Anita Mathias: Dreaming Beneath the Spires

Anita Mathias's Blog on Faith and Art

Paul on homosexuality. Romans 1. Blog Through the Bible Project

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God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts

Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights

Romans 1: 21-27
 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Okay, let’s read through this. Because men neither glorified God, nor thanked him, their thinking tended to futility (uselessness), their hearts were darkened, and they became fools.

Their trajectory is set away from God–and so God allows them to continue on the trajectory they have chosen.

He surrenders them to their own lust. And to be surrendered to one’s own lust, without restraint or governance from God, is a very scary thing indeed.

And some men and women experienced lust for one another. “And received in themselves the penalty for their error.” What is this referring to? A prophetic reference to AIDS–a common interpretation? Or to the health risks of gay sex?

Evangelical and Liberal Christians do not agree on their intepretation of homosexuality–is it, or is not, sinful?–and since it is not a sin, or otherwise, which I am/have been particularly tempted by–and I have plenty of my own temptations–I am not going to blog further about it.

Of course this is Paul’s letter to the Romans, not mine. He is a first century Jew; he may or may not be homophobic; and the words he uses to describe homosexuality, not surprisingly for his era are “unnatural,” and verse 27, “shameful,” which is either a reference to homosexuality, or to particular homosexual practices. 

What do you think? How do you read this passage?

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Woe to Religious Hypocrites, Matthew 23, Blog Through the Bible Project

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Tissot, Imprécations contre les pharisiens
The woes Jesus pronounces on pseudo religious professionals, with a vested interest in their religious image, who are more concerned with image than with reality. 
The seven woes echo the criticism that Christ has repeated throughout his ministry, and stand in contrast to the seven blessings of the Sermon on the Mount, which describe Jesus’s true disciples. And here we see the upside down Kingdom. 
Christ views those who are in, accepted by religious people for their flawless appearance and pronounces woe on them. Conversely, he views those who are despised and rejected and poor and hungry for righteousness, and declares that in his eyes, they are blessed.
 It is always better to be blessed in the eyes of Christ, rather than in the eyes of the religious establishment.
Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees

    13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. 
Woe to those who do not experience the true joy of surrender of their lives to God. They do not experience Christ’s spiritual joy–and prevent others from experiencing it too.
Woe to the leaders who have drawn people away from the kingdom of heaven, rather than towards it.




15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.
They emphasize conversions, but have no joy or love or peace to offer their entrapped converts.


16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.
The illogicality and hypocrisy seriously annoys Jesus.


As is typical of their belief system, they focus on misguided superficial distinctions, and overlook the higher principles of the law. Those with faith in God, who recognize their constant accountability in his presence need only give a simple “yes” or “no.”


When the teachers of the law and the Pharisees took an oath, they differentiated between what was binding, and what was not. This allowed for evasive oath-taking. Jesus rejected such subtleties by showing how foolish they were, and by insisting that people simply tell the truth. 


23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
Legalism–a particular temptation of religious people–to be meticulously correct–tithing garden herbs–while one’s heart lacks justice and mercy. Who are careful to avoid small sins, but are guilty of enormous ones.


See Jesus’s vivid and easily understandable imagery and hyperbole–You strain out a gnat, but swallow a camel!!


They had become lost in the minute details of the law, while neglecting its overarching intent.




   25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
The outside of their lives looks good. Inside there is greed and self-indulgence. And these are contemporary temptations for all religious people.
However, if one cleans the inside–makes sure one is motivated by love and the desire for wisdom rather than by greed; by self-control rather than self-indulgence, then one will also look good from the outside.


A moral renewal will manifest itself in righteous living.


 27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
Woe to those whom Christ says “Woe” over. Those who look beautiful from the outside, but inside are full of hypocrisy and evil. 
One needs to focus primarily on the interior of our souls so that we are not the ones whom Christ regards, and says, “Woe.”




29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started! 
Spoken ironically. They would bring the sin of their ancestors to completion with the crucifixion of the Son of God.

   33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
A prophecy fulfilled in part with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70.
Those who have a vested interest in religion, who are interested in appearances rather than reality will always be threatened by prophets and sages and teachers who are the real thing.
In scheming to have Jesus murdered, the religious leaders show that they are following in the footsteps of their ancestors who persecuted and murdered God’s prophets. Abel was the first person murdered in the Old Testament, and Zechariah was the last. The expression was like our “From Genesis to Revelation.”




 37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
All Jewish religious authority will collapse with the destruction of the temple in AD 70.


Christ’s maternal heart–beautiful image, “I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.”

Woe to Religious Hypocrites, Matthew 23, Blog Through the Bible Project

By

Tissot, Imprécations contre les pharisiens
The woes Jesus pronounces on pseudo religious professionals, with a vested interest in their religious image, who are more concerned with image than with reality. 
The seven woes echo the criticism that Christ has repeated throughout his ministry, and stand in contrast to the seven blessings of the Sermon on the Mount, which describe Jesus’s true disciples. And here we see the upside down Kingdom. 
Christ views those who are in, accepted by religious people for their flawless appearance and pronounces woe on them. Conversely, he views those who are despised and rejected and poor and hungry for righteousness, and declares that in his eyes, they are blessed.
 It is always better to be blessed in the eyes of Christ, rather than in the eyes of the religious establishment.
Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees

    13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. 
Woe to those who do not experience the true joy of surrender of their lives to God. They do not experience Christ’s spiritual joy–and prevent others from experiencing it too.
Woe to the leaders who have drawn people away from the kingdom of heaven, rather than towards it.
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15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.
They emphasize conversions, but have no joy or love or peace to offer their entrapped converts.


16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.
The illogicality and hypocrisy seriously annoys Jesus.


As is typical of their belief system, they focus on misguided superficial distinctions, and overlook the higher principles of the law. Those with faith in God, who recognize their constant accountability in his presence need only give a simple “yes” or “no.”


When the teachers of the law and the Pharisees took an oath, they differentiated between what was binding, and what was not. This allowed for evasive oath-taking. Jesus rejected such subtleties by showing how foolish they were, and by insisting that people simply tell the truth. 


23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
Legalism–a particular temptation of religious people–to be meticulously correct–tithing garden herbs–while one’s heart lacks justice and mercy. Who are careful to avoid small sins, but are guilty of enormous ones.


See Jesus’s vivid and easily understandable imagery and hyperbole–You strain out a gnat, but swallow a camel!!


They had become lost in the minute details of the law, while neglecting its overarching intent.




   25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
The outside of their lives looks good. Inside there is greed and self-indulgence. And these are contemporary temptations for all religious people.
However, if one cleans the inside–makes sure one is motivated by love and the desire for wisdom rather than by greed; by self-control rather than self-indulgence, then one will also look good from the outside.


A moral renewal will manifest itself in righteous living.


 27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
Woe to those whom Christ says “Woe” over. Those who look beautiful from the outside, but inside are full of hypocrisy and evil. 
One needs to focus primarily on the interior of our souls so that we are not the ones whom Christ regards, and says, “Woe.”




29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started! 
Spoken ironically. They would bring the sin of their ancestors to completion with the crucifixion of the Son of God.

   33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
A prophecy fulfilled in part with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70.
Those who have a vested interest in religion, who are interested in appearances rather than reality will always be threatened by prophets and sages and teachers who are the real thing.
In scheming to have Jesus murdered, the religious leaders show that they are following in the footsteps of their ancestors who persecuted and murdered God’s prophets. Abel was the first person murdered in the Old Testament, and Zechariah was the last. The expression was like our “From Genesis to Revelation.”




 37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
All Jewish religious authority will collapse with the destruction of the temple in AD 70.


Christ’s maternal heart–beautiful image, “I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.”

Hypocritical Preachers; and another type of greatness

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[Jesus_FordMadoxBrown.jpg]
Ford Maddox Ford, Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet

Matthew 23 1-12 Blog Through the Bible Project

How NOT to win friends and influence people.

 1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.


So what to do when those who preach to you are corrupt and hypocritical? Or you suspect them of being so.


 Separate the message from the man. Turn your devotion to Christ. Do the right thing for the love of Christ.


Spend more time with Christ and Scripture, and less time with the politics of your church.


Loading burdens onto people is one mark of a Pharisaical preacher (and perhaps an indicator of inner, hidden, secret sin).


(The scribes and Pharisees were two distinct groups, with some overlap. The scribes were professional interpretative experts on the Torah itself, while the Pharisees were experts in the theological matters that the Torah raised.)


  5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.


Jesus sums up the religious hypocrite in this brilliant phrase: “Everything they do is done for people to see.”


It may be irritating to see people achieve religious or churchly respect they don’t deserve. However, this is indeed a kind of slavery and servitude–to do everything for the sake of being seen.Never to enjoy simple humble anonymous pleasures and acts of goodness. The stress and lack of freedom this involves is not worth the respect they might gain.


The Pharisees Jesus says love the places of honour at banquets, and the most important seats in the synagogues, they love the respect of men.


And here is gets troubling, for most people do love honour, and respect, significance and importance. It is one of the great conscious or unconscious human quests. 


What then are we to do? I would say that when we are aware that we are doing something mainly for the sake of appearances; when we are seeking honour and respect from others, rather than from God, it’s time to “Stop, Drop, and Repent.”


(Seating at banquets was assigned to guests according to their rank or status.


Rabbi literally meant My Lord, but it was sued generally for outstanding teachers of the law, most frequently heads of rabbinical schools.)




  8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.


 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.




And here is where Jesus’ teaching gets really challenging–and this is among the most challenging things he says. 


We are not to run after this sort of honour, recognition, praise and importance.


He urges us to follow another sort of greatness. The greatest person is the one who can serve others. 


And he is right!!


And then Jesus makes a prophetic statement which we Christians generally ignore. That the one who seeks to exalt himself–to show off, to blow his own trumpet, to be honoured– will inevitably be humbled. 


Those who seek to be humble will be exalted.


I know the former part of the proverb is true–because I have seen it played out so often in my own life and the life of others


But he who humbles himself will be exalted? What does that mean? What does it mean to humble oneself? Not showing off, for starters. Taking on some “menial” tasks?


Since I have experientially proved that so many things Jesus says are true, I take the things I have not yet proved on trust.

Like his statement that those who humble themselves will be exalted. His advice to be gentle and humble. Not to show off. And that he will take responsibility for honouring the one who is humble and gentle.


ESV Jesus’s disciples should not try to gain authority over each other as teachers and masters, since Jesus is ultimately each disciples’ teacher and master to whom each disciple is accountable.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God!

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Psalm 20
A Prayer for Success. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God,” is one of my favourite verses. They put their trust not in chariots and horses which they needs must use, but in God. (I just realized this–nothing wrong with using chariots and horses–just in putting your trust in them, instead of in God.)
The Psalm, addressed first to, and then about, the King has sweet prayers I love. May he give you the desire of your heart, and make all your plans succeed. 
 1 May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
   may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
   and grant you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your sacrifices
   and accept your burnt offerings. 
4 May he give you the desire of your heart
   and make all your plans succeed. 
5 May we shout for joy over your victory
   and lift up our banners in the name of our God.
   May the LORD grant all your requests.
 6 Now this I know:
   The LORD gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
   with the victorious power of his right hand. 
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
   but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. 
8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
   but we rise up and stand firm. 
9 LORD, give victory to the king!
   Answer us when we call!
Footnotes:

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God!

By

Psalm 20
A Prayer for Success. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God,” is one of my favourite verses. They put their trust not in chariots and horses which they needs must use, but in God. (I just realized this–nothing wrong with using chariots and horses–just in putting your trust in them, instead of in God.)
The Psalm, addressed first to, and then about, the King has sweet prayers I love. May he give you the desire of your heart, and make all your plans succeed. 
 1 May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
   may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
   and grant you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your sacrifices
   and accept your burnt offerings. 

4 May he give you the desire of your heart
   and make all your plans succeed. 
5 May we shout for joy over your victory
   and lift up our banners in the name of our God.
   May the LORD grant all your requests.
 6 Now this I know:
   The LORD gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
   with the victorious power of his right hand. 
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
   but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. 
8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
   but we rise up and stand firm. 
9 LORD, give victory to the king!
   Answer us when we call!
Footnotes:

The Byzantine Art of Mosaics and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna

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I loved the bright, perfectly preserved mosaics in Ravenna, and decided to research them a  bit.

In Byzantine times, the greatest gift an emperor could bestow on a dependent town was a few tons of gold, glass and enamel–and an artist. From Justinian’s time, the art became a trademark of Byzantine civilization. As part of diplomatic initiatives, Constantinople’s emperors send their mosaicists abroad–their work can be seen in Egypt, Sicily and in The Great Mosque of Cordoba.

Mosaics were a favourite Roman medium before the advent of Christianity, but not always taken seriously, usually reserved for the decoration of villas.

However, early Christians with a desire to build for the ages, and a body of scriptures which could best be interpreted pictorially made mosaics the new medium of public art in the 6th century.

Ravenna’s mosaics were probably created by Greek artists from the court of Constantinople. Early Christian art was born here.

The early mosaicists sought to serve both art and religion. Using a new vocabulary of images (The Good Shepherd, sacrifice) they sought to duplicate and surpass the sense of awe and mystery still half-remembered from the interiors of pagan temples.

In churches like San Vitale, with their glorious colours, we still see the same light that enchanted the Byzantine artists–the light of the Gospels, the light from beyond the stars.

The Mausoleum of Galla Placida was one of the most magical buildings I saw on this trip.

ceiling of mausoleum of Galla Placida

 Unimpressive from the outside, but rich and ornate from the inside. The vault shows a deep blue firmament glowing with hundreds of dazzling gold stars set in concentric circles. In the centre, at the top of the vault, a cross represents the transcendent God above the heavens. At the corners, are the traditional iconographic symbols of the four evangelists, the lion, ox, angel and eagle.

All the Byzantine churches use a similar technique–the small glass tessera are laid in section, alternate rows set at slightly different angels to vary the reflection of light and give an impression of depth. Colour is emblematic, with gold denoting holiness–or high status!!

A close up. What bright colours for a 1500 year old mosaic!!

 

Elaborate lavish interior
The Good Shepherd

God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts

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Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights







Romans 1: 21-27
 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.


 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Okay, let’s read through this. Because men neither glorified God, nor thanked him, their thinking tended to futility (uselessness), their hearts were darkened, and they became fools.

Their trajectory is set away from God–and so God allows them to continue on the trajectory they have chosen.

He surrenders them to their own lust. And to be surrendered to one’s own lust, without restraint or governance from God, is a very scary thing indeed.

And some men and women experienced lust for one another. “And received in themselves the penalty for their error.” What is this referring to? A prophetic reference to AIDS–a common interpretation? Or to the health risks of gay sex?

Homosexuality is a controversial topic in liberal Christian circles–is it, or is not, sinful– and since it is not a sin, or otherwise, which I am/have been particularly tempted by–and I have plenty of my own temptations–I am not going to blog further about it.

Of course this is Paul’s letter to the Romans, not mine. He is a first century Jew; he may or may not be homophobic; and the words he uses to describe homosexuality, not surprisingly for his era are “unnatural,” and verse 27, “shameful,” which is either a reference to homosexuality, or to particular homosexual practices. 

What do you think? How do you read this passage?