December 7, 2023

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1.27)

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, turn and tear you to pieces.” (Matthew 7.6)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Do you find it strange that it is said, “Dogs are a person’s best friend,” yet they are treated so heinously by so many? I believe it is evidence then that humans have a difficult time with loving those who love them unconditionally. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that applies in all situations for all people, for all people in some situations, some people in all situations or just some people in some situations. And, in light of yesterday’s reflection on the bane and blessing of the term and presence of dogs in Israel in the days of Jesus, we are challenged to accept that we must seriously look within ourselves to see why we treat others the way we do. As with all parables of Jesus, and His wisdom sayings, we would be in error if we attempted to make them literal realities. Jesus spoke literally and allegorically to impact the wise and the simple with equal effect. His desire to challenge “conventional wisdom” was literally and figuratively “out of this world.” He knowledge and wisdom came from being in right relationship with God (and I do mean in all that it would entail) and thus “out[side] of this world.” But, without question, Jesus was speaking into the world in every age, in every place, in every situation and in every way possible. Others, and yourself, may not take it to heart, take it seriously or take it back into the world to continue the cycle of salvation conversation, but that does not mean it is no less the truth. Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life by which we all may obtain a place in God’s eternal home.” There is no other way, truth and life by which that hope may be obtained. It is the evidence of God’s justice and mercy as the ultimate expression of His great love. Regardless of the in and out circles of the world, God has made a way to draw the circle to include us as we release our grasp on the bonds of the world that so easily entangle us.

It is about justice and mercy that I find myself reflecting then on the second image which Jesus used in this particular teaching found in Matthew, chapter 7, verse 6. This verse follows, and thus further clarifies, His teaching on refraining from judging others which we can read in verses 1-5. As I was reading this morning during my physical orientation time, I was presented with a view of the event concerning the Gadarene Demoniac. If you remember one of the consequences of that event included a herd of swine. (Matthew 8, Luke 8, Mark 5) It is interesting to note that while the focus is on one particular demoniac in Luke and Mark’s gospel, Matthew includes two. It is not to say that either is more right or wrong but that the remembrance is of significance to the gospel teller. For Matthew, it was important to remember there were two demoniacs who confronted Jesus having been confronted by Jesus Himself. It is important to Matthew because he is a faithful Jew and a bit of a legalist. That means, he stands on the witness of two to verify a truth. Such a testimony indicates that justice was served in the experience of Jesus’s extension of mercy. Wait, how much mercy was extended to the herdsmen of the swine? Reading the full story you will hear the pleas of the demoniacs/demons for “mercy.” How did they plead mercy before the Judge of all people? They asked to be allowed to demonize the swine. To the Jews, swine were unclean animals and forbidden to be consumed as food. (Good thing I am a gentile because I love ham and bacon! But, more about that in a minute.) For Gentiles, Samaritans and thus the rest of the world, it wasn’t an issue of dietary righteousness. There were a lot of things they did that would have been condemned (and were condemned often by strict Jews such as the Pharisees and Priests of Israel.) Jesus granted their petition and “Legion, for there were many demons” infected the pigs, drove them made and made them rush into the Sea of Galilee and drown. Now whether that meant the demons drowned or not, I am not sure. But, the pigs certainly did much to the dismay and confusion of the herdsmen. These herdsmen were much like the shepherds as we have learned from biblical stores. They did not necessarily own the swine but “shepherded” them for their master. They would be held accountable for every swine just as a shepherd was accountable for every sheep. Now their lives were at stake and the mercy extended to those freed from demons and the demons themselves seemed to be unjust to the herdsmen. They ran in to town to bear witness to what had happened. Of course, what they spoke of was the injustice and who the perpetrator was- Jesus, a Jew. Tensions ran high and a mob came to exact justice on Jesus and those with Him. I have little doubt that the disciples boarded their ships and pushed out to sea to avoid the conflict. Perhaps Peter, James and John stayed to defend Jesus but I have a feeling that they were on the cusp as well. That whole scene challenged the disciples as to what had truly happened. I can only imagine the chaos. But, the Lord over chaos, stood steadfastly with the man/men who had been delivered of his/their demon possession. They were now clothed, in their right mind and worshiping God at the feet of Jesus. When the crowd approached they saw it all. On the one hand there were the raving mad herdsmen possessed by anger, hostility and fear. It would be understandable. On the other hand, however, there was Jesus and the liberated calm, cool and collected. How the roles had been reversed. The mob not knowing what to make of any of that, fearing this unholy ground now made holy, a plot of ground feared for death now encompassed by the fear of life, begged Jesus to leave them and cause them no more trouble. I have a sneaking suspicion that no one left drowned swine to rot whether it was harvested for the master or taken for themselves. Hungry people ate that day and those who were hungering in their souls were fed as well. I think I could work something in about “bread cast upon the waters” here but some heads would probably be shaking at me if I did. Oh, I did and some reading this probably are. What is it that Jesus said about “judge not for the measure you use to accuse may be the measure used to judge and accuse you”? Definitely food for thought.

Bearing that in mind, I have to bring to light the antithetical lesson concerning swine just as I did with the dogs. For that I would bring your attention to Peter’s vision at Joppa (Acts 10). Peter struggled with the call to minister to the Gentiles. He had no issue with ministering to Jews, even those who refused reviled him and his ministry. But, as we have reflected upon already, Gentiles (whether Samaritans, Gadarenes, or Romans such as Cornelius a centurion in the Italian regiment in Caesarea) were seen by Jews as unholy and unclean. They were like dogs and pigs, if you will. It so happened that while Peter was waiting to eat at Simon the Tanner’s house where he had been staying, he fell asleep. In a dream, God spread out a sheet across the sky. It was filled with all kinds of animals Peter recognized as both clean and unclean. I can almost see a scribal checklist as Noah may have had for the animals as they entered the Ark. It was not a “naughty or nice” list, ho ho ho, but it could be a “clean and unclean list” with their appropriate placements in the Ark to keep them separate from one another. Even in my own family history, I know of some who immigrated to this country illegally hiding in the bottom of cattle boats crossing from Europe to America. Imagine that scene if you will. Regardless, God told Peter in the dream “Get up, Peter, kill and eat.” Peter refuses, saying, “I will not eat anything impure and unclean” as that was all he saw in what God was showing him. God replied, “How dare you call anything I have made clean unclean!” The vision appeared to Peter three times before he was awakened by the news of those sent by Cornelius to seek him out. The conclusion reached by Peter as he went and saw the faithfulness of Cornelius and his household who had given their lives to God through the gospel of Jesus Christ was “God shows no favoritism to whom He extends mercy.” At that point, Peter finds himself challenged by Jewish Christians in Jerusalem as to who authentic Christ followers were. While Peter, with the help of Paul, came to terms with it, it seems that too many are still fighting that losing battle to this day. While we may understand, as mighty ones of God in Jesus Christ, that we all are sinners and thus unclean save for the grace and mercy of God, there are still those who have their “purification” checklists entrenched in their heart, mind and soul. It makes me wonder about “clean and unclean, dogs and pigs” and who is now who. I suppose that will be the genesis of my reflection on this verse tomorrow. Until then, shalom.

PRAYER IN LIGHT OF GOD’S WORD:

Father, You have revealed to us best in Jesus the Christ. By Him and Him alone shall we gain this eternal life and our place in eternal rest, living for You always. Show us more and by Your Holy Spirit instruct us in the way we should go, the truth we should reveal and the life we shall live with you forever. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.