Written on SEPTEMBER 5, 2008

For the September 14, 2008 lectionary: Matthew 18:21-35

IN THE END IS MY BEGINNING by Larry Patten

Ranked near the top of my Often Overheard Pew Opinions (OOPO) would be: I don’t like the God of the Old Testament.

There are variations. The Old Testament is boring. God always seems angry. There are too many wars in the Old Testament.

And there is the contrast . . . in the New Testament (especially in the Gospels), Jesus talks about a God of love and joy and puppy’s breath. Okay, maybe not puppy’ breath.

Really? How about Matthew 18:34-35? Jesus apparently concludes a parable about forgiveness by saying that those who don’t forgive will be handed over “to be tortured.” And then, with a charming finish: “So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Do what? Torture. Yup, the love-and-joy God of the Gospels will torture anyone withholding forgiveness. If you want to stop reading and take a moment to create a checklist for those you haven’t gotten around to forgiving, I’ll understand.

However, my 1952-era Revised Standard Version (RSV) proclaimed the “heavenly Father” would have the bad guy delivered “to the jailers.”

Ah, better! What’s your preference: Jail time vs. torture?

But wait. A closer examination of the RSV reveals a persnickety footnote by the word “jailers (h).” See that itsy-bitsy (h)? The small print at the bottom of the Bible’s page clarifies . . .

(h)Greek torturers.

Yikes. The RSV and the updated NRSV have us coming and going. And torturing is where we arrive. This will ruin the heavenly Father’s OOPO rankings.

How should Matthew 18:21-35 be understood? Peter wonders how many times he should forgive another. Jesus’ response (seventy-seven times) basically means, “don’t ever stop forgiving.” Powerful! The parable that follows demonstrates the use and abuse of forgiveness. Challenging!

And yet, we come to those last verses. Those far from love-and-joy words about God’s actions. About divine jailing (h).

In sermons particular but unpredictable words will transport listeners to other places. Say “Hawaii” and the visitor sitting near the piano will suddenly remember last month’s sand and surf vacation on Maui. Mention “chicken” and a fellow in the back pew realized he forgot the celery for the chicken salad planned at lunch. The beachcombers and celery stalkers are no longer listening.

What will people think when they hear torture? Abu Ghraib. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez’ butchery of the Geneva Convention. Waterboarding. The Holocaust. John McCain at the Hanoi Hilton.

I suppose we could mutter the word when we mention it in the sermon. Clear our throat. Cough. Quickly move to the next point.

We could use the RSV’s “jailer.” Nobody will notice. You could even footnote your sermon if you post it to the web and make sure the reference is really, really small.

Or just stop reading at verse 33.

Which is what I would do. Which is probably wrong. Which is probably me being weak-willed. Which is another example of picking and choosing what we want the Bible to say instead of what it says.

But I would honestly and boldly consider it. Unless you take every period, comma, Greek adverb, and Hebrew noun literally in the Bible, not reading everything might be worth considering. I don’t think we know where a parable Jesus may have told ends . . . and the added comments from writers in the early Christian community begin. Of course, if you take the Bible literally, you don’t wonder about that.

I do.

Last week I read a draft of an essay to my writers group. In general they liked it and I appreciated their suggestions for revision. One comment stood out.

“You should end it sooner,” she said.

She was right. I kept summing things up. I wanted to make sure every potential reader “got it.”

End it sooner. Trust the reader.

In Matthew 18:33, the formal parable ends with: “Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?”

That’s where I’d stop. It would be enough.

Am I a wimp? Sure. So be it. Hey, I barely have any idea of what God is like . . . Old Testament or New. What of that God who drowns Pharaoh’s minions to save the Hebrews? What of that God who tortures those who don’t forgive? I understand why God’s OOPO rankings drop.

Does God torture now or in some judgmental future? I don’t believe so. But I don’t know.

Then I come to that question in verse 33. Jesus wonders . . . how will you show mercy? That’s a question I can answer—often not easily—but I can answer it.

in Peace,

Larry