Titus 2:1-15 (NRSV)

Friday after Ash Wednesday - Reflections on the Letters during Lent

"But as for you, teach what is consistent with sound doctrine. Tell the older men to be temperate, serious, prudent, and sound in faith, in love, and in endurance. Likewise, tell the older women to be reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good managers of the household, kind, being submissive to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us. Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to talk back, not to pilfer, but to show complete and perfect fidelity, so that in everything they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one look down on you."

For me, just picking one word for today is difficult. So, if I have to choose, it would be "reprove!" Yes, reprove... according to Webster, "to correct or scold usually gently or with kind intent." I'm not sure why that word stuck out. It may have been how I read it, or it may have been the other twitchy feelings I got when I read the whole passage together.

I think that Paul is trying to teach Titus how to speak the truth in love, but he's using examples that are characteristic of time, place, and culture. For me, wives and slaves being "submissive" isn't an example that work's in our time and place. In fact, I think it was these passages in scripture that were used to justify slavery and against women's suffrage. Slavery was wrong! People are not property! Women are equal and they are not property either. I think, for the sake of compromise and maintaining good relationships, we must submit to one other at times, but this reading far from justifies people as property. It's sad that scripture was ever used that way.  

Now, some of Paul's examples work for us today: integrity, sound speech, fidelity, zealous for good deeds, sound in faith, in love and endurance, temperate... all good things to aspire to. Speaking the truth or reproving is something that none of us are very good with... we do not like to hold our brothers and sisters accountable for their behavior, for fear that it will cause a rift. That somehow, a gentle correction with kindly intent is going to ruin our relationship. The truth is hard to bare sometimes. We get upset when we are told the truth. It's definitely something everyone needs to work on. 

The call to action for me today can be found within the reading. We should live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly! Also, in with love and friendship, gently reprove one another - with the emphasis on gently. It's ok to hold each other accountable.

John 18:28-38 (NRSV)

Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate's headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover.  So Pilate went out to them and said, 'What accusation do you bring against this man?'  They answered, 'If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.'  Pilate said to them, 'Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.' The Jews replied, 'We are not permitted to put anyone to death.' (This was to fulfill what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.)  Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, 'Are you the King of the Jews?'  Jesus answered, 'Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?'  Pilate replied, 'I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?'  Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not from this world.  If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.  But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.'  Pilate asked him, 'So you are a king?' Jesus answered, 'You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.'  Pilate asked him, 'What is truth?'  After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, 'I find no case against him'

“What is truth?”  Pilate’s question is extremely profound, and jumps out at me in this reading.  I expected Jesus to answer him, but he doesn’t.  I think that the lack of answer, in itself, is an answer.  Jesus says that those who belong to the truth listens to him.  Pilate seems to be fascinated and in search of meaning for his own life.

The Jewish leaders have Jesus is taken to Pilate, the Roman Governor of the region, hoping that he will convict Jesus of a crime punishable by death.  In the reading, Pilate questions Jesus about his claims of identity and his guilt.  Jesus doesn’t deny being a king, but tells Pilate that his kingdom is not of this world.

It is interesting that the leaders have chosen this course of action.  They have accused Jesus before of blasphemy, which is punishable by stoning.  However, they tell Pilate that they are not allowed to put anyone to death.  It may be that the feelings about who Jesus is are so split that they are deadlocked about how to handle the situation further.  Not wanting to make the decision themselves forces the leaders to take Jesus to Pilate.  This would make Pilate the bad guy to the ones that thought Jesus was innocent, and would save face for the leaders that didn’t want him around.

So often we make decisions in this life based on the evidence that is presented, but often that evidence isn’t everything.  The whole story is hidden from our understanding.  Like Pilate, who is being forced into a decision between the life and death of Jesus, we search for the truth that isn’t readily accessible.

The call today for me would be to exercise caution when making decisions.  Pilate is forced into a quandary and makes the decision that Jesus is not guilty of any crime.  The only thing standing at this point is the accusations by the Jewish leaders who present him.  We know that this is not the end, but for now it seems like Pilate has made the proper decision.

John 8:33-47 (NRSV)

They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone.  What do you mean by saying, 'You will be made free'?"  Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.  The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever.  So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.  I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you look for an opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word.  I declare what I have seen in the Father's presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father."  They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing what Abraham did, but now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.  This is not what Abraham did.  You are indeed doing what your father does." They said to him, "We are not illegitimate children; we have one father, God himself."  Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here.  I did not come on my own, but he sent me.  Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept my word.  You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father's desires.  He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.  Which of you convicts me of sin?  If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?  Whoever is from God hears the words of God.  The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God."

My initial thought surrounds Jesus’ statement, “there is no place in you for my word.”  Jesus continues to banter with the Pharisees and scribes who don’t understand what he is trying to tell them.  They seem like they aren’t even trying to understand.

Jesus continues to explain his identity in this passage - and how his word is from God and contains truths that not everyone understands (especially the scribes and Pharisaic leaders).  This his because of who he is.  The leaders are quick to assert their Abrahamic heritage, claiming their inheritance of God’s favor as God’s chosen people.  Jesus is aware of the schemes to trap him and kill him and in turn points out that the leaders have no idea what it means to love God, because they do not love him.   He then compares them to children of the devil.  The lies about Jesus and deception has clouded their minds and made them unable to comprehend the truth that is right in front of them.

I feel that our call today is trust.  Trust in Jesus to lead the way; trust in his truth; trust in his leadership and his teaching.  Trust that he is God that came to reconcile the world.  If we are receivers of Jesus’ words with an open mind, and let them resonate in our soul, then we uncloud our minds and hear the word of God.       

John 8:21-32 (NRSV)

Again he said to them, "I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin.  Where I am going, you cannot come."  Then the Jews said, "Is he going to kill himself?  Is that what he means by saying, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'?"  He said to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.  I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he."  They said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Why do I speak to you at all?  I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him."  They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father.  So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me.  And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him."  As he was saying these things, many believed in him.  Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

“Lifted up…”  It’s almost comical that the Jews still don’t understand who Jesus is (see my comment on Jews - 2/3/2012).  Jesus seems even more frustrated with the situation, and wonders why he is speaking to them at all.  As if to say, “what’s the use?”  Jesus offers the way to eternal life and reconciliation with God, and they still don’t comprehend.

The phrase “lifted up” jumps out at me because I remember the Old Testament story of Moses in the wilderness and the serpent bites.  Moses lifted up a serpent on a pole.  When Israel looked at the serpent they were healed.  [Numbers 21:4-8]  We know that if I remembered the story, these faithful people that Jesus was speaking to do.  Jesus offers them a new healing and restoration by their belief in him and the witness of his crucifixion yet to come.  He doesn’t come right out and say it, but he does say, “when you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he.”  Jesus points out to them the time when they will actually get it.

If we were to read this passage without knowing the rest of the story, it might be confusing.  I think sometimes that we assume folks know the stories, so we speak in “high context” language, and don’t explain the undertones or the missing pieces.  In reflection and study of scripture, it is important to look deep into the story and try to fully understand the truths that it holds.

The call today is clear and directly from Jesus’ words…  “If you continue in my word, and are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”  We struggle every day to stay engaged with what God is doing in our life, and how we discern God’s presence with us.  Being a disciple doesn’t mean that we have it all figured out, but it does mean that we consistently strive to understand and follow Jesus.  If we are honest in our efforts, participate and nurture our souls with his teaching, then Jesus will make the truth known to us, and we will be free from sin and death.