This is advent, and it is a busy time of year. One of the better research conferences in my area is starting today. Last night my son was asked if he could join the orchestra for a prizegiving (for another school) tonight
We are looking forward to Christmas. And we tend to forget that this was about a man who could shut up the most brillian people of his time. The Pharisees and Sadducees were brilliant theologians. The teachings from this period, particularly of the main schools among the Pharisees, make up a fair amount of the Talmudic commentaries.
And Jesus quieted them… with a question.
34When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36″Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38This is the greatest and first commandment. 39and a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
41Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: 42″What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” 43He said to them, “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, 44′The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”‘? 45If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?” 46No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.
The fact no one would dispute with him is significant. Much of the training in theology involves argument, disputation. Two or more people arguing about what this passage means. Behind that interpretation is a model of what God is like: what is the correct way to interpret, and the place of tradtition. And Jesus quoted a psalm — throwing their model of the messiah into shreds.
We must not fall into the error of the present. Those who went before us were as smart as we are: we are no more enlightened than they were. And, like the pharisees, we hold too tightly to our interpretations.
In the generation before us, this led to another error. Papering over the cracks. There are real differences among believers on what some things mean. It comes down to some basic assumptions on the placce of the church, the word, and tradition. .From those thoughts followed a move to a sacramental theology (for example, the Catholic idea that correct practice is saving), or a conventional theology (which led to the reformed emphasis on the elect — and ultra reformed people sitting contemplating their elect status and not doing good nor preaching the gospel)
In the end, all our theologies reflect some shard of the trurht, leavened with a fair amount of human speculation. We must not let go of our salvation… nor deny the differences. For we are students, arguing over the text.
When Jesus comes, the theologians of this age will again be silent.