The Paradox of Parables

One of the distinctive features of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ as recounted in the Gospels is the parable.  They are, in effect, stories that teach a lesson.  The parable is not unique to Jesus as noted by one source, “In all times in their history the Jews were familiar with teaching by means of parables and a number of parables also exist in the Old Testament.” 

Jesus used parables extensively as a method of teaching and can be considered the master of the form.  It has been calculated that one-third of the teachings of Jesus in the synoptic Gospels are in parables.  They are an effective way of making a point or teaching a lesson as people seem to be able to grasp them more easily that abstract concepts.  Indeed, everyone does like a good story and Jesus was a master story teller.  However, in some cases they do present difficulties in interpreting what exactly the lesson Jesus was trying to convey.

One of the most difficult is the parable of the dishonest manage.  This is the Gospel passage which I am blessed to have to preach on this Sunday and, I must say, is one that has challenged many preachers.  It is found in Luke 16: 1-13.  To summarize, a manager is dismissed for dishonesty.  He decides that he will discount the amount owed by his customers and falsifies the accounts to lesser give smaller amounts owing.  However, now comes the awkward twist.  When this is discovered he is praised by the owner because “he had acted with prudence”.  This is bad enough but to top it off Jesus adds the final coup de grace by apparently praising the actions of the manager by seeming to say that people who act this way will get their reward in heaven,  “And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome be you into the eternal homes.” 

I invite you to see what you can make of this rather unsettling, lesson which seems to turn the usual order in Jesus’ world upside down.  It is probably the best example of an some of the parables which are difficult to interpret.  Thankfully we have many which are, to our ears and eyes more straight-foreword such as The Prodigal Son or The Good Samaritan.

Turning back to the parable as a literary form utilized by Jesus, there has been extensive writing on this didactic form and how to appreciate it.  I find it is best to approach the parable as a story- one which has an unexpected turn:

Like many good stories, the parables of Jesus often include an unexpected turn of events in the plot. They do so to make a point. As Henry Virkler explains, “Frequently the unexpected shock appears for the purpose of catching the listeners’ attention and forcing them to reconsider their perspective.” For this reason, identifying this unexpected turn of events often helps the interpreter determine the main point of the parable as a whole.

A good source for engaging with Jesus parables and delving into them more deeply can be found at http://www.biblicalexpositor.org/home/180007636/180007636/Audio/9-INTERPRETING%20PARABLES.pdf.  This gives a scholarly exploration of the parable and can be very helpful in getting a firmer grasp on Jesus’ mastery of the form.  Here are a few of these points which are developed to be most helpful in approaching the parables:

·          Each of the parables of Jesus was told in a context and was specifically aimed at addressing a particular need, question, problem, or situation… some parables were told in response to a specific question, a specific request, a specific complaint, or a specific misconception 

·         One of the most important steps in the process of determining the central point of the parable is to determine the specific points of correspondence. This involves taking the main characters/features of the parable and identifying the corresponding points of comparison in the spiritual realm.

·         Recognize that not every aspect in the parable has special significance. There is usually one main lesson to be learned.  The parable of the dishonest manager the final line is provides this for us, “You cannot serve God and wealth.“ 

Above all, I would invite you to explore the many parables of Jesus – there are fifty-five in the synoptic Gospels.  There is much wisdom contained in them which is valuable for us regardless of your religious or spiritual understanding of life.

Blessings on your journey.

Sermon: August 13, 2017 9th Sunday after Trinity

Luke 16: 1-13

The Gospel passage for today has probably given preachers headaches since people have been delivering sermons.  It certainly is not one of the more straight forward Gospel passages – like the lesson of the lost coin and the lost sheep.  That is a parable that makes sense and all the preacher has to do is make it come alive and meaningful for the congregation. Those who hear the sermon only need to be given a perspective on the lesson which will be meaningful for them.  Of course I shouldn’t say ‘only’ because that is not such an easy thing.  However it is a lot easier that finding meaning in today’s Gospel lesson that makes sense. 

Here we have what seems to be a lesson that teaches that it is all right — actually commendable to cheat.  It is entitled in some versions of the bible “The Parable of the Dishonest Manager” which is quite apropos.  The manager, on finding out that he is being dismissed, decides to swindle his master and colludes with some clients — who have accounts payable to the master’s business — to discount their bills and have them pay less than the master is owed.  We are told his motive for doing this, “I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses”.  He wants those people — the co-conspirators — to be in his debt so he can call on them for help his after he is shown the door.  Seems like a good plan on his part and pretty straight forward; probably not that unusual even today. 

However the surprize — the twist — comes next.  Rather than calling the police and having the dishonest manager thrown in jail and perhaps suing his co-conspirators — the master commends him, “And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely.” 

Not only that but the narrative changes and we have Jesus seeming to agree with the Master, “for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.”  Rather a shocking statement from Jesus. 

Does this mean that everyone is free to swindle and steal from their employers because money is after all the root of all evil so there is no sense in trying to be honest about something that is evil – just go out and be shrewd and get whatever you can? 

However, there are a couple of parts of the statement that can put a different light on this.  First we are told that the Children of Light are not as shrewd as the children of this age.   What Jesus is saying here is that the Children of Light i.e. Christians are not intended to place our priority into worldly things.  Our focus and goal in life is not to be on the financial and the material success of this world.  We are to put our focus on following Jesus, in loving one another as Jesus loves us. 

Jesus also tells us to look to the worldly as examples:

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.  If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?

Jesus is telling us that the worldly are exemplary in the devotion they give to worldly things.  They focus their energy on being successful in making money and accumulating possessions.  They do it well; as we should - only giving our devotion to God and not mammon.

The punch line of the lesson really says it all and brings it into focus.  Who are we going to serve, “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon”.  Are we going to be like the children of this age and serve mammon—make money and material possessions our god —or are we going to be children of light and follow Jesus? 

As I addressed in last Sunday’s sermon, which wolf of our nature will we feed; the good one or the evil one?  This question is based on a Legend of the Cherokee people; in effect, we have two wolves inside us; a good one and an evil one.  The question posed is which wolf will win?  The answer is the one we feed. 

Which master, God or mammon, will you follow – which wolf will you feed? 

Amen 

Sermon July 9, 2017 4th Sunday after Trinity

Luke 6: 36

It appears at first glance that the Gospel writer got it wrong.  Luke tells us that Jesus told a parable to his disciples.  However, what he says does not appears to be a parable—a least not the kind we are familiar with.  When we think of a parable we think of a story with a message.  Certainly there are many examples of this; the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son or as we heard last week the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin.  One source numbers Jesus parables at 46.  So there are a lot of stories with a message.  They are not all presented as stories but most are. 

Often there is a twist at the end like the prodigal son where the wayward son is not given a chance to throw himself on the mercy of his father.  There are ones that surprisingly seem to uphold negative behaviour such as the Parable of the Dishonest Manager.  This is one of the most puzzling in which a manager is dismissed by his master and he connives with the people who owe his master money to cheat him.  Jesus concludes the parable by having the master commend the dishonest manage—go figure.

However, what these all have in common is that they are presented as stories.  Indeed one definition I looked up defines the parable exactly this way, “a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson”.  However, the same source does give a second definition, “a statement or comment that conveys a meaning indirectly by the use of comparison, analogy, or the like”.

In today’s Gospel reading Luke presents Jesus telling his disciples what Luke calls a parable.  However, it doesn’t fit either definition.  It certainly isn’t a story.  It is only a list of characteristics and traits of people that are not positive; the blind leading the blind, the disciple not being above his master, not seeing the beam in your own eye.  He calls us all hypocrites.  This is a bit closer to the second definition.  However, there is no indirect meaning here; Jesus is telling us directly, do not be like this.

There is certainly a lesson in here for us.  So that is possibly what Luke had in mind when he calls it a parable.  The parable always contains a lesson, even when it is not always easy for us to get it right away.  I particularly like it when his disciples complain that parables are hard to understand; I am with them on that.  Jesus occasionally does relent and givens them and us the meaning of the parable as he does in the parable of the sower who sows on the bad soil and the good soil—thanks be to God for that. 

However, in our parable today there is no mistaking Jesus’ message.  In the beginning of the passage he tells us directly: judge not so you won’t be judged; do not condemn and you won’t be condemned; forgive and you shall be forgiven.  In the parable portion he is less direct; he poses a question.  Perhaps that is more parable-like; can the blind lead the blind?  He gives a direct answer—no, they will both end up in a ditch.   Perhaps this is not completely direct.  I don’t believe Jesus was speaking of people who have eyes that do not see.  He is taking about people who are blind in other ways.  Then he switches back to a direct statement; a disciple is not above his master. 

Perhaps some of Jesus’ disciples were getting a bit above themselves and Jesus wanted to give them the proper perspective.  Then the kicker, take care of the beam in your own eye rather than the mote—a truly tiny thing— in your brother’s eye. 

All this set’s up what seems to be an impossible standard for us to live by.  Indeed we are even told that everyone who is perfect shall be as his master.  Jesus seems to be saying that we should strive to be perfect.  Indeed, in the Gospel of Matthew (5:38) Jesus tells us, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect”.  This certainly sets the bar pretty high. No, let’s not mince words; it sets the bar at an impossible level.  How are we supposed to strive to be perfect?  It really is impossible for any human being to be perfect.  Aside from Jesus himself, is there anyone in history who was ever perfect?  Not that I am aware of. 

In fact, I think there is a great danger in trying to be perfect.  We can easily try to hide our imperfections from others and more importantly from ourselves.  Unless we are able to be honest with ourselves about our shortcomings—those aspects of ourselves we don’t really want to acknowledge, Carl Jung calls it our shadow— we will not become the people that God intends us to be. 

I don’t believe that Jesus truly expects us to be perfect.  He was, after all, fully human as well as fully divine.  He also knows us too well to expect that of people.  I have found a better translation of the word which is usually translated in these passages as perfect.  One source translates the original Aramaic, which was Jesus’ native language, as ‘all-embracing’ rather than perfect.

That is something which we can all strive to do and be.  Be all-embracing as your heavenly father is all-embracing. We can embrace life, all of God’s creation and strive to live as God intends.  Let us be all-embracing.  Amen 

Sermon July 24, 2016 9th Sunday after Trinity

What was he thinking?  That could be, I believe, a common reaction by preachers who are given the dubious gift of preaching on this Gospel passage.  You have to think, “Why in heaven’s name did Jesus teach this parable to his disciples and what was the lesson he was trying to teach them”?  Then you have to wonder why it was included in Luke’s Gospel.  The only thing positive I could think of initially is that it is only in the Gospel of Luke and not the other three.

The next thing that came to my mind after reading it this week was, “Perhaps someone did not get the story right.  After all is was written down at least forty years after Jesus was crucified and raised from the tomb and ascended into heaven.  Perhaps the story got mangled along the way.   

It reminded me of that wonderful scene from Monty Python’s The Life of Brian, where someone listening to Jesus deliver the Sermon of the Mount asked the person beside him, ‘what did he say, was it blessed are the cheese makers’.  That doesn’t sound right.  Why should the cheese makers be blessed?  But I guess that’s what he said.” 

This Gospel passages raises more questions than it seems to provide answers.  But let’s try and unpack it and understand what Jesus is telling us.  I will summarize the parable briefly for our consideration.  A rich man calls his steward—in effect his manager of his property—to tell him he is being dismissed for “wasting his goods”.  The steward decides that as he cannot make a go of it by either manual labour or begging he will collude with his master’s customers to discount their bills.  In that way the customers will be in his debt and will owe him and by implication enable him to succeed in life after he has been dismissed.

All well and good; this seems to be the usual moral lesson.  The lesson should be that dishonesty doesn’t pay and that dishonest steward will be cast into the outer darkness with the other children of darkness.  However, now comes the twist; the rich master praises the steward for his prudence.  It is a distorted echo of the Parable of the Talents where the first two servants who make prudent use of their talents are told, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master”. 

If that is not enough of a surprize Jesus then seems to confirm this assessment and tells us, “Make to yourselves friends by means of mammon of unrighteousness; and when it fails you, they will receive you into everlasting habitation”.  So much for blessed are the poor in spirit or otherwise for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

I have done more research into commentaries on this passage than I usually do.  I need all the help I can get to try and understand this puzzling parable. 

I must thank Lorna in finding a commentary on-line which shed some light on this puzzle.  The commentary notes that it is important to put it into the cultural context which I agree is always a good idea.  The author notes that parable as reflecting the Palestinian laws and customs of agency and usury. The steward would have acted as the agent for his master and was legally empowered to act in his name. But custom permitted him to make a profit for himself, which may not have been precisely authorized by the master. By discounting the bills the manager has, therefore, merely foregone his own profits on the transactions and has not cheated the master out of what was owed him.  In this case his subsequent conduct is hardly dishonest, since he is renouncing what in fact was usury.

That may explain the master’s positive response on discovering the steward’s action.  However, in my view, it doesn’t ring true in excusing the steward’s behaviour.  It seems apparent in the way the events unfold, that the steward was gaining from this at the expense of his master; otherwise why would he have done it rather than taking what he was owed him in cash which would have been more beneficial to him in his present circumstances.  Both positions can be argued but I don’t believe it sheds much light on Jesus’ message.

Another perspective the author of the commentary brings is helpful.  He notes that the parable is placed in Luke’s Gospel between the Parable of the Prodigal Son and the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  There are two messages here that are relevant.  First the rich man in today’s parable commends the steward for his prudence.  The prodigal son was not prudent with his inheritance and wasted it on wine, women and song.  As noted in the commentary the story of the Dishonest Manager admonishes Christians about the prudent use of riches and the danger of slavish servitude to them. The verse immediately following our Gospel today which is often included in the Parable, notes that, “No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” 

The story of Dives and Lazarus as it is often called, shows what happens to the rich man who has no pity on the poor man Lazarus who sits by his gate every day.  He ends up in eternal damnation beyond help.  This reflects Luke’s position on what has been called the preferential option for the poor.  Luke particularly emphasizes Jesus’s association with those on the outside of acceptable society.  

From this perhaps we can conclude in the words of the commentary that, “the dishonest manager can become the model for Christians, who are expected to grasp the dramatic situation of the kingdom and the crisis that it brings into the lives of men. It is a situation which calls for a prudent use of one's material wealth. In this there is a connection between this parable and those of the Prodigal Son, the Talents, and Dives and Lazarus”.

To this I would add that Jesus was not, I believe, talking only of money or mammon.  He was speaking about the use of our talents in the non-monetary sense—the prudent use of what gifts God has given us to follow the will of God and to work for God’s Kingdom.  We cannot serve two masters; we cannot make mammon our master and serve God.  We can use the gifts that God has given us, monetary gifts and non-monetary talents to serve God.  Amen.