...from the least to the greatest
everyone is greedy for unjust gain;
from prophet to priest
everyone deals falsely.
They have treated the wound of my people carelessly,
saying, ‘Peace, peace’,
when there is no peace.
They acted shamefully, they committed abomination;
yet they were not at all ashamed,
they did not know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
at the time when I punish them, they shall be overthrown, says the Lord.
When I wanted to gather them, says the Lord,
there are no grapes on the vine,
nor figs on the fig tree;
even the leaves are withered,
and what I gave them has passed away from them.
In Jeremiah 8 God is speaking to the "wise" of Israel. The wise, however, are not very wise. There are four things that God explicitly tells them about their sin:
1. They are greedy for unjust gain.
2. They deal falsely.
3. They treat the wounds of the people carelessly, saying "Peace, peace when there is no peace."
4. They are unashamed of their abomination.
Although this list may seem to be combining unrelated acts, I don't think it does. I believe that all of these actions relate to the first, the greed for unjust gain.
The "wise" in Israel are the ones who are profiting from economic injustice. (I know that I am not providing evidence for this claim. To do so would require more space and time that I have now. A reading of the Old Testament prophets, I think, substantiates my claim as well as historical scholarship). They are greedy for unjust gain, gain that they get through "dealing falsely." They make matters worse when they tell the ones who are being robbed, "It's ok. Everything is good," when, in fact, nothing is good about the injustice that is being committed or the situation that the poor, who are victims of others' greed, find themselves in. To make matters worse, the ones who are committing these economic crimes are completely unashamed of their "abomination." They worship the god of mammon without a blush.
The religious system had become corrupted by its power to profit. Its victims were the poor. When God comes looking for the fruit of righteousness, the evidence that the leaders of his people were taking care of the flock with care and concern, he finds instead this horrible state of affairs. There is no fruit, only the madness and unrelenting cruelty of the idolatry of mammon.
When Jesus comes to "the wise" of Israel, he finds exactly the same thing. The temple has become a den of thieves. The high priests have formed an unholy alliance with the powers that be, and the Jewish people are languishing in the land. The leaders who should be looking with care and concern for even the least of these, instead, are building their own barns, feasting on what they have not sown and gathering what they have not reaped.
Jesus' action with the fig tree is a prophetic device, an object lesson, a parable for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. Judgment has come. He has looked for the fruit, and it is not there. Jesus is doing the work of God, looking for evidence that the leaders he has left in charge are caring for the Master's possessions and not for their own pleasure. But there is no fruit. The fig tree withers and dies as will the religious power structure of the temple. The leaders are not doing what they have been called to do. Soon, they will find their place destroyed and their destruction will be complete. 70 A.D. is coming, and the already withered temple powers will be uprooted and burned without mercy.
What is Christ finding now when he looks to us for his fruit? Is our wealth as a nation based on an economic exploitation of the poor? Do we dress in fine clothes and live in luxurious housing by the sweat of others' labor? Are we looking to how we can enrich the lives of others or are we relentlessly driven to make money from money while the poor starve for lack of bread to eat and clean water to drink?
It appears to me that Jesus does not give a fig for our excuses.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Part 1: Don't give a fig?
On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see whether perhaps he would find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard it.
Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves; and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. He was teaching and saying, ‘Is it not written,
“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations”?
But you have made it a den of robbers.’
And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.
In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. Then Peter remembered and said to him, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea”, and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
‘Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.’
Mark 11
For a long time I did not know how to understand the story of Jesus cursing the fig tree. It seems unlike Jesus. Jesus is hungry, wants to eat, goes to a fig tree for its fruit, then gets mad when it does not have any. So Jesus, the one who refused to turn stones into bread, is using his power to curse a fig tree because he is hungry? This story makes Jesus sound stressed out and lacking self-control - not to mention not being environmentally friendly:) - or forgiving.
But set this passage alongside the passage from Jeremiah 8, and I think that you will start understanding why Matthew and Mark knew this story had to be in their gospels. The disciples may not have understood what was going on at the time, but this may have been one of the connections that Jesus made for them during that 40 day period after his resurrection and before his ascension:
... from the least to the greatest
everyone is greedy for unjust gain;
from prophet to priest
everyone deals falsely.
They have treated the wound of my people carelessly,
saying, ‘Peace, peace’,
when there is no peace.
They acted shamefully, they committed abomination;
yet they were not at all ashamed,
they did not know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
at the time when I punish them, they shall be overthrown, says the Lord.
When I wanted to gather them, says the Lord,
there are no grapes on the vine,
nor figs on the fig tree;
even the leaves are withered,
and what I gave them has passed away from them.
Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves; and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. He was teaching and saying, ‘Is it not written,
“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations”?
But you have made it a den of robbers.’
And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.
In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. Then Peter remembered and said to him, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea”, and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
‘Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.’
Mark 11
For a long time I did not know how to understand the story of Jesus cursing the fig tree. It seems unlike Jesus. Jesus is hungry, wants to eat, goes to a fig tree for its fruit, then gets mad when it does not have any. So Jesus, the one who refused to turn stones into bread, is using his power to curse a fig tree because he is hungry? This story makes Jesus sound stressed out and lacking self-control - not to mention not being environmentally friendly:) - or forgiving.
But set this passage alongside the passage from Jeremiah 8, and I think that you will start understanding why Matthew and Mark knew this story had to be in their gospels. The disciples may not have understood what was going on at the time, but this may have been one of the connections that Jesus made for them during that 40 day period after his resurrection and before his ascension:
... from the least to the greatest
everyone is greedy for unjust gain;
from prophet to priest
everyone deals falsely.
They have treated the wound of my people carelessly,
saying, ‘Peace, peace’,
when there is no peace.
They acted shamefully, they committed abomination;
yet they were not at all ashamed,
they did not know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
at the time when I punish them, they shall be overthrown, says the Lord.
When I wanted to gather them, says the Lord,
there are no grapes on the vine,
nor figs on the fig tree;
even the leaves are withered,
and what I gave them has passed away from them.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Learning to Listen to Tejano
For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.
From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Paul, 2 Corinthians 5
I wake up hearing the low vibration of my neighbor's car stereo. Self disclosure: It irritates me to hear the thudding of the mega bass player and the bouncy Tejano music blaring next door. Why do I have to listen to my neighbor's music? Don't they have any consideration for others? Ok, for me?
When I begin thinking this way, I am drawn up short. If you consider yourself an ambassador for Christ, if you want to announce that God has reconciled himself to us and that our sins no longer count against us, you simply have bigger fish to fry than your irritation over loud music.
We are a new creation; we are living in new creation; we have a new purpose and a new reason for living. The old human point of view must be rejected.
I guess if God can reconcile himself to me, I can reconcile myself to booming bass and the bajo sexto.
From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Paul, 2 Corinthians 5
I wake up hearing the low vibration of my neighbor's car stereo. Self disclosure: It irritates me to hear the thudding of the mega bass player and the bouncy Tejano music blaring next door. Why do I have to listen to my neighbor's music? Don't they have any consideration for others? Ok, for me?
When I begin thinking this way, I am drawn up short. If you consider yourself an ambassador for Christ, if you want to announce that God has reconciled himself to us and that our sins no longer count against us, you simply have bigger fish to fry than your irritation over loud music.
We are a new creation; we are living in new creation; we have a new purpose and a new reason for living. The old human point of view must be rejected.
I guess if God can reconcile himself to me, I can reconcile myself to booming bass and the bajo sexto.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Since I Don't Preach: Mark 13: Keep Alert!
Since I Don't Preach: Mark 13: Keep Alert!: "Mark 13: 23 - Be alert! Mark 13: 33 - Keep alert! Mark 13: 35 - Keep awake! Mark 13: 37 - Keep awake! ‘But about that day or hour no o..."
Mark 13: Keep Alert!
Mark 13: 23 - Be alert!
Mark 13: 33 - Keep alert!
Mark 13: 35 - Keep awake!
Mark 13: 37 - Keep awake!
‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’
Jesus, Mark 13: 32 - 37
Great passage of scripture. This chapter used to confuse me a lot. I actually think I understand it now. For us, the most important thing is to remember that we "each have a work to do." Amazing and scary responsible. We each have a work that I think God will ask us about. He has given it to us. Now are we going to party to suit ourselves, or are we going to take seriously our status as co-workers with God in his new creation, doing what we has delegated to us to do? We are not supposed to worry about all the American standards of success that permeates our thinking: "Are we good enough? Are we successful? Are we effective?" I think that we will simply we judged by our self-evident response to this question: "Have we been faithful?"
In these words Jesus is giving us the key to faithfulness: STAY AWAKE, STAY ALERT.,
Mark 13: 33 - Keep alert!
Mark 13: 35 - Keep awake!
Mark 13: 37 - Keep awake!
‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’
Jesus, Mark 13: 32 - 37
Great passage of scripture. This chapter used to confuse me a lot. I actually think I understand it now. For us, the most important thing is to remember that we "each have a work to do." Amazing and scary responsible. We each have a work that I think God will ask us about. He has given it to us. Now are we going to party to suit ourselves, or are we going to take seriously our status as co-workers with God in his new creation, doing what we has delegated to us to do? We are not supposed to worry about all the American standards of success that permeates our thinking: "Are we good enough? Are we successful? Are we effective?" I think that we will simply we judged by our self-evident response to this question: "Have we been faithful?"
In these words Jesus is giving us the key to faithfulness: STAY AWAKE, STAY ALERT.,
Monday, July 4, 2011
Jesus' Identity
When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” just say this, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately."
Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,
‘Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
Mark 11: 1 - 3; 7 - 10
Jesus understood who he was. The scriptures had said that the Messiah would come to Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Jesus knew that his time had come - he needs a donkey! So he sends his disciples on this trip so that everyone who hears this would know that this was no accident, that Jesus was not caught up in the current of events but was fully aware of who he was, what he was doing and what was to come. He knows that he is Messiah and what is waiting for him in Jerusalem.
Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,
‘Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
Mark 11: 1 - 3; 7 - 10
Jesus understood who he was. The scriptures had said that the Messiah would come to Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Jesus knew that his time had come - he needs a donkey! So he sends his disciples on this trip so that everyone who hears this would know that this was no accident, that Jesus was not caught up in the current of events but was fully aware of who he was, what he was doing and what was to come. He knows that he is Messiah and what is waiting for him in Jerusalem.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Every Day
Seek good and not evil,
that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,
just as you have said.
Hate evil and love good,
and establish justice in the gate....
Amos 5: 14 - 15
Every day, hate evil and love good. It isn't so difficult to understand, is it? Just not that complicated.
This is what it means to seek good and not evil. I have not run across anything like this in other ancient writings although it may exist. It is a beautiful, righteous message that God gave to the Hebrew people and then to us:
Hate evil and love good,
and establish justice in the gate....
Every day.
that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,
just as you have said.
Hate evil and love good,
and establish justice in the gate....
Amos 5: 14 - 15
Every day, hate evil and love good. It isn't so difficult to understand, is it? Just not that complicated.
This is what it means to seek good and not evil. I have not run across anything like this in other ancient writings although it may exist. It is a beautiful, righteous message that God gave to the Hebrew people and then to us:
Hate evil and love good,
and establish justice in the gate....
Every day.
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