Fourth After Trinity

These verses stand out as a strong condemnation of certain understandings of God and religiosity that make the consequent actions transactional. The Book of Isaiah was written before, during and after the exile, spanning a long history of God’s people — their actions, suffering in exile and restoration. This means it was not written by a single person at a single time or place. Though there are different views on the exact boundaries of these parts, it is generally agreed that Chapters 1-39 of the Book form the first, Chs 40 to 55 the second, and Chs. 55 to 66 the third. This text is part of the Third (Trito) Isaiah, which is a collection of writings from the post-exilic era. These texts offer both warnings and hope from God to those returned from exile to Jerusalem. The Autumn Festival becomes an occasion for Third Isaiah’s prophesies. Chapter. 58 is one among them. It is full of satire and strong words against religious hypocrisy. In v. 3, Isaiah speaks to the futility of our own criteria for gaining proximity to God, and vs 3b - 14 ridicule these human attempts - lack of humility, serving one’s own interests, oppressing the poor, quarrels and fighting, violence and pretension of piety.

Instead, Isaiah holds forth seeking social justice through the liberation of the captives and compassion towards the poor (v. 6-7) as indicators of faithfulness and an affirmation of God's sovereignty. Similar assertions reappear in Jesus’ preference to read from Isaiah 61.1 in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:18) and in the parable of the Great Judgement in Matthew 25:31-46. Although the text offers many rich insights, two of them may be highlighted to make it appropriate to our own contexts. One is that what God expects for God’s goodness is their willingness to do God’s will - to resist and confront injustice in any form, bondage, hunger, homelessness and various manifestations of poverty. Two is that no one can build a relation with God in anticipation of rewards and responses, but by aligning with God’s purposes for oneself and the world at large. Prayers driven by self-interest, as per Isaiah, are futile. God wants us to move beyond our narrow self-interests and confront forces that resist God’s purposes of life in the world. However, Isaiah offers incentives of collective prosperity. Vv 8-12. We must note that Isaiah is speaking to a people who had just returned from exile and believed that turning to God, as per the norms and rituals of the law and the temple, would help them win back God’s favour. Isaiah helps them consider more serious options related to their attitudes towards people experiencing poverty. Be that as it may, let us not indulge in charity and philanthropy in anticipation of rewards but in response to the goodness of God. Beware! God cannot be bribed. Jesus, the gospel text (Matthew 5: 43-48) offers a more helpful response.

Paul is addressing the issues of disunity and division within the communities in Rome. These are not of any theological nature, but those provoked by prejudices around eating habits. Paul talks about weak members, perhaps vegetarians or those who eat kosher meat (v.3-12), and the strong ones (v.13-15). Although we do not have the details of the issue's exact nature, what is clear is that certain dominant groups were imposing their cultural preferences, including food habits, on others and even insisting that they were necessary for the practice of faith. Paul admonishes not only such aggressive behaviour but also corrects distortions. He seems to say, ‘do not confuse your culture and habits, including superstitions and hierarchies, with God’s purposes. These are not important for your relationship with God. Furthermore, he also says that faith cannot be used to control or dominate others, and those in Jesus’ community must see one another not as rivals but as sojourners in the journey of hope (v.10 and 13)

God’s reign or God’s purposes for life and the world have nothing to do with certain components of culture in context. For example, patriarchy, racism, caste hierarchies, etc., were imposed as God-given and authoritative as religious communities grew in varying cultural contexts. Many in our communities are still forced to live under the weight of this cultural oppression. We need to get rid of these cultures from within and actively work to enhance joyful, liberative expressions of faith. Symbols, myths, stories, belief systems of the past generations cannot be held forth as non-negotiables and authoritative. The indicators of our faithfulness are the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5: 22-23), and not what we wear, eat or do not. What matters are our capacities for goodness, righteousness, peace and joy. V. 18. Both communities at the end are encouraged to welcome one another (15: 7-13). Through God in Jesus, we have a new, dignified identity, and let us not deny or diminish that identity with irrelevant and cumbersome culture and traditions and the consequent beliefs and attitudes.

This text is a part of the Sermon on the Mount, one of Jesus’ most radical teachings, which offers an alternative way to experience and further the arrival of God’s reign in every here and now. Jesus seems to unveil the mind of God in contrast to the prevailing ways/norms of the world. He begins with, “Blessed are the poor, blessed are the humble, blessed are the peacemakers, etc.,” and goes on talking at length. Here, in these five verses, Jesus reinterprets the old teachings of Judaism on six cases: 1. Murder and anger - v.21; 2. Adultery and sexual desire - v.27; 3. Divorce - v.31; 4. Oaths - v.33; 5. Retaliation-38, and 5. Love and hate - v.43. He starts each of these by asserting: “You have heard this”,… “but I say to you”. These six issues were considered threats to the community's integrity and, as such, were much discussed. Jesus does not reinforce the old but offers a radical, unique character to each of them and upholds the values of love, mercy, humility, and faithfulness.

In contrast to Deuteronomy 7.2, which advocates hating the enemy, Jesus says, "Love your enemy." V. 43. In what follows, he was not merely being radical and provocative, but exposing the viciousness of enmity, rivalry, hatred, and violence. These diminish the human capacities for goodness and new possibilities. V. 45 also asserts an important point. God treats and cares for all. God does not have favourites based on birth, ethnicity, place or economic location. God’s generosity, as manifested through God’s creation, is for all. Therefore, be good and do good, not in anticipation of reward (as we find in Isaiah 58), but because God has created you to be good, loving, caring, and sharing, not to be selfish, greedy, or aggressive. In other words, God cannot be bribed with your songs of praise, lavish gifts and ostentatious religious practice. Love those who cannot reciprocate. Jesus defines his concept of love through the parable of the Samaritan. The Samaritan loves the nameless, faceless, bleeding victims by the roadside. He loves the other even though he did not know him. The point here is that moral transformation that creates favourable conditions for the celebration of life is an indicator of spiritual maturity, by whichever name we may call it.