John 3:1-10… “Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’” vs. 4
There is nothing like being a literalist to hinder a person from grasping the Truth!
Nicodemus, a teacher of the law, was eager to talk to Jesus. He’d been watching his
ministry from a distance, but was reluctant to show his interest publicly. He comes
under cover of darkness with his questions, and then when Jesus answers him in an
enigmatic way, totally misses the point. Having savored the love and the goodness of God in his baptism Jesus was led into the wilderness for a taste of the world’s brokenness. And as he prayed and fasted, he pondered the direction of his ministry. There were so many possibilities. We know this part of the story well. Everywhere we look there are tests and temptations, all promising the best that the world can offer.
That’s the way it is with literalists. They have a dualistic, black and white approach
to faith and the scriptures and they don’t like to wrestle with mystery. It’s either
their way or the highway: either the world was created in six days or the bible is a
lie, either Jesus walked on water or the gospels can’t be trusted. Because there are
many who feel as they do, it’s easy to find communities of like-minded people. And
that’s fine. Generally they love Jesus and devote themselves to serving the needy.
But they miss out on the excitement of faith, the joy that comes from wrestling
with mysteries, and figuring out the nuances of Truth. And sometimes their worlds
get so small that they miss out on the inclusiveness of the Peaceable Kingdom.
Fortunately Nicodemus didn’t disappear when he failed to understand what Jesus
was saying. He hung around, and John tells us he was there at the end, loving the
dead Jesus even when the disciples fled.
Thought for the Day: In what ways am I a literalist?
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