january 28

Luke 4:21-30, I Corinthians 13:1-13

Powerful texts this week that may seem to be in opposition to each other upon first reading. The Luke is the continuation of last week. It seemed last week that the people all loved Jesus and were excited about this new prophet in their midst, the "hometown hero" as it were. But quickly Jesus disabuses them of that notion. He's not here to get their praises, but rather to face them with some uncomfortable truths. He reminds them of two stories from the books of Kings about the prophets Elijah and Elisha who healed people who were not Jews at the same time they were fighting with the kings of Israel. It has always disturbed me that Jesus was so irritating to his hometown folk here; why did he have to be so sharp with them? I have wondered if something happened in Nazareth that we do not know. It may, however, be in line with John the Baptist's admonition to the people that simply claiming Abrahamic descent is not enough to be right with God. Jesus can only work with people who are open to God working in them in a new way. Were the people of Nazareth too complacent? Were they too eager to share his glory and not eager enough to respond to his message? Were they too excited to be "insiders" and so he needed to make them understand that God often comes especially to those who are "outsiders?"

Then when we read the Corinthians, we wonder about why maybe Jesus didn't exhibit more of the qualities of love listed in this passage. Why was he not more patient and kind with the folk of Nazareth? Was he indeed rude? Perhaps the sentence that connects most clearly here is that he rejoiced in the truth and wanted them to as well. This text seriously needs constant redemption from connection with weddings. It is not about romantic love. It is not about marriage. It is about the love of God which is to be the model for our love, not only our love of our family or significant others, but more especially our love for those for whom we don't have emotional feelings. This love is not about feelings at all, but about commitment, discipline, openness and the Holy Spirit. It is what Paul calls the "more excellent way," the gift we can all receive and use that provides the foundation for how we use the other gifts of the Spirit we receive from God. A couple of interesting text clarifications: the giving of the body is meant to signify sacrifice; if we go to jail or are killed for standing up for our faith, it is meaningless if it is done only to make ourselves important or to be perceived as a martyr. The other clarification is more fun. The piece about "seeing in a mirror dimly" is actually a translation of the word "riddle." Our understanding of God and God's love is now like trying to unravel a riddle, but eventually, all will become clear. That frees us from thinking we need to understand perfectly before we act in God's name; we will not understand perfectly in this life. We can love, though, in the image of God.