DO THE LATTER AND THE FORMER.
Okay here is another big hook for Jesus’ context. When you read the gospels hold two ideas at once about the opponents of Jesus, often called the Pharisees:
ONE. Ancient literature instructs with stock opponents.
This means in New Testament literature the “Jew” or the “Pharisees” or the “teachers of the law” or the “scribes” function as the stock opponents of Jesus for the purpose of didactic (instructional) literature.
The big idea is this": You are supposed to learn from the wrong views of the opponents of Jesus as much as his teachings. In early Christian writings this will soon change to the “pagan” or the “atheist” and in rabbinic literature it is the “Christian” or the minim (Jews but with incorrect belief) or the heretic or pagan or atheist.
Basically, entire groups are painted with a broad brush, or closer to the point, they are reduced to holding simple ideologies for the sake of instruction against their views. This means you can understand when you see Pharisee that from the perspective of the gospel writers this is a religious leader antagonistic to Jesus who cares more about ritual laws than having a heart for God and others. It does not mean all Pharisees or their rabbinical ancestors held these views. In all actuality, serving God is the concern of both Jews and Christians in Late Antiquity and they differed on Messianic definition and acceptance.
TWO. The Pharisees totally did think Galileans like Jesus were backwards and doing Torah wrong. The feeling was mutual.
The dominant arc of rabbinical literature towards Galileans presupposes that the hasadim in Galilee, like Jesus, are lax in study of Torah and practice of purity laws. But the other side of the coin is the Galilean passion for letting your whole life embody the righteousness of Yahweh. There is an interesting passage in the midst of Jesus’ famous Woe! to the Pharisees section in Luke where tells them the following:
"Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.”
LUKE 11.42
Here’s what I think is astounding— Jesus does not downplay the importance of the law of tithing a tenth of the smallest, minuscule crops to God. Rather he says to tithe these while neglecting love of God and neighbor is where the Pharisees are so wrongheaded. And so he says you should have done both: Be a great student of Scripture AND practice the double love command: Love God and do justice. (We’ll do the double-love command another day I promise…).
DO THE LATTER WITHOUT NEGLECTING THE FORMER…
How many of us, if we are honest, only get half of the equation right? Maybe you are careful about religious duty. You go to church, you pray a certain amount of times every day. You give to God or an institution in the name of God every time you gain money. And yet, you struggle to love others or remain silent when others suffer.
Jesus would say you practice religion while neglecting justice and the love of God…because for Jesus you show you love God by doing justice for others. And so it is time to stick your neck out for the causes the Master of the House has put in your bones.
As youth pastors, how many of our students seem passionate about large scale moral issues but break out hearts with the personal decisions they make? I have worked with countless students who were long on justice but short on devotion to God. They are rigid about everyone getting their share and it is beautiful. But it is sad how they disrespect their bodies, don’t care what they put in their bodies, or hoard all their resources while claiming to care.
Or, think how many of our students go to college and stand back from faith community, but it is hurting their individual decisions. It is like they have left the former undone and because of it their soul is at war.
Discipling students means figuring out together (go TEAM YP!) how to imitate Master Jesus in doing both. In ourselves for the sake of our learners, and in our learners for the sake of honoring Jesus with many many disciples.
For Jesus you never once have to pick! Spiritual practice and social justice are two sides of the same coin and one sided coins actually have no value. Philo or Alexandria says brilliantly in De Decalogo that some are lovers of God and others are lovers of humankind, but both “only go halfway in virtue.” Rare is the path of practicing the latter without leaving the former undone.
but we can do this because we have a great punk rock sage from the Galilee AND a great high priest.
Heart,
Mark and Heather
