Title: From Me/Jonah 1:1-16
Contents
At the end of the day's work, Jesus went up to the mountain covered with olive trees to pray and rest. The next morning I showed up in front of the temple, and as usual people flocked around me. Jesus was about to unravel the clues about the weather, about last night's dream, and simple storytelling.
Suddenly, there was a commotion in one corner of the crowd, and some men dragged a woman toward Jesus. It was none other than the teachers of the law and the Pharisees who brought them. At the time, they were all respected by people. Law scholars had the authority to interpret God's law and the Bible. The Pharisees were people who were respected for their clean and principled religious life.
To those responsible for keeping and preserving God's law, Jesus was always seen as a disregard for the law. It was like working on the Sabbath, and sharing a table with sinners. I decided to take this opportunity to publicly put a wedge into Jesus' actions.
Great Teacher Rabbi Jesus, this woman was caught in adultery. The law of Moses said to be stoned to death, but what do you think of Jesus Teacher? Jesus was perplexed. On the one hand, the law was strict and on the other hand, I did not want to judge a tragic death. Leaving behind the promptings, I fell to the ground for a moment, writing something, and meditating. The rushing sound got louder. Jesus raised his head and spoke in a low but clear voice. The one among you who is not ashamed to look up to heaven, lift a stone first, and execute this woman's sins.
Again Jesus sat down on the ground and wrote something, waiting for a response. It was a breathtaking moment. It was quite different from the situation in other places where there was a heated argument, or where there was a scolding rebuke of Jesus. It was a tense moment when there could be a woman's cries, the rage of the crowd, and there could be bloodshed.
However, although the atmosphere was surprisingly thin, it was quiet and the tempo was slow. Some in the crowd left today thinking that the atmosphere had become too awkward to listen to Jesus' sermons. Others came to heal the sick, but in this bloody atmosphere, Jesus left because he had nothing to do with the arduous healing ceremonies.
Others felt burdened by Jesus’ words. A person who was not ashamed of looking up to God told me to execute this woman's sins, but I left the place because I was afraid that if I stayed there, I would be mistaken for a person remaining to execute the woman's sins. Anyway, the crowd, the teachers of the law, and the Pharisees also left their seats. Only Jesus and the woman were left.
"Neither will I ask for your sins. Go back now. And from now on, do not sin again." These were the last words of Jesus.
When we think of Jesus, who was swearing at him with double swear words, “children of vipers, you whitewashed tombs,” there seems to be inconsistency in logic and action. It was completely different from Jesus, who overturned the money changing table in the front yard of the temple and smashed the cattle and sheep to be sacrificed with cords.
first; Criticism is to start with me.
We humans have different personalities and personalities. It's different. However, there is a unified fundamental property. Praise likes to hear and criticism likes to give. A healthy life is ordered from criticism based on truth. Criticism establishes truth. Criticism warns against human weakness. Criticism corrects the wrong person.
We cannot deny this. However, becoming an expert only in criticizing others does not change either the individual or the history.
A significant part of Jesus' attack on the religious leaders of Judah was to be generous with himself and strict with others. Criticism cannot justify its own shortcomings and sins.
There is a parable of Jesus that illustrates this well (Luke 18:9-14) "Oh God, I am not greedy, dishonest, or lustful like other people, and I am not like a publican. I fast twice a week and do everything. I give a tenth of my income." It was the prayer of the Pharisees.
“O God, have mercy on me, my sinful man,” was the publican’s prayer.
This is not to say that you shouldn't criticize others. That criticism has to start with me. Criticism that begins with others and ends with criticism towards others does not change individuals and history.
This is what Jesus is trying to say in the event of today's text.
Jesus had no desire to defend the sin of the woman in adultery. I had no intention of fostering a climate of adultery. This woman must have felt the weight of the words of Jesus when he nailed the last nail, saying, "And from now on, do not sin again." This was Jesus' ultimate intention.
However, on the contrary, he was telling the religious leaders and the crowd to think first about whether lifting and hitting stones is not a good thing, but whether it can be that harsh to yourself. Blaming everything 'my fault' may not be the fundamental solution to the problem. But Jesus points out how fictional criticism and reforms that do not start from me are fictional.
When you point your finger, two fingers point towards another person, but three fingers point towards yourself. This is talking about the share of criticism and reform.
We need to balance both wings.
It is a balance between criticism of self and criticism of others. And the order must start with criticism and reform towards oneself and end with criticism and reform towards others and the system.
The fundamental question arises as to where the changes in human life and history come from. Jesus said that people who looked at the specks of other people's eyes and foamed at them and criticized and condemned them actually had a beam in their own eyes. The Word comes alive together with the Word of today's text.
If you become a habit of criticizing others, you will suffer from a chronic disease that is difficult to cure. This makes it difficult for individuals and historical changes to occur. You don't need to change your thinking.
Zacchaeus' change was a change from himself. The change of giving four times as much as stolen and giving half of what was stolen to the poor took place from him.
It's impossible without turning the finger away from you. Couldn't there be no way to point fingers at others for Zacchaeus? And would there not have been any justification for his actions with that? It was said that a virgin has something to say even if she bears a child.
The same is true of Jonah.
The reversal of the situation is because of Jonah. This is another important word that we must heed our ears. Changes in individuals and history are possible by starting a revolution from self first. It is a difficult task due to the nature of human beings.
Let's see if I am caught up in the crowds of the scribes and Pharisees.
Let's start our reform with the publican's prayer, banging his head and praying, "I am a sinner." If the situation is difficult, let's proceed with our reform from the life of Jonah who considers my responsibility.