Jesus’ Offensive Parables

Jesus’ parables are offensive, perhaps too offensive and even embarrassing. I had often found them overcritical of humanity, especially the Jewish leadership, and therefore unhelpful in understanding others. Humanity just didn’t seem to be as bad as Jesus had portrayed them. For instance, Jesus’ parable about The Tenants:

• "There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.'  So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants? He will bring those wretches to a wretched end." (Matthew 21:33-40)

Jesus was indicting the religious elite, promising to “bring those wretches to a wretched end.” Were they really as evil as Jesus alleged? The Pharisees had been widely regarded as pious, even by Jesus’ disciples. However, He accused them of killing all of the messengers – the Prophets of Israel – whom the Master, seeking what had been due to Him, had sent.

What a brutal indictment! But was it so? It certainly seems to be! The writer of the Book of Chronicles explained why Israel and Judah had been destroyed and exiled:

• But they mocked God's messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the LORD was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. (2 Chronicles 36:16)

However, it was more than just a matter of scoffing. God has explained His anger and frustration with His people Israel to Jeremiah:

• "In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword [Israel] has devoured your prophets like a ravening lion.” (Jeremiah 2:30) 

In anguish, Jesus referred to the same:

• "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. (Matthew 23:37) 

Could God’s chosen and pious ones have committed such heinous acts? Evidently! However, we don’t see such evil in others, at least, not in our own kind. Jeremiah didn’t and therefore could not believe that Israel was worthy of God’s harsh indictments. However, as part of his spiritual training, God put this challenge to Jeremiah:

• "Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.” (Jeremiah 5:1) 

Although Jeremiah thought that this might be true of the riff-raff – those who didn’t know the law - he was convinced that he would find many righteous among the elites and his own priestly caste. However, God proved him wrong. Instead, these elites, even his own family, wanted to kill him!

How shocking to see the ugly reality beneath the polished veneer! And we see the same today! Our neighbors, who had greeted us every day with a broad smile, are now exterminating Christians at alarming rates, and if not exterminating them, then depriving them of jobs and livelihoods.

Jesus, wanting to be very clear with the elites in his audience, then brought His lesson home:

• "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone the builders [you leaders] rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.' Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this [messianic] stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."  When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they knew he was talking about them. They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet. (Mat. 21:42-46) 

Israel would reject their promised Messiah – their Savior – as many Hebrew texts had warned. They would kill Him as they had their own Prophets. However, not now! Too many eyes were watching. Too many would protest.

Today, we are shocked by the extent of the hatred and persecution of Christians. How can it be? Even against a people who do not retaliate and whose purpose is to love their neighbor? Where did it all come from? Perhaps this hatred of the light and love of the darkness was always there (John 3:19-20), hidden away until the forces of evil sensed weakness and “victory.”

Jesus’ parables had once been an embarrassment to me as God’s words had been to Jeremiah. However, they now seem all the more relevant, accurate, and timely.

That Horrid “Us vs. Them” Distinction and how Jesus Regarded it

Postmodern Christians slam Christianity for making “us vs. them” distinctions. Brian McLaren charges that:

·       Christians have been taught to see in "us vs. them" terms for centuries, and it will take time to reorient faithful people in a new direction -- "us with them," working for the common good (Huffington Post Religion Blog, 2/19/03).

In support of his indictment, McLaren cites two like-minded students:

·       “People don't want to have to side with the church and against their friends who are Buddhist or Muslim or Jewish or agnostic."

·       “We can't find a church that doesn't load a bunch of extra baggage on us. We tried, but they all had this long list of people we had to be against. It's just not worth it.”

Many Christians will give this a resounding “amen” adding, “I just don’t see any difference between Christians and non-Christians.

However, Jesus insisted on a sharp difference. He often made “us vs. them” and “children of this world (of the darkness) vs. His own (of the light) distinctions. To reject this distinction is therefore to reject much of Jesus’ teachings. For example, Jesus taught:

• "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." (Luke 6:46-49)

Jesus drew a sharp distinction between those who heard His Word and practiced it and those who merely heard. Both built houses that looked the same. However, one had a foundation and the other was built on nothing solid. Their house lacked the foundation faith and obedience to Jesus. Both houses stood firm until the storm destroyed the one lacking this foundation. The storm revealed not only their differing fate but also their very distinctive characters.

The house without the foundation was a sham, a mere deceptive façade. There was nothing supporting it. No one could see the difference between the two prior to the storm. On the surface, both had the same provisions and problems. Both had bedrooms, kitchens, and toilets. Both would need repairs and regular paintings.

The saved and unsaved both raise families. Both laugh and cry with their children, have friends, and suffer losses. In fact, Christ’s children tend to look worse for a number of reasons:

1. They generally had been numbered among the most pathetic and least respected (1 Cor. 1:26-29).
2. They undergo more hardships (1 Peter 4:17).
3. They tend to be more awkward, since they are learning a new language and have to integrate it with the old.

Yet, according to Jesus, the two groups – born again and not - are profoundly different:

• "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again… I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of… the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” (John 3:3-6)

Christ’s entire teaching is predicated on this distinction. Does it work against the common good as McLaren claims? Instead, it is because of this distinction and the horrible fate of those who have denied Christ that we reach out in love to this dying world!

Are Christians Hypocrites: Jesus’ Parables

“You Christians love to tell others how they’re messing up, but you too refuse to follow Jesus!” he charged.

I asked Bob what he meant. He responded, “Jesus taught you to turn the other cheek, but you want to bomb the snot out of ISIS. Jesus taught you to give to anyone who asks, but you won’t give me a miserable $20!”

This is a serious charge. If Bob is right, then we are hypocrites, telling others to follow Jesus, while we refuse to follow him.

I wanted to answer Bob, but I knew that the answer would not be satisfying. It required more than a one verse rebuttal. Besides, Luke did write:

• "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. (Luke 6:27-30)

Admittedly, this is a difficult set of verses to interpret. One reason that it is difficult is because it seems to contradict many other verses. Paul had instructed that we shouldn’t give to everyone who asks. If someone refuses to work, we would be doing wrongly to support him (2 Thess. 3:10). Even Jesus taught that there are occasions when we shouldn’t give. We shouldn’t waste our pearls of wisdom on those who will turn against us (Matthew 7:6). Even Jesus did not give to all who ask. James and John requested Jesus to make them His co-regents once He’d set up His kingdom. However, He turned them down!

Do we then have a contradiction, or is there a way to resolve this apparent contradiction? Yes! Jesus spoke in parables, often using hyperbole (exaggerated language):

• And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. (Matthew 5:30)

No one takes this literally. If we did, the church would be filled with handless people. Likewise, no takes Jesus’ command to “pluck out your eye” literally. However, His hyperbolic language makes a powerful point: “If cutting of your hand could keep you from sin and hell, then it would be a small price to pay!”

For years, I had struggled with Jesus’ elusive teachings. Should I turn my cheek when my students were misbehaving, even to the point of threatening other students? Fortunately, I decided against this kind of turning the other cheek. It would have brought utter disrespect upon me and upon the church.

It eventually became apparent to me that if I took Jesus literally, I would violate other biblical commands. If my friend asked to borrow my gun so that he could shoot his wife, such giving would violate the law of love. Perhaps, a ridiculous looking interpretation of giving is ridiculous and wrong-headed.

I began to ask, “Does the context of this teaching give me the justification to take Jesus’ teaching hyperbolically.” I dreaded the idea of misapplying His teaching merely to enable me to live with it. However, I did find grounds in the following verses:

• “Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:31-36)

Often, Jesus gives us the key to unlock the interpretation. It seems that He had in this case. When I began to see His teaching on giving in the light of the over-arching principle of love and mercy, it began to make sense.

I had to be ready to give to others in love. If giving isn’t in the best interests of the other person, then I shouldn’t give. I had to learn the difference between destructive, disempowering, indulgent giving and giving that would empower. Paul had argued against the church supporting certain widows because this would enable them to sin. Instead, he argued that the younger widows should marry and that the widow’s family should support her where necessary (1 Tim. 5:3-8).

Jesus argued that our mercy should reflect the wisdom of God’s mercy (Luke 6:36). What does that look like? It looks like what’s been written in the Hebrew Scriptures, what else! There, we find giving accompanied by accountability. God displayed a major interest in the welfare of the poor and needy but in a loving way. He wouldn’t de-motivate them with handouts but instead required that the fields be available to the poor to glean the remains.  

We have a weighty responsibility for the poor, but it must be exercised wisely, lovingly, and Scripturally. Also seen from the point of view of God’s revelation, “turning the other cheek” was not a command to fire every policeman and tear down every jail. Instead, it was a warning against taking the law into our own hands to seek revenge. (Watch out, ISIS!) Instead, it reflects the Bible’s emphasis on the civil magistrate (Romans 13:1-4) as opposed to vigilantism.

Bob would not sit still for this explanation, but at least I can assure myself that I am not a hypocrite.

Jesus’ Parables: A Demanding Love and Radical Surgery

Jesus has been called many things. Among other things, I think of Him as “the Doctor of the soul,” because His parables expose the soul’s rot. And until this rot is exposed, we cannot address it. Inevitably, this exposure is jolting:

• He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it does.  And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time? (Luke 12:54-56)

He called the crowd “hypocrites.” How does this fit in with Jesus’ love? Isn’t love supposed to make us feel good? Love sometimes prescribes radical surgery, however painful it might be! And the crowd needed it.

They were each masters of reading the weather. However, they were in denial about the “present time” – the ubiquitous miracles and fulfilled prophesies that attested to Jesus!

When we are in denial about Jesus, we are also in denial about ourselves. If we are blind to spiritual things, we are also blind to personal things, as Jesus’ next words reflect:

• "Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite." (Luke 12:57-59; NKJV)

We are always right in our own eyes. This blindness comes at a great cost. If we refuse to see our mistakes and moral lapses, we will not try to correct them. Consequently, we will reject the opportunity to make peace with those we have wronged. This will cause an escalation of the problem, in this case, resulting in court and its serious consequence - jail.

Of course, Jesus isn’t simply giving us advice about how to get along with others or even with the court. He is more concerned about our getting along with God. If we refuse to acknowledge our sins and instead convince ourselves of our “moral rectitude,” we will not humble ourselves before the supreme Judge by confessing and asking for His forgiveness. Result – prison, even eternally!

What’s the Matter with Pride and Arrogance and what to Do about them

The Bible often denounces these two. Here’s an example:

• When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2 ) 

Why? Isn’t pride a good thing? Shouldn’t we take pride in doing a good job? Of course, but this isn’t the pride that the Bible teaches against – a pride which seeks to elevate self above others. Jesus told a parable in which a respected Pharisee looked down on a sinner who entered the temple:

• “But the [detested] tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' I tell you that this man, rather than the other [the Pharisee], went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  (Luke 18:13-14)

Pride is self-exaltation. It therefore rejects anything that will expose the true self, while its opposite, humility, allows the light to expose its sin. One is no more deserving than the other. Both are sinners, but one is ready to receive correction, while pride is not. This is why Proverbs say that “with humility comes wisdom.”

Why does pride produce such bad fruit? The Apostle James explained:

• Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven [pride] but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.  But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:13-17)

While the wisdom that comes from heaven is teachable, pride is not. The proud have convinced themselves that they are superior and have it all. Humility is self-reflective; pride is self-absorbed. Humility is opens door to the wisdom from above; pride is confident that it has all the wisdom it needs and therefore has closed the door. Consequently, pride is unteachable and is characterized by “envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”

Pride is a powerful and often unseen addiction. It lifts us, but it always requires a greater fix of self-aggrandizement lest it thrust us to the ground. How do we rid ourselves of this horrible addiction? Prayer – crying out for the help of our Savior!