"We Know"

Matthew 22:45 – “If, then, David calls him Lord, how is he [David’s] son?”

I’ve been reading a very enlightening book, “Reconstructing the Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion,” by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove. As he traces the roots of evangelical beliefs to slaveowners’ use of the Bible to justify owning Black people, he shares his own journey out of those beliefs. He devotes a chapter to the story in John’s gospel about Nicodemus coming to Jesus by night. The first words out of Nicodemus’ mouth are, “We know.” Wilson-Hartgrove diagnoses the problem of ‘white’ people as “knowing.”

Just as Jesus did in John’s gospel, he did here in Matthew’s. He challenged the Pharisees to question what they ‘know.’ This is a lesson I personally can use, along with so many other ‘white’ Americans. We tend to rely on what we know rather than considering another point of view. This is not to say that we must agree with the other point of view; the goal is better understanding, not perfect agreement. This is what has divided us as a nation: too many of us are certain.

Jesus wants us to be curious instead. Curious about our neighbors, our co-workers, our acquaintances, the person we pass every day in the hall or on the sidewalk, even about God. To be curious, though, requires us to let go of what we ‘know.’ It requires us to be open to new experiences, new ideas, and new perspectives. It requires us to admit we don’t know everything already. Being curious is uncomfortable and risky; it takes humility and courage. Yet, if Christ is our model, we, too, must be curious and open to the knowledge and experiences of others. Righteousness is addictive and can easily become self-righteousness.

By questioning what the Pharisees ‘knew,’ Jesus is challenging us to question what we ‘know.’ We might even be pleasantly surprised when we give it a try.