Questions from Week 9 readings later submitted:

Question 1: In several different places in this week's (and maybe previously as well) reading Paul says to “be subject to rulers and authority, to be obedient....to be peaceable and considerate...” Today it seems that many people are doing the opposite and some rightly so. How do we reconcile what is happening today to these types of verses? Response: If I understand your question correctly from week 9 readings, the passage referenced here is Titus 3:1 “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good…”. This is the advice the Apostle Paul gives to a friend and church leader named Titus. This may have applied to Titus’s work in planting a church in Crete. The context of how government authority was exercised in Crete at the time is a point to consider. To rightly apply it to today’s world requires us first to interpret it in its original context and then look to more universal principles of God’s holy will. The phrase “interpret scripture in light of other scripture” also comes to mind in responding to your question. Standing up for the poor and oppressed are Biblical commands as well, whether they are oppressed by individuals or systems and governments. Discernment of the right action in any situation requires of us a knowledge of God’s revealed will in the scriptures, and depth of insight into the current situation all things considered. One of our readings in week 10 also addressed this relationship between Christ followers and the government, Mark 12:17. The pharisees were trying to trap Jesus into conflict with the Roman authorities by asking if loyal Jews should pay taxes or not. Jesus told them to look at a coin and see whose image was on it (Caesar’s). Then he said to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s (we are created in God’s image). In that particular setting, Jesus was saying the time for a political conflict or revolution over taxes was not for that time. While the government of our nation is not without its flaws, the democratic process that allows for influence and change that is non- violent is a blessing. I believe in our context today, using voices and perspectives that are informed by Christian faith and values which speak the truth in love about matters of justice are the preferred method of social reforms such that the Lord’s will may be done “on earth as it is in heaven.” Today many people have lost faith in this democratic process of change or have lost patience with its pace of change. We live in a difficult conflicted time that requires discernment in how we would be the best instruments of God’s peace and justice that we can with Titus 3:1 in mind as well.

Question 2: Many Christian religions use some of Paul’s teachings to try to show that women and others should be “quiet” as well as verses such as “slaves be subject to your masters in everything, try to please them....” It seems these groups try to “pick and choose” what may fit their beliefs. How do we as faithful Christians avoid that pitfall? Response: I believe the scriptures you are referring to from week 9 readings are 1 Timothy 2:12 “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet” and Titus 2:9-10 “Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.” Your question that follows rightly points out that as faithful Christians, we should avoid the pitfall of picking and choosing which passages we listen to and which ones we don’t. Why? Because it is all part of God’s inspired word given to God’s people. Another passage of week 9 readings- 2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The question for us then is not which scriptures are inspired and in play for us and which scriptures are not, but it is how are we to interpret ALL the scriptures, even the difficult ones which do not immediately make sense to us. I believe the two scriptures you referred to from week 9 readings fit into that category. However, two ideas presented in the response to the previous question are also fitting here: study up on the original context of the passage and interpret scripture in light of other scriptures. Some key pieces of information to consider in interpreting the first passage is the educational systems of the time that were male dominated and the disorder that was sometimes present in New Testament worship settings with distracting impromptu speeches or conversations (particularly in Corinth, not sure about Crete). The question about the passages dealing with slavery in the New Testament may be more than can be addressed here completely. But I will simply note that the kind of slavery mentioned in the New Testament was more like indebted servant because individuals could earn or buy their freedom out of it. Slavery in American history is usually how we in the US today think of the word “slavery” which is of a different, and much worse, sort. Also, I believe we should interpret Titus 2:9-10 in light of another passage from week 9 readings- Philemon. In Philemon, Apostle Paul offers pastoral counsel to a slave owner to extend reconciliation, equality and freedom to a friend of his Onesimus, who was a runaway slave returning to Philemon. It is believed that the Roman Empire would have violently squashed ANY political or revolutionary attempts to upend the system of slavery at the time. The work of roughly 60 million slaves were firmly established in the Roman territories as part of the economic infrastructure at the time. In such a macro-setting, the Apostle Paul made known the dignity and equality of all persons in Christ in the micro-setting of a particular household. In light of these sorts of factors that shape our interpretation of scripture, I do NOT believe there is a need to categorize as some have, that there are various “buckets” to put scriptures in according to their truthfulness or degree of divine inspiration and completely discounting some passages as completely uninspired and false for the original time as well as ours. I believe it is not a matter of picking and choosing but of interpretation. For if we allow ourselves to pick and choose which portions of scripture count and which ones do not, we cease to place ourselves under the authority of God’s Word and instead place ourselves as judges over God’s word. With offering ourselves such an easy “out,” the Bible then becomes for us a far less challenging guide for us in terms of Christian faith and living.

Question 3: Why did Jesus ask for the formerly possessed man (Mark 5:9-20) to spread the word of Jesus’ mercy, yet in other instances, he instructs those that are healed to not share the news of mercy (Jairus daughter, Mark 5:43)? Response: Great question! The secrecy of Jesus identity and activity is woven throughout Mark. Mark 5:9-20 is one of the rare cases where Jesus tells him to “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” I believe the key to understanding the reason for the change in pattern is found in looking at the geography. In Mark 5:1, “They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.” This was not Jewish territory. The presence of unclean animals, the pigs that the demons were cast into, is another sign this was not Jewish territory. While Jesus had mercy on all persons he came across, he had a particular way he was planning to reveal himself to the “chosen” people of God, the Jews. The Jews had pre-existing expectations of who the messiah was to be and the role the messiah was to play. I believe Jesus intentionally designed his schedule, activity and publicity to reveal the gospel to them without affirming their errant preconceived ideas of messiah. If his fame were to precede him under false pretenses, it also might have introduced additional limitations in how he could move about among the crowds. But when Jesus chose to reveal himself or work miracles with the gentiles/Greeks in different (non-Jewish) territories, it brought different considerations into view.

Question 4: In Mark 4:10-12, Jesus seems to claim that you need to have faith to understand the parables in the New Testament. Does this mean that faith comes first before scripture? This seems to be emphasized as well in 2 Timothy 3:16, as you are defined as a servant of God before benefitting from reading scripture. Are we missing anything here? Response: The Mark 4 passages describe Jesus teaching the crowds in parables and then later explaining the parables only to the disciples who chose to follow Him. I believe the parables preached by Jesus to the crowds were meant to awaken their minds, to ponder meanings that drew them in their thinking toward the truth of God. It required work and some degree of uncertainty on their part as they applied their imagination and prayer activity to understand the wisdom of Jesus. Before it was our written scripture, it was the spoken teachings of Jesus to them. In some ways, I believe the partial answers and the partial uncertainty was meant to keep the people seeking God’s wisdom and following Jesus the Son, which is the walk of faith. I’m not sure how to answer your question about which came first, faith or scripture. In this case, I think they were both coming about at the same time. 2 Timothy 3:16, which was also referenced in question 2 above, is addressed to a leader during a time in which Christian churches had been planted and were growing long after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. It instructs those who did not have opportunity to meet and hear Jesus in person in understanding the truth about God and Christian living. Is the question implied in the second half of your question, which comes first in human experience today, being a servant of God or being aware of the scriptures we have in the Old and New Testaments? If so, I’m inclined to note the general understanding of the process of salvation that is common to the Methodist/Wesleyan tradition and reflected in John Wesley’s sermon “The Scripture Way of Salvation.” The old English is a little changing, but you can find a big picture view of the Wesleyan understanding of the journey of salvation in the sermon at this link- http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/sermon-43- the-scripture-way-of-salvation/. Also, FYI- if you ask a Methodist/Wesleyan where anything starts, they will usually answer “God’s grace!” To look more specifically at the beginnings of the journey of salvation, you may wish to see this video on the Methodist/Wesleyan idea of “prevenient grace” and the scriptural grounds for it. https://www.seedbed.com/the-biblical-case- for-prevenient-grace/. One of the scriptures from week 9 referenced in the video that supports the idea that all can be saved by the working of God’s grace, but yet is an offer or gift that needs to be accepted at some point is Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” Prevenient grace allows for a grace enabled human response which chooses to receive the offer of salvation

Questions from Week 10 readings (Mark 9-18, Hebrews 3-13):

Question 5: Hebrews 6:4-6 seems to say that we only get one chance at salvation...... no backsliding allowed. That’s a little disconcerting for many of us imperfect Christians. How do you interpret this scripture? Response: The Calvinist or reformed traditions would say that if someone falls away and doesn’t return back to the Lord that they were never really saved to begin with. Conversely, the tradition views that if someone is really saved, they cannot turn away from the faith; thus, the doctrine, “once saved always saved.” Yet as your question points out, backsliding or going backward in personal holiness rather than going forward with God appears to be a common phenomenon in the body of Christ. Later in life, some of these apparent “backsliders” appear to experience renewal in their faith while others appear to remain steady in their choice to depart from their faith in God. In various parts of scripture this latter category is sometimes referred to as those who have hardened their hearts to God. Other portions of scripture refer to God hardening their hearts, but I believe often times it is long after the individuals have chosen to harden their own hearts. I believe Hebrews 6:4-8 is saying that God honors the free choice of people to love Him or reject Him, and if they choose to reject Him overall and outright, He will honor their choice and not use His power to override their free will. This is known as the sin of apostacy- to choose to leave the faith and never return. In our own Methodist Wesleyan tradition, which emphasizes the power and grace of God as well as the free-will of humans, we do not hold to the “once saved always saved” doctrine because to do so would be to deny the freedom humans have to reject God (apostacy). At the same time, our tradition gives space for wayward Christians who have left the faith to choose to receive God’s grace again so as to enter back into relationship with the Lord and the body of Christ. Thus, a common joke among Methodist Wesleyans is “backsliding is a sin that only some denominations believe in but all practice!” I believe the verses being referenced here in Hebrews 6:4-6 are specific to that smaller group of backsliders who never choose to receive God’s grace again that enables them to repent, turn and be healed. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is, in the words of Jesus in the week 10 readings, Mark 13:13b, “the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” I believe your question rightly points out that there is a big difference, between someone struggling with sins in their life they are having trouble being free of and someone who chooses to leave the faith permanently (apostacy). I believe 1 John 1:8, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” suggests that sin will continue to be a struggle with Christians, but that we should be struggling against it and not overtly giving into sin in continuous ways that are an enormous obstacle to the witness of Christ in our lives. When it comes to the question of salvation, the judgement is God’s to make, not ours. I believe we will all one day find that all of God’s judgements are good ones that are holy, gracious and just. Christian author C.S. Lewis has an interesting perspective on God’s judgement in his estimation that “the doors of hell are locked in the inside…”. See full quote from The Problem of Pain (1940, The Centenary Press) ““I willingly believe that the damned are, in one sense, successful, rebels to the end; that the doors of hell are locked on the inside . . . they enjoy forever the horrible freedom they have demanded, and are therefore self-enslaved: just as the blessed, forever submitting to obedience, become through all eternity more and more free. … In the long run the answer to all those who object to the doctrine of hell, is itself a question: ‘What are you asking God to do?’ To wipe out their past sins and, at all costs, to give them a fresh start, smoothing every difficulty and offering every miraculous help? But He has done so, on Calvary. To forgive them? They will not be forgiven. To leave them alone? Alas, I am afraid that is what he does.”

Question 6: I am interested in knowing more about Melchizedek in general as he seems very mysterious – God did this on purpose? Response: Melchizedek is a mysterious figure from the Old Testament to be sure, also known as the King of Salem and priest of God most high in Genesis 14:18-20. To him Abraham choses to tithe or give one tenth of everything as an act of worship to God. He is mysterious as a priest, because this is long before the priestly tribe of Levi had been established. In Hebrews, Jesus is presented as a high priest in the order of Melchizedek. One of the reasons is because Jesus was not of the tribe of Levi but was the lion of the tribe of Judah. But more than that, the kind of high priest that Jesus is presented to be throughout the book of Hebrews is on an entirely different level than the normal high priests of the tribe of Levi. Yes, I believe that God did this on purpose. Jesus was and is a high priest forever of this order, one who was without sin and provides not the blood of many animals but his very own blood, the perfect sacrifice that is given for all sin at one time.

Question 7: Mark 9:1 And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power." What does this mean? Response: Taking the verse in its context, it is worth noting that what comes immediately afterwards is the Mount of Transfiguration in Mark 9:2-10. The glorified Christ is seen by Peter, James and John as was Elijah and Moses whom Jesus was speaking with. Jesus being transfigured before them, with clothes that were dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them reflected the glory of the kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God had come with power at least here on the Mount of Transfiguration in which these three disciples were witnesses, but also in the resurrection appearances and the ascension of Christ into heaven that were witnessed by these three as well as other disciples.

Question 8: Hebrews 8:9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. (from Jeremiah) Does this mean that now the new covenant will cover them? Response: I believe the inclusion of those persons of faith that are listed in Hebrews 11 as exemplars of faith suggests because of God’s faithfulness in his covenant with them, in both the old covenant and later in the new covenant, they are indeed covered by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Given the eternal nature of God who created time and space, a strong case can be made that God stands outside of time as we finite beings understand it. Therefore, applying our paradigms of time to God’s perspective with words like before and after, rather than God being present in one eternal now, may be a mistake on our part. I believe when it comes to the sins of humanity across time, and God’s ultimate plan of forgiveness and salvation in Christ, Romans 3:25 is a good reference point (even if it was not in this week’s readings!). Romans 3:25- “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood- to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance, he had left the sins committed before-hand unpunished- he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

Question 9: Hebrews 11:13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them for a distance. Were they covered by Jesus' sacrifice? Response: See also the response above for question 8. All those presented in chapter 11 prior to this verse were people of the covenants with God in the Old Testament who lived prior even to the time of the law being given to God’s people through Moses. Faith and walking by faith with the Lord in covenant, even without having the law to go on at the time is what is being emphasized here. In that way the common ground with our Old Testament sisters and brothers is faith and walking with the Lord in faith. Under the new covenant, we are saved by grace through faith in Christ. Because of Christ, even in the Old Testament, God was able to have forbearance in regard to the sins of those who walked with the Lord by faith, but also struggled with personal sins. I believe in Hebrews 11:13, the writer is saying that even then, God’s people sensed a future in which God was going to do a new thing, even though they did not understand what it would be exactly.

Question 10: Mark 13:30 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. What generation? Response: In the sections before this passage, Jesus speaks to understandings about who the messiah was to be (Mark 12:35-40), and other predictions about the future which included the destruction of the temple (Mark 13:2-3), various hardships and the desecration temple (Mark 13:14). The stones of the temple were later overturned and the temple destroyed in the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman army in 70 A.D.. Therefore, there were those living at the time of Jesus death (30-33A.D.), who could have also been alive in 70 A.D. during the siege and destruction of the temple. Other portions of Mark 13 may be referring to still other significant events in God’s kingdom such as the resurrection, ascension and second coming of Christ (Mark 13:26). While all of Christendom still waits for the second coming of Christ at a time that no one knows (Mark 13:32-37), the crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, were all events that could have taken place within the lifetimes of those present at the time of Jesus.