JESUS’ PARABLES ON JUSTICE PHILADELPHIA PASTORS’ REFLECTIONS CONTENTS Introduction 3 Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller Foreword 5 Robert L. Briggs Using this Resource 5 The Persistent Widow 6 The Sower 24 Pastor James I. Jackson Jr.† 6 Pastor J. Dykeman Brown 25 Rev. Edward W. Smith 7 Rev. Dr. Quintin L. Robertson 26 Rev. Dr. Marsha Brown Woodard 27 The Publican and the Pharisee 8 Dr. Donald D. Moore 8 The Prodigal Son 28 Pastor Frederick Harvey III 9 Pastor Bob Oliver 29 Rev. Chauncey P. Harrison 10 Archbishop Mary Floyd Palmer 30 The Unforgiving Servant 11 The Two Sons 31 Rev. Clarence E. Wright 11 Dr. Hengjiang Zhao 31 Rev. Dr. Ethel L. Moore 12 Pastor Robert Kim 32 Bishop Eric A. Lambert, Jr. 13 Pastor Audrey Moody 33 The Good Samaritan 14 The Two Servants 34 Rev. Quincy C. Hobbs, Jr. 15 Rev. Cedric Hughes Jones, Jr. 34 Rev. José Aris Sánchez 16 Dr. J. Edward Crenshaw 35 Rev. Joe Watkins 17 Rev. Charles W. Quann 35 The Rich Man and Lazarus 18 The Sheep and the Goats 36 The Rev. Bo Ubbens 18 Rev. Erik L. Larsen 37 Rev. William T. Martin 19 Rev. Dr. Phaedra D. Blocker 38 Rev. Dr. Cory L. Jones 20 The Rich Fool 21 Rev. Dr. Michel J. Faulkner 21 Pastor Clayton Hicks 22 Acknowledgments 39 Pastor Mark Novalés 23 Read More 39 © 2020 American Bible Society. Permission is granted to reprint this content without alteration. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. Photo credits: Front cover by ActionVance / Unsplash; back cover by Leo Serrat / Unsplash. 2 Jesus’ Parables on Justice I INTRODUCTION NTRO REV. DR. ALYN E. WALLER Senior Pastor, Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church hiladelphia is a city with a rich history and resource have seen their own lives and public min- D P limitless potential, but like many cities it has istries shaped by encounters with these parables. ignored—and often perpetuated—persistent sys- UCTION tems of injustice that afflict the poor. It’s a city DEFINING A PARABLE replete with faithful churches that are not working esus came proclaiming the “kingdom of God,” together. J but if we’re honest, we often wonder what that Loud voices of division are increasingly promi- phrase even means. The Bible shows us that Jesus nent in our nation, and many of our problems can frequently taught with parables to help us under- appear intractable, but I am convinced that there stand what God’s kingdom is like—what the king are untapped resources in the Bible, and that God is like, what life inside looks like, and what the king is calling his church to come together around the asks of his people. Bible so we can serve the common good. A parable is a story or word picture that takes The Bible is clear—and unique in human his- something familiar to help us connect with some- tory—in teaching that there is no division between thing new. Each parable of Jesus features something love of God and love of neighbor. Service to God familiar from Palestinian village life—a farmer requires justice for all, and especially justice for sowing, family inheritance battles, beggars and rul- the vulnerable, “the least of these.” In recent years ers and collaborators. Sometimes Jesus explains the I have started to ask what it would look like if we connections to his disciples. Sometimes the con- looked at love—and our City of Brotherly Love and nection is left to the hearer. Jesus is a master of this Sisterly Affection—through the lens of justice. genre. Starting with something familiar, he adds a In the winter and spring of 2019, Enon Taberna- twist that will surprise or even shock his hearers. cle Baptist Church produced two performances of He directs our attention to a single point and often the off-Broadway hit musical Godspell. The produc- a single question. Then he leaves the story open- tion, directed by Eryka Waller, drew talented per- ended. Will the rich man’s family repent? Will the formers from several area churches. It was intended older brother relent and join the feast? to catalyze conversations about Jesus’ teachings on We’re left to ponder what’s going on and what it justice and to revive connections among pastors might mean for us. You can try to summarize a par- and churches and other groups who are busy with able in a principle or a moral (and you will certainly their own good efforts. find principles for living in these inspired words), As part of the process, we invited a group of pas- but there’s always something left over, something tors from around the area to come for a series of unforgettable. Something that helps us recognize breakfast meetings to get to know each other bet- the Kingdom of God. Something that invites us ter in conversation around the biblical emphasis on to enter that Kingdom. Something that inspires us justice. The resource you are now reading is one of into action to make that kingdom of love and jus- the outcomes. tice visible to our neighbors. A small seed that will We have different backgrounds, different politi- grow—if you let it. cal preferences, different theological emphases. But When you read the parables today, you’ll find the Bible is something we can all rally around. Sev- them asking questions of you. And you can ask eral of the pastors whose work is featured in this questions in return. What questions does the Jesus’ Parables on Justice 3 parable leave open? How does the focus of this par- Matthew and Luke in the Bible, which make up the able apply to my contemporary experience? Where bulk of the libretto for the musical Godspell. do I fit in? What do I need to do? We provide two or three reflections on each par- able. The pastors are focusing on helping readers RIGHTEOUSNESS IS JUSTICE understand what the biblical text is saying so that ’m honored that this distinguished group of pas- we can hear Jesus’ words and consider how to put I tors from around Philadelphia is helping us ask them into practice. Some of the pastors were asked these questions, and in particular is helping us see to explain the context of their parable and others something that we can easily miss. The more the to focus on helping us apply the stories to our lives church understands the Word of God the more it and our city. UCTION gets lived out. In the Greek language of the New These devotionals are intended for use in per- Testament, the word we translate as “righteous- sonal or group Bible study. The resource can also D ness” is also translated “justice.” Same word. Same be integrated with a sermon series during Lent or concept. There is no division in biblical thinking at other times. between our personal character and our public It has been my honor to partner with my fellow action. pastors and with American Bible Society in helping Jesus’ words apply not only to our individual the people of Philadelphia engage more deeply with lives. He speaks love and justice at the level of fam- the Bible. ily, church, neighborhood, city, and nation, union Churches full of people living out the Bible are NTRO and nonprofit, corporation and professional asso- already serving individuals and challenging unjust I ciation, educational and correctional institution. systems in Philadelphia. May their stories become Whether public sector, service sector, marketplace, more visible over the coming months and years, or home, he cares about the individuals, and the and may our increased collaboration help rebuild systems that they inhabit. our communities and make the good news of God’s Our public and personal response to the teach- kingdom a visible reality for the richest elites and ing of Jesus are inseparable. If we try to separate the poorest beggars, the self-righteous and the them, people notice, and they feel the injustice. prodigals, ungrateful servants and outcasts. May we all be as persistent as the widow of the ABOUT THE RESOURCE parable in calling out for justice—and may the King esus’ Parables on Justice is based on eleven when he comes catch us doing what he has com- J parables of Jesus recorded in the Gospels of manded. ■ 4 Jesus’ Parables on Justice F FOREWORD orewor ROBERT L. BRIGGS Interim President and CEO, American Bible Society o the Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller and all the Phil- These injustices threaten our city—but they will T adelphia pastors who have taken their time to not prevail. God’s justice will reign. guide us through “Jesus’ Parables on Justice,” I offer And with God’s grace, you and I—the church— my personal thanks. I am grateful for your wis- will embody that justice. dom, leadership, and generous hearts. More than These reflections on eleven of Jesus’ teachings that, I am grateful for the ways God has used you will deepen our understanding of that sacred call- and your churches to stand for justice in our city. ing. They will help us understand what God’s justice D You are living out God’s call for justice in a world looks like, what it demands of us, and how we can that desperately needs it. live out justice in our own communities. Philadelphia has a rich heritage of biblical jus- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, tice, going all the way back to our city’s faithful “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends founder, William Penn.