The addition of "Give to me what is mine" isn't in the Bible. Notice, though, how it could either (1) elevate Jesus' status, or (2) separate Jesus from God the Father in a way that isn't supported by the Bible. In fact, Jesus said, "All that belongs to the Father is mine" (John 16:15).
What disturbes me most about this saying is that, the longer you chew on it, the more it divides the Father and the Son. There is no urgency about being saved here; there is no call to repentance. There is no stewardship. There is only a division in the mind that grows and grows: What does it mean? What belongs to Father that I wouldn't give to Christ? What should I give to Christ that is not also set aside as holy to the Father?
The more one thinks about this saying, the more wicked it becomes. On first glance, it is odd. On second glance, it is confusing. On third, it is disturbing. On fourth, it is evil. As for considering what really belongs to us, there is an illustration from a 3rd or 4th century monk that may grow on you:
Some thieves came one day to the dwelling of an old man and said to him, "We have come to take everything that is in your cell." He said to them, "My children, take what seems good to you." So they took what they found in the cell and went away. Now they forgot a purse which happened to be hanging there. The old man picked it up and ran out after them, calling out, "Take this which you have forgotten from the cell." Filled with wonder at the old man's long-suffering, they put back everything in its place in the cell and repented, saying one to another, "Truly this is a man of God." (Agathon)
No comments:
Post a Comment