Interpreting the Gospels:MATTHEW

RLST 210/Div/Rel 3152October 10, 2011

3:10-4:00 1) Sign up for the rest of the semester as “Formal Respondents”; 2) Holy Bible, Corrective Glasses, & Family Album teachings of Matt 11-12

4:00-5:00 Roundtables: Matt 11-12 : Theme: Views of Jesus’ relation to culture: Doubt (and Faith), Indifference, and Dissent ◦ Div G25, Group 1 Leader ANDREW SHEPHERD◦ Scribe: ADRI BULLARD◦ Div G26 Group 2 Leader CASSANDRA KNORR ◦ Scribe: TAYLOR SCHOMP◦ Div G28 Group 3 Leader JON SNAPE◦ Scribe: BRENDA DURHAM

5:00-5:30 Scribe reports on Theological Choices

Today

Beginning next week, we shift our attention away from exercises in Contextual Bible Interpretation (following the form) to your papers

Helping you to develop your papers in dialogue with each other

5 of you will present particular aspects of their papers (this will change as we progress) … while others (5 of you) will formally respond on the basis of similar aspects of their own papers. ◦ While others respond informally

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After reading your last set of CBI Forms and the first set of proposals I can say

1) You have now a very good – and most often EXCELLENT - understanding of

A1 How to present the PRESENT-DAY context, clearly showing that there is a problem that needs to be addressed

A2 Identification of significant aspects of the text(s) of Matthew that will be helpful for this context

A3a Identification of the Problem in this present-day context and explaining why

A3b Identification of the ROOT-PROBLEM and explaining why

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1) You have now a very good – and most often EXCELLENT -- understanding of

B3 Identification of the corresponding ROLE OF SCRIPTURE and explaining why

B2 Recognition that you have CHOSEN a particular view/understanding of the THEME as contrasted with other views of the theme ◦ (as presented in The Cambridge Dictionary of Christianity)

C1a Correctly identified the particular view of the THEME emphasized by a scholar

C1b Correctly identified the most significant aspects of the text(s) for the Scholar

C1c Correctly identified the Root-Problem the Scholar is concerned with and see the text as addressing

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1) You have now a very good – and most often EXCELLENT - understanding of all these. Great! You are almost there!

2) But many of you still struggle with B1 The Formulation of the teaching by using the text of

Matthew following a particular ROLE OF SCRIPTURE In the lecture I will illustrate how to do it for three roles of

scripture many of you are struggling with. Family Album, Corrective Glasses, and Holy Bible

3) Continuing our preparation for Part D, Critical Assessment of your own interpretation, by comparing it with OTHER interpretations, that one takes seriously.

I will illustrate how I would like the Formal and General respondents to compare their interpretations with that of the presenter – someone to be respected

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Handout prepared on the basis of her/his proposal will include◦ Of course, you can/should take advantage of the critical comments

made on your GRADED proposal◦ Our grading is rigorous so as to help you with many comments;

addressing the issues found wanting in your proposals is an essential step in the preparation of your paper; submitting these corrections will bring up your grade if it needs to be brought up.

1) Short summary of your context, yet showing clearly what is the problem that Christian believers involved in it need to see resolved

2) Simple identification of its ROOT-PROBLEM (lack of/wrong…) and ROLE OF SCRIPTURE (just a title)

3) EXTENSIVE Formulation of the teaching IMPLEMENTING THE ROLE OF SCRIPTURE showing how your two passages (quote them; refer to them) provide and address the root-problem and problem in your context.

Each of the five leaders prepare a one page handout: ready by FRIDAY AT 11AM

Beyond you proposal by comparing your interpretation with one of your scholars so as to become critical about your own interpretation:

this week how the scholar’s DIFFERENT interpretation help you recognize that you chose a PARTICULAR analysis of your context:

4) Choosing ONE of your scholars, identify (briefly) the DIFFERENT ROOT-PROBLEM

(NOTE: you cannot use a scholar with the same root-problem (as your diverging scholar should have)

5) Now the next step for preparing your paper: look back at your context with the eyes of your scholar = recognizing in it her/his different ROOT PROBLEM = MAIN PART OF HANDOUT

How is the presentation of the context and its problem needs to be adjusted so as to show this different root-problem?

6) Then, what should be the TEACHING for believers?

Each of the five leaders prepare a one page handout: to be ready by FRIDAY AT 11AM

On the basis of your leader’s handout Choose the root-problem which is DIFFERENT

from the one you identified in your proposal Shows that this DIFFERENT root-problem does

apply to your CONTEXT. ◦ How does the presentation of your context and its

problem need to be adjusted so that this different root-problem?

How would the teaching formulated by your leader on the basis of Matt 13 apply to your context?

Each of the Respondents (Formal Respondents with a one-page handout)

Matthew 11:3-6 "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" 4 Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6 And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me." Matthew 11:18-19 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon'; 19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

These verses make the most sense in my context because they deal with the fruit of Jesus' life, and stress that those looking for the Messiah might find him/her by the result of the ministry.

Part B1: Andrew Shepherd: Text

Context A church is struggling with their relation to the world around them. The neighborhood they live in has seen many foreclosures, many of their members are losing their jobs, while the young adults, those recently graduated from high school and college, struggle to find good meaningful work. … members debate political pros and cons.

Problem Their life in society (at work, at school, in their social life)- These congregants have taken sides in one of the many polarized issues of our time.

Root-problem: A wrong IDEOLOGY? the congregants know what the verse says, but they see it through the light of a conservative American ideology, perhaps even one which forces them to view the Bible as separate from their life in society. They feel that both their political views are separate from their religious beliefs, and also that the Bible supports their view of the world.

Role of Scripture: Corrective Glasses; a teaching is designed to change the way they see things (ideology).

Part B1: Andrew Shepherd: Context

The church today is quick to separate faith in Jesus from the work of Jesus…. Within this passage in Matthew, that not only is a bad idea, it is impossible. John wonders if the messiah has come, and Jesus, … simply points to his works, that “the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.” (11:5)

… Part of believing, the point seems to be, is recognizing the work of Jesus in the first place.

Matthew 11:18, while many in society are quick to point out what must be obviously a trick (like organizers making a lot of money) Jesus criticizes the people for not recognizing what was real in John. The message from society seems to be that if someone is doing something radical, there must be something behind it, either a demon or some kind of external motivation.

Jesus rebukes these people, again stressing that the world ought to learn to recognize the good works of Christ, and associate their faith with those works.

Part B1: Andrew Shepherd: Teaching … what is wrong with it?

Andrew acknowledges very insightfully in Part D: I think my teaching is a good teaching, though even I question

whether or not it would have any influence in a congregation.

I believe it is true, but because the problem of the church is an Ideological one, more than a good teaching is needed. They need a shift in their entire perspective, and I'm not sure this reading, or any reading is enough for that. ◦ Note: “good teaching “is a teaching that conveys knowledge…

This reading fails to address some of the nuanced (… situations) today. They obviously do not give sight, or hearing to the deaf, etc. There is a call to seek the works of Christ in the world, but no sign of what those might look like today.

Yes... Because the teaching as you formulated it is not a corrective glasses…

Part B1: Andrew Shepherd: Teaching … what is wrong with it?

You have shown (= transmitted a KNOWLEDGE about) all the elements of the text that SHOULD serve as CORRECTIVE GLASSES, so as to transform the wrong IDEOLOGY of the church. They now KNOW what they should do or not do. BUT this teaching will NOT transform their IDEOLOGY (as you note correctly and insightfully).

In order to function as CORRECTIVE GLASSES you need to invite this church to look around them THROUGH the text.

WHERE DO THEY SEE blind receiving their sight, the lame walking, the lepers being cleansed, the deaf hearing, the dead being raised, and/OR the poor having good news brought to them?

Part B1: Andrew Shepherd: A Corrective GlassesTeaching

In order to function as CORRECTIVE GLASSES you need to invite this church to look around them THROUGH the text.

WHERE DO THEY SEE blind receiving their sight, the lame walking, the lepers being cleansed, the deaf hearing, the dead being raised, and/OR the poor having good news brought to them?

Whether it is exactly the same action or similar ones (poor, oppressed, sick, etc. being helped); the “workings of unions today” might be an example – especially since the church rejects the union as John and Jesus are by people in that time. Then they can see that Christ-like or God-like people are among them (= Christ in culture; transformer of culture), and are models to follow (note, this involves an imitating Christ view of discipleship)

Part B1: Andrew Shepherd: A Corrective GlassesTeaching

Matthew 11:28-30 ("Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.") speak to the idea that all people need rest, and that Jesus is the embodiment of that rest. In this passage, Jesus is willing and able to give rest to those in need. These verses also reflect how Jesus wanted to take away the burdens that culture can impose. Jesus is authorized by God to ease the burdens on laborers and those afflicted by culture’s stipulations, stigmas, and stereotypes. Also, Jesus here allows the pastor and others to discern the need for Godly rest.

Part B1: Casey Knorr: Text

Context A pastor overwhelmed by many important duties Problem lies in the culture of this community. Culturally, people,

like this pastor, fill up their calendars without regard for the need to take a break. This pastor is pushed to accept too many appointments, because culturally, that is what is done. This pastor is not the only one called to do God’s work, but culture suggests that work be a burden not shared.

Root-problem: A wrong IDEOLOGY I posit this because the church and the surrounding culture have the belief that a pastor should take on so much and burden herself to the brink of utter exhaustion. This perpetuates the burdens on this pastor: burdens she should be able to give over to God. Change must happen in the life of the church and in the culture, to move away from holding this belief, this standard, so that the pastor can do God’s will.

Role of Scripture: Family Album; because as a disciple of Christ, or even a family member, this scripture shows that all are in need of rest, and need to have their burdens eased. The scripture then calls the believer to allow time for rest with Jesus.

Part B1: Casey Knorr: Context

Sometimes a pastor will get so wrapped up in calendar pressures and church deadlines, ending up lost in the mess of culture’s lofty standards, that she can forget to rely on God when things get busy. The pastor, then, must overcome her surrounding culture and remind herself, through reading scriptures like Matthew 11:28-30, that everyone is called to give their burdens over to Jesus and allow herself to rest and recharge. She will give her burdens over to Jesus and find rest in following Jesus’ directions, not the orders of culture.

You correctly identify the need for a “family album” teaching.

Yet two problems: 1) a family album teaching cannot be for an individual only (here the pastor by herself; actually this is part of the problem; making it impossible to delegate!); “wrong ideology” is also a collective issue;

Part B1: Casey Knorr: Teaching … what is wrong with it?

2) Reading the text as a family album, i.e., to be read/preached as the Exodus is read/recited during the Passover celebration. Not simply repeating what the text says about ancient Israel (they went out of Egypt) but saying “we went out of Egypt” … so as a community identifying with the people addressed by Jesus (not an individual, but ‘ALL you” [plural!]… and say “we” (believers today…) explaining the potentially difficult situations in which “we” are then explaining how “we” (all of us caught in this culture) should identify with “all you”, those described in the text. Then your teaching will be really effective, fully implementing a true “family album” and fit your excellent analysis of the context and the root-problem.

Part B1: Casey Knorr: Teaching …

Matthew 12:49-50 because in them Jesus identifies his family as those who “do the will of his Father in heaven.” There we see that it is in actions, doing the will of God, that one aligns one’s self with Jesus. Being a part of Jesus’ family is not about blood relations or anything else, except those who do his Father’s will. Those whom one would expect to be his family and those whom society would call his family are not those whom Jesus calls his family.

Part B1: Jon Snape: Text

Context members of a mid-sized United Methodist church in Lebanon, TN who are wealthy and call themselves Christians for confessing Jesus as Lord and Savior, attending church, caring for its building, etc., but do very little or no ministry like Jesus did. They do not love sacrificially or care most for those who are hurting most. The church’s ministries are almost all just about themselves. The truth is that they just do not want to do God’s will, because they like their secure and comfortable form of Christianity.

Problem D) Their life in society (at work, at school, in their social life) because they need to recognize that they are not part of Jesus’ family, Christians, if they do not do the will of God

Root-problem: C) A lack of/ wrong WILL because they just do not want to give away their possessions, comfort, and wealth, but rather enjoy being around people like them and being secure and comfortable. They just do not want to do God’s will.

Role of Scripture: Rule of the community…

Part B1: Jon Snape: Context

They must do more Christ-like ministry if they want to be consider themselves Christians. They must love like Jesus loved, sacrificially and for those who were hurting, to be a part of Christ’s family. Taking pride in the confessions they have made, being members at a church, caring a lot for their church building, are how Jesus defined discipleship. No, being a Christian is about doing God’s will. SO FAR YOU HAVE TRANSMITTED A KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THEY SHOULD DO… BUT YOUR FORMULATION OF THE TEACHING DOES NOT CONVINCE THEM TO DO IT.

Part B1: Jon Snape: Teaching … what is wrong with it?

Matthew 12:48-50 8 But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" 49 And pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

Faith/vision problem (or wrong ideology) as root problem behind the lack of will (that they do lack)

Holy Bible needed! Easy example here: Reading this text, meditating on this text,

the believers hear Jesus pointing at them saying: "Here are my mother and my brothers!” “here is my brother and sister and mother." even though they are not perfect…

Deep religious experience… of course they need to do God’s will, and live a radical life of discipleship

Part B1: Jon Snape: Alternative Teaching …

3:10-4:00 1) Sign up for the rest of the semester as “Formal Respondents”; 2) Holy Bible, Corrective Glasses, & Family Album teachings of Matt 11-12

4:00-5:00 Roundtables: Matt 11-12 : Theme: Views of Jesus’ relation to culture: Doubt (and Faith), Indifference, and Dissent ◦ Div G25, Group 1 Leader ANDREW SHEPHERD◦ Scribe: ADRI BULLARD◦ Div G26 Group 2 Leader CASSANDRA KNORR ◦ Scribe: TAYLOR SCHOMP◦ Div G28 Group 3 Leader JON SNAPE◦ Scribe: BRENDA DURHAM

5:00-5:30 Scribe reports on Theological Choices

Today