The following thoughts were written by William Willimon, a Methodist bishop in Birmingham, AL.
An earnest young man comes up to Jesus asking the Lord to help him settle an inheritance dispute between him and his brother. Jesus, who has been on a negative, judgmental jag for the past few chapters in Luke, is given an opportunity to show how caring and compassionate he really is. Time to get off the prophetic high horse and get mushy, fuzzy and pastoral.
The man addresses Jesus as “Teacher,” which presumes that the man wants instruction, but in the next breath he demands that Jesus “tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” The man knows, or thinks he knows, just what ought to be done in this situation and just what Jesus will do for him.
As happens so often, however, Jesus refuses to answer the question, refuses to respond in the expected way and reframes the question, reworks the expectation. “Friend” (the word Jesus tends to use when he is preparing to thrust the dagger through someone’s heart), “who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?”—which is ironic because the man isn’t asking for judgment; he is asking for action on his behalf.
It is also ironic because even though Jesus says he is not a judge over this man’s problems, he is judging this man’s preoccupations: “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.” This judgment seems unfair because nothing suggests that this man is being greedy. He is asking for simple justice in the matter of an inheritance dispute.
I find it interesting that Jesus dismisses this concern over justice, refusing to arbitrate or to attempt to make peace in a feuding family, and instead tells a story about a successful, prudent rich man whom Jesus calls a “fool.” It’s hard to see how the story has anything to do with the question of inheritance since the rich man presumably didn’t inherit his wealth but got it the old fashioned way—he worked for it and earned it. Yet Jesus calls him a fool.
One reason why we study scripture, one reason why we come to church on Sunday, is so that we can receive answers to our questions, action on our petitions. We come seeking help with our daily problems, solutions to our dilemmas.
And isn’t Jesus loving and compassionate? And doesn’t he care?
Well, not always, at least that’s what this Sunday’s exchange suggests. Jesus must be about more important matters even than meeting my needs. He is also judge of my need. The questions that consume me may not consume Jesus. The matters in my life that I consider to be my biggest, most pressing problems may not interest Jesus in the least. It’s always a shock to have a conversation with Jesus and to find that he is more than the answer to my questions and the solution to my problems.What a challenge to worship a friend and savior who is also the true and living God!
The man addresses Jesus as “Teacher,” which presumes that the man wants instruction, but in the next breath he demands that Jesus “tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” The man knows, or thinks he knows, just what ought to be done in this situation and just what Jesus will do for him.
As happens so often, however, Jesus refuses to answer the question, refuses to respond in the expected way and reframes the question, reworks the expectation. “Friend” (the word Jesus tends to use when he is preparing to thrust the dagger through someone’s heart), “who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?”—which is ironic because the man isn’t asking for judgment; he is asking for action on his behalf.
It is also ironic because even though Jesus says he is not a judge over this man’s problems, he is judging this man’s preoccupations: “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.” This judgment seems unfair because nothing suggests that this man is being greedy. He is asking for simple justice in the matter of an inheritance dispute.
I find it interesting that Jesus dismisses this concern over justice, refusing to arbitrate or to attempt to make peace in a feuding family, and instead tells a story about a successful, prudent rich man whom Jesus calls a “fool.” It’s hard to see how the story has anything to do with the question of inheritance since the rich man presumably didn’t inherit his wealth but got it the old fashioned way—he worked for it and earned it. Yet Jesus calls him a fool.
One reason why we study scripture, one reason why we come to church on Sunday, is so that we can receive answers to our questions, action on our petitions. We come seeking help with our daily problems, solutions to our dilemmas.
And isn’t Jesus loving and compassionate? And doesn’t he care?
Well, not always, at least that’s what this Sunday’s exchange suggests. Jesus must be about more important matters even than meeting my needs. He is also judge of my need. The questions that consume me may not consume Jesus. The matters in my life that I consider to be my biggest, most pressing problems may not interest Jesus in the least. It’s always a shock to have a conversation with Jesus and to find that he is more than the answer to my questions and the solution to my problems.What a challenge to worship a friend and savior who is also the true and living God!
I've never really pondered the idea of Jesus not caring about every detail in my life. In fact, I'm not sure that the church ever teaches anything otherwise. The questions now is, if Jesus is not concerned about every little problem, why does the concept give me comfort? As I reflect on Willimon's words, I sit here and try to imagine Jesus somewhat distant, not at all concerned about a problem that I have manufactured on my own or one that has been brought upon me. It's odd to think of such a thing but I have to admit that the possibility of Jesus moving on to more important items makes me joyous. When our daily living, with all of its busyness and stress, takes grip on our lives; we often feel like we have been betrayed. We may not notice it but how many times have we all looked up as if we didn't deserve such a thing to happen? Or how many times do we become disappointed in life because things aren't quite going as the pastor promised years ago; way back when when the adventure of Christianity made us feel like could withstand anything.
I guess I'm saying that I like the idea of Jesus dismissing some things in my life as being unworthy of his ministry. If Jesus jumped on board with every issue, dispute, argument, or pain then I would be the one in control and nothing could be farther from the truth.
God is more powerful, more perfect, more involved, and more mysterious to me if I get off the ego trip of believing that He must be concerned with what I am concerned about. His ways are not my ways. "The questions that consume me may not consume Jesus," and who am I to demand that they do.
For me, God's continuous presence goes without dispute. But must we always demand that He always be in step with us? I believe the better option would be to take the risk that Jesus has always placed before his followers; to follow him and forget about ourselves...even our worries.
1 comment:
Excellent post! I also think it is interesting that no matter what side of the liberal-conservative continuum we stand on, I find myself and others, trying to make Jesus into a great moralizer. Then I read the Bible, and there's not much if any of that going on in Jesus' life. We meet our own needs by making Jesus a member of whatever camp we choose to be in. Jesus, indeed, was concerned about things and spoke about he Kingdom again and again and again.....
It would be great if we joined him in even trying to figure out what he meant by all thise kingdon sayings,etc., instead of being bogged down in all that will pass away.
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