By Steve Hall
Consider the Pharisees and Thessalonians and their focus on minutiae rather than the broader picture. In both cases, the key factor at play is distraction. For the Thessalonians, it was the distraction of a Second Coming, which would eliminate that continual demand to sort and decide. For the Pharisees it was the distraction of reducing a guiding principle to a more manageable fact.
Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3a, 14-17
Matthew 23:23-26
Before offering any comments on today’s reading from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, it is useful to recall just who these people were. Circumstances suggest they were both Jews and Gentiles from the city of Thessalonica in the upper part of Greece, and that they were among Paul’s earliest converts. Paul himself observes that they were unusually strong in their faith.
“We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brethren beloved by God, that he has chosen you; for our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit; so that you became an example to all the believers.” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-7)
That’s quite the commendation. Nevertheless, at the time he is writing, Paul has reason to be concerned that they may be misled, even referring to a “letter allegedly” from Paul himself.
“Let no one deceive you in any way. To this end he has also called you through our Gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught…”
If Paul were writing to the Thessalonians today, he might well have reminded them of that old saying: “Curiosity killed the cat.” In other words: Inquisitiveness can lead one into dangerous situations. But the issue was far more serious, and the text implies that some were proclaiming the imminent return of Jesus.
Similar declarations have been heard from time to time across the centuries.
None, of course, have been true; but the presence of such a rumor points us directly toward the warning inherent in today’s readings: false teaching, innocent or intentional lies, dishonesty in whatever form, deceptions and misdirections all ultimately come from a single source, and that source is evil.
When Jesus castigates the Pharisees for cleansing only the outside of the bowl or cup while ignoring the mold, dirt, and rot within, he is not concerned with the pitiful way they do their dishes. No! His rebuke is because they, the supposed ‘religious leaders,’ have allowed themselves to be deceived into thinking that the dishes just need to look good on the cupboard shelf.
Appearances vs facts! Lies vs truth! Chaos vs order!
Our God is a God of one plus one equals two, not of whatever result we may choose. A God of male and female as he created them, not of what current choice we may choose to make. A God of order throughout the universe, not of infighting among the stars. But we live in an age, not unlike those which have gone before, in which chaos continually attempts to disrupt the order eternally present, always doing so in new and creative ways.
But… we may say: I am immune to that. It does not affect me. How unfortunate if that is true. How deplorable it would be to live in such a shielded state. Why? Because such a separation from the world would have us make real the words of Paul Simon’s song: I am a rock; I am an island. And yet, neither the pebble on the seashore nor the boulder on the mountainside can escape the events that surround them. In fact, as Jesus pointed out, “I tell you, if these [disciples] were silent, the very stones would cry out.” (Luke 19:40)
Fortunately, most of us do not live in a so-called splendid isolation. We live with suggestions from advertisers, influences from the currently popular, pressure from our children, our family, and our peer groups, and proposals from manufacturers. All of these and more seek our attention. And we are continually called to sort and decide among them.
So what! We may say. That’s just part of life.
Or is it?
As we struggle to maintain priorities, to keep a true, accurate, and honest perspective, we are sorely tempted to be guided by false hopes or expectations. Take the Thessalonians, along with any other group throughout the centuries deceived into believing in the proximate return of Jesus. One common feature of those so deceived has been divesting themselves of their property and social/economic ties. “Curiosity killed the cat.” Fortunately, the Thessalonians did not succumb.
Or we might consider the Pharisees. It is not difficult to imagine that sorting through the pressures of six-hundred-plus laws might lead one to be satisfied with attending to only certain, simple parts — focusing on minutiae rather than the broader picture.
In both cases the key factor at play is distraction. For the Thessalonians it was the distraction of a Second Coming which would eliminate that continual demand to sort and decide. For the Pharisees it was the distraction of reducing a guiding principle to a more manageable fact.
We are ourselves deceived if we fall back on the presumed truth that it’s just part of life. Distraction has a purpose; and in the hands of evil it serves a very useful purpose. As long as we are busy with one thing — regardless of its importance — we cannot focus our attention on anything else. The principle is clearly expressed every time we say: “Just a minute. Let me finish this first.” So if we are distracted by things — anything — of lesser consequence, we cannot be engaged with things of greater consequence. As long as Chaos — familial, social, political, economic, or personal — is our guide, nothing truly important can long hold our attention.
When Jesus said “Seek first the kingdom of heaven… “ he did not conclude that statement with “sometimes,” or “frequently,” or “when you have a moment,” or “when you are not busy with something else.” No! He proposed it as a lifestyle. Live your life as one seeking the Kingdom.
But now we see that there is an unforeseen consequence to our consideration of distraction, namely, that sin itself has become a distraction. A distraction from what? From the wonder of new life in Christ.
Note an inherent difference between Old Testament and New Testament instructions on spiritual growth. Throughout the Old Testament we find an emphasis on the Law and righteousness. The Law was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai, and in the Old Testament, righteousness is the spiritual condition of one who makes a serious attempt to observe that Law. Failure in that regard is what we identify as sin. Paul states it well:
“Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.” (Romans 3:19)
But sin is intrinsically connected with the Law. Paul continues:
“If it had not been for the law, I should not have known sin. I should not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’ Apart from the law sin lies dead.” (Romans 7:7-8)
But now, things are different, and Paul explains it this way:
“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus… “ (Romans 3:21-24)
Appearances vs facts! Lies vs truth! Chaos vs order!
That’s what we’re dealing with; and we must deal with it persistently. Evil loves lies in all forms; constant spiritual distraction from the truth is one of its most successful lies. The teaching from Paul, as noted above, is all found in the first of the letters he wrote; and even by the middle of this same letter he will begin instructing these early Christians about the magnitude of change which God has brought about.
From this point on, both in the balance of Romans and in all other letters, he will emphasize the necessity of being transformed into Christ. Sin is mentioned only as something incompatible with this new life.