The people are accused of here idolatry, worshipping other
gods in ways the pagan nations surrounding them worshipped. To hear of Israel inquiring of wooden idols
and going to mountaintops to inquire of the gods is heartbreaking. Christians who seek after fortune-tellers and
horoscopes for wisdom and understanding, who mix their Christian faith with
other practices and beliefs are no better.
It happens all the time. Wisdom
is given to us from one source, not many.
It comes down to trust, faith that God will do what is best for us. Do we have the faith to trust Him in all
circumstances or not? The Israelites
hedged their bets by sacrificing to the baals to provide rain and fruitfulness
for the land and to the Asherah for fecundity in their livestock. What do you trust in to provide for you? Does He get all the glory or does your life
show fear in holding tightly to what you have gotten for yourself?
The Pharisees took purity to another level. There is a sense in which we are to keep
ourselves pure from some things but never from people. The Pharisees want to know why the disciples
are eating this feast at the home of Matthew, a newly called member of the
group, among other tax collectors and sinners.
They would never do such a thing lest they contract defilement. We are not to worship other gods but we are
to love people. Jesus did things like no
other teacher. He touched lepers and
hung out with impure people. The
Pharisees and their disciples believed things about themselves and others that
made it impossible to consider such things.
As disciples of Jesus we know more than even the disciples knew this day
about this man they were following. We
know that He was indeed holy and He forsook all that to come amongst us. We are called to go forth in His Name in the
same ways He Himself has done for us.
When Paul comes to Jerusalem, James and the others extend
the right hand of fellowship and also are sincerely happy to hear of Paul's
missionary success among the Gentiles.
They are, however, concerned about the reception among the Jews of
Jerusalem given what has been said about Paul's attitude towards the Law. In order to appease this contingent, it is
suggested that Paul accompany four men who are "under a vow" to the
temple where they will complete their vow and be released from it. I watched a denomination be torn apart
because of scurrilous rumor and innuendo and we all, every year on Palm Sunday,
participate in the triumphal procession into Jerusalem where Jesus is hailed as
king and then, minutes later, we participate with the crowd in shouting,
"Crucify Him!" You can't
appease a mob, it isn't thinking rationally.
The final breach with the temple was still to come. Paul, to his credit, accepts their
judgment. Big mistake.
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