Psalm 66, 67; 1 Maccabees 2:29-43, 49-50; Acts 28:14b-23; Luke 16:1-13
What do we do about persecution? What is the Christian response? Here we see that some chose to die rather than respond when attacked while Mattathias and the Hasideans chose to fight against the persecution. I believe that both these reactions are possible for Christians to take. I would have to throw out much of the Old Testament to believe that God doesn’t want us to fight against injustice and oppression or to meet force with force but at the same time I do believe that nonviolence is an option. I believe it mostly a matter of prayer and conscience, what is the Lord saying to you at that particular moment. I believe in this story that both groups are heroic, one tragically and the other in their fight against persecution on behalf of themselves and others.
This parable is one of the most difficult to interpret. We have to work out who the rich man represents to frame our interpretation of the manager’s actions. In developing countries the rich man is typically seen as the oppressor simply because he is rich. In the west we tend to believe the rich man to be God for Jesus uses it often in that context in the parables. If we go with that interpretation then we conclude that the dishonesty of the manager is inexcusable and he uses his position to enrich himself, he is living for this world not the next so his conduct is commended by the rich man as in concert with the manager’s worldview. In that interpretation we see the rich man as incredibly benevolent in that he does not take further action against the manager nor does he seemingly inform his tenants that it was not his will for the manager to have done these things. The write-downs were likely the interest due on the accounts and not the principal, and would have enhanced the man’s reputation for benevolence. What is commended? It would seem that using what we have to bless others would be the conduct we should favor as it enhanced the reputations of both the manager and the rich man.
When Paul gets to Rome he calls together the Jewish leaders to plead his case for tolerance towards him and also to present the Gospel to them. He is there because the Jews have determined to persecute and stop his work of building the church and preaching the Gospel but he still reaches out to them to give these Jews an opportunity to hear about Jesus. Their initial reaction is that they have heard this sect spoken against “everywhere” so they wanted to know why. Paul, even under house arrest, is willing to speak to anyone and everyone of Jesus, the best reaction of all to whatever situation we find ourselves in.
Come, thou almighty King,
help us thy Name to sing,
help us to praise!
Father all glorious,
over all victorious,
come and reign over us,
Ancient of Days!
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