Pentecost Sunday has always been a mixed bag of emotions for me. Raised in a Pentecostal church, trained theologically in Pentecostal theology, it tends to get lost in the negative feelings that I harbor today, for various reasons. Every Pentecost Sunday, however, I find it convicting because regardless of what I've made it or even what certain churches have made it, there is a valuable meaning, most of which I try, today, to derive from scripture.
Pentecost is one of the oldest feasts celebrated by the New Testament church. Its roots are mostly found in the Feast of Weeks in the Old Testament, roughly fifty days after Passover and traditionally known as the time that the law was given to Moses. That is all the history I am going to deal with but I am sure one of my more capable fellow Bloggers will give a detailed account of its progression, both biblically and traditionally. It's definitely a rich and diverse study well worth its time and attention.
But, I am going to dismiss (at least for a moment) all the tradition and history, and deal exclusively with Acts chapter 2 as we have it today. What made Pentecost? What did it ultimately mean and do for the church of the first century? I really am not concerned with all the extraneous things related to it today as we have it in our various liturgies. However, in the beginning, what was it that made that day special for those people in Jerusalem and why do we still acknowledge it today?
Jesus had ascended, the disciples were no doubt confused and doing the only thing they knew to do: what Jesus said. They gathered together in this room and they began to pray. I wonder what they prayed? Ever consider that? Jewish prayers? I mean, surely there were no Book of Common Prayers, Methodist hymnals, or responsive readings going on in that room that particular day. No, I can only imagine that the prayers being lifted were impromptu prayers that one prays when everything is falling apart - the kind of prayers that one prays when his/her world has stopped turning and he/she has no clue what to do or where to go....
My heart goes out to these men and women gathered, praying, and lost in so many ways. Of course, thankfully, the story doesn't end there or we probably wouldn't be thinking about Pentecost 2000 years later. No. Jesus told them that it was expedient that He go away because another was coming. Remember? (Jn14) What did He mean by that? I can feel my theological resistance rising within me. Another? Himself in different form? A second Savior? What was He saying?
This is where I bow to that which I do not know. But, I watch, in scripture, as it speaks of a stirring. This was the remnant; 120 people left after all the thousands who had heard Jesus' voice and listened as he tried to show them a more excellent way. All those he healed, loved, and liberated; 120 were left and they were praying for what? Even they really didn't know.
Before we go any further, let me quickly identify a few ingredients that I see in that band of people on that first post Easter Pentecost Sunday. First thing I see is that they were all in the same place. Now, that might sound simple. But if one has ever been a church leader, ever tried to lead a function, chair a committee, and/or quell a controversy he/she has found out quickly that people do not naturally herd together well. That is not a harsh criticism; God made us. But, here, they were all together in the same place.
Secondly, and more amazingly, they were in one accord: unity! I wonder how many churches celebrate Pentecost where there is so much division and strife often sitting alongside one another on the very same pew? Don't answer that, please! But, seriously, they were together and in one accord. Did that mean they all knew what was going to happen? Did that mean they all understood it after it happened? I don't think so. But, what I do think it means is that they were all convinced of their need for Jesus. Here, I will turn Pentecostal for a moment: if the church is to ever recapture the energy and Divine intervention that rushed into being that day, it will and must become convinced that its only need is Jesus.
As they were doing all this, something began to happen. You see, when we loose the essence of what scripture speaks about, we replace it with liturgy, tradition, baptisms, etc., don't we? I am not saying for a moment (anyone who reads my blog regularly knows that I have no problem with these things) that these practices need to be phased out. I certainly think the locus of Church history supports much of what we traditionally do today on Pentecost. But, wouldn't it be great to have one Pentecost Sunday somewhere akin to the one here that we're considering today? Has our ideas of God and Divine become so mundane that we confine him/her to liturgy found on page so and so? Can't God do it again?
I know these are rhetorical questions, but I just can't help myself but ask. We could go on and analyze the story further and find ourselves in a quagmire of theological controversy (i.e. what are tongues and what does it mean for the church today?). I don't care about all that. However, the product of Pentecost, and I end this post with this, was that Jesus was once again proclaimed in the streets of Jerusalem. And ultimately, as a result, He was taken to the four corners of the world by these men and women who met together in one place and in one accord. That to me, is the true message of Pentecost Sunday.
May He do it again!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
NA Meetings and Alabaster Jars
There's a story that is recorded in Luke's gospel, chapter 7, that is best known as The Penitent Woman. It's a story that spans the entire body of the Gospel canon, and is somewhat fraught with difficulty. Matthew (26:6-13) and Mark (14:3-9) record the story but in no way indicate that she was a sinner. John (12:1-8) names her "Mary" which has created a tradition that essentially identifies this woman as Mary Magdalene (or Lazarus' sister), one not supported by any interior or extraneous proof. In each record, the host is different (Matthew- Simon the Leper; Mark- just Simon; Luke- Simon the Pharisee; John puts the story in the house of Lazarus ). Even the geographical location is inconclusive (Luke- north in Galilee; Matthew, Mark, and John place it down south in Bethany). The very body part of Jesus that this woman anointed is questionable too, because some of the Evangelist say it was His feet (Luke and John) while others claim it to be His head (Matthew and Mark).
Obviously, this story morphed a bit between the oral transmission phase and when these Evangelist actually began to write things down. Now, I know some might object and say that is not possible, right? The Holy Spirit moved men and scripture was given by complete inspiration and is therefore infallible. I don't even really want to touch that this morning (Please forgive me if that offends you). You can accept it as four different stories with four separate women and three different places; or, one story with multiple incompatible versions. You can elevate human agency in biblical literary construction; all these arguments have valid points, but let's not miss something here by arguing over what I consider to be non-essential.
I am going, therefore, to choose Luke's rendition here because it speaks volumes to me today. In fact, it has taken more than a hour for me to get past the first few sentences of this passage. So, really, there's no need for us to argue over inspiration. There is no question that the Holy Spirit, today, in the 21st century, has taken this narrative and inspired and touched my spirit and I don't care if it actually happened the Lucan way or not. So, now, with all that mess out of the way, let's look at it together:
Okay, first thing I notice here is that Simon has contempt for Jesus. You might object. I mean, if he was contemptuous, then why bring Jesus into his house? Good question! I have no clue. But, Simon ignores common courtesy, customs well entrenched in the first century Mediterranean world. It was common to, at the very least, offer a guest water to wash his feet. In most cases, when a superior entered the home of an inferior, the host would actually wash the feet of the former himself. Simon does none of this. While we are not dealing with the other versions of the story, it was also common to offer water for one to wash their face and oil to anoint it as well. These were common practices ignored by this Pharisee.
When the immoral (perhaps she was a prostitute or married to a publican?) woman entered the house and began to touch Jesus, Simon immediately felt justified: "this man is no prophet! If he was, he would know the character of the woman touching him!" Jesus proves him wrong by revealing the secrets of his heart. "Simon, two men owed debts, one small the other large. When they both could not repay, they were both forgiven and the debt erased. Simon, who do you think was the most thankful?" (my paraphrase) Then, the Pharisee really comes out; "I suppose the one whose debt was the biggest."
Now, my wife has this discerning way about her when I am being sarcastic, even at times when I don't realize it. She'll tell me, "you got this arrogant smirk on your face." I wish I knew what that looked like; obviously I can not hide my contempt very well. Simon must of been the same way. There is "I suppose" and then there's, "I suppose......" Understand what I am saying? The narrative if full of the venom and contempt.
Let me pose a question, one that the text doesn't answer and I can't either; but, was it common for sinful women to just walk into some one's house uninvited? I can see that happening at my house! And, the moment Simon saw her, I wonder why he didn't throw her out? Think about it for a moment.... Was he trying set Jesus up? Stranger things have happened!
Poor Simon really didn't get it; but the woman did! And she is the one I want us to really see today. She walks in with a box of perfume. Luke here says that it was an alabaster jar. The perfume was no doubt expensive, one version saying it was worth 100 denarius. To put it into perspective, a denari was a typical day's wage. Next, not only was the ointment/perfume expensive, but alabaster was a precious white stone out which small vessels were made to hold precious things. So, the jar/box was precious and the perfume/ointment was as well.
She comes in, breaks the seal and begins to sits at Jesus' feet. Now, I like where Luke puts her, and I'll tell you why. Here is woman, obviously scorned and unworthy; she comes in with the most precious thing she can afford (which lends credence to the idea that she might actually have been a prostitute) and she walks up to Jesus and all she can do is sit behind him, at his feet. That isn't usually what we do when we bring our gifts to him, is it? Oh, well, she was sinner! So, am I! But, I usually stroll boldly before him and make sure that he knows what it is I am offering! "Look! Jesus, I threw out those books you didn't want me to have! I gave up drugs, immoral behaviors! I am even going to an E-V-errrrr, an Evangelical church!!!" She doesn't do this.
The portrait in the Greek is of one who is overcome with love and emotion. Sitting at His feet had such a dramatic effect on this woman! Now, this story has been used often to describe the fact that love covers a multitude of sins. If you love much, you'll be forgiven much. It's as if, love is the catalyst, the barter, if you will, for forgiveness. But, that is not what is happening here.
So, what is going on here? She comes in, whether she was put up to it by someone who was trying to offend or test Jesus, we will never know. But, she comes up behind Jesus as he is reclining at Simon's table. Surely, she came in with some kind of intent or desire, one that may forever be lost to us. But sitting there at his feet began to move her and she saw her neediness. That neediness lead to an internal estimation of her condition and that lead to her forgiveness. This woman was forgiven before Jesus ever opened his mouth!
I really messed up last night; when I came home my heart was so heavy. I went to an NA meeting, not because I really felt like I had too, but I just thought it might be helpful for someone else (yeah, I am an arrogant expletive!). While there, the idea of God came up and the "of your own understanding" of any 12 step program was discussed and I don't know, the ugly old cynic just came flooding to the surface. I know what "higher power" means. God knows I wouldn't be here today if He wasn't with me. But, it was just that "of your own understanding" part that irritated me. No, I couldn't share my faith, but I took it upon myself to try and destroy any one's notion of God that did not mesh with what I thought was logical.
My argument? If I can understand God, he is not big enough to fix my problems. I understand addiction and drugs and alcoholism and all that stuff. But if something/someone is big enough to help me, then He is going to have to be bigger than my intelligence. And don't assault my sensibilities by saying that I can choose a rock or a door knob or a scratching post; oh, the arrogance! If a doorknob could help me beat my addictions don't you think I'd of been anointing and praying to door knobs everywhere? I would be praying to every tree or rock... no, if I can touch it, see it, taste it, it can't help me!
Don't you think for a minute that I didn't sit there and bite my tongue and shift in my seat and almost got up and walked out without even saying a word. But, no, there again, not my nature; I am a loud mouth idiot who has to get his point across and have the last word in most cases (even if I don't even really believe what I am saying: argue simply for argument's sake!), and I did. And let me tell you, for a moment, it felt good. But, when I got done, looking at the faces of the men and women sitting there who may not of been able to accept my idea of God (as if I even tried to define that!), I immediately heard Jesus speak, "you deny Me before men, I will deny you before my Father." (Matthew 10:33; my paraphrase) I was and am so ashamed!
Did I ever step into that one! I went home under conviction. I went to bed with it, and I woke up with it. I can only imagine that it was the Holy Spirit that quickened this story to my mind and as I sat down to do my ritual blog. I opened this passage of scripture, and the portrait of this woman sitting at the Master's feet, somehow stirred my spirit. I feel sorry for those whose faith has no passion. I've been there, and I know what it feels like. Never, again, do I want to be left to my own devices, my own intellect, to figure things out and somehow make them right.
I mentioned earlier that it took me more than an hour to get to where I could begin to think about writing about this passage. Why? Because I saw myself in this woman. Waking this morning and putting my feet on the floor and going through the motions of the daily rituals, knowing that I had hurt my Savior the night before, was almost more than I could take. I sat down at this computer thinking, I will make it right, with my alabaster jar and precious ointment in my hands. And then, all my thoughts and intellect, sensibilities, were overwhelmed by this portrait of a woman, an immoral woman, who met Jesus where she could: at his feet!
"Jesus! I have a gift for you today! Let me offer to you this talent or that. I am going to clean my house for your glory; I am going to love my wife and my children today!" The more I tried to stand upright and meet Him face to face, the more and more I realized that I could do nothing more than what this immoral woman did: sit at his feet. You know, sometimes being at His feet is the most beautiful, comforting place you can be.
This woman is filled with forgiveness and as such, her tears begin to overflow and she wipes her tears away with her hair, essentially washing his feet. He didn't even have to say a word to me this morning. It wasn't my talents, my business, my devotion to family and friends that He wanted. As I sat there and cried alongside this woman, the alabaster jar of my heart was broken and repentance and "I'm sorry" flowed out with overwhelming passion. I truly was and am so sorry!
I don't care what the Simon's of the world do. I've been there, done that, got the tee-shirt and I couldn't disdain a faith perspective any less. I can admit that I don't understand. All I know, is that I was forgiven so much, and in return, I love much! No longer can I meet Him face to face; I find comfort at His feet, my tears staining His skin.
What does this mean for you today? May you know His forgiveness, love, and compassion. May you realize today that He doesn't need your talents or anything, but your heart. May you, just as I, find comfort and solace at His feet. The man/woman who is forgiven much, will love much. May that be true in me! May it be true in you as well!
Obviously, this story morphed a bit between the oral transmission phase and when these Evangelist actually began to write things down. Now, I know some might object and say that is not possible, right? The Holy Spirit moved men and scripture was given by complete inspiration and is therefore infallible. I don't even really want to touch that this morning (Please forgive me if that offends you). You can accept it as four different stories with four separate women and three different places; or, one story with multiple incompatible versions. You can elevate human agency in biblical literary construction; all these arguments have valid points, but let's not miss something here by arguing over what I consider to be non-essential.
I am going, therefore, to choose Luke's rendition here because it speaks volumes to me today. In fact, it has taken more than a hour for me to get past the first few sentences of this passage. So, really, there's no need for us to argue over inspiration. There is no question that the Holy Spirit, today, in the 21st century, has taken this narrative and inspired and touched my spirit and I don't care if it actually happened the Lucan way or not. So, now, with all that mess out of the way, let's look at it together:
36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesusj to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. 37 And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 38 She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “speak.” 41 “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii,k and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesusl said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” 48 Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Okay, first thing I notice here is that Simon has contempt for Jesus. You might object. I mean, if he was contemptuous, then why bring Jesus into his house? Good question! I have no clue. But, Simon ignores common courtesy, customs well entrenched in the first century Mediterranean world. It was common to, at the very least, offer a guest water to wash his feet. In most cases, when a superior entered the home of an inferior, the host would actually wash the feet of the former himself. Simon does none of this. While we are not dealing with the other versions of the story, it was also common to offer water for one to wash their face and oil to anoint it as well. These were common practices ignored by this Pharisee.
When the immoral (perhaps she was a prostitute or married to a publican?) woman entered the house and began to touch Jesus, Simon immediately felt justified: "this man is no prophet! If he was, he would know the character of the woman touching him!" Jesus proves him wrong by revealing the secrets of his heart. "Simon, two men owed debts, one small the other large. When they both could not repay, they were both forgiven and the debt erased. Simon, who do you think was the most thankful?" (my paraphrase) Then, the Pharisee really comes out; "I suppose the one whose debt was the biggest."
Now, my wife has this discerning way about her when I am being sarcastic, even at times when I don't realize it. She'll tell me, "you got this arrogant smirk on your face." I wish I knew what that looked like; obviously I can not hide my contempt very well. Simon must of been the same way. There is "I suppose" and then there's, "I suppose......" Understand what I am saying? The narrative if full of the venom and contempt.
Let me pose a question, one that the text doesn't answer and I can't either; but, was it common for sinful women to just walk into some one's house uninvited? I can see that happening at my house! And, the moment Simon saw her, I wonder why he didn't throw her out? Think about it for a moment.... Was he trying set Jesus up? Stranger things have happened!
Poor Simon really didn't get it; but the woman did! And she is the one I want us to really see today. She walks in with a box of perfume. Luke here says that it was an alabaster jar. The perfume was no doubt expensive, one version saying it was worth 100 denarius. To put it into perspective, a denari was a typical day's wage. Next, not only was the ointment/perfume expensive, but alabaster was a precious white stone out which small vessels were made to hold precious things. So, the jar/box was precious and the perfume/ointment was as well.
She comes in, breaks the seal and begins to sits at Jesus' feet. Now, I like where Luke puts her, and I'll tell you why. Here is woman, obviously scorned and unworthy; she comes in with the most precious thing she can afford (which lends credence to the idea that she might actually have been a prostitute) and she walks up to Jesus and all she can do is sit behind him, at his feet. That isn't usually what we do when we bring our gifts to him, is it? Oh, well, she was sinner! So, am I! But, I usually stroll boldly before him and make sure that he knows what it is I am offering! "Look! Jesus, I threw out those books you didn't want me to have! I gave up drugs, immoral behaviors! I am even going to an E-V-errrrr, an Evangelical church!!!" She doesn't do this.
The portrait in the Greek is of one who is overcome with love and emotion. Sitting at His feet had such a dramatic effect on this woman! Now, this story has been used often to describe the fact that love covers a multitude of sins. If you love much, you'll be forgiven much. It's as if, love is the catalyst, the barter, if you will, for forgiveness. But, that is not what is happening here.
Zerwick comments: “The context, however, renders the interpretation just referred to almost impossible; for Our Lord goes on at once to add, ‘but he to whom less is forgiven, loves less,’ with evident reference to the parable whereby He had shown Simon that the greater mercy calls forth the greater love of gratitude…The sense demanded by the context…is ‘she loves because she is forgiven,’ and not ‘she is forgiven because she loves.’ And this is in fact the sense of the Greek expression, so long as the hoti is understood in the special causal sense which gives the reason not why the fact is so, but whereby it is known to be so”
M. Zerwick, Graecitas biblica (4th ed.; Rome, 1960). Numbers correspond to English tr., Biblical Greek (Rome, 1963) [emphasis added]
So, what is going on here? She comes in, whether she was put up to it by someone who was trying to offend or test Jesus, we will never know. But, she comes up behind Jesus as he is reclining at Simon's table. Surely, she came in with some kind of intent or desire, one that may forever be lost to us. But sitting there at his feet began to move her and she saw her neediness. That neediness lead to an internal estimation of her condition and that lead to her forgiveness. This woman was forgiven before Jesus ever opened his mouth!
I really messed up last night; when I came home my heart was so heavy. I went to an NA meeting, not because I really felt like I had too, but I just thought it might be helpful for someone else (yeah, I am an arrogant expletive!). While there, the idea of God came up and the "of your own understanding" of any 12 step program was discussed and I don't know, the ugly old cynic just came flooding to the surface. I know what "higher power" means. God knows I wouldn't be here today if He wasn't with me. But, it was just that "of your own understanding" part that irritated me. No, I couldn't share my faith, but I took it upon myself to try and destroy any one's notion of God that did not mesh with what I thought was logical.
My argument? If I can understand God, he is not big enough to fix my problems. I understand addiction and drugs and alcoholism and all that stuff. But if something/someone is big enough to help me, then He is going to have to be bigger than my intelligence. And don't assault my sensibilities by saying that I can choose a rock or a door knob or a scratching post; oh, the arrogance! If a doorknob could help me beat my addictions don't you think I'd of been anointing and praying to door knobs everywhere? I would be praying to every tree or rock... no, if I can touch it, see it, taste it, it can't help me!
Don't you think for a minute that I didn't sit there and bite my tongue and shift in my seat and almost got up and walked out without even saying a word. But, no, there again, not my nature; I am a loud mouth idiot who has to get his point across and have the last word in most cases (even if I don't even really believe what I am saying: argue simply for argument's sake!), and I did. And let me tell you, for a moment, it felt good. But, when I got done, looking at the faces of the men and women sitting there who may not of been able to accept my idea of God (as if I even tried to define that!), I immediately heard Jesus speak, "you deny Me before men, I will deny you before my Father." (Matthew 10:33; my paraphrase) I was and am so ashamed!
Did I ever step into that one! I went home under conviction. I went to bed with it, and I woke up with it. I can only imagine that it was the Holy Spirit that quickened this story to my mind and as I sat down to do my ritual blog. I opened this passage of scripture, and the portrait of this woman sitting at the Master's feet, somehow stirred my spirit. I feel sorry for those whose faith has no passion. I've been there, and I know what it feels like. Never, again, do I want to be left to my own devices, my own intellect, to figure things out and somehow make them right.
I mentioned earlier that it took me more than an hour to get to where I could begin to think about writing about this passage. Why? Because I saw myself in this woman. Waking this morning and putting my feet on the floor and going through the motions of the daily rituals, knowing that I had hurt my Savior the night before, was almost more than I could take. I sat down at this computer thinking, I will make it right, with my alabaster jar and precious ointment in my hands. And then, all my thoughts and intellect, sensibilities, were overwhelmed by this portrait of a woman, an immoral woman, who met Jesus where she could: at his feet!
"Jesus! I have a gift for you today! Let me offer to you this talent or that. I am going to clean my house for your glory; I am going to love my wife and my children today!" The more I tried to stand upright and meet Him face to face, the more and more I realized that I could do nothing more than what this immoral woman did: sit at his feet. You know, sometimes being at His feet is the most beautiful, comforting place you can be.
This woman is filled with forgiveness and as such, her tears begin to overflow and she wipes her tears away with her hair, essentially washing his feet. He didn't even have to say a word to me this morning. It wasn't my talents, my business, my devotion to family and friends that He wanted. As I sat there and cried alongside this woman, the alabaster jar of my heart was broken and repentance and "I'm sorry" flowed out with overwhelming passion. I truly was and am so sorry!
I don't care what the Simon's of the world do. I've been there, done that, got the tee-shirt and I couldn't disdain a faith perspective any less. I can admit that I don't understand. All I know, is that I was forgiven so much, and in return, I love much! No longer can I meet Him face to face; I find comfort at His feet, my tears staining His skin.
What does this mean for you today? May you know His forgiveness, love, and compassion. May you realize today that He doesn't need your talents or anything, but your heart. May you, just as I, find comfort and solace at His feet. The man/woman who is forgiven much, will love much. May that be true in me! May it be true in you as well!
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