Rev. Michael Piazza in Liberating Word says about Matthew 18 “Jesus begins this chapter with a lesson on humility. Greatness for disciples is becoming childlike, Jesus says. He then talks about God’s passion, which is not for the 99 safe sheep, but for the one who goes astray. All of this precedes a long section in which Jesus teaches about how to treat “offenders,” both in the church and outside. Again, this is a retrospective interpretation by Matthew since the Church as we understand it did not yet exist. Essentially, Jesus was talking about how to deal with conflicts with fellow disciples. He begins by saying, “If another member of the church sins against you … ” Some manuscripts lack the phrase “against you,” which makes this a teaching about how to deal with members of the community of faith who commit an offending sin. First, Jesus says, meet with that person alone and tell them what you think is wrong with their behavior. …. Direct dealing is a clear instruction by Jesus. It is advocated by every mental health profession. It is a cornerstone of healthy relationships and community building. NO ONE disagrees with this principle, and almost no one practices it, at least in the church. We might find direct dealing at work or in our 12-step groups, but the behavior of Christians would make you think Jesus had commanded us to talk to everyone in the world before we talk to our sister/brother. It isn’t that Christianity doesn’t work, so much as it is that it is so rarely authentically practiced.”
Rev. Michael Piazza in Liberating Word says about Matthew 18 “Jesus begins this chapter with a lesson on humility. Greatness for disciples is becoming childlike, Jesus says. He then talks about God’s passion, which is not for the 99 safe sheep, but for the one who goes astray.
ReplyDeleteAll of this precedes a long section in which Jesus teaches about how to treat “offenders,” both in the church and outside. Again, this is a retrospective interpretation by Matthew since the Church as we understand it did not yet exist. Essentially, Jesus was talking about how to deal with conflicts with fellow disciples. He begins by saying, “If another member of the church sins against you … ” Some manuscripts lack the phrase “against you,” which makes this a teaching about how to deal with members of the community of faith who commit an offending sin.
First, Jesus says, meet with that person alone and tell them what you think is wrong with their behavior. …. Direct dealing is a clear instruction by Jesus. It is advocated by every mental health profession. It is a cornerstone of healthy relationships and community building. NO ONE disagrees with this principle, and almost no one practices it, at least in the church.
We might find direct dealing at work or in our 12-step groups, but the behavior of Christians would make you think Jesus had commanded us to talk to everyone in the world before we talk to our sister/brother. It isn’t that Christianity doesn’t work, so much as it is that it is so rarely authentically practiced.”