Keeping the End in Sight

The past two weeks have seen a rare occasion, two sons graduating from two institutions on two different weekends. With our first college and final high school graduations under our belts we stop and pause to reflect. Is graduation the end or is it actually a commencement and a new beginning? Something has been achieved and yet there is so much more to achieve. For those familiar with this blogger, such paradoxical thoughts are frequent.

But now to the larger point. On May 30, I will be presenting a biblical moment of praise and worship in support of my pastor's vacation. The passage of choice is Philippians 2. 1-11. My approach is to start with the end and to work backwards. It is extremely easy in biblical study to start at the beginning and read to the end, having forgotten what the beginning actually was about! By forgetting the goal, the actions become de-contextualized and take on divergent possible meanings.

The final phrase of 2.11 is "eis doxan theou patros", to the glory of God the Father. Everything presented in the Kenosis Hymn of 2.6-11 is for this single purpose. Everything Paul asks of the church at Philippi in 2.1-5 is for this single purpose.

If God is eternal with no beginning and no end, then this purpose never ceases to direct the thoughts and actions of the Godhead or the church. When that purpose is out of focus then those proclaiming to be "of the Father" aren't.

Random Theological Thought Patterns

During my recent mental excursions I was pondering Genesis 2:15-3:22, specifically the first and last verses, and how to relate this theological account to a contemporary (careful not to confuse that adjective with the less specific 'modern') audience. My circuitous route took me from Genesis to the Gospel of John and its strongly characterized relationship in chapter 1 with Genesis 1. The punishment for Adam and Eve's failure to adhere to the gardener's instruction was to be removed from the presence of a single tree.

The tree under consideration is called the "tree of life" whereby the fruit when consumed gives life. It then became clear to me that Jesus, as presented in the Gospel of John, provides life, appearing a mere 36 times in 32 different verses. Of greater consideration is that it appears 32 times in the first 12 chapters.

The result of Genesis 2 is denial of access to the tree of life, the result of Jesus' coming is access to life, not in the form of a tree, but in the form of Jesus. The reason for the removal of Adam and Eve from the garden was to prevent them from "eating" the fruit that gives life and living forever, the invitation of John 6:41 is to eat and live forever.

I find it irrational that a contemporary reader of John's Gospel can seek to find meaning, true meaning, fulfilling meaning, in the Gospel without also becoming aware of the Old Testament messages. The two walk hand in hand.

American Idol?

After spending a brief 45 minutes on Philippians 2:19-30 in class, it became apparent that there was more to say. Philippians 2:19-30 is an underrepresented segment of Paul's letter to his dear co-workers and co-participants, and perhaps even co-conspirators for the kingdom, who happen to reside in a very Roman Philippi. Squished between the Kenosis Hymn (don't know if anyone has called it that but Philippian Hymn is overused) and the Pauline self-revelation, it is easy to overlook this brief, newsy, and predictably irrelevant part of the letter (since it is so very contextual in time and space). But that is really missing the point of the entire letter. The Kenosis hymn is only an example, but an example that for many individuals is completely theoretical (or if you please, theological). The segment under discussion is the whole organizational motif of the investment of time, money, and skill in sending someone--Epaphroditus--to Philippi.

Ancient Philippi was likely no different than modern America; individuals were idolized for all the right (sociologically speaking) reasons. But that is the point isn't it. This kingdom is not about being sociologically or politically correct. The kingdom is about being righteous. (A side note, since I'm not monetizing this blog I can do this--NT Wright's new book on Justification is tremendous for explaining this issue in simple words, although the argument is rather complex.) If the Philippian believers are to idolize anyone it should be someone who is willing to die for the affairs of another. This segment brings two individuals who are like that to their attention, Timothy and Epaphroditus.

The question becomes, who is idolized among American believers?

Just something to think about!

Philippians is SOOO Cool

Working with class on Philippians 2.1-4 is sooo very cool. The content and language precision make it a primo teaching opportunity on interpretation, theology and a host of other concepts that get left behind in our normal haste to reach 2.6-11.

The real key to getting the most out of this passage is to leave your list at home!!! Paul is not writing lists to be followed in a legalistic fashion, he is describing in vivid color the situation. But the discussion did raise one of those fantastic Medieval questions, "Is God humble?"

That's a reason to pause