In a story known as the parable of the unjust judge, Jesus compares Israel to a widow who pleads for justice to an unjust judge against an unnamed opponent. The unjust judge eventually relents and grants the widow what she is seeking to stop the widow's incessant nagging.
The central prayer of the Israelite faith for many centuries had been one that mirrors the plea of the unnamed widow--that justice be granted against Israel's adversaries. Despite the fact that Israel prayed for centuries for liberation, Israel remained subject to one foreign power after another. Israel was frustrated that God did not grant Israel the justice that it wanted.
Through the ironic message of this parable, Jesus tells Israel that its self perception is wrong as well as its theology. As God has all power and authority, God could grant Israel the relief that it seeks, and yet God chooses not to. On this basis, Israel saw itself as a powerless widow whose only hope was to keep repeating its petitions. And Israel saw God as an unjust judge who has chosen not to grant Israel's request, but might do so simply to get relief from Israel's incessant petitions.
In Jesus, God reveals that God is the opposite of the unjust Judge in the parable, and Israel is the opposite of the widow. God had a new vision for the world, which was a plan for the redemption of the world. God did not grant Israel's prayer because God had a greater vision in mind.
Too often our prayers are petitions for what we want here and now. When our prayers are not answered, we see ourselves as the widow in the story, and we see God as an unjust judge who might eventually relent if we keep repeating our petitions. What we should be praying about is discernment about the greater plan that God has for us and for the world, and for the diligence to fulfill God's purposes.
Supporting the work and mission of Caney Spring United Methodist Church and Berlin United Methodist Church, two churches partnered in the ministry of making disciples of Christ for the transformation of the world, located in Marshall County, Tennessee.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Sunday, October 6, 2013
The Church As the New Covenant Community
Ancient Israel's faith, like most ancient cultures, was about distinguishing between who was included in the covenant community, and who was excluded. This was revealed in the literal design of the tabernacle, which was later represented by the temple in Jerusalem. The greater your connection and place within the community, the closer you could get to the inner sanctum, the holiest place. Your inclusion or exclusion in the community depended upon gender, whether you were ritually clean, and your behavior.
The story of Zacchaeus reveals Jesus' radical vision for a new covenant community. Zacchaeus is definitely "out" when it came to Israel's understanding of inclusion and exclusion. He was the chief tax collector, who acted as an agent of Rome. As a tax collector, he vocationally worked through handling money, which was considered profane. Tax collector's were considered borderline criminals, both because they handled money and because of the perception that they used their power and influence to defraud people.
The community is thereby shocked and offended when Jesus seeks admission to Zacchaeus' home. It would have been surprising enough if Jesus had accepted an invitation from Zacchaeus to enter Zacchaeus' home. Instead, it is Jesus that extends the invitation.
In Jesus, God has turned the nature of the covenant community inside out and upside down. In ancient Israel, God was at the center of God's house, and the entire preoccupation of the community was to petition admission to God's house through seeking places in the community that were considered ritually clean and holy. Now, God petitions and seeks admission to the house of the one who would have been considered the most profane and the least ritually clean. In Jesus, when we were lost in sin, God sought us out and petitioned to be in relationship with us for our redemption.
Too often the Church has forgotten this amazing vision and has adopted and appropriated the game that was played in ancient Israel of seeking admission to God's house, distinguishing between who is worthy and who is unworthy. We have changed the standards for defining worthiness and unworthiness, but the game remains the same.
The story of Zacchaeus reveals Jesus' radical vision for a new covenant community. Zacchaeus is definitely "out" when it came to Israel's understanding of inclusion and exclusion. He was the chief tax collector, who acted as an agent of Rome. As a tax collector, he vocationally worked through handling money, which was considered profane. Tax collector's were considered borderline criminals, both because they handled money and because of the perception that they used their power and influence to defraud people.
The community is thereby shocked and offended when Jesus seeks admission to Zacchaeus' home. It would have been surprising enough if Jesus had accepted an invitation from Zacchaeus to enter Zacchaeus' home. Instead, it is Jesus that extends the invitation.
In Jesus, God has turned the nature of the covenant community inside out and upside down. In ancient Israel, God was at the center of God's house, and the entire preoccupation of the community was to petition admission to God's house through seeking places in the community that were considered ritually clean and holy. Now, God petitions and seeks admission to the house of the one who would have been considered the most profane and the least ritually clean. In Jesus, when we were lost in sin, God sought us out and petitioned to be in relationship with us for our redemption.
Too often the Church has forgotten this amazing vision and has adopted and appropriated the game that was played in ancient Israel of seeking admission to God's house, distinguishing between who is worthy and who is unworthy. We have changed the standards for defining worthiness and unworthiness, but the game remains the same.
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