Death and duty
Commentary
At the beginning of Fall most of us are colorful foliage and expecting bright days for some time to come. References to natural life in a fairly positive vein, as in the lesson from Job, seem very appropriate. In fact, this particular lesson was chosen from among a variety of options recommended by different churches, because the time of year seems wrong for domination by themes of death, persecution and evil.
Yet, Christians need to be ready for such realities at all times, because troubles are no respecter of seasons or persons. Since death never takes a holiday, the recent lessons which anticipate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are not out of place, even if it is not Lent. We may think of their pertinence for persons who are living intimately with death.
If anyone has had the experience of living with a person who is known to be dying, it is easy to understand the need to balance preparation for the ultimate demise with persistence in making the most of continuing life day by day. At best the task is not easy.
For Jesus it was doubly difficult. First, he was the one who was to die and he was the only one in his company who knew it. Second, he felt keenly the need to prepare his followers, who would be responsible for the movement that would become the church, the continuing and expanding community of believers. They remained, like so many other people through the ages, afraid to discuss death, especially the death of their intimate associate, the leader upon whom they had come to depend.
As for continuing life day-by-day, the disciples were making it more difficult rather than easier. One might suspect they had understood enough to be establishing rank and privilege for the time when their leader had gone. They were all too human. They acted as though life were a game where some must win and others must lose. Or at least, some must win better than others.
When Jesus continued to emphasize a life of service, the tendencies among the disciples might have made them think such a statement could be secularized. Service can be a way to control and control can be a way to importance, with others dependent upon the one who exerts the effort, possesses the skill and carries the knowledge to solve problems.
Jesus' patience and persistence in working with such disciples encourages us to know he will not give up on us.
OUTLINE I
Wisdom belongs to God
Job 28:20-28
A. vv. 20-22. Was the question about locating wisdom asked in desperation? Or was it asked philosophically? Either way, the human need was obvious.
In earlier verses (1-11), the poem had celebrated human attainments. Mining represented as much technological development as was known in any field of endeavor during antiquity. It probed the deep, brought light into severe darkness and accomplished wonders; but it had not discovered wisdom.
Wisdom could not be bought (15-19). In spite of the great worth of human discoveries and products, people did not have access to anything valuable enough to acquire wisdom through commercial exchange.
Neither technological knowledge nor business acumen was the equivalent of wisdom. People should not expect "a little bird to tell them" or the secrets of death and the grave to divulge it.
B. vv. 23-28. Wisdom is transcendent. God has access to it. It is connected with creation as in Proverbs 8:22-31. It takes God to recognize it and speak about it, because he made it, controls it and continually explores its nature. Little wonder that the Old Testament perception of wisdom is understood as a forerunner of the Word of God in John 1:1. And little wonder that the only access that people would have to such transcendent wisdom would be through devotion to God.
OUTLINE II
Down to earth but not worldly
James 3:13--4:6
A. 3:13-17. Two kinds of wisdom.
(1) Wisdom "from above" echoes the thought of divine origin for wisdom, as in Proverbs 2:6 and 8:22. Although 1 Corinthians 1:17--2:16 speaks of Christ crucified as the wisdom of God, James is concerned with ethical motivation and action, more like Proverbs. True wisdom depends on the seat of character, the heart, and is given to truth, pure and not hypocritical. It shows in gentleness and in accommodating to others. It acts in two ways commended in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:7 and 9), mercifully and peacably. So, wisdom in James is concerned with practical relationships among Christians in their earthly life. But it is not worldly.
(2) Worldly wisdom springs from self-centered ambition and envy. It is boastful and creates disorder. Here there is a meeting with Paul's perceptions in 1 Corinthians. He denounces the equation of wisdom with eloquence, rationality and worldly manifestations of power that are disrupting the unity and peace of the congregation.
B. 4:1-6. Two kinds of prayer. The trouble starts with wrong desires for worldly pleasures and eventuates in violent conflict. Prayer should not be neglected. Yet, even prayer can be evil. If the friend whom we seek is really the world, then God, who is like a jealous mate, will treat the church as adulterous. That is, until it returns humbly to its true friend, who is God (Proverbs 3:34).
OUTLINE III
Difficult lessons
Mark 9:30-37
A. vv. 30-32. Jesus needed all the privacy he could get with the disciples. He was preparing them for the great test they would face at the time of his trials and crucifixion. The disciples still did not understand how he could be the Messiah and be involved in an ignominious death. On this second occasion that he brought up the topic, he mentioned betrayal rather than rejection by the religious leaders, as he had done on the first occasion (8:31). In both instances, he had concluded with a reference to his resurrection. Even such a promising outcome only mystified the disciples.
B. vv. 33-35. Instead, the disciples were engaging in competitiveness. So little had they understood the nature of Jesus' ministry that they still thought of life as a matter of one-upmanship. What had to be a great disappointment to Jesus, he turned into a teaching opportunity. Another of his profound proverbs unfolded like an unforgettable banner. With a moral challenge, he wanted to stimulate community solidarity among the disciples.
C. vv. 36-37. Now Jesus combined an act with his statement to make his teaching more memorable. Perhaps the child symbolized someone whom the world would not consider great. Then there is a connection with the proverb that preceded. The new thought suggests that Christ is as identified with one in need of befriending as he is with God. Or, a way to find Christ is through the needy.
Yet, Christians need to be ready for such realities at all times, because troubles are no respecter of seasons or persons. Since death never takes a holiday, the recent lessons which anticipate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are not out of place, even if it is not Lent. We may think of their pertinence for persons who are living intimately with death.
If anyone has had the experience of living with a person who is known to be dying, it is easy to understand the need to balance preparation for the ultimate demise with persistence in making the most of continuing life day by day. At best the task is not easy.
For Jesus it was doubly difficult. First, he was the one who was to die and he was the only one in his company who knew it. Second, he felt keenly the need to prepare his followers, who would be responsible for the movement that would become the church, the continuing and expanding community of believers. They remained, like so many other people through the ages, afraid to discuss death, especially the death of their intimate associate, the leader upon whom they had come to depend.
As for continuing life day-by-day, the disciples were making it more difficult rather than easier. One might suspect they had understood enough to be establishing rank and privilege for the time when their leader had gone. They were all too human. They acted as though life were a game where some must win and others must lose. Or at least, some must win better than others.
When Jesus continued to emphasize a life of service, the tendencies among the disciples might have made them think such a statement could be secularized. Service can be a way to control and control can be a way to importance, with others dependent upon the one who exerts the effort, possesses the skill and carries the knowledge to solve problems.
Jesus' patience and persistence in working with such disciples encourages us to know he will not give up on us.
OUTLINE I
Wisdom belongs to God
Job 28:20-28
A. vv. 20-22. Was the question about locating wisdom asked in desperation? Or was it asked philosophically? Either way, the human need was obvious.
In earlier verses (1-11), the poem had celebrated human attainments. Mining represented as much technological development as was known in any field of endeavor during antiquity. It probed the deep, brought light into severe darkness and accomplished wonders; but it had not discovered wisdom.
Wisdom could not be bought (15-19). In spite of the great worth of human discoveries and products, people did not have access to anything valuable enough to acquire wisdom through commercial exchange.
Neither technological knowledge nor business acumen was the equivalent of wisdom. People should not expect "a little bird to tell them" or the secrets of death and the grave to divulge it.
B. vv. 23-28. Wisdom is transcendent. God has access to it. It is connected with creation as in Proverbs 8:22-31. It takes God to recognize it and speak about it, because he made it, controls it and continually explores its nature. Little wonder that the Old Testament perception of wisdom is understood as a forerunner of the Word of God in John 1:1. And little wonder that the only access that people would have to such transcendent wisdom would be through devotion to God.
OUTLINE II
Down to earth but not worldly
James 3:13--4:6
A. 3:13-17. Two kinds of wisdom.
(1) Wisdom "from above" echoes the thought of divine origin for wisdom, as in Proverbs 2:6 and 8:22. Although 1 Corinthians 1:17--2:16 speaks of Christ crucified as the wisdom of God, James is concerned with ethical motivation and action, more like Proverbs. True wisdom depends on the seat of character, the heart, and is given to truth, pure and not hypocritical. It shows in gentleness and in accommodating to others. It acts in two ways commended in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:7 and 9), mercifully and peacably. So, wisdom in James is concerned with practical relationships among Christians in their earthly life. But it is not worldly.
(2) Worldly wisdom springs from self-centered ambition and envy. It is boastful and creates disorder. Here there is a meeting with Paul's perceptions in 1 Corinthians. He denounces the equation of wisdom with eloquence, rationality and worldly manifestations of power that are disrupting the unity and peace of the congregation.
B. 4:1-6. Two kinds of prayer. The trouble starts with wrong desires for worldly pleasures and eventuates in violent conflict. Prayer should not be neglected. Yet, even prayer can be evil. If the friend whom we seek is really the world, then God, who is like a jealous mate, will treat the church as adulterous. That is, until it returns humbly to its true friend, who is God (Proverbs 3:34).
OUTLINE III
Difficult lessons
Mark 9:30-37
A. vv. 30-32. Jesus needed all the privacy he could get with the disciples. He was preparing them for the great test they would face at the time of his trials and crucifixion. The disciples still did not understand how he could be the Messiah and be involved in an ignominious death. On this second occasion that he brought up the topic, he mentioned betrayal rather than rejection by the religious leaders, as he had done on the first occasion (8:31). In both instances, he had concluded with a reference to his resurrection. Even such a promising outcome only mystified the disciples.
B. vv. 33-35. Instead, the disciples were engaging in competitiveness. So little had they understood the nature of Jesus' ministry that they still thought of life as a matter of one-upmanship. What had to be a great disappointment to Jesus, he turned into a teaching opportunity. Another of his profound proverbs unfolded like an unforgettable banner. With a moral challenge, he wanted to stimulate community solidarity among the disciples.
C. vv. 36-37. Now Jesus combined an act with his statement to make his teaching more memorable. Perhaps the child symbolized someone whom the world would not consider great. Then there is a connection with the proverb that preceded. The new thought suggests that Christ is as identified with one in need of befriending as he is with God. Or, a way to find Christ is through the needy.
