PARADOXES OF FAITH #2/3
Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>
THE PARADOX OF LEARNING
September 1, 2002
Text: Mark 8:31-33
We are a people who place a high value on education. Our form of
government, a participative democracy, is dependent upon an educated
population. It always has been. This is the reason that freedom and
democracy have not always worked in all places. Without a strong system
of education and learning, it becomes too easy for a centralized
government to manipulate its citizens.
Yet, even with our dedication and commitment to excellence in education,
we are also a people who are distrustful of education. Paradoxical, yes;
but nonetheless true. Consider this innocent question posed to many high
school seniors: "are you planning on going to college, or are you going
to get a real job?" Translation: there is something a little dishonest or
distrustful about going to college; it's not real work.
Coupled with that, it seems to be a part of our nature to want to become
as educated as possible and yet at the same time to not believe
everything we hear. It's sort of like the kindergarten teacher who pins a
note to each pupil on the first day of school: "Dear Parents: If you
promise not to believe all your child says happens at school, I'll
promise not to believe all your child says happens at home."
Well, these are some general observations, but they lead me to believe
that there is an element of education that raises the issue of a paradox
of learning. Learning, like so many things, is amoral; that is, in and of
itself, it is neither good nor bad. A couple of extreme examples: I can
learn about the occult and not be a satanist; I can learn about Jesus and
not be a Christian. Or, to be more in line with this morning's Scripture
from Mark 8, I can learn something yet still misunderstand it or not
accept it.
It is certainly evident that Jesus valued education for he spent much
time teaching his disciples and others. We read here in Mark that "he
then began to teach them..." In fact, all of the gospels make mention of
Jesus' role as teacher. From Matthew 4:23, "Jesus went throughout
Galilee, teaching in their synagogues..."; Luke 5:3, "then he sat down
and taught them from the boat"; and John 8:2, "at dawn he appeared again
in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he
sat down to teach them." Jesus was renowned in the regions he traveled as
a great and marvelous teacher. Religious leader and commoner alike
marveled at all he taught. There was Nicodemus, for example, who came to
him. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council.
He was an educated man. You couldn't be an academic slouch and serve on
the Jewish ruling council. Those on the council represented the top of
Jewish scholarship. So, then, we can understand the added emphasis of
this as a sincere compliment to Jesus when we read from John 3:2, "he
(meaning Nicodemus) came to Jesus at night and said, 'Rabbi, we know you
are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the
miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.'"
Jesus taught with authority, and he did not expect his teachings to go in
one ear and out the other. He taught so that others might learn. When he
taught the crowds, he tried to get them to perceive the kingdom of God.
He taught his disciples the same plus how to be effective witnesses,
evangelists, and ministers. He taught with power and thus amazed all who
came in contact with him.
It is entirely in form, then, that he began to use his closing days to
finish his lessons with the disciples. Having just gotten them to think
about who he was, and having just heard their response that he was the
Messiah, Jesus begins to teach them what it is to mean to them. He wants
them to learn that "the Son of Man must suffer many things and be
rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that
he must be killed and after three days rise again."
Jesus taught, as he had always done, the truth. He knew the Scriptures
and knew that he was the fulfillment of them. And, unlike the others of
his day, Jesus knew that his fulfillment would include all of the
prophecies, even the ones concerning suffering. Remember that the popular
concept of Messiah revolved around the image of a powerful and successful
superhuman leader who would lead the revolt to overthrow the Roman rule.
The passages used to support this concept were the ones referring to the
power and glory of the Messiah. They were used out of context. Those
dealing with humility, servanthood, and suffering were cast aside or
misapplied. For some, the sufferings referred to by the prophets meant
the suffering endured by Israel the nation. And she had already suffered!
Surely the years of dispersion and pagan rule were enough. It was time
for a crusader; it was time for a conqueror; it was time for a Messiah!
But Jesus the Messiah knew better. So he taught that the Messiah must be
rejected and must suffer. Most prominent of the Messianic prophecies are
those of Isaiah. From Isaiah 50:6, "I offered my back to those who beat
me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face
from mocking and spitting." Some of the 52nd and all of the 53rd chapters
make reference to the suffering of the one sent to save. For instance,
from 53:3, "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and
familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was
despised, and we esteemed him not." Likewise, 53:5, "But he was pierced
for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment
that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."
Jesus taught these things about himself, about the Messiah.
But even though Jesus taught, the paradox of learning took over. His
disciples, like the general population, could not fathom what he was
saying. The idea of a suffering Messiah was ludicrous. Even though Jesus
spoke plainly about this, the disciples could neither absorb nor accept
it. Surely, they presumed, he is wrong. So Peter took him aside and
began to rebuke him.
We need to keep in mind that this verse and the one following are
extremely emphatic, passionate, and emotional. The Greek term for rebuke
in this instance is one that conveys thoughts of severe words sharply
spoken. This exchange between Peter and Jesus is the sort that can break
relationships. It is the sort that causes business partners to dissolve
the partnership. It is the sort that causes churches to split. This type
of rebuke is so severe and emphatic that the New Testament maintains its
Old Testament meaning by forbidding it except as brotherly correction,
and treating effective threatening and reproof as the prerogative of God
and His Messiah alone.
In fact, in every instance but one, whenever men rebuked another man or
woman, Jesus responded by rebuking the rebukers. For example, when the
disciples sent the mothers and children away harshly, Jesus was indignant
at his disciples. The crowd rebuked the blind man who cried out to Jesus,
but Jesus ignored the crowd and heard the pleas of the blind man. "Only
once is a spontaneous [rebuke] on the lips of men allowed to pass
unchallenged. This is the rebuke of the one dying thief by the other in
Luke 23:40: "But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don't you fear God,' he
said, 'since you are under the same sentence?'" In this case the rebuke
is not from a superior position, but from the standpoint of penitence.
Hence, humility speaks rather than pride." (Gerhard Kittel, ed.,
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, vol. 2, Grand Rapids, MI:
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1964, p. 625)
Now isn't this just like us? Aren't we more often than not just like
Peter when confronted by a different idea or new thought? Wouldn't we
rather say, "No, you must be wrong" instead of "wait a minute, maybe I'm
wrong"? At least with Peter, his unwillingness to accept Jesus' idea of
messiahship was perfectly natural in his situation. Even though he had
just proclaimed Jesus as the Christ, this description Jesus gave of the
Christ went against every idea of the Messiah he had ever known. He had
to learn what manner of Messiah Jesus was and what obedience to the
Father meant.
But with us it is different. Or, it should be different. Centuries of
Christian history have made us familiar with the idea of a suffering
Savior. We accept it. We sing readily "In the cross of Christ I glory"
and "Jesus, I my cross have taken." Yet, all too often, in our minds,
attitudes, and actions we rebuke Him. We prefer a conception of
discipleship which leaves the Cross out of it. Multitudes of Christians
prefer a cheerful, moderate, sensible religion. We shut out the necessity
of any painful sacrifice. We may not say in words, "Look here, Jesus,
don't get extreme or fanatical. After all, we live in a very practical
world, and a cross is a very impractical thing." But our actions and
desires say it. How common it is for us to rebuke Jesus, to rebuke him by
the things we do, for his claim to undivided allegiance, for his refusal
of violence and his choice of the way of love, for his insistence on the
denial of self.
So Jesus exercised his prerogative; he turned and rebuked Peter. The
paradox of learning means that the teaching may be misunderstood or
twisted. For Jesus, though, the truth was always paramount, and nothing
stood in his way of it. Peter received his rebuke. And remember, Jesus
wasn't at the Sunday School picnic here. "Get thee behind me Satan" or
"Out of my sight, Satan" is equivalent to our own attitudes of contempt
whenever anyone cuts us off on the highway. Or pulls right out in front
of you when you're the only car on the road.
Jesus had to set Peter and his disciples straight right then and there.
"You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Jesus
is telling us something about God in this rebuke. God is for men and
women. His whole divine purpose has been to provide a way for sinful
humanity to be restored to him. The work of Christ is testimony to that.
But, neither will God allow His will to be trampled over by men or women
or satan.
"The things of men" are, in effect, the attempts that are made to twist
God's will for our own gain. The disciples thought that they had
something to gain by accompanying Jesus to Jerusalem. "'What were you
arguing about on the road?' (Jesus asked in Mark 9:33). But they kept
quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest."
Even the mother of James and John got into the act when she requested of
Jesus: "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right
and the other at your left in your kingdom." (Matt. 20:21) You can bet
she wasn't thinking of a kingdom with a cross.
And so it has continued. Before the cross or after the cross, men and
women still have in mind "the things of men." There are still power
struggles within nations; there are still power struggles within
churches. Sinful humanity would rather serve anyone other than God, no
matter how wretched. Sinful humanity would rather serve anyone other than
God just to get the tiniest glimpse of a little more power or wealth.
Sinful humanity would rather serve anyone other than God just to be able
to say, "God, you're wrong and I am right." The control of Hitler and
others like him exercised over whole nations attest to our desire for
"the things of men."
This paradox of learning is still with us. God still teaches the truth to
us. He still teaches us about discipleship, stewardship, servanthood, the
Kingdom of God. And we still respond: "No, no. You've got it all wrong,
God. You need powerful followers, not humble followers. You need
influential followers, not meek followers. You need rich followers, not
poor followers. Now that's the way to get things done! That's the way to
get people to listen! That's the way to build the church!"
And still, Jesus keeps saying to us: "Out of my sight, Satan! You do not
have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." And he says this
to us through the way of the cross. Jessie Brown Pounds wrote:
I must needs go home
by the way of the cross,
There's no other way but this;
I shall ne'er get sight
of the Gates of Light,
If the way of the cross I miss.
The way of the cross leads home,
The way of the cross leads home;
It is sweet to know, as I onward go,
The way of the cross leads home.
Are you on your way home today? Can you, by faith, accept Jesus'
teaching? Can you accept Jesus? Learning is a wonderful thing. It is a
joy to watch an infant or a child busily learning about the people and
things around him or her. Learning is an especially wonderful thing when
we allow Jesus to be our teacher. Don't rebuke Jesus any longer; let him
and his teaching rest in your heart. On behalf of the Lord, I invite you
to accept Jesus as the Lord of your life this morning. And if you do
this, won't you share your decision with all of us by coming forward to
say to men and women here that you now stand with God. And if Jesus
already resides in your heart, then sing out with me like the
enthusiastic learners we are meant to be.
Rev. Charles A. Layne, pastor, First Baptist Church, Bunker Hill, IN
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