#Lost

#Lost

Lent 2016 (C) 2016-03-19: Reading the Lectionary with my family
(I encourage you to read the full text. Hold me accountable if you feel it has not been handled well. It is what Scripture means when it says to wrestle with the Bible and mentally struggle with it and inwardly digest it.)

The readings again today are chalk full of imagery and actions which demonstrate that Jesus' betrayal, arrest, trial, and murder were known by God. His plan for our salvation anticipated perfectly our most heinous acts and He, in amazing Grace, used each insult, abuse, and horrid act to demonstrate His perfect Love for us. The words and actions of "Holy Week" echo across the ages from Eden to Egypt to Israel communicating God's desire to restore His people to right relationship with Him. However, we in the world inside our own heads can be so easily distracted by our own lusts, ideas and agendas.

 The reading today offers a sad example of this - it is a puzzling mention of a character that has been wildly abused by human reason and rationalization. Jesus gave a seemingly insignificant instruction: 'a man carrying a jar of water will meet you'.

Exegesis and interpretations have gone mad over this mention - a man, with a jar of water!! What could Jesus have meant by this? Here are three widely varying distortions of the text.

Interpretive fact: water bearing was normally considered a woman's function. Conclusion: this man was homosexual, gender dysphoric or transgendered. This "man" might even have been a woman dressed as a man!

Interpretive fact: A man bearing a jug of water is the sign of Aquarius. Astrologers, mystics, and spiritualists conclude: Jesus was obviously marking the beginning of the Pesach (the Passover) as the moment the Age of Aquarius would be ushered in.

Interpretive fact: Jesus prearranged for this man to be at the gate and for the water jug to be a signal. Conclusion: This was a prearrangement which proves Jesus was orchestrating His own crucifixion. Jesus had secretly arranged this meeting to maneuver himself and his people into place as part of a "Jesus movement" conspiracy against Roman occupation and Temple authority. Jesus was arranging His own Messianic martyrdom manipulating His movements and words in response to Hebrew prophecies - this was a human uprising not God's salvific plan.

As an aside, here we might notice something. There are often echoes of truth hidden within heresy, lies, and erroneous teaching. A good example of this in Scripture is the prophecy in John 11:50 spoken by Caiaphas as he convinces the Sanhedrin to murder an innocent man: "do you not realize that it is expedient for you that one man [Jesus] die for the people, to preserve the nation?" Just as the Sanhedrin plotted murder, truth was echoed in their debate. The distorted rhetoric sounded right because of the hint of truth. Winston Churchill observed that in times of war the truth is so precious that it must be protected by a bodyguard of lies, and so it is with God's truth. Evil often uses hints of truth to sanction, credential, and fortify heresy - it leads good people away from God's word and generally grounds Scripture in human wisdom and reason. The only protection we have is to stay focused on God and seek Him and His purpose in the Bible.

Interpretive fact: "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’" Conclusion: Jesus is fully God. He knew the man would be there because He is God and to Him, being fully faithful and One with and in God, sees the end from the beginning.

My wife and I work in communities in East-Africa where it is absolutely true: water bearing is considered a woman's or child's role. This fact does not exclude the possibility that in times of pregnancy, illness, increased risk, drought or simple necessity that men would draw water - it means nothing more than "we need more water." An ancient historian reports that Jerusalem's population might swell to over 2.1 million people during Pesach (The Passover) from its normal 25,000; he also reports that the people of Jerusalem were obliged to provide hospitality and relief to weary pilgrims during Pesach. The effect is this - a lot of extra work and preparation is necessary during the lead up to Passover. Perhaps a less fanciful implication of following this man with a water jug is this: the place where men would be drawing water is a place diligently preparing to welcome strangers.

God wants to be known by us and He wants to engage us. God has given us the Bible to communicate who He is to us. As we read the Bible it is wrong to promote "me," my philosophy or my ideologies. It is an abuse to use the Bible to advance notions adverse to the nature of God or in conflict with direct statements made by God. Heresy results from manipulating Scripture to one's own purpose.

As we approach Scripture let us always seek to stay focused, to know God better and to submit to His Way and His will. Let this be especially true as we move together through this holy week. Let us pray that we are transformed and restored to God. Amen

For today's full-text click here