Who is it that does the condemning?

Sunday was a day spent contemplating the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, and all that the story means for those who examine the mission of Christ.

I've read the passage numerous times and never before realized that this woman was the first person to whom Jesus chose to disclose his divinity in John's gospel.

This would have been shocking to the chosen people for many reasons. She was an outsider, and a presumed sinner, who belonged to a disobedient and despised people. She was quite probably a product and participant in mixed marriages, which were clearly prohibited in scripture.

And yet Jesus chose her to be the first evangelist in this region of worshipers who did it "wrong".

Every time I pick up the Bible another passage like this is presented. The truth is glaringly and consistently bright.

So how is that the chosen people of today, studiers of the scriptures, faithful Christians, are still falling into the same trap?

Listen up all ye people. Listen to who it is that does the condemning. Is it the Christ?

On dismissing the contradictory Christ

Today's readings included a segment of Matthew chapter 23, which takes place immediately before the seven woes that Jesus delivers in judgement against the hypocritical pharisees:

1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. 

This puzzles me.

I've grown accustomed to his contradictory behaviors, breaking laws and advising that his followers break commandments.


What confuses me is how Christians, particularly of the Bible Alone style, handle this demand of Christ.

If you've been following this blog, you'll know that the question of how Christians are called to follow the law which Christ fulfilled is something I wrestle with. For many Evangelical Christians, they reject the difficulty, dismissing the many examples of conflicting instruction. Often this is handled with a statement like "Oh, he obviously meant such and such."

I'm often quite OK with the justification offered for what he meant, and even agree with it. But that doesn't change the reality of the contradiction.

It's usually a bit more veiled, but today's passage puts it right out there. Jesus himself says not only for his followers to continue obeying the law, but in fact to do EVERYTHING the law wielders tell us.

So how does the sola scriptura crowd handle this? Why are they not acting as observant Jews?

Christians wave a hand around muttering something about old testament versus new, and show that Jesus told Peter we could eat pork. But they ignore what this reality illustrates: it is not straight forward.

Jesus broke laws and told us to break others. We as Christians have cast off countless laws throughout the centuries, but remain steadfast in proclaiming that people will burn in hell if breaking whatever subset a particular denomination or church believes are still in play.

I don't have an answer to the conundrum. I just wish more Christians admitted that it exists.