Mark 12: 28-34
After
that no one dared to ask Jesus any question.
[exaggerate the action of going
to ask a question, then not, then ask, then not]
… So Luther turned to writing
statements. Thesis followed by disputations, prefaces, articles, confessions,
sermons, translations, and letters. Although not technically questions, Luther’s
body of work questioned the church of the time.
Perhaps you are shaking your head
at the jump from Jesus to Luther, the disconnect of time, and the anachronism of
Luther responding as if present with Jesus, the scribe, and the Temple folk. Through
Living Word – scripture that is as alive today as when the events recorded
happened - Luther was very much present in the crowd, wrestling with the question,
“which commandment is the first of all?” Luther was present and involved, as
are those who read Living Word today --- we, by hearing the text, are involved
and participating in this fundamental foundation of faith as described by Jesus.
Not asking questions baffles my innate
curiosity and sense of wonder; and roughly scratches my Lutheran sensibilities.
In my faith experience, questions have always been welcomed and encouraged. One
of Luther’s writings -one of the first that I was introduced to - asks a
question, one that countless generations of Lutherans have learned. The Small
Catechism is a small booklet written for parents to teach their children,
pastors to teach youth: the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the
Sacraments, and evening and morning prayers.
Working through the Commandment section, each commandment is stated
followed by a question.
It reads like Luther is standing
in the crowd, beside the scribe in the Gospel. No one dared to ask Jesus any
question. Presented with the combination of commandments to love God and love
neighbour, Luther in the Catechism asked – not of Jesus- but of the
hearers, the crowd, the scribe, the disciples, himself:
What does this mean?
What does this mean for me? For
you? For us?
…
The Gospel text that we heard is a continuation of strategy
and defense – an interplay that began with Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem via
donkey in chapter 11 of Mark. Jesus confronts the people and authorities in the
Temple, overturning tables, condemning practices of unequitable disbursement of
God’s abundance and pointing out the failure of covenant people in covenant
living. Afraid, and with the crowds
spellbound by Jesus’ teaching, the authorities look for ways to kill Jesus. The next day chief priests, scribes, and elders
approach Jesus with questions of authority and power, where Jesus’ counter
questions entrap and expose a lack of authority on their part with the populace.
Next comes a parable where fingers are pointed at the establishment as being
absentee landlords of God’s vineyard. This is followed by a rebuff trying to
entrap Jesus in a dissertation on taxes and Empire. Then a nitty-gritty
argument is presented by another group about marriage, death and resurrection. Then comes the scribe we just read about asking
which commandment is most important … In this game of chess, Jesus once again
out maneuvers the scribes and chief priests; adhering to the rules of discourse,
but, adding refreshing new plays to the game.
The pieces in play are all on the
same board and are not positioned as far from each other as hearers of the
story may anticipate. Jesus’ answer is within the realm of scripture, faith
practice, rabbi-esque teaching, and reinterpreting texts through the lens of
others. Jesus uses the well known and used:
Shema –the foundation of Jewish
faith and practice -as the starting point: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God,
the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.” From
this foundation, and versed in scripture, Jesus extends the concept of love for
God and what that means for faith and practice by adding Law from Lev. 19:18: “love
your neighbour as yourself.”
… So Luther, still in the crowd,
and pondering the question of the scribe and Jesus’ response – hears the Gospel
loudly ring in the combination of ‘Love God’ “Love neighbour’. This is a new move where loving God
transforms how one lives covenant with one’s neighbours. At this point, Luther turns
to ask the question --- generations of those who read his catechism turn to ask
the question: What does this mean?
Luther’s Small Catechism
gives a response every time this question is asked. For each commandment the
reply begins:
We are to fear and love God…
In other words, continuing the faith and practice of
addressing and acknowledging God as God. And once loving God the heart
re-forms, transforms:
We are to fear and love God … so that we… this
relationship, all of a sudden has responsibility, consequences, actions; power
– where Living Word moves off a page of sacred text, meanders through hearts
and minds, and changes fear and love of God into living action towards one’s
neighbour.
For each commandment the actions that follow the ‘so that we’
phrase vary based on specifically addressing the ‘you shall not steal, murder,
bear false witness, and so on.’ The explanation of what does this mean? discourages
certain behaviours and offers positive ways to live out in one’s life love for
the neighbour.
What does this mean? We are to fear and love God,
so that we…
Do not – use God’s name as curse or to practice magic; despise
preaching or God’s word; despise parents or others in authority; endanger or
harm the lives of neighbours; use shoddy merchandise or crooked deals; tell
lies or destroy reputations; trick or use legal means to claim property or someone’s
inheritance; entice or steal away workers or employees.
But instead – use God’s name to praise and in gratitude;
gladly hear and learn scripture; honour, serve, respect those in authority; help
and support neighbours in all of life’s needs; help to improve and protect
their property and income; come to a neighbour’s defense, speak well of them,
and interpret everything they do in the best possible light.
Love God. Love your neighbour.
What does this mean?
The crowd that day had little
understanding of what this meant for Jesus. Jesus out of love for God and love
of neighbour is preparing the disciples for his death. Jesus is expressing the
kindom as an outworking of one’s love in ‘the Love’- “Hear, O Israel the Lord
our God the Lord is one, you shall love God with all your heart, soul, mind,
and strength.”
Jesus’ last days in Jerusalem
specifically address covenant living and what love of God looks like in terms
of loving the neighbour: faith is not just about rituals or the Temple or
religious authority; loving God is manifest in loving neighbour -heard in
Jesus’ arguments that include prohibition against exploiting and oppressing the
poor, encouragement of a redistribution of God’s abundance, and a
reconsideration of ties to the Empire and its systems.
We are to fear and love God, so
that we…
Live the kindom; transform and
reform with Living Word working in, through, and around us. …following Jesus
even unto death.
The question asking is not
directed at Jesus; the question is one that we ask ourselves.
Jesus connects two commandments,
first love God and second love your neighbour.
The question remains for you to
ask yourself: What does this mean?
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