A Human Jesus

A Human Jesus is our worship theme for the fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost, September 9, 2012. Our focus scripture is Mark 7:24-30.  

Have you ever wanted to take back words that just sprang out of your mouth, almost with a will of their own? Have you ever spoken words based on an unconscious assumption that became all too conscious and uncomfortable as soon as you said them? “Of course, Mom always loved me more.” “A woman could never do that!” “Well you know how those ________ (fill in the blank) are.”

Sometimes we say something, and as soon as it is out of our mouth it just lays there for everyone to see, looking stupid and hurtful. Unhappily, I have had to endure a number of these “open mouth, insert foot” moments and have had to apologize profusely. It helps, however, to know that Jesus has at least one of these moments himself. And it helps to see how he learns from it.

In our focus scripture from Mark, Jesus says something flat out insulting to a woman. And not just any woman, but a woman who has come to him because her daughter is battling with a demon. It is true he is tired. It is true he has crossed into largely Gentile territory hoping that no one will recognize him and that he can get a little rest. And we can understand his exasperation when he is immediately found, and yet another person that he doesn’t know at all comes to him with a problem.

But the fact remains, he calls the woman a dog. Not a cute little puppy. Not a prized family pet. But a dog, a scavenger. A flea-bitten animal that lives on the streets, belongs to no one, and has disgusting habits. In the Middle East, in Jewish, Islamic, and Christian cultures, calling someone a dog is an extreme sign of disrespect. (Remember the reporter who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush and called him a dog in Arabic.)

Fortunately for Jesus, the woman he insults is smart, tough, and focused only on getting her daughter healed. He tells her that he cannot heal her daughter because they are Gentiles and “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But astonishingly, she responds, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” And by saying this, she brings Jesus – yes, Jesus! – up short and forces him to see what he has said and why it is wrong. And in recognizing it, he tells her that because of her answer she can go home, her daughter is healed.  

It is interesting that shortly before this Jesus feeds a huge crowd of more five thousand people, as a sign that God’s abundant goodness has no limits. And he has just taught that it is not what we eat, but what comes out of our mouths, that defiles us. But then in this interchange he is forced to see how in separating her from those worthy to receive God’s love he has strayed from his own values. And he changes and grows!

Now the idea that Jesus changes and grows as a human being is fascinating and hopeful. John, who writes the last Gospel with the “highest” Christology, presents Jesus as the total embodiment of God, always knowing in advance what will happen, and always being immaculately in control of himself in every situation. And this is perhaps the way most of us have come to picture Jesus.

But Mark, who writes the first Gospel with the “lowest” Christology, presents a much more human Jesus – one who struggles with exactly who he is and what God is calling him to do. And this is good for us because we are definitely human. We start out not being very able to follow him and hope -- as Luke says of the boy Jesus -- to mature, growing in both body and spirit (Luke 2:52a The Message). If we are to identify with Jesus and grow as he grows, then this very human moment is of great value.

Like Jesus, may we all be ready to learn from our mistakes. And like the Gentile woman, may we all be bold enough to speak truth to power when the occasion demands it.

Here is a Call to Worship based on Psalm 146. Please use or adapt anything helpful to you.

Call to Worship   From Psalm 146

L: Praise the Lord, O my soul!

P: Let us praise the Lord as long as we live!

     Let us sing praises to God every day of our lives!

L: Do not put your highest trust in human leaders,

     in mere mortals, in whom there is no help.

     When their breath departs, they return to the earth.

     On that very day their plans perish.

P: Happy instead are those who hope in the Lord their God,

     the One who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that lives.

     The One who keeps faith forever;

     who executes justice for the oppressed and feeds the hungry.

L: God sets the prisoners free. God opens the eyes of the blind.

     God lifts up those who are bowed down.

     God loves those who keep God’s ways.

P: God watches over the refugees. God upholds orphans and widows.   

     But the way of the wicked God brings to ruin.   

All: The Lord our God will reign forever! Praise the Lord!

     Let us worship God.