Speculation
The Third Sunday of Lent
Daily Reading: Luke 13:1 – 9
Focus Passage:
Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." (Lk. 13:1 – 5)
The story and parable have an odd and convoluted sense about them, especially for those of us disconnected by centuries from the events to which the narrative alludes.
First, notice that Jesus addressed a general group of people, “some present at that time.” The audience was not disciples, scribes and Pharisees, or the Sadducees, but a more general, more ambiguous assembly.
Some in the group mentioned to Jesus an incident in which a group of Galileans were repenting and offering animal sacrifice in the Temple when Pilate sent troops to murder them. He then mingled their blood with the blood of the sacrificed animals. It is a horrific story, but perhaps the crowd thought that the sins for which the Galileans were repenting were so great that they deserved their fate. Perhaps they thought this was God’s punishment on the Temple worshipers.
This thinking is still predominant today. It says, “God will get you, one way or another, if you do something wrong!” Many believe that God keeps people in line by punishing humans, using any means necessary to coerce our good behavior.
Jesus responded by mentioning a second historical incident, taking their logic a step further. He mentioned a time when the tower of Siloam fell and killed seemingly innocent people. But to follow the logic of the crowd, those killed by the collapsing tower had some unresolved “sin” somewhere in their lives.
Jesus’ words were direct. He bluntly said, “No!” to the inquiries. He didn’t explain his “No!” He simply dismissed the faulty theology that attributed both moral and natural evil to God’s punishment.
Jesus’ intent, however, was not mainly theological. He was not primarily interested in straightening out the faulty theology of a crowd. His interest was personal and spiritual.
His real rebuke was upon the crowd’s interest in speculation. He was not interested in debate, in choosing sides and having a good dialogue about these matters of theology. Jesus was concerned for transformation, in engagement and encounter with God. Speculative thinking didn’t appeal to him, we can assume, because it does little to further the kingdom of God.
So the crowd was interested in a speculative debate about the lives of others who died untimely deaths. Suddenly, Jesus turned the conversation back to their own lives. Twice he said, “You repent!”
Then he told a parable that at first glance seems unrelated to the narrative. In fact, it is a parable that challenged the crowd to stop dealing in speculative pursuits that keep them unengaged in the matters that make a difference in the world.
Those interested only in debate and theological discourse are the trees that have not produced fruit. They are so narrow in their love of debate that they are no longer producing anything worthwhile in the world. Their lives are being wasted in meaningless chatter and head-games.
The questions the crowd asked may have been important, but in their narrow-minded pursuit of those questions, they missed other matters that are crucial for life. Life with God is immensely practical, lived in the here-and-now. Life with God is not mainly speculation and debate.
God does not offer us a body of nice ideas that we are to debate and agree upon. God offers us a life-changing relationship of intimacy that has the capacity to change the world.
[My thanks to John Shea for his insight into this parable in, The Relentless Widow, pp. 76 – 80.]
For Reflection:
Notice your own interest in debate and speculation. Perhaps for you it simply takes shape as a desire for conversation with another person. There is nothing wrong with debate, speculation, and conversation inasmuch as they offer. For some of us, however, they become distractions, ways we divert ourselves from the hard work of the spiritual journey.
Where are you today?
Daily Reading: Luke 13:1 – 9
Focus Passage:
Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." (Lk. 13:1 – 5)
The story and parable have an odd and convoluted sense about them, especially for those of us disconnected by centuries from the events to which the narrative alludes.
First, notice that Jesus addressed a general group of people, “some present at that time.” The audience was not disciples, scribes and Pharisees, or the Sadducees, but a more general, more ambiguous assembly.
Some in the group mentioned to Jesus an incident in which a group of Galileans were repenting and offering animal sacrifice in the Temple when Pilate sent troops to murder them. He then mingled their blood with the blood of the sacrificed animals. It is a horrific story, but perhaps the crowd thought that the sins for which the Galileans were repenting were so great that they deserved their fate. Perhaps they thought this was God’s punishment on the Temple worshipers.
This thinking is still predominant today. It says, “God will get you, one way or another, if you do something wrong!” Many believe that God keeps people in line by punishing humans, using any means necessary to coerce our good behavior.
Jesus responded by mentioning a second historical incident, taking their logic a step further. He mentioned a time when the tower of Siloam fell and killed seemingly innocent people. But to follow the logic of the crowd, those killed by the collapsing tower had some unresolved “sin” somewhere in their lives.
Jesus’ words were direct. He bluntly said, “No!” to the inquiries. He didn’t explain his “No!” He simply dismissed the faulty theology that attributed both moral and natural evil to God’s punishment.
Jesus’ intent, however, was not mainly theological. He was not primarily interested in straightening out the faulty theology of a crowd. His interest was personal and spiritual.
His real rebuke was upon the crowd’s interest in speculation. He was not interested in debate, in choosing sides and having a good dialogue about these matters of theology. Jesus was concerned for transformation, in engagement and encounter with God. Speculative thinking didn’t appeal to him, we can assume, because it does little to further the kingdom of God.
So the crowd was interested in a speculative debate about the lives of others who died untimely deaths. Suddenly, Jesus turned the conversation back to their own lives. Twice he said, “You repent!”
Then he told a parable that at first glance seems unrelated to the narrative. In fact, it is a parable that challenged the crowd to stop dealing in speculative pursuits that keep them unengaged in the matters that make a difference in the world.
Those interested only in debate and theological discourse are the trees that have not produced fruit. They are so narrow in their love of debate that they are no longer producing anything worthwhile in the world. Their lives are being wasted in meaningless chatter and head-games.
The questions the crowd asked may have been important, but in their narrow-minded pursuit of those questions, they missed other matters that are crucial for life. Life with God is immensely practical, lived in the here-and-now. Life with God is not mainly speculation and debate.
God does not offer us a body of nice ideas that we are to debate and agree upon. God offers us a life-changing relationship of intimacy that has the capacity to change the world.
[My thanks to John Shea for his insight into this parable in, The Relentless Widow, pp. 76 – 80.]
For Reflection:
Notice your own interest in debate and speculation. Perhaps for you it simply takes shape as a desire for conversation with another person. There is nothing wrong with debate, speculation, and conversation inasmuch as they offer. For some of us, however, they become distractions, ways we divert ourselves from the hard work of the spiritual journey.
Where are you today?
Comments
Post a Comment