Skip to main content

Pearls before Swine

 Pearls before Swine

Pigse don't get much of a press from Jesus. Think of the Gadarene swine possessed by the Legion of devils and plunging to their deaths. Think of the disgust of eat pig food as in the Prodigal Son, and not this.

But Jesus was a Jew and this was a natural way to look at this unclean animal.

The poor old dogs don't fare much better either!

But what's Jesus doing?

If you have been following me over the past few weeks you'll remember that I have been trying to make the case that the Sermon on the Mount is not a moral lecture with suggestions about how to behave. On the contrary it's a master class in hyperbolic teaching in which Jesus uses extreme language to point out that we can't be moral by trying that being moral was never the point, and that what Jesus wants from us is to commit to being holy, which is not achievable by following moral or ethical codes.

Being holy is giving ourselves me and more to God so that there is less and less of "me" and my "devices and desires". less of my ego bustling about in its self-important way, and more of me finding my true self as I rest in God. Only then can God's grace work through me and my life will begin to reflect God's love to others and holiness will stark to spark, not so much in me but the common life we live.

Jesus is really saying that when we try to be moral we miss the point of the Gospel, which is God's unstoppable love drawing us into God himself and enabling us to live differently. 

What is holy, the pearl of great price shouldn't be given to the dogs of a judgemental and crtical religion that classes people according to sets of rules. And that's not just thinking of the Pharisees, that's how the Church has been over 2000 year also.

We too easily play at morality and being good by reducing Christianity to trying hard to be do better, when Jesus wants us to use our energies to let go of achievements and learn to rest in God, so that God's grace can work in us.

That's why placing ourselves in silence in God's presence is so important... it's how we give God a chance to get a word in edgeways!

Then all the stuff about not judging makes sense.. other people's actions are not my business because I can't see straight anyway, I have a log in my eye.  All I need to do is recognize that that is who I am, so that by God's grace the log can be removed and I can see straight, not to judge others, but to help them understand themselves and so that they can have their bits of dust removed by God's grace.

Whom am I? I am the person with a log in my eye. But a log that by God's grace can be removed. Let's not throw this glorious liberating gospel before the self serving dogs and pigs of performance religion. Let's learn to sit with God so that he can do what is necessary in us.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Waiting - 3 To die before we die- and find it to be Life!

Waiting - 3 To die before we die- and find it to be Life! Nunc Dimittis Luke 2.29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace : according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen : thy salvation; Which thou hast prepared : before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles : and to be the glory of thy people Israel. What does the “normal” Christian life look like? Someone who is regular in church on Sundays, who is community minded, helpful, has a friendly and un-aggressive manner, and who probably does not do much swearing, drinking or indulge in various naughty activities? Fair enough. Except. What’s the difference between an upright, moral, community minded person who helps their neighbour and avoids activities thought by society to be immoral -but who never goes to church, and perhaps has no belief in God of any kind? My answer to that is, probably nothing. Because the “normal” Christian life is not about being moral, acting kindly towards others and so on. Be...
1 comment
Read more

Waiting 2 - Nunc Dimittis

Waiting 2 - Nunc Dimittis Luke 2.29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace : according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen : thy salvation; Which thou hast prepared : before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles : and to be the glory of thy people Israel. The New Testament doesn’t have much obvious worship material. The only prayer is the Our Father. There are a few hymns (or ‘canticles’) as Anglican call them Like the Song of Zazhariah (the Benedictus), the Song of Mary (Maginificat) and some snatches of hymns in the epistles, and some passages in Revelation - and the Nunc Dimittis - the Song of Simeon.  Strictly speaking I should leave this to February 2nd and the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple when the story of Simeon and Anna is remembered.  But it struck me about 10 years ago how important the Nunc Dimittis (Latin for ‘Now, Lord”) is for the celebration of waiting. The final wisdom in this life is to learn to rest. I...
Post a Comment
Read more
   The Moon in Lleyn By R.S. Thomas The last quarter of the moon of Jesus gives way to the dark; the serpent digests the egg. Here on my knees in this stone church, that is full only of the silent congregation of shadows and the sea’s sound, it is easy to believe Yeats was right. Just as though choirs had not sung, shells have swallowed them; the tide laps at the Bible; the bell fetches no people to the brittle miracle of the bread. The sand is waiting for the running back of the grains in the wall into its blond glass. Religion is over, and what will emerge from the body of the new moon, no one can say.                   But a voice sounds in my ear: Why so fast, mortal? These very seas are baptized. The parish has a saint’s name time cannot unfrock. In cities that have outgrown their promise people are becoming pilgrims again, if not to this place, then to the recreation of it in their own spirits. You must remain kneeling. Even a...
Post a Comment
Read more