Luke 17:5-10

This is not officially “The Parable of the Mustard Seed”, but it fits that theme, that parable appears in all three synoptic gospels, we’ll hit it sometime in the next couple years. But what’s the symbolism of a mustard seed? They are tiny, but they can grow into large plants and be disruptive to whatever you want to grow. They are considered a weed by most. Here it is compared to faith, and something to be obeyed.

The symbolism of calling the slave to the table is fairly obvious. If not, you might want to check out this organization. But Jesus doesn’t let his apostles off easy on this one, not that he usually does. He challenges them with what he knows they are thinking. He’s quite aware that slaves are treated like slaves first. Once they do their work, they might be allowed to act as if they are family, but are they even thanked for what they did? The implication here is, most of the time they are not.

This is not a parable with an obscure message like the Shrewd Steward two weeks ago. This is a clear statement that the two-tiered order of the society needs to become one tier. Everyone should say they are worthless slaves. That’s a bit harsh, but I think it sounds better than saying we are all masters. We have more information about more societies today and we can see that the ones that have less of a gap between rich and poor and the healthier ones. There is less waste, there is better understanding between employer and employee, resources are distributed more fairly. As Paul Wellstone said, “We all do better, when we all do better.”

No matter who you are, this idea that we all have something we are expected to do, and no job is better than the other, is one way of looking at the idea of “being the bigger person”. When someone is upset, it’s usually out of some sense of injustice. You may not see it, or may not agree with them, but you can still allow them their expression. You can try to understand what is bothering them. Maybe there’s nothing you can do, but you can listen. The next time it might be you who feels like that. The tables have a way of turning.

Lamentations

This is still Jeremiah, according to tradition, or a “D” writer according the Documentary Hypothesis. Jerusalem has now fallen. The First Temple has been destroyed.* It is a poem expressing grief over that. It also tells us that if you sin, although it might be fun, you're going to pay with grief. In other words, there is justice in the world. Exactly the opposite of what your parents, teachers and coaches have probably told you. “Justice” apparently is defined as one generation suffering the consequences of an earlier generation's mismanagement and shortsightedness. Bible study guides will point there are consequences for not listening to God, but they usually won't say anything about God needing to do a better job of communicating, or maybe having gone over and talked to the Babylonians.

* There is no archaeological evidence of a First Temple. The possible site is protected by religious leaders and has not been studied in modern times.

Psalm 137

If you are fan of Bob Marley, or many possible other musicians, you should recognize this Psalm. It is one of the most famous of psalms, in the lamentations group. Can't argue with its beauty. Perhaps more important is something unusual going on in the history of religion. The Jews have been pushed out of their claimed homeland. Their holy places have been occupied or destroyed. But their ideas are living on.

The masked man in the movie V for Vendetta said “ideas are bulletproof”. It's true because there is nothing to take the bullet. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “truth pushed down, will rise again.” As we have improved our ability to preserve history, as we have spread the knowledge of how to pass on ideas, this has become increasingly true and increasingly powerful. The Jews were early adopters of the idea that a religion did not need a place or even a person to hold it together.

When they were exiled, they were allowed to bring remnants of their culture with them, including writings, what we now know as scripture. What we know as the Bible today is what was brought back from exile, reassembled.

I often recommend reading passages in their full context. I admit I'm a little surprised they included this entire psalm. I really don't care to comment on verse 9.