, if we have to), and the other never responded. If I had chosen to go to either of those seminaries, they would have had to accommodate me under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It's the law. Yet many companies and universities make it difficult, hoping that "those people," those problems will go elsewhere.

Our congress in 1990 had more compassion for those who need a little extra help because our society is set up for white, able-bodied men. In the Sadducees' question, there is no such compassion for those who are at a disadvantage, who are oppressed, who are poor. The Sadducees are only interested in scoring a point. Jesus, on the other hand, is all about empowering people. He's all about giving them, and us, a new way to see themselves and their world. "He has thrown down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up the poor."

How will you lift up those experiencing poverty in your town today?

What About the Woman?

Matthew 22:25-6 - "There were seven brothers among us; the first married, and died childless, leaving the widow to his brother. The second did the same, and the third all the way to the seventh."

Following a premise to an illogical conclusion is a time-tested and favored rhetorical strategy. The Sadducees are clearly setting up this absurd situation to make a point rather than engage in honest dialogue. Yet, it demonstrates the status of women in that society: possessions.

Gone is the sense of community I wrote about. In its place, is a focus on the men at the expense of caring about the woman. This woman is not seen as a full member of society. She has no agency and is bequeathed to one brother after another. Her feelings and thoughts on the matter are not recorded, because they are not important. Only men were important. We have refined that in America to mean only white, straight, men are important.

We've come a long way, yet, men continue to control the media narrative, and men's concerns continue to be more important than those of women. Especially. in cases of rape. The media concerns itself with the cruelty of the accuser(s) in damaging the man's image or career. There is no thought given to the destruction of the woman's life. It is all about taking care of men's concerns, as in this story where the focus is on getting an heir, no matter the cost to the woman.

Sexual molestation, sexual assault, and rape are weapons of war. One of the oldest there is. They are not crimes of lust or passion; they are crimes of power and domination. In our courts, they are not treated as such, but rather with a "boys will be boys" attitude. I am thinking about war, because Syria has been in the news for the chemical attacks, and because the US and its allies have begun a bombing campaign there. I think of those who suffer the most in those circumstances: women and children. They are the most vulnerable members of any society. How they are treated is a good sign of what that society values. Women and children are not valued here in America; at least, they are still seen as less valuable than men.

As we read the news today, (the news that men think is important) let us remember those whose stories aren't getting told. Let us remember those whose experiences are being erased by our concern for the reputations and careers of men rather than for the destruction of women's lives.

Community

Matthew 22:24 - [The Sadducees] said, "Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies without having children, his brother shall marry his widow and have children for him."

I think that 'Teacher' here is every bit as hypocritical as when the Pharisees said it. The Sadducees are clearly trying to trap Jesus into saying something incriminating. Since we learned yesterday that they don't believe in the resurrection of the dead, we can safely assume they'll use this somehow. They clearly don't want an honest conversation.

So, anyway, I love my brothers-in-law, but I cannot imagine going through with this plan. That's because my values as an American in the 21st century are vastly different from the values incorporated in this law. American values are largely focused on individuals rather than families or communities. When God handed this law to Moses, the houses of Israel were made of patriarchal family units rather than individuals.

This law then, was intended to keep those houses going - to keep the land in the family and to keep the dead man's name alive through this heir. This seems weird to us, and maybe it seemed weird to them as well. As you can imagine, brothers were not always keen to take on this added responsibility for a son that wasn't legally theirs. Especially if it was the oldest son who died. Onan certainly had no qualms about having sex with his brother's widow while making sure no children would result. I'm sure the women involved were not always thrilled either.

Children were important as workers as well as heirs. As soon as they were able to help out, they did. There was a lot of work to do, and everyone needed to pitch in. Childhood wasn't the magical age of innocence in their minds. That is a 20th century idea. Many children died before their fifth birthday. Today, we have the opposite problem; too many people, because more children live past five, and, at least in the US, we are better off financially. Although that could change. In any case, people today have fewer children, because they are not seen as necessary, and because children are expensive.

The law was also meant to protect the widow and ensure she had a place to live, that she was not thrown out on the streets. The law ensured that everyone was to be taken care of by their relatives in one way or another. God certainly has different priorities than we do. In fact, reading through the Christian Old Testament, it is clear that poverty, justice, fair-dealing, and community were important to God. God wants us to take responsibility for our neighbors, our community. People are important to God; not laws. The laws were to serve the people.

What does any of this have to do with us today? Christianity in America is largely, though not entirely, focused on individuals. Becoming a Christian is an individual rather than a communal decision. We meet in community, but it is a community of individuals, many of whom no longer live in the neighborhood. In this scenario, it becomes more difficult to see the neighbors of the church as our neighbors, as our community. Maybe it's time we aligned our values with God's values. 

What if churches took this commitment to the communities in which we're located seriously? Would your church look different? Would your church be/come an asset to its community? 

Resurrection

Matthew 22:23 - That same day, some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him.

Just to be clear, resurrection in this passage does not refer to the resurrection of Jesus, but rather to the resurrection of the soul or body for judgement after death. It was not a physical resurrection like the resurrection of Jesus. The resurrected soul would be judged and then go either to everlasting life or to everlasting punishment. This belief was not an intrinsically Jewish belief, but most likely came from Persia; although it could have come from Egypt, Babylonia, or Greek philosophy. The Christian Old Testament only mentions that the dead to to Sheol, which was not a place of punishment.

I would like to suggest a different interpretation of resurrection: the gaining back of the self after having lost it through trauma, abuse or even mental illness. This is how resurrection has worked in my life. I have spent a great deal of my time trying to please others, losing myself in the process. I felt unworthy of love, and had no love to offer anyone else. I suspect Trump might feel just this way. It is a lonely way to live.

Getting my sense of self back took a lot of time, and the process was painful. It took a lot of help from many loving people. It took finding my way back to Christ. Today, I know who I am and I am proud of what I've accomplished. The psych test I took as part of my ordination process was 150 questions long, and I 'pinged' on six. I had marked that I was proud of who I was. When the doctor asked me about that, I told him so. I had just graduated from university with honors and had been voted outstanding senior. Why should I not have been proud? I worked very hard. He was not having it.

Anyway, today, I am no longer ashamed of who I am, the talents God gave me, or what I've done with them. Today, I can take a walk and enjoy the sounds of nature and life being lived. Today, I enjoyed the sight of three deer crossing a street as we came home from the park. Today, I am able to feel true joy. That is resurrection; from a dead spirit inside to the Spirit inside. Resurrection is available to all of us at any time.

Sandy Foundations

Matthew 22:22 - When they heard this, the disciples marveled, and so they went away.

Clearly they were speechless, blind-sided by Jesus' answer: they were shown to have Caesar's coin in the temple, and then Jesus tells them they've chosen poorly. These disciples are in over their heads. In fact, they remind me of Christians who go door-to-door evangelizing. If you say something they've not been prepared for, they will often be speechless, too. They have been given a narrow and limited view of the world a false view of the world.

Many people in the US consider the US to be a meritocracy, they consider it to be fair to all. It's not entirely their fault, that's what they've been taught in school and why would their teachers lie? They believe it because everyone around them believes it, because they want to believe it, and because it gives them an explanation for the anger and fear they feel without asking anything difficult of them. This anger and fear are real, but they've been told by people they trust that "those people" are responsible for those feelings. Because this comes from trusted sources, they don't question and don't realize they've been lied to.

I remember the first time I realized my parents had lied to me. Of course, they didn't do it on purpose, they'd also been taught things that weren't true. I don't recall what the issue was, but I do recall how it felt. It was if I was standing on the beach, and the sand I was on was being washed from under my feet by the waves. It was painful, but ultimately liberating. Suddenly, things I had been wondering about made sense. With the sand gone, I could feel the rock underneath.

I think this is how many people feel with all the societal changes in the last 70 years. For many, cherished beliefs about who they are and their place in the world are being called into question. That is always painful. Yet, it could be liberating if they (we) have the courage to examine those beliefs and why we have them. Not everyone has such courage; some people were taught that it's a sin to even have questions. In that situation it takes great courage to question what we've been taught.

If we have been told - verbally and non-verbally - in a million different ways that non-white people are inferior, it becomes a part of who we are and that is very difficult and painful to question. That is why people get defensive - those that are not using such language and ideas cynically - the sand under their feet is being washed away by the waves of social change. They fear for their life.

It's hard to be generous and patient with others when their attitudes and beliefs are getting people deported to countries that are foreign to them, tortured, and even killed. Yet, Jesus asks this of us anyway, especially white people. My mom once told me that there was no racism in the US - she couldn't see it, so, it wasn't there. Last year, though, while she was visiting us in Chicago, I shared with her some stuff I had learned from the book "Waking Up White." She took the book home with her. She wouldn't have listened if I hadn't been patient.

I mention this because white people talking to other white people is a great way - maybe the only way - to wash away the wall of fear, anger, and resistance. Black people have been speaking out for decades. They have been ignored, even when cops kill them for no reason. Some people will dismiss Black people every time, but they may be open to hearing other white people. It will be painful, but along with all the protests; the marches; the boycotts; the calling of senators, representatives, and mayors; and listening to Black people's experiences there needs to be education of white people by white people.

Only when we letting the sand of racism be washed away, can we begin to build a foundation of love, justice, and empathy for everyone.

The Things That Are God's

Matthew 22:21 - The disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians answered him, saying, "Caesar's." Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

This doesn't sound like a dangerous statement, does it? Yet, what are the things owed to Caesar but obedience, taxes, a sacrificial offering on behalf of the emperor (Jews were excused), and most importantly, allegiance. Therein lies the danger; God demands our allegiance, too. Choosing YHVH over Caesar was sedition, which was punished by crucifixion. No, Jesus' path is not an easy or comfortable path to follow.

We, too, are faced with this question in America. So many of our leaders have chosen false patriotism over God's commandments of justice, love, and mercy. They have chosen to enrich themselves at the expense of the poor in true Roman style. Worse, they have given our democracy to corrupt businessmen who are plundering what is left. Even the Christian members of congress have forsaken his way for the way that leads to hell on earth.

As it was recently the 50th anniversary of Dr. King's assassination, I'm reminded of his own statements that don't seem to sound dangerous today, but are. His mission has been whitewashed every bit as much as Jesus' mission has been whitewashed and made to serve power rather than the powerless, the rich rather than those experiencing poverty.

I'm not saying anything profound or secret; it is easy to see 45's corruption as well as that of his administration; and congress' collusion with them. They have clearly chosen money and power (Caesar) over God. None of us, however, is innocent of this charge. If we are honest, we can see where we've acted similarly. I say this to remind us that we all fall short. Yet, in falling short our leaders are hurting more than just their own souls; they are creating a hell on earth for those who have no money or power. They use chaos as a cover for their misdeeds.

It honestly breaks my heart to see this happening to the country and people I love. It is overwhelming at times. There is so much chaos and it is never-ending. I've found that I must continually turn to God to keep my sanity. It helps me focus my fears, and in the process of naming them, lessens them. They help me swim in the waters of sadness without fear of drowning. Taking breaks from the news and laughter also help.  Thank God for Stephen Colbert.

Thinking about Dr. King in the midst of all this reminds me that Black people have been fighting this fight far longer than I have. It reminds me of how we have let our fellow citizens down time and again. The more I read about Cleveland's history, the more I realize how deep the corruption and racism has gone and continues to go. That, too, gives me the courage to speak up, to contact my representatives, and to do what I can, even when I have a hard time leaving the darkness of my home. It reminds me that even after 45 and his goons are gone, we still have a lot of work to do to live up to Jesus' call to love God, love our neighbors, and love ourselves. That is what allegiance to God looks like. Those are the things of God.

Love, Empathy, Compassion

Matthew 22:19-20 - "Show me the coin for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius. He said, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?"

I took a hiatus after hurting my finger just before Easter. When we last saw them, Jesus and the disciples of the Pharisees and Herodians were in the temple. The disciples had just interrupted Jesus' teaching to ask him about the legality (according to the Torah) of paying taxes to Caesar. His response is to ask to see the coin used to pay this tax. They bring him a denarius with Caesar's head and inscription on it. He wins the argument right here, because only temple coins are allowed in the temple. Everyone knows now that the disciples themselves are okay with breaking the law.

In other words, they are just like you and me. We have all broken minor laws, and some of us have broken major laws. Many of us even go as far as the disciples here and criticize others for breaking the law, even as we, or they are breaking it. A case in point here is the Republican and White Evangelical Christian use of abortion to claim the moral high ground. Recently we've been hearing men (it's almost always men) calling for the hanging of women who get an abortion.

These evangelicals and Republicans defy science to claim that personhood begins at conception rather than when all the parts are assembled and working. Not exactly sure what science says, but it's not at conception, because a high rate of pregnancies end in miscarriages naturally; sometimes when the mother is unaware she's pregnant. Anyway, they'd love to punish women for these miscarriages - adding agony to their anguish. Yet, when 1,400 embryos being stored here at University Hospitals in Cleveland were accidentally thawed, we heard nary a peep from them.

If they were consistent, they would have called for manslaughter charges and tried to hold 1,400 funerals, because these were people, right? They do not believe their own rhetoric, so why should we? There were no calls for charges, because they are using this rhetoric to keep women where they think women should be, at home having babies. That's what's behind all the pearl clutching and moaning about abortion.

Want further proof? They refuse to enact policies such as comprehensive sex education or birth control availability for all, which have been shown to reduce the need for abortions. Instead, they champion abstinence only, keeping their heads buried in the sand to the fact that people are going to have sex whether they should or not. Teaching abstinence only guarantees your teens will not talk with you about sex; it cuts off honest conversation.

No, they prefer to punish women by slut shaming them. Ever notice how they conveniently ignore the fact that women don't get pregnant by masturbating? It takes two, and they conveniently ignore the father. Boys will be boys, you know. Their abortion rhetoric is used to punish and shame women and to try to control us. That's their goal; to keep women in their place. Heaven forbid we should treat them as human beings.

These Republicans and evangelicals, like the disciples in our story, have forgotten the difference between legal and ethical. They are all about keeping "those people" in line by emphasizing the power of the law over love, compassion, and empathy. They do not care why you broke the law, only that you did.

To follow Jesus means to have empathy, love, and compassion for all our neighbors, and that love requires that we try to understand them rather than judge them. Republican leaders and evangelicals see such love as weakness. Let's show them how wrong they are by loving them, even as we push back against their horrific rhetoric and policies. Let's show them the power of love to bring true peace.