On Line Bible Study - For the Week November 8-14, 2010

Lesson 465

Luke 10: ³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

This well-known story is found only in Luke, and some scholars doubt its authenticity because of that fact. But the main thrust of the story is consistent with Jesus' teaching elsewhere about what is important and what is not. (See, for example, Matthew 6:19-21, 25-34.) If ever there is a timely season of the year to hear this story with regard to the "chosen portion", it is the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas!. We all will be tempted (and many will succumb) to sacrifice the better part of the season at the altar of Walmart, Toys R Us, or Amazon.com.

(An interesting story is airing on NPR's Morning Edition regarding siblings. It might say as much about the differing temperaments of these two sisters as it does about what is truly important that one sits listening while the other busies herself in the kitchen.)

In the previous section we have learned of the importance of love of neighbor (The Good Samaritan). Now we are shown the importance of being firmly and securely grounded in the teachings of Jesus. As important as serving others is, the Christian life is constructed on our love for God and our willingness to listen to Christ.

As unexpected as it was that the Samaritan would be the one who responded to the need of the man robbed and beaten, so it is unusual that we would find a woman in the position of the disciple at the feet of the master. In this regard Luke is filled with surprises - the gospel draws ever-expanding circles suggesting that God means to leave no one out. Martha's comment to Jesus betrays an assumption that not only she, but her sister - and perhaps all women - best serve in the kitchen. That Mary has chosen "what is better", and that Jesus refuses to deny what she has chosen, suggests a priority on attentive listening that must not be neglected.

If anyone thought that a woman's work was completely defined by housework, this text suggests something quite different.

What is expected of you during this season? Is what is expected consistent with what is best? Who are we trying to please? Do we have the discipline to withstand the assumptions, criticisms and pressures that will work to deny us the "better portion"? Only one thing is needed, and this story makes the point that what we need will probably not be found just because we are busy.

On Line Bible Study - for the week November 1 -7, 2010

Lesson 464

More thoughts on The Good Samaritan ...

"Thou shalt not kill, but need'st not strive
Officiously to keep alive." - The Latest Decalogue, by Arther Hugh Clough

In the previous lesson we discussed the two questions that led Jesus to telling the parable of the Good Samaritan. The question: Who is my neighbor? merits further comment. (The full text of the Good Samaritan parable can be found here.) The issue is a most contemporary one for the church. The question cuts both ways - Is the person in need my 'neighbor'? Are the people who actually help us our true neighbors? (as opposed to the ones who ought to help us but don't!)

In Brennan Manning's classic book The Ragamuffin Gospel we read the story of the man who went to the doctor with a severe headache. After questioning the man and his personal habits - Do you smoke? Drink excessively? Are you sleeping around? The answers are "No!" to each of the questions. The doctor continues: Is the pain a sharp, shooting kind of pain? "Yes," answers the man, excited that some progress is being made in the visit. The solution is simple, says the doctor. All we need to do is loosen your halo - it's on too tight! (Published by Multnomah Publishers. 1990. Kindle location 774.)

It's hard to be a good neighbor when we wear our halo so tightly - and so low over our eyes! - that we are blinded and dulled to the pain of the people around us. Religious people struggle with their halos all the time. Our beliefs offer us strength; they also constrict our vision. Our sacred texts offer us guidance; they also write others out of the script of God's love.

This lesson is less an exegesis and more an interpretation - Who are the unclean people we refuse to love unconditionally? Who are the unclean people we refuse to learn from, assuming they have nothing to teach us?

Darrell Bock writes in his commentary on Luke that, while we can speculate why the priest did not stop to help the man, the story doesn't offer any reason. Becoming "ritually unclean" is a fear that is often suggested - that's why he did not stop. But there is evidence in the Mosaic Law to suggest that this situation would not have rendered the priest unclean. The priest simply chose to continue on his way.

The text tells us a Levite came along next - a member of the tribe of Levi. This individual would have worked in the temple as an assistant to the priest. The way the text reads it is possible to assume the Levite took a closer look than the priest. Did the beaten man on the side of the road feel his hopes rise? But the closer look did not result in any assistance.

The Samaritan is the sinner in the story. The sinner offers what the religious refused to offer.

Manning tells another story in the above-mentioned book. This is a true story of an alcoholic who attended his weekly AA meeting. He stood and faced his friends and admitted that, after seven years of sobriety, he had gone on a five-day drunken binge. The room was absolutely silent as he told his story. As he spoke, the man's voice faltered, and he hung his head in shame. As he concluded his story, his eyes were not the only ones filled with tears.

"The same thing happened to me, Phil," piped up one of the men in the crowd. Another voice spoke up: "Thank God you are back!" Still another called out: "That took a lot of guts to come and share this with us, Phil!" "I'm proud of you," yet another shouted out.

Sinners loving sinners. The greatest sin we can commit is the assumption of our own righteousness. I recently heard a pastor say they begin their worship service with the phrase: "I'm not OK. You're not OK. And that's OK."

Even as I write this lesson there can be no assumption of righteousness! There can be no hint of anyone being right or wrong here. We don't get to heaven by being right; we get there because we are loved. The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of scripture's strongest and loudest - and most desperately needed - wake-up calls.

None of the people at that AA meeting ever hinted that Phil getting drunk had been the right thing to do. What they did avoid was any sentiment suggesting they were right or righteous.

Love without judgment - that is the posture I struggle to assume. That is the challenge of the Christian life.

On Line Bible Study - For the week October 26-31, 2010

Lesson 463

Luke 10: ²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ...

²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

This is the testing of Jesus by a lawyer that leads to the telling of the parable of the Good Samaritan. (The full text is available here.)

Darrell Bock picks up on two themes in this story - The first theme has to do with eternal life. There are some parallels here with passages in Matthew 22:35-39 and Mark 12:28-31. There the question is which of the commandments is greatest (Matthew) or first (Mark). In Luke, the question has to do with eternal life. The answers are the same. The lawyer in Luke responds to his own question - He quotes from the law. Jesus affirms his answer - love God with heart, soul, strength and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus says: Do this, and you will live.

Eternal life, then, has to do with your love for God and others. You probably recall that, even though Jesus had affirmed him, the lawyer, perhaps realizing that he has not 'tested' Jesus as he had wanted to, pushes the situation further. Thus, the second theme emerges: Who is my neighbor?

The well-known parable follows. Darrell Bock points out that the lawyer was looking for the legal limitations with regard to the people we are called upon to serve. Jesus shifts the question from "Who should we help?" to "How much can we do!" The gospel mandate is not a limiting one, but a liberating one. We don't have to worry anymore about whether we are serving the right person or not. What matters is that we are ready and willing to serve: period.

This is a fascinating passage because it contains a pronouncement regarding the most important points of the law - Love; it lays the ground work for the expanded mission of the church - Serve; and it has clear moral power. When Jesus is done there is no question as to the right thing to do, and for whom to do it.

It is simple. (Not easy, but simple!) Jesus' statement to the lawyer is the same to us: What the Samaritan did in the story? Go and do likewise!