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Necessary Controversy

Sunday, August 19th, 2012 | Author:

They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is in their midst; so why do exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”  Numbers 16:3  NASB

Against – The story of Korah and his followers is a critical part of Torah.  God’s instructions for living come in all kinds of forms: poetry, narrative, history and legislation.  This bit happens to be instruction in the form of an historical account, but it is instruction nevertheless.  Korah attempts to usurp Moses’ authority, but not on the basis of disagreement over interpretation of God’s word.  Korah argues that he and his followers have just as much right to power as Moses and Aaron, simply because they are also members of God’s chosen people.  In other words, Korah’s concern is with power, not calling.  He does not debate Moses about the meaning of God’s command.  He merely claims that it isn’t fair – to him – that he is treated differently.

The sages pay a good deal of attention to this story.  After all, the result of Korah’s rebellion changes the priesthood forever.  They comment:  Any controversy for the sake of Heaven will in the end be preserved; and that not for the sake of Heaven will not in the end by preserved.[1]  This advice is appropriate for all of us, especially for Christians who are divided over doctrinal issues.  Berkson notes:  “The story of Korah also illustrates that the critical tradition within Judaism was limited, as its starting point was an acceptance of the authority of Torah – even though the correct interpretation of Torah is left open to debate.”[2]  Perhaps we should ruminate on that statement.  What Berkson is suggesting is that the sages accepted Torah as the inviolable word of God.  They never questioned the authenticity and veracity of the text.  But they constantly debated the meaning of the text.  In spite of long disagreements about the meaning of the text, they almost never broke fellowship with each other.  Why?  Because they absolutely agreed about two things:  Torah is God’s word – not Man’s, and men have limited understanding when it comes to God’s word.  No one sees perfectly, therefore, everyone is capable of mistakes.  I might adamantly disagree with your interpretation of the text.  I might have all the verses to prove my point.  I might show you the cultural setting, the linguistic evidence and the historical proof.  But I might still be wrong.  God knows what the text means.  I can do my best to understand it, but only He knows all that the text means.  By the way, that is true of any author.  Only the author knows everything he intended to communicate in his message.

What does this mean for us?  It means that we always leave room for learning something new.  It means we don’t close the door on further debate.  It does not mean that everyone is right.  It means that we could all be wrong.  So we commit ourselves to loving God and caring for each – and vigorously debating all the rest.

Topical Index:  Korah, controversy, debate, Pirke Avot 5:20, Numbers 16:3


[1] Pirke Avot, 5:20, translated by William Berkson, p. 172.

[2] Ibid.

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A House Divided

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009 | Author:

Therefore, I, the prisoner of the Lord, exhort you to walk worthily of the calling in which you were called, with all humility and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love; being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1

Being Eager – “Yeah, I know they’re Christians, but they have such a messed up theology. I just don’t have anything in common with them.”

“My church doesn’t believe what they teach. We don’t have anything to do with those people. They’re legalists.”

“I really just don’t understand why they can’t see the truth. If they only heard our pastor, then they would certainly change their minds.”

Ever hear anything like this? Ever say anything like this? Paul would have been appalled. He pleaded for unity and expected those who are true followers of the Way to be eager to keep unity in the bond of peace. The Greek is a single verb, spoudazontes. It’s quite an interesting word. The root is spoude. You can think of it as the Greek word for speed. It means “to urge, to make haste, to be zealous, to speed toward the goal.” If Paul were an Italian, this would be the model of his Lamborghini. “I urge you to speed toward unity. Get there as quickly as you can.” That’s Paul vision. Is it yours?

It’s so easy (and so tempting) to let things divide us. How much simpler it is to dismiss those who don’t see eye to eye with us. They’re Baptists or Methodists or Pentecostals or (heaven forbid) Catholics. Did you ever wonder why Paul never mentions any of these divisions within the body? It’s obvious. None of them existed when Paul wrote. Not a single one of the “true” faiths came into being until the church spent 1500 years battering itself to death with doctrine. The only outsiders Paul concerned himself with were those who denied the Yeshua was the Messiah. Nearly everything else was open to healthy debate. It has always been that way in Judaism. Debate was not a problem for Paul. Differences of opinion were not a problem for Paul. The only problem was acknowledging that God’s grace through the Messiah was the only Way. Paul put his efforts into what mattered for unity. The rest was just nice to know.

Of course, we’re much smarter than Paul, aren’t we? We have a corner on truth. After all, Paul was just a confused Jew. We know better. We have a thousand years of doctrine. We think unity means being conformed to exactly what I believe.

Do you ever wonder why, when we gather in those buildings with steeples, we surround ourselves with people who think like we do, speak like we do, act like we do and don’t rock the boat? Is conformity unity? Or did Paul have something a little grander in mind? What are you speeding toward today? Do you expect everyone to drive the same car?

Topical Index: unity, spoude, diversity, debate, Ephesians 4:1

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Una Casa Dividida

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009 | Author:

Yo, pues, prisionero del Señor, os ruego que viváis de una manera digna de la vocación con que habéis sido llamados, con toda humildad y mansedumbre, con paciencia, soportándoos unos a otros en amor, esforzándoos por preservar la unidad del Espíritu en el vínculo de la paz. Efesios 4:1-3

Esforzándoos – “Si, se que son cristianos, pero tienen una teología desordenada. Yo no tengo nada en común con ellos. ”

“Mi iglesia no cree lo que enseñan. Nosotros no tenemos nada que ver con esa gente. Son legalistas.”

“Simplemente no puedo comprender por qué no ven la verdad. SI tan solo escucharan a nuestro pastor, de seguro que cambiarían de parecer.”

¿Has escuchado algo así? ¿Alguna vez has dicho algo así? Pablo se habría horrorizado. Hemos clamado por unidad y esperado que los verdaderos seguidores del Camino se sientan ansiosos por mantener la unidad en el lazo de la paz. El griego es un verbo singular, spoudazontes. Es una palabra muy interesante. La raíz es spoude. Puedes pensar en ésta palabra como la palabra griega para velocidad. Significa, “urgir, apresurarse, ser celoso, ir rápidamente hacia la meta.” Si Pablo fuese italiano, esto diría la placa de su Lamborghini. “Los incito que vayan veloces hacia la unidad. Lleguen allí cuanto antes.” Esa es la visión de Pablo. ¿Es la tuya?

Es tan fácil (y tan tentador) permitir que nos dividan las cosas. Es mucho más sencillo desestimar a quienes no ven las cosas como nosotros. Son Bautistas y Metodistas o Pentecostales o (ni lo quiera Dios) Católicos. ¿Te has preguntado por qué Pablo nunca menciona ni una de las divisiones dentro del cuerpo? Es evidente. Ninguna de ellas existía cuando escribió Pablo. Ni tan solo una de esas fes “verdaderas” había visto la luz del dia hasta que la iglesia pasó 1500 años batiéndose a muerte con doctrina. Los únicos foráneos de los que se preocupaba Pablo eran aquellos que negaban a Yeshua el Mesías. Casi todo lo demás permanecía abierto a un debate saludable. Siempre había sido así en el Judaísmo. Pablo no tenia problema con el debate. Las diferencias de opinión no le preocupaban a Pablo. El único problema era reconocer que el único camino a la gracia de Dios es por medio del Mesías. Pablo dedicó sus esfuerzos en lo que era importante para la unidad. Todo lo demás, solo era información.

Claro que nosotros somos mucho más inteligentes que Pablo, ¿no es así? Hemos arrinconado la verdad. A fin de cuentas, Pablo solo era un judío confundido. Nosotros sabemos más. Hemos estudiado miles de años de doctrina. Creemos que la unidad significa la conformidad con exactamente lo que yo creo.

¿Alguna vez te has preguntado por qué, cuando nos reunimos en esos edificios con altares, nos rodeamos de personas que piensan como nosotros, hablan como nosotros, se comportan como nosotros, y no cuestionan es estatus quo? ¿Acaso la conformidad es unidad? ¿O quizás Pablo pensaba en cosas más grandes? ¿Hacia qué te aceleras hoy? ¿Esteras que todos conduzcan el mismo vehículo?

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