June 19, 2011 The Holy Trinity

June 19, 2011

The Holy Trinity

“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” ------ Matthew 28:16-20

In the wake of the announcement of the end of the world by Harold Camping, people are making rapture jokes like there’s no tomorrow!

Our Gospel lesson has some bearing on the end of the world and the return of Jesus. Notice that in this Gospel Jesus promises to be with us even to the end of the ages. The one who is returning is already here!

That is hard to understand. It is being caught between the two worlds of already and not yet; of being gone and being here, of going away and returning. The fundamental problem of the disciples that day on the mountain is that they are caught between two worlds. They were locked away in an upper room of fear, but now they have been sent to meet Jesus, with less fear. They have witnessed the crucifixion and they have also hears the witness of the women: “He is not dead, but alive!”

And now Jesus, the one they got back is leaving them, but is always with them, and is returning again. (No wonder some worshipped and some rejoiced.)

Take a close look at that verse:

“When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.”

Mark Allan Powell writes about this verse in his book Loving Jesus:

“…I want to note that the word some is not actually found in the Greek Bible. Why is it there in the English version? Matthew uses a particular construction here that allows translators to think that the word some could be implied. He also uses that construction in seventeen other instances, though no one ever seems to think the word is implied in those cases. It could be implied here, but why would it be? I asked a Bible translator that question one time and got the following response: ‘The verse wouldn’t make sense otherwise. No one can worship and doubt at the same time.’ I invited this fellow to visit a Lutheran church. We do it all the time.”

Whether all doubted or some doubted, the result was the same. They were sent out into the world. At the very least, as a group, they both worshiped and doubted.

(As some people say, indecision may or may not be my problem.)

The word used for doubt (distazo) is a verbal form of dis= twice, double. It is not “disbelieving” (apisteuo) so much as wavering between two strong possibilities, to have “second thoughts.” Its only other occurrence in the New Testament is Matthew 14:31, where Jesus, after saving the sinking Peter, criticizes him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Peter, seeing Jesus and himself walk on water, knows that it is possible to do that. But Peter also knows the strong possibility that people sink in water. He wavers. He walks on water and he sinks into the water. After they get into the boat, the wind ceases, and in Verse 33, “And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.” (The Greek for “worship” in 14:33 is the same word as 28:17).

So the two times that the disciples doubt Jesus, they also worship Him!

From the beginning of this Gospel, there is a story about people caught between two worlds: the worlds of seen and unseen, of fear and rejoicing, of believing and doubting.

From the beginning of this Gospel, there is the story of people, real people in real-life situations where the answers are not easy, and the outcomes uncertain.

Look at our first introduction to Mary. Mary knew the miracle of expecting a child. She also knew the problems a young mother without a husband in first century Palestine would face.

Joseph is caught between two worlds. Does he believe the angel in the dream, or does he believe his eyes and everything he knows about biology?

The leper who Jesus cures is thankful and believing in the miracle. But does he check his hands and legs every day for evidence that the disease might return?

The centurion says to Jesus “Lord, I am not worthy for you to come under my roof but say the word and my servant will be healed.” Isn’t the Centurion torn between the world of Rome and the world of God, between the Government and the witness of the Messiah?

John the Baptist, imprisoned, sends the question “Go and ask if Jesus is the one, or should we expect another?” This is the same John who testified to the Christ, and has some real doubts as the dark, dank confines of a cell seclude him.

Powell writes more about this:

“….I think that worship is the essence of spirituality. But worship can sometimes be superficial. In Matthew 15, Jesus tells the Pharisees that they worship God with their lips while their hearts are far from God. The Pharisees, of course, are often the fall guys in the Gospel and they seem to stay in trouble the whole time. Still, say what you will about the Pharisees – the one thing they never do is doubt. They are always certain about everything. They are the “God said it, I believe it, that settles it” people of the Bible. It never occurs to them that they might have overlooked something or misunderstood something. As a result, they are often wrong, but they are never in doubt.”

What our gospel teaches us today is that doubt is not the opposite of faith. This is the story of folks who doubt and believe.

Doubt is not the opposite of faith. In many ways, doubt is essential to faith. Jesus sends these doubting faithful ones out to make disciples of all the world. Jesus did not come to people like the Pharisees who had no doubt, self-satisfied and 100% sure.

We would be insincere if we said that in those dark nights of the soul, we are not caught between these two worlds. The gospel frees us to do so. We should question scripture. We should question the church. We should question! Part of building a strong faith is to give voice to doubts, to express them.

This gospel lesson teaches us that it is okay to live in both the world of believing and the world of doubt. Jesus is the one who is with us in both.




		June 19, 2011 The Holy Trinity “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” ------ Matthew 28:16-20 In the wake of the announcement of the end of the world by Harold Camping, people are making rapture jokes like there’s no tomorrow! Our Gospel lesson has some bearing on the end of the world and the return of Jesus. Notice that in this Gospel Jesus promises to be with us even to the end of the ages. The one who is returning is already here! That is hard to understand. It is being caught between the two worlds of already and not yet; of being gone and being here, of going away and returning. The fundamental problem of the disciples that day on the mountain is that they are caught between two worlds. They were locked away in an upper room of fear, but now they have been sent to meet Jesus, with less fear. They have witnessed the crucifixion and they have also hears the witness of the women: “He is not dead, but alive!” And now Jesus, the one they got back is leaving them, but is always with them, and is returning again. (No wonder some worshipped and some rejoiced.) Take a close look at that verse: “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.” Mark Allan Powell writes about this verse in his book Loving Jesus: “…I want to note that the word some is not actually found in the Greek Bible. Why is it there in the English version? Matthew uses a particular construction here that allows translators to think that the word some could be implied. He also uses that construction in seventeen other instances, though no one ever seems to think the word is implied in those cases. It could be implied here, but why would it be? I asked a Bible translator that question one time and got the following response: ‘The verse wouldn’t make sense otherwise. No one can worship and doubt at the same time.’ I invited this fellow to visit a Lutheran church. We do it all the time.” Whether all doubted or some doubted, the result was the same. They were sent out into the world. At the very least, as a group, they both worshiped and doubted. (As some people say, indecision may or may not be my problem.) The word used for doubt (distazo) is a verbal form of dis= twice, double. It is not “disbelieving” (apisteuo) so much as wavering between two strong possibilities, to have “second thoughts.” Its only other occurrence in the New Testament is Matthew 14:31, where Jesus, after saving the sinking Peter, criticizes him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Peter, seeing Jesus and himself walk on water, knows that it is possible to do that. But Peter also knows the strong possibility that people sink in water. He wavers. He walks on water and he sinks into the water. After they get into the boat, the wind ceases, and in Verse 33, “And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.” (The Greek for “worship” in 14:33 is the same word as 28:17). So the two times that the disciples doubt Jesus, they also worship Him! From the beginning of this Gospel, there is a story about people caught between two worlds: the worlds of seen and unseen, of fear and rejoicing, of believing and doubting. From the beginning of this Gospel, there is the story of people, real people in real-life situations where the answers are not easy, and the outcomes uncertain. Look at our first introduction to Mary. Mary knew the miracle of expecting a child. She also knew the problems a young mother without a husband in first century Palestine would face. Joseph is caught between two worlds. Does he believe the angel in the dream, or does he believe his eyes and everything he knows about biology? The leper who Jesus cures is thankful and believing in the miracle. But does he check his hands and legs every day for evidence that the disease might return? The centurion says to Jesus “Lord, I am not worthy for you to come under my roof but say the word and my servant will be healed.” Isn’t the Centurion torn between the world of Rome and the world of God, between the Government and the witness of the Messiah? John the Baptist, imprisoned, sends the question “Go and ask if Jesus is the one, or should we expect another?” This is the same John who testified to the Christ, and has some real doubts as the dark, dank confines of a cell seclude him. Powell writes more about this: “….I think that worship is the essence of spirituality. But worship can sometimes be superficial. In Matthew 15, Jesus tells the Pharisees that they worship God with their lips while their hearts are far from God. The Pharisees, of course, are often the fall guys in the Gospel and they seem to stay in trouble the whole time. Still, say what you will about the Pharisees – the one thing they never do is doubt. They are always certain about everything. They are the “God said it, I believe it, that settles it” people of the Bible. It never occurs to them that they might have overlooked something or misunderstood something. As a result, they are often wrong, but they are never in doubt.” What our gospel teaches us today is that doubt is not the opposite of faith. This is the story of folks who doubt and believe. Doubt is not the opposite of faith. In many ways, doubt is essential to faith. Jesus sends these doubting faithful ones out to make disciples of all the world. Jesus did not come to people like the Pharisees who had no doubt, self-satisfied and 100% sure. We would be insincere if we said that in those dark nights of the soul, we are not caught between these two worlds. The gospel frees us to do so. We should question scripture. We should question the church. We should question! Part of building a strong faith is to give voice to doubts, to express them. This gospel lesson teaches us that it is okay to live in both the world of believing and the world of doubt. Jesus is the one who is with us in both.