Matthew 18

I’m interested in σκανδαλων as it relates to theology and apologetics. What is it that keeps people from approaching Christ for instruction and relief? What unneccesary baggage are we compelled to assent to, by those who say that such assent is necessary for us to be reconciled with God? I assert that Matthew 18 compells apologists and evangelists to discard all such compulsions. Reading Genesis as science seems quite the millstone. The Gospel lives on. But those who prefer clinging to ideas about God’s creation that, to a child’s eye, creation, itself, refutes — they will find their rightful place at the bottom of the sea, or the fires of Gehenna.

But Christ crucified is, itself, a scandal. I Cor 1:23. Some people turn away from the glorious truth, seeing only the shame of it. Or they, with the greeks, scoff at the nonsense of it. We ought not be ashamed of hard truths or the appearance of nonsense. But lets try to discern things we foolishly insist upon from those which God rightly insists upon. The Gospels teach, and experience shows, that we who are jealous of our place in God’s favor are all too willing to turn away those who Christ, Himself, invites. Woe unto us.

Loosely based on Psalm 8, I offer this poem. (formatting poetry in the rich text editor is not a trivial matter)

Love Remains a Mystery

The stars that compass all the earth

Declare to parts unknown to us,

The same God Whom we honor thus,

‘Jehovah,’ known to all from birth.

What child will not at some point plead,

‘Dad, who put the stars in the sky?’

How to respond, ‘cept ‘God most high,’

Science stilled, unfit for child’s need.

Humbled thus, consider the sky,

This vast and majestic expanse;

The moon on which men have once pranced,

Stars’ secrets men to war apply.

What is man, that we have this gift,

To reach beyond our earthy bounds,

Our ciphers track the planets’ rounds,

Yet from turmoil, all fails to lift?

The land and sea yield up their fruits,

All nature is at our command,

Computer chips we make from sand,

From skins of beasts we fashion boots.

As marvelous as men might be,

We marvel still at sky above,

And meditate upon Your Love,

And what remains a mystery.

What pow’rs to which we’ve taken claim,

Direct us to a higher Pow’r

We are blessed to call Jehovah,

But known to all, if not by name.

_______

A puff away from 3 packs a day.