Justice and judgment are so conceptually intertwined it is literally impossible to have with former without the latter. Imagine a perfectly just judge, incapable of declaring the guilty innocent or the innocent guilty - under any circumstances. A judgment which does anything else is morally absurd. Unfortunately, popular theologies have made "justice" synonymous with "punishment" and "judgment" with "condemnation." Until the church learns to use better language about these things, the prevailing image will be our experience of unjust human judiciaries and distorted legal systems.
I’m struggling with this so hard and so unsure what I am called to do. Is it that to befriend the thief or adulterer is wrong? Am I to “other” and set apart those who behave sinfully? This feels like it goes against a theology that asks that we leave judgment to God and against the teachings of Christ who encourages us to love one another. How does once reconcile this?
The temptation of all prophetic speech is that we take the side of the Subject, making the assumption that, of course, we are on God's side. This is a natural tendency for readers. More difficult is to understand in what way I am, or my society is the object of this Wrath; "you thought I was like you," as Ps 50 comments. In that light, the acts of justice carry with them a lament which is also a necessity, since lament grounds acts in humility. And it is the humble, the meek that see God, or as we read in Matt 25, "when did we see you...."
Hi, Richard. Thanks for these good thoughts...but frankly: I am not convinced that it is quite correct to claim that Psalm 50 is a psalm "about" judgement. I think the passage you rightly highlight (rightly because it is certainly a critical passage) needs to be read against the backdrop of the first half of the psalm, which is "about" far more than simply "judgement", specifically the nature of the covenant, the meaning of worship (in general) and the sacrificial dimension of worship (in particular). And it is also, I think, one of the psalms which can rightly be placed in the company of key passages from Amos and Isaiah with their willingness to place a rather large question mark over the understanding of "sacrifice" developed in other portions of the Hebrew scriptures....thereby also helping to make it clear that a nuanced approach to scriptural authority is warranted not simply for reasons external to scripture itself, but is demanded by the very nature of the vibrant and dynamic "conversation" into which we are invited through our engagement with both the Old and the New Testaments. Best regards!
Hi Dr. Beck, I think I see your point that you can't pick and choose your prophetic speech. I think Jesus said something to this effect in the book of John saying something like "and the scripture cannot be broken". What is so incredibly challenging though is that Jesus seems to be offering all over the place an interpretation of the text that breaks the status quo. Even in the passage that I mentioned before (John 10:35) it seems like many of the Christians that I have spoken to don't seem to see what Jesus is saying. Our doctrine/theology gets in the way of a common sense interpretation. Basically my point is that I understand that on the one hand you don't get to pick and choose what the Bible says to serve your own preferences, but on the other hand we have to use common sense to understand the text, which might look like we are just interpreting the text according to our preference. So if your point is that we have to be willing to be self critical and search your heart when you make interpretive decisions I agree.
Thanks for these important reminders, Richard. As I member of The Episcopal Church, I'm aware of this risk. I've been in the process of trying to work through it in my own mind and convictions. I find it helpful to consider that God's forms of justice are often very surprising. For example, in the incarnated Christ as vulnerable infant, I see a powerful picture of judgment--as any parent knows who has been pierced with regret after sinning in the presence of a young child. At the same time, the repeated exhortations throughout the Bible (particularly from Jesus) to be careful when we're inclined to judge others are also humbling. I count myself among those who ache with hunger and thirst to see right prevail, so I eagerly anticipate the coming satisfaction. But, at least at this point, I do so holding loosely to any visions or conceptions of what that might actually look like.
Justice and judgment are so conceptually intertwined it is literally impossible to have with former without the latter. Imagine a perfectly just judge, incapable of declaring the guilty innocent or the innocent guilty - under any circumstances. A judgment which does anything else is morally absurd. Unfortunately, popular theologies have made "justice" synonymous with "punishment" and "judgment" with "condemnation." Until the church learns to use better language about these things, the prevailing image will be our experience of unjust human judiciaries and distorted legal systems.
1Cor 3:12-13, Heb 12:27
I’m struggling with this so hard and so unsure what I am called to do. Is it that to befriend the thief or adulterer is wrong? Am I to “other” and set apart those who behave sinfully? This feels like it goes against a theology that asks that we leave judgment to God and against the teachings of Christ who encourages us to love one another. How does once reconcile this?
In the end, don’t we ALL beg mercy from our Judge as did the relatively righteous Job? https://youtu.be/fm-po_FUmvM?si=aYii1qdnKVzNinpy
The temptation of all prophetic speech is that we take the side of the Subject, making the assumption that, of course, we are on God's side. This is a natural tendency for readers. More difficult is to understand in what way I am, or my society is the object of this Wrath; "you thought I was like you," as Ps 50 comments. In that light, the acts of justice carry with them a lament which is also a necessity, since lament grounds acts in humility. And it is the humble, the meek that see God, or as we read in Matt 25, "when did we see you...."
Hi, Richard. Thanks for these good thoughts...but frankly: I am not convinced that it is quite correct to claim that Psalm 50 is a psalm "about" judgement. I think the passage you rightly highlight (rightly because it is certainly a critical passage) needs to be read against the backdrop of the first half of the psalm, which is "about" far more than simply "judgement", specifically the nature of the covenant, the meaning of worship (in general) and the sacrificial dimension of worship (in particular). And it is also, I think, one of the psalms which can rightly be placed in the company of key passages from Amos and Isaiah with their willingness to place a rather large question mark over the understanding of "sacrifice" developed in other portions of the Hebrew scriptures....thereby also helping to make it clear that a nuanced approach to scriptural authority is warranted not simply for reasons external to scripture itself, but is demanded by the very nature of the vibrant and dynamic "conversation" into which we are invited through our engagement with both the Old and the New Testaments. Best regards!
Hi Dr. Beck, I think I see your point that you can't pick and choose your prophetic speech. I think Jesus said something to this effect in the book of John saying something like "and the scripture cannot be broken". What is so incredibly challenging though is that Jesus seems to be offering all over the place an interpretation of the text that breaks the status quo. Even in the passage that I mentioned before (John 10:35) it seems like many of the Christians that I have spoken to don't seem to see what Jesus is saying. Our doctrine/theology gets in the way of a common sense interpretation. Basically my point is that I understand that on the one hand you don't get to pick and choose what the Bible says to serve your own preferences, but on the other hand we have to use common sense to understand the text, which might look like we are just interpreting the text according to our preference. So if your point is that we have to be willing to be self critical and search your heart when you make interpretive decisions I agree.
Thanks for these important reminders, Richard. As I member of The Episcopal Church, I'm aware of this risk. I've been in the process of trying to work through it in my own mind and convictions. I find it helpful to consider that God's forms of justice are often very surprising. For example, in the incarnated Christ as vulnerable infant, I see a powerful picture of judgment--as any parent knows who has been pierced with regret after sinning in the presence of a young child. At the same time, the repeated exhortations throughout the Bible (particularly from Jesus) to be careful when we're inclined to judge others are also humbling. I count myself among those who ache with hunger and thirst to see right prevail, so I eagerly anticipate the coming satisfaction. But, at least at this point, I do so holding loosely to any visions or conceptions of what that might actually look like.