During the second week of March, 2020, I was in a church meeting at the church where I was on staff. The meeting was expressly to work out the final details of a women's retreat that we were planning for the end of March, but during the course of the meeting it became clear that not only were we not going to be able to hold the retreat on the scheduled date, it was increasingly unlikely that we'd even be able to gather as a church on Sunday. I went home and had a conversation with Jesus, asking him what was going on, and this passage in Matthew came straightaway to mind. I thought, "Oh, it's a time of revelation" ... and haven't we seen it??!!! Clergy sexual abuse from highly platformed leaders, the perversion of Christian nationalism, the rise of hate amongst those who claim the name of Christ ... truly, "nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops." Having enjoyed the blessing of NOT growing up in the church, the terrorizing weaponized uses of this passage were foreign to me - I read "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven" in the light of Jesus' words recorded earlier in Matthew about trees bearing good fruit and bad fruit, and about those who called him "Lord, Lord, didn't we do [this religious thing and that religious thing]" and Jesus saying to them that he never knew them. I love your hermeneutic of surprise, Diana!
I'm still struggling with this scriptural passage. It feels like you concentrated on the opening section with the theme of "Do not be afraid" - and somewhat ignored the ending section - while your old Scottsdale Bible preacher ignored the empowering opening and concentrated on the rough ending "not peace but a sword" section. How on earth does one reconcile the two sections? How is the loving God who wants us to lose our fear at the same time OK with excluding family members for disbelief? Is there some historical or textual analysis that explains how these sections fit together? I would like a better approach to scripture than just ignoring the stuff that does not support a God of Love and seems to support excluding rather than including - but I'm not sure what that approach might be.
That’s actually the easiest line in the passage! Think of the chant: “No Justice, no Peace.” The sword is that of justice, and that is what Jesus wields. Without the justice of God, there can be no peace. Jesus’ peace is accomplished through the arrival of justice. Pretty simple interpretation, all things considered.
Your post reminded me of a sermon I preached about Jesus’ statement in Luke 14:26 that whoever does not hate their family and even life itself cannot be his disciple: https://medium.com/reciprocall/why-did-jesus-say-we-must-hate-our-families-if-we-want-to-be-his-disciples-8e7870da3aed?sk=85adbde414ceb9f6a0aaf2c4714eb5ff. I referred to the three biblical stories (two in Luke and one in Mark) in which Jesus turns away from his own family. I then talked about how we, like Jesus, sometimes have to turn away from our families (including our church families) in order to be the people God calls us to be and do the work God calls us to do.
This post - and especially the idea of the hermeneutic of surprise - gave me such hope for my relationship with the church and the New Testament. Thank you, Diana!
A perfect sermon for our congregation's celebration of Pride today. (How many people condemn anything outside of the "norm" and quote Leviticus, while having no qualms about tossing a football or wearing poly-cotton (or any other) fabric blend. Love your approach of curiosity!
I was brought back to Cynthia Bourgeaults distinction twixt “normal hope” and “mystical hope”. That spring study has changed my approach . “Reality” can get pretty ugly at times......hopeless!! But there is another Reality that is accessible through centering prayer. It is ironic that for me, that notion pairs with a song I learned in my fundamentalist church....”Open the eyes of my heart Lord, open the eyes of my heart, I want to see you, I want to see you.” Surprise! Surprise!
Wow, I feel so very healed and uplifted by this, thank you.
During the second week of March, 2020, I was in a church meeting at the church where I was on staff. The meeting was expressly to work out the final details of a women's retreat that we were planning for the end of March, but during the course of the meeting it became clear that not only were we not going to be able to hold the retreat on the scheduled date, it was increasingly unlikely that we'd even be able to gather as a church on Sunday. I went home and had a conversation with Jesus, asking him what was going on, and this passage in Matthew came straightaway to mind. I thought, "Oh, it's a time of revelation" ... and haven't we seen it??!!! Clergy sexual abuse from highly platformed leaders, the perversion of Christian nationalism, the rise of hate amongst those who claim the name of Christ ... truly, "nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops." Having enjoyed the blessing of NOT growing up in the church, the terrorizing weaponized uses of this passage were foreign to me - I read "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven" in the light of Jesus' words recorded earlier in Matthew about trees bearing good fruit and bad fruit, and about those who called him "Lord, Lord, didn't we do [this religious thing and that religious thing]" and Jesus saying to them that he never knew them. I love your hermeneutic of surprise, Diana!
Thank you! You opened my eyes to the good message in this Bible passage which has always troubled me.
Thank you! You opened my eyes to the good message in this Bible passage which has always troubled me.
Good focus. Still, family objection to religious commitment can be painful, too.
I'm still struggling with this scriptural passage. It feels like you concentrated on the opening section with the theme of "Do not be afraid" - and somewhat ignored the ending section - while your old Scottsdale Bible preacher ignored the empowering opening and concentrated on the rough ending "not peace but a sword" section. How on earth does one reconcile the two sections? How is the loving God who wants us to lose our fear at the same time OK with excluding family members for disbelief? Is there some historical or textual analysis that explains how these sections fit together? I would like a better approach to scripture than just ignoring the stuff that does not support a God of Love and seems to support excluding rather than including - but I'm not sure what that approach might be.
That’s actually the easiest line in the passage! Think of the chant: “No Justice, no Peace.” The sword is that of justice, and that is what Jesus wields. Without the justice of God, there can be no peace. Jesus’ peace is accomplished through the arrival of justice. Pretty simple interpretation, all things considered.
Your post reminded me of a sermon I preached about Jesus’ statement in Luke 14:26 that whoever does not hate their family and even life itself cannot be his disciple: https://medium.com/reciprocall/why-did-jesus-say-we-must-hate-our-families-if-we-want-to-be-his-disciples-8e7870da3aed?sk=85adbde414ceb9f6a0aaf2c4714eb5ff. I referred to the three biblical stories (two in Luke and one in Mark) in which Jesus turns away from his own family. I then talked about how we, like Jesus, sometimes have to turn away from our families (including our church families) in order to be the people God calls us to be and do the work God calls us to do.
Wow! I will try to read from a perspective of surprise from now on.
Yes I love this teaching too. So many times we focus on all of the negativity and totally miss the love of God in the whole passage
This post - and especially the idea of the hermeneutic of surprise - gave me such hope for my relationship with the church and the New Testament. Thank you, Diana!
You're welcome!
Thanks for the Edward Hays prayer--a good reminder to pull my Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim off its shelf for more regular use.
I love the element of surprise in Scripture, when the bare raw truth stands out in bold print and chases away all our misconceptions!
A perfect sermon for our congregation's celebration of Pride today. (How many people condemn anything outside of the "norm" and quote Leviticus, while having no qualms about tossing a football or wearing poly-cotton (or any other) fabric blend. Love your approach of curiosity!
You’ve taught me a new technique: intentional learning through surprise.
Surprised.
A Southern Baptist
nephew recruits
votes against women
and gays.
Fury ignited
over a thing
that will not die.
My surprise
surprises me.
I withdraw
retract
and see
how hate
divides me.
I was brought back to Cynthia Bourgeaults distinction twixt “normal hope” and “mystical hope”. That spring study has changed my approach . “Reality” can get pretty ugly at times......hopeless!! But there is another Reality that is accessible through centering prayer. It is ironic that for me, that notion pairs with a song I learned in my fundamentalist church....”Open the eyes of my heart Lord, open the eyes of my heart, I want to see you, I want to see you.” Surprise! Surprise!