Some in the group have been carrying on an interesting email discussion sparked by a recent Wed. morning study. The discussion started with a question about where this proverb Jesus quoted came from: “And He said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’ ” ” (Luke 4:23, NASB95)
I won't repeat or attempt to summarize all the excellent thoughts that were brought, up. I just wanted to throw out a few of mine that were sparked by Doug's observation that the people of Jesus' home town were very quick to move from (the appearance of ) love to murderous hatred when Jesus exposed their unbelief.
Haven't we all seen people like that? People who have been quick to turn against someone they professed to care for when it became clear that they could not accomplish what they wanted. (Hmmm, I guess I've even done that!)
I've often pondered the meaning the the phrase "pure in heart" mentioned by Jesus as a characteristic trait of Godliness. I've come to see it as having the best interest of someone else in mind without using manipulation to achieve ulterior motives of my own.
Perhaps such hasty reversals of attitude reveal a person's lack of pure-heartedness that they were covering up a moment before.
In fact this leads me to wonder if the entire scene (Luke 4:14-30) coming at the beginning of Jesus' ministry was seen by Luke as a comment on the lack of pure-heartedness among mankind that would eventually lead not only to the events of the cross, but the need for it. If His home-town friends and relatives could turn so violently against Him so quickly, what will the world do?
It's also interesting that this scene in Jesus' home town comes right on the heels of Luke's account of Jesus temptation by Satan. In a sense the home town scene almost seems as a continuation of that temptation. He had resisted Satan's temptation to test/prove the Father's care. Now would He resist the demand of even His family and people He grew up among to prove His and the Father's care for them? The answer is no, and it should give us pause (perhaps even shock) that we can't take advantage of, nor manipulate God either.
While pondering this idea about how quick people are to blame God when life doesn't deliver what they want or expect, I came across an article by Vox Day this morning that seemed hauntingly relevant. While I can be critical of some of Vox's use of Scripture and theology, He makes some very thought-provoking points in "The problem with evil". Here's an excerpt:
One hears much these days of the need for religious tolerance. But this is a false doctrine. Christians are not called to tolerate evil or to love wickedness. We are instead commanded to fight it, to wage tireless and unceasing war against it in all of its myriad forms. We are called to resist it in our own lives, to mitigate it in others and to destroy it wherever possible.
Jesus spoke truly. The world still hates him, and it hates those who worship him. As has been the case for the last 2,000 years, Christians are being actively persecuted around the world. Christian converts are being murdered in Somalia even as Christian churches unwisely welcome Somali immigrants to America. New Christians have been murdered in Iraq and imprisoned in Afghanistan. Life-long Christians in Britain have been threatened with losing their jobs if they don't hide signs of their religion, even though Sikhs are permitted to wear turbans, Jews are permitted to wear yarmulkes, and Muslims are permitted to wear headscarves. America's time may not be soon, but it will eventually come, too.
The West is belatedly discovering the truth about the love of money being the root of all evil. The arrogant nations of the post-Christian West put their faith in their wealth, only to learn that Mammon is a false and treacherous god. The great irony is that despite the world's rejection of God and its foolish embrace of evil, those who find themselves suffering the promised consequences of their actions will end up blaming God for them. Such are the perils of free will.
