Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:25-26
God, I hate this scripture.
I know. I know all the interpretive gymnastics that surround it. I know how "scripture interprets scripture" and how I should balance this instance against Jesus' commandments to love. I know I should remember his care for Mary even when on the cross. I know Jesus tends to speak in hyperbole. I know "hatred" of life itself means being sick of societal emptiness. I know this is likely not Jesus himself speaking, but a theological argument by the early, Gentile-friendly Lukan church against exclusive, genealogical righteousness. I know that if scripture contained no contradictions, was easy or unequivocal, it wouldn't be scripture. I know all this. And not one word of it helps me like these verses.
If scripture tells me to hate my parents and children and life itself, I'd rather hate scripture.
The part of me that wants to be God's Public Defender would argue that my client's words were taken out of context. He didn't really mean them to be taken literally and absolutely.
But what if he did?
That's why I hate this scripture.
1 comment:
Thank you James ..... All my life I've puzzled over this scrpture and you're right .... we try to justify it and put various reasons forward but you've summed it up beautifully ........ not answered it .... but summed it up. One of my little questions I've saved up for when I get to Glory!!!!! ;-) God Bless you and your ministry... Pete Brewer aged 74 and a Salvationist who crossed over from the Brethren Assemblies!!!!!!
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