no city or country here

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance, and he set out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith, with Sarah’s involvement, he received power of procreation, even though he was too old, because he considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, “as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.”

All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better homeland, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. (For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the city gate in order to sanctify the people by his own blood. Let us then go to him outside the camp and bear the abuse he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-16; 12:18-24; 13:12-16; NRSVue

I never ceased to be amazed at the Christian devotion present for national causes. If we would humbly be just as much concerned about international causes, it would be better. But it seems like we’re not as well versed in what Scripture says, in good theology as we might think. I remember as a nine-year-old boy, mistakenly walking between two people conversing who were obviously foreigners, and being so embarrassed, wanting to return and apologize, but somehow didn’t. We have better instincts at times than the nationalistic, sectarian air we often breathe and imbibe.

The above passages from the book of Hebrews make it clear that our primary citizenship is not here, but in the new “heavenly Jerusalem.” Not in the present Jerusalem, Washington D.C., or any other city here on earth. It’s not like we’re to neglect to do good, to share what we have for the benefit of others. It’s not like we’re not to pray and hope for the good of the nation in which we live. It’s not like we’re to retreat and not advocate for a just peace, for justice in an all too often unjust, greedy world in which power all too often resides at the end of the barrel of a gun, in military might.

Our allegiance as followers of Christ is to one Lord, with one hope in a world which when it’s all said and done has another goal altogether. It might be dressed up in religious, even Christian terms. But the means for the supposedly good end are always a betrayal as to just what that end is. If you use violence and force of whatever kind to achieve the goal, then everyone can be assured that the goal is not of Christ, even if it is Christian in an historical (not biblical) sense.

This world is wonderful, and we can find good most anywhere, although there are political, national and organizational entities which are not at all good in themselves. Even when we think there’s much good in whatever entity we’re considering, we must remember that we’re looking for something better, much better. We challenge all the present entities not to mention even ourselves, our churches, remembering that we are not imagining that we’re the new Jerusalem ourselves, that we’ve arrived. We want to be challenged and to challenge others in the light of God’s good will. Showing that in our humble penitence, lives lived, good works, as well as advocacy for a better world now. But in faith we do so as those who don’t imagine that this old world could ever be the end all.

for Earth Day

The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it,
for he has founded it on the seas
and established it on the rivers.

Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
who do not lift up their souls to what is false
and do not swear deceitfully.
They will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from the God of their salvation.
Such is the company of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah

Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in!
Who is the King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in!
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory. Selah

Psalm 24; NRSVue

The earth is God’s, entrusted to humans as its stewards (Genesis 1:26-31; 2:4b-25). Humans are therefore responsible to God for it. Unfortunately, we know all too well just how poorly we have done as a human species in the idolatrous quest for more and more. We have failed to live in the God-given harmony of earth. Yes, we await the final salvation, but in the meantime, we need to work together to do better, for the good of the poor who are most affected, for the good of all.

greed or love?

Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
In arrogance the wicked persecute the poor—
let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.

For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart;
those greedy for gain curse and renounce the LORD.
In the pride of their countenance the wicked say, “God will not seek it out”;
all their thoughts are, “There is no God.”

Their ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, out of their sight;
as for their foes, they scoff at them.
They think in their heart, “We shall not be moved;
throughout all generations we shall not meet adversity.”

Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under their tongues are mischief and iniquity.
They sit in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places they murder the innocent.

Their eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
they lurk in secret like a lion in its den;
they lurk that they may seize the poor;
they seize the poor and drag them off in their net.

They stoop, they crouch,
and the helpless fall by their might.
They think in their heart, “God has forgotten;
he has hidden his face; he will never see it.”

Rise up, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand;
do not forget the oppressed.
Why do the wicked renounce God
and say in their hearts, “You will not call us to account”?

But you do see! Indeed, you note trouble and grief,
that you may take it into your hands;
the helpless commit themselves to you;
you have been the helper of the orphan.

Break the arm of the wicked and evildoers;
seek out their wickedness until you find none.
The LORD is king forever and ever;
the nations shall perish from his land.

O LORD, you will hear the desire of the meek;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed,
so that those from earth may strike terror no more.

Psalm 10; NRSVue

Have you noticed that when it comes right down to it, it’s not people that are the priority, but corporations along with special interest groups doing their bidding, politicians gaining and holding on to power, as a result? And as we see in this psalm, it goes back to time immemorial. It has just put on a new face.

People are nothing more than a means to the end of great wealth. Greed not only does not think about others but is ruthless in letting nothing get in its ways to achieve its ends most often at the expense of others. And the quest for raw power with the desire to make a fortune certainly go hand and hand.

All of that is included in this psalm. But there’s hope in the end. Our appeal to God will not fall on deaf ears. We do so in meekness, not in tit for tat, not in our own power grab to supposedly make things better. Instead we appeal to God for God’s saving judgment to bring about the love and justice needed, money only a means to that good end.

holding nothing back

“Do good, and evil will not overtake you. Prayer with fidelity is good, and almsgiving with righteousness is better than wealth with injustice. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold, for almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life, but those who commit sin and do wrong are their own enemies.

Tobit 12:7b-10; NRSVue

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them, for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Matthew 6:1-4; NRSVue

Then someone came to him and said, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and mother. Also, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “I have kept all these; what do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Matthew 19:16-22; NRSVue

So give as alms those things that are within and then everything will be clean for you.

Luke 11:41; NRSVue

Maybe it’s my older brain, but it just dawned on me that St. Patick is not St. Francis of Assisi (tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day). Both are worthy of being remembered and honored. Patrick brought the gospel to Ireland and Francis left everything to follow Christ in radical obedience. There’s surely much we can learn from both and we’ve been blessed with the legacy they left. So my meditation today is really connected with Francis.

The words in Tobit and from Matthew’s and Luke’s gospel accounts quoted above center on giving of one’s material wealth, and almsgiving. “Follow the money” explains a lot, no less so in the Bible (see Walter Brueggemann’s helpful book on this, Money and Possessions). Idolatry and greed are linked together by Paul (Colossians 3:5b), and really by the entire Biblical narrative.

Giving is a grace into which we grow (see 2 Corinthians 8-9), not an iron-clad law we must follow. But it’s neither automatic nor easy. That’s quite evident from what Paul writes to the Corinthian church. When one not only finds it in their heart to give, then follows through, one does find favor not only with people, but with God. I don’t think that’s overstating it if one really takes the above passages seriously. When we give from the heart, we participate in the grace of God meant to be poured out to all. And we experience something of that grace, as it’s poured out through us.

seeing life from the point of view of the down and out

On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city;
he sets up walls and bulwarks as a safeguard.
Open the gates,
so that the righteous nation that maintains faithfulness
may enter in.
Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace,
in peace because they trust in you.
Trust in the LORD forever,
for in the LORD God
you have an everlasting rock.
For he has brought low
the inhabitants of the height;
the lofty city he lays low.
He lays it low to the ground,
casts it to the dust.
The foot tramples it,
the feet of the poor,
the steps of the needy.

Isaiah 26:1-6; NRSVue

Isaiah 26 is another of those great “chapters” in Scripture. There’s a lot in it, and to really understand one “verse” or part of it, we need to consider the whole.

I grew up in a Mennonite church through most of the time of the Civil Rights Movement. It had what I might call a veneer of popular evangelicalism. For example, our church bulletin would let us know when the Billy Graham Crusade was to be on television. For what I think are complicated reasons, I left the Mennonite tradition, becoming evangelical, which I was for decades. All through that time I never heard much of anything and certainly no emphasis on Scripture prioritizing the down and out: the poor, the oppressed and marginalized. One would not guess that God favors the poor and those who are victims. So it’s no wonder that I see evangelical friends posting stuff that is anti-immigrant even suggesting violence towards such.

I wonder, given all the continued disparity and suffering on the earth. “How long, God, how long?” We have seen improvement over decades, but much if not all of that is in danger of being lost due to human greed for power, I don’t know what else to call it, along with consumption and what essentially amounts to a rape of the planet. “Be sure your sin will find you out.” There’s no escape from the results of that.

But we can’t just focus on that. Just reading the section above can help assure us that we in Christ are in the movement of God for the poor, the oppressed, those despised and considered inferior. When I say movement, it sounds like a human thing, but I’m referring to the movement of God. But yes, we’re caught up in that, active in it. Just it says later in this passage:

O LORD, may you ordain peace for us,
for indeed, all that we have done, you have done for us.

Isaiah 26:12; NRSVue

We not only need to work at trying to understand the perspective and see from the point of view of the down and out, but we also need to see the priority this has in Scripture. Until we do, we’ll be largely missing a key and important part of the gospel of Christ.

perspective on poverty and wealth

Let the brother or sister of humble means boast in having a high position and the rich in having been humbled, because the rich will disappear like a flower in the field. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the field; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. It is the same way with the rich; in the midst of a busy life, they will wither away.

James 1:9-11; NRSVue

It doesn’t matter where you live, whether in a war torn, famine ravaged place in Africa, with little to nothing to make it through during a North Korea winter, or not having enough to eat with no affordable healthcare in the wealthiest nation in the world, the United States. Abject poverty is bad. With that we see homelessness, totally unnecessary, but part and parcel of capitalism, which prioritizes money over people so that it’s almost like a contest to see who can get the most at the expense of many others.

For most of us, we’re somewhere in between. Many struggle from week to week and month to month to make ends meet with little set aside in the case of an emergency. They are then subject to predatory lending, just another staple of the “rugged capitalism” which is more and more taking its toll. The stock market continues to rise (at this point), stockholders are happy, but workers on whose backs the money is made often don’t have a living wage and so try to work two or more jobs, and add to that, not affordable healthcare being the case for many as well, unless they press through the complicated hoops of the US health system, even after that, tough. A mockery of neighbor love, of justice.

But again, to try to speak of people in between, many will have to watch their money all the time, while some live in relative comfort, with a cushion and along with that tax breaks the poor don’t have, to make life predictable and aside from its normal stresses, manageable. Then the very few who have more than they could ever spend at least on themselves. And all such people meeting together in the name of Jesus as church. Or even those who do not. It seems like James in the above passage is speaking to all.

The poor should rejoice because they are rich as God’s children, God’s loved ones. Ironically with less money, they have less concerns of others stealing them blind. After all, what will the thieves get? But like the poor widow Jesus referred to, they can still give more than all the rich people together, as they trust in God to provide.

On the other hand, the rich can rejoice because they are merely stewards of all that God has given them. They know their time is limited, that they exist to love their neighbor, that while they’re to take care of their own, they’re also to watch out for the poor, for those in need, to help wisely where they can along with others. To try to get to the root of the problem which is inevitably systemic, not stop at giving handouts which too are important.

Rich and poor together can rejoice and glory in the God who gives life to all. Naked they came from their mother’s womb and naked they’ll return. They brought nothing into the world and they’ll take nothing out. The wise remember this, and pray, think, plan and act accordingly.

More to meditate and act on from the book of James.

giving from the heart

Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.

I do not say this as a command, but I am, by mentioning the eagerness of others, testing the genuineness of your love. For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. And in this matter I am giving my opinion: it is beneficial for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something. Now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means.

The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not regretfully or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written,

“He scatters abroad; he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”

2 Corinthians 8:7-11; 9:6-9; NRSVue

2 Corinthians 8-9 is worthy of a careful read and study since it is written by Paul to the Corinthian church in regard to a special need among the poor of God’s people in Jerusalem. Fastforward this to the present day, and there’s no shortage of good endeavors which we can help. I am not at all against helping causes for humanitarian aid, urgent medical care, or whatever important, good services there are in the world which are not done in the name of Christ. But I like to begin with organizations which are ministries done in the name of Christ.

Good works need to start at home. When family is struggling, we have to be present for them as best we can. Neighborhood and community issues should matter to us as well. The goal should not be just charity, but systemic change. We need to be a voice for those who can’t afford to live, yes, even here in the United States, the wealthiest nation on earth. Yet too many of its citizens and people who live here can’t afford housing and may not be given needed healthcare available here. If we don’t pay attention to issues like this, and are happy just to give handouts, we’re frankly not doing well enough. At the same time, there are always great needs in the world for food, water, basic provisions for life in famine ravaged or war-torn nations, or whatever people are facing.

But now to some of Paul’s point in the matter of giving. Elsewhere in Scripture we read about systematic giving, say a tenth of one’s gross or net income, what a person or family may set aside to give each week for the ministry of church or of good works to help people in need. That is good. What Paul was referring to here was a special needs project. After letting the Corinthian church know about the poverty of the church in Jerusalem, they eagerly committed themselves to help. That was a good start, but Paul was writing to remind them that there needed to be a good follow through, a completion of what they had begun or at least had purposed. Paul points to the generous act of Christ in becoming one of us and all that followed, and he urges them to complete this work with that in mind.

Paul also lets them know that God wants this to come from the heart, not regretfully or under compulsion since God loves a cheerful giver. I think that we need to begin to see that giving sacrificially from the heart is part of what it means to be a follower of Christ and the point of that, what it means to be human. Humans have a tendency to be greedy and to hoard. In that is lack of faith in God and God’s provision. Idolatry in Scripture is often tied to gaining exorbitant riches at the expense of others. Paul’s vision we find in this passage (2 Corinthians 8-9) is that the churches will take care of each other. Giving certainly doesn’t stop there, but this is foundational to all other necessary giving done in the name of Christ. And from that we open our hearts to the needs of the world.

the scandal of the denial of systemic evil, of systemic racism (from a diminished gospel)

Thus says the LORD:
For three transgressions of Tyre,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they delivered entire communities over to Edom
and did not remember the covenant of kinship.

Thus says the LORD:
For three transgressions of the Ammonites,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they have ripped open pregnant women in Gilead
in order to enlarge their territory.

Thus says the LORD:
For three transgressions of Judah,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they have rejected the instruction of the LORD
and have not kept his statutes,
but they have been led astray by the same lies
after which their ancestors walked.

Thus says the LORD:
For three transgressions of Israel,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they sell the righteous for silver
and the needy for a pair of sandals—

Amos 1:9, 13; 2:4, 6; NRSVue

Among the scandals today, there’s the denial or failure of acknowledgement within the church, yes, within the church of systemic wrong. It is commonly called “woke” in what’s meant to be a disparaging way, once meant simply to be “alert to racial prejudice and discrimination.”

This is one reason I no longer identify as an evangelical. Their understanding of the gospel in general is that it’s about one’s personal relationship to God through Christ and one’s spiritual growth in Christ. The church is to help them in that endeavor so that by and by all a believer needs is a Bible and they’re good to go, ideally the weekly gatherings helping in that. Some churches do a really good job at that, and it’s not like there isn’t some truth in this. I would think the churches which do well also try to touch on systemic evil, at least that was my experience at one of them. But by and large it’s all about the individual and the individual’s relationship to God.

The thought from that is if we can help people come to Christ and start to grow in Christ, the wrongs in society will take care of themselves. When it comes to racism, just get everyone converted and everyone will love each other, and it will all be good to go. I know this is a generalization, but I have no doubt that it’s an accurate one. After all, why all the denial today of systemic wrong, or at least the systemic evil people don’t want to talk about, one of them, racism?

Yes, there’s an important individual aspect and application of the gospel, no doubt. But if that’s the sole focus and if it stops there, then we might as well cut out a large portion of Scripture, of the gospel itself. The good news in Jesus is meant to address not just individual problems, but societal ones as well. It is not just about individual people, but people groups. Otherwise, isn’t the church in danger of a practical denial of a central part of the gospel.

What God judges God intends to redeem in the new creation, reconciliation work of Christ. I personally want to consider this. I’ve spent all too long considering essentially nothing more than the individual aspect and now want to take in the actual message of the Bible, of the gospel in its entirety, that’s it’s about God’s reconciling of all, breaking down walls of separation between people groups, bringing together all peoples in Christ into a harmonious whole in which the shalom or peace and flourishing of everyone takes place. Maybe that’s not your theology or understanding of Scripture but look again but keep reading. You’ll find much more, indeed something different, and frankly much better.

radical love

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and when he went into the Pharisee’s house he reclined to dine. 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. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair, kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. 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.” Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “speak.” “A certain moneylender had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 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. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven loves little.” Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Luke 7:36-50; NRSVue

It’s interesting the contrast here between what amounts to calculated religion versus a thorough heart-rending repentance. What does the new life in Christ toward God and real humanity look like? A radical love which spares no expense for Christ and for others. All is meant to lead us to that, and humanity to the love of neighbor as the expression of love for God.

the failure of spiritualizing passages, like the rich man and Lazarus

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus in like manner evil things, but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

Luke 16:19-31; NRSVue

The moral character of Lazarus is passed over to illustrate the fatal deficiency in the life of the indifferent rich man and the impossibility of altering his condemnation.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha, New Revised Standard Version, 1861

I remember when I was a young Christian and visiting various churches, that when visiting what I supposed to be a liberal (maybe quite liberal in my mind) either United Church of Christ or I think United Methodist rural church, I confronted the pastor afterwards concerning his message on the above passage. I was bringing out the cross, the need for faith in Christ, something to that effect, asking him how the cross fit into his message. As I recall, he was fairly young, and my recollection is that he was polite and had nothing to say. But actually, the passage itself has nothing to say about hitting the sawdust trail to receive Christ.

Yes, there are liberal traditions which to this day see the Bible as an important religious book but not in any way, the Word of God. And even while they may accept that it has something important to say to us today, usually an emphasis on faith in Christ is all but lost to find universal axioms everyone would agree with.

But then there’s the Evangelical tradition of which I was a part of for many years. You can’t lump them all together, but by and large, the popular understanding of the above passage is that, while it may be a parable, and not to be taken completely literally, though undoubtedly some would, and question that it is a parable, by and large like so many passages, it will be spiritualized.

What I mean by spiritualized is something like the following. The details or specifics are more or less completely set aside to get to the ever-main point: Jesus died for our sins, we can do nothing at all except accept that provision of God, believe and receive eternal life. Something to that effect.

But what is Jesus telling us from that passage? The same thing he has been saying elsewhere in different ways. We can’t serve God and Mammon/money. That money matters, whether we love it and see it as something to hoard to protect us, maybe to live in the lap of luxury, or something to help others along with meeting our own needs.

To take the actual teeth out of this passage is to make it something it isn’t as well as failing to understand the context in which Jesus was speaking. Yes, he had no intention of being the Bread-King (John 6) and they and us need indeed to learn to feed on him by faith. That is not to be taken literally, but spiritually, but yes, we take it in all seriousness.

But that doesn’t for a moment put into question Jesus’s warnings to the rich and blessing to the poor (Luke 6). Jesus* is the answer, but in that answer, we see a completely different economy than what the world practices. What was going on in Jesus’s day with the Romans and Palestine is no different than what is going on in the United States today. But in part, because so many of us have spiritualized such passages, even though we name the name of Christ, don’t we end up participating in something of the same as the rich man in Jesus’s story?

*And God’s reign and dominion in him.