A Letter to Dr. Laura

        An open letter once appeared on the internet, addressed to Dr. Laura Schlessinger, of talk-radio fame. The writer had some facetious (but real) claims against her understanding of the Old Testament, and the Judaic law in general, and wondered how (or if) she could answer him.

        Several examples of his queries were:—

1) Burning a sacrifice

2) Wearing glasses

3) Claiming slaves

4) Eating shellfish

5) Touching an unclean animal

6) Working on the Sabbath.

        As a Jew, she couldn’t answer him because Judaism has never fulfilled or repealed the laws. Ceremonial laws 1) and 2) applied only to the physical temple in Jerusalem. After the temple was destroyed in AD 70, they were no longer able to sacrifice; much of their ceremonial law came to a full stop. However, the moral law continues, as well as much judicial law.

        The Christian, on the other hand, can answer him. Whole strings of New Testament Scriptures throw light on the details. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”[1] The over-all picture is this— “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness”.[2] All those Old Testament sacrifices, following both ceremonial and moral law, were established to deal with the sin of the offerors.

1) But the mere death of an animal could never erase or in any way equate to a man’s or a woman’s sin. A person’s sin was considered to be covered temporarily by the sacrifice; there was obviously a need for a greater than human sacrifice to wipe it out. Christ fulfilled that need. Hence, the end of all animal sacrifice! Why Christ was qualified is the story of most of the New Testament.

2) What about wearing glasses? This is ceremonial law again; as the radio-listener said, “Leviticus 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight.” A simplistic answer might say that there is no altar today so this is a moot problem. Going a bit deeper, we might point out that the Apostle Paul had bad eyesight (he had to write “big”) and apparently he, as a righteous Jew, still felt free to approach the altar.[3]

3) Look at the third example— claiming slaves and selling humans. This is forbidden by other New Testament scriptures; it is immoral and criminal. For instance, James tells us[4] that showing favoritism by preferring a rich man over a poor man (or a free man over a slave) is as much a sin as adultery or murder, because we are no longer loving our neighbor as ourself. Even the Apostle Paul said if you can get free, do.[5] Freedom is the preferred condition and is most basic to Christianity.[6]

4) & 5) Regarding shellfish and pigs, there are more New Testament quotes— The Christian believes that God spoke directly to the Apostle Peter through a vision of all kinds of “animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air”, and made it very clear that, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”[7] And when the Jerusalem Council sent out instructions about how to treat Gentiles, they included these simple words about food:— “Abstain from…what has been strangled, and from blood.”[8] No other restrictions apply.

6) Working on the Sabbath (Saturday) is the next touchy issue for Jews. This is again a ceremonial concern, not a moral one, and Christians consider the Sabbath fulfilled with the death of Christ. The Apostle Paul basically said that it’s okay to “consider every day alike”.[9] A year or two later, he said, "Do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, or a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ." [Col.2:16] The best day for a Christian now is Sunday, commemorating His resurrection. He has put no binding legal requirements on that day!

Finally, we have Christ’s own comment on all the problems, handicaps, burdens, and sins of life:— “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”[10]

There is no restriction and no longer any reason to stay away.

And now the Temple is Jesus![11]

[Note: The original letter and an attempted Christian response are at Pastor Kevin, or https://www.calvarypo.org/HANDS/1022.pdf?form=MG0AV3

In 2020, James M. Kauffman published a 96-page book entitled, “Cyber Abuse: The Dr. Laura Letter”.]

[1] Matthew 5:17 ESV.

[2] Romans 10:4 ESV.

[3] Acts 21:26.

[4] James 2:8-11 NIV. Love your neighbor as yourself…if you show favoritism, you sin…

[5] 1 Corinthian 7:21 ESV. If you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.

[6] Galatians 5:1 ESV. For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

[7] Acts 11:5-10.

[8] Acts 15:20.

[9] Romans 14:5-6.

[10] Matthew 11:28-30 NIV.

[11] John 2:19-21.

Pascal's Wager— Again!

     You remember that wager— trusting in God and His resulting safety versus believing that there is no God, and not "worrying”. Writers have pointed out that the wager seems quite self-serving, that if belief isn’t there it can’t be manufactured. On the other hand, if there is a God, it’s discourteous at best, not to investigate.

        One brilliant scientist who has commented (obliquely) on this wager is Richard Dawkins, especially when he was involved in a bus advertising campaign in Britain in 2009. The ad his group were touting said, “THERE’S PROBABLY NO GOD. NOW STOP WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE.” The key word here is “probably”. Dawkins wanted to use the wording, "There is almost certainly no God”, but that still leaves a tiny window of possibility.

        Let’s put some probabilities against the two sides of the wager— the ad said “probably” so let’s say 25% “God”: 75% “no god”. Odds of 3:1 are not good!

        Let’s up those odds— let’s say 10% “God”: 90% “no god”. Even 9:1 odds are bad odds. Would we give in to Russian roulette?

       Up with those odds!— 1% “God”: 99% “no god”. Now we’re talking— 99:1 is pretty good, but remember what is a stake: “nothing, nothing” versus “happiness and peace with God forever” or the flip side of “loneliness and pain apart from Him.”

        “Just get on with your life” seems pretty pathetic on that scale. Since the “no god” side of the wager really has no effect on the bettor, it really should be totally ignored. The “God” side has infinite value if it is true. This means that at least 99% of our investigation should be into “God” and everything about Him. No, it should be 100%! We can’t give up until we KNOW!

“RESURGAM”

         A lovely painting hung in the lobby of my apartment building for several years, its contents gratifying me every time I walked past. But I kept quiet and never commented because I didn’t want it taken down. Then the lobby was refurbished and the painting was marked for disposal. My wife laid claim to it for me; in very short order, it took a place of honor over my desk.

What was so beautiful about it? The scene is a huge ancient brick wall with an arched doorway centered in a still larger arch. On both sides grow thick, green-leaved bushes with a touch of red blossoms overhead. Through the doorway is visible a garden of shrubbery, trees, and an upward spurting fountain; two sculpted figures stand in and under the water.

Can this be symbolic? An open doorway in a great wall? A passageway into a garden? A fountain springing and washing over the figures?

It is to me! Between the upper and lower arches of the doorway is a little cross, and below it, in great capital letters, “RESURGAM”— “I SHALL RISE AGAIN”.

Let’s just take a look into the Bible for a minute. There are several gardens mentioned there: - the garden of Eden, the garden of Gethsemane, and an unnamed garden near the cross[1] where an unknown Gardener later spoke to Mary Magdalene.[2] Can this image be that garden near the cross? And on Saturday?

The gate is open, the fountain is flowing for cleansing—nothing is blocking the entrance.

And Sunday is coming!

 

[Editor’s note: The painting is “Floral Doorway” by Cyrus Afsary. The cross and that one word are in fact details from a doorway of San Juan Capistrano Mission in California.]

---

[1] John 19:41.

[2] John 20:15.

Judean Census

 

Name Tags

    I’ve been told that churches have sometimes had disagreements over whether to use name tags or not. My own experience has been that I like to know whom I’m shaking hands with in my own little neighborhood of pews, and I like them to know who I am too. A church we have attended for some years now, gives professionally made magnetic badges to all members and regular attenders.

    Once a year they have a real “walk-up-to-the-front” communion service, on Maundy Thursday. On all other occasions, we remain quietly and passively in our seats. On this special Remembrance Sunday, communion is by “intinction”. Yes, I had never heard that word before. The entire congregation lines up in the center aisle, proceeds to the communion table, and is offered real bread. They tear off a piece, dip it in a large chalice of wine, and consume both together.

    My point is that as I broke the bread, the pastor holding it said, “The Body of Christ broken for you because He loves you, Glenn!” A crowd of 150 fellow Christians, and he knows my name! How personal that made it, and how true. Jesus does love me, and the use of my name tag brought it home to me in great power. 

Re-writing the Gospel

[How the interviews should have gone on Good Friday!]

In Gethsemane with Judas and the temple police:

When Judas and a detachment of soldiers reached Gethsemane, Jesus went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” When they said “Jesus of Nazareth”, He assured them, “I am he.” They all drew back in amazement and fell to the ground. Then the soldiers with their commander and the Jewish officials accompanied Him back into Jerusalem, to the courtyard of the former high priest, Annas.

With Annas, in his courtyard in Jerusalem:

Annas asked Jesus more questions, about things He had already discussed in many public places, and even about Annas’s unusual mention of the need for one man to die for the people. Why was that?

With Caiaphas, in his house in Jerusalem:

As the group continued to swell, they all moved on to Caiaphas’s house. Now someone raised the question of what Jesus had meant when He overturned the tables in the temple then said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” He left this as a puzzle to them but when Caiaphas asked Him if He was “the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One”, He left them in no doubt:—“I AM!”

In Caiaphas’s courtyard:

In the growing crowd, Peter got separated from Jesus. He was approached by at least three different people, who asked him, “Aren’t you one of Jesus’ disciples?” He quickly assured them, “I am.”

With the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem:

The crowd moved on again, to the meeting place of the Sanhedrin. Once more, He was asked if He was “the Son of God.” Again, He confirmed with, “I AM!”

With Pilate, at the Praetorium in Jerusalem:

Now Jesus and his torrent of followers moved on to meet the Romans. Pontius Pilate, the governor, was curious as to why they had come but when he found out that Jesus was “the king of the Jews”, he recognized the truth and listened to it.

With Herod Antipas, in Jerusalem:

There was only one more man left to see, the current “king of the Jews”, Herod Antipas. When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased. He was overwhelmed with all the questions he had in mind, and even offered Jesus an elegant robe.

With Pilate again:

Jesus and the immense crowd with him then went back to Pilate to wrap up the morning, with some final clarifications. On the Pavement of Gabbatha, Pilate faced Jesus and proclaimed to everyone, “Hail, king of the Jews!”

With all the Jews:

As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw Him, they too shouted, “He is the Son of God!”

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -

CAUTION! What would be wrong with all these supposed re-writes?

ANSWER! All their sins would still be on all these people and on us. There would be no Substitute, no Redeemer, no Mediator; and no payment for sins, no cleansing, no purification. Annas's statement at the beginning is a fact: One Man had to die for the people. And that Man had to be both man and God--- one or the Other was not enough.

-         

The Prudent Man Helps Others

        Remember that prudent man of Proverbs 22 and 27? A previous article listed almost two dozen possibilities that could go awry in his life. Perhaps a little self-righteously, we felt that we had them all covered in our own life…but maybe not.

        Is it possible that Proverbs is a book of “best practices” from a worldly point of view? As I thought over the prudent man’s list, the idea came to me: “Isn’t this kind of selfish and secretive?” How about helping someone else “prepare to meet God”? How about teaching others how to swim? Or to drive? Or to eat and drink wisely? Or to join a church and worship?

        There is a great New Testament advance on Proverbs, from the merely “prudent” man. Can we say in King Jamesian English, “The prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself and as many others as he can”?

        The story of the good Samaritan makes it very clear who the prudent man is. Perhaps he was well-armed; perhaps he had a bodyguard with him. In any case, his duty was clear—to help. In fact, if we go all the way back to Moses and the Ten Commandments, we find that Commandments 5 through 10 all relate to protecting and helping others, even more than ourselves: We are to honor our parents. We are not to murder—we are to help others to live. We are not to commit adultery—we are to help other couples live in peace. We are not to steal—we are to let others keep and enjoy what they have. We could go on, but you get the idea.

        Jesus, Himself, said in the Sermon on the Mount[1], “Blessed are the merciful…Blessed are the peace-makers…You are the salt of the earth…Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Never mind being super-prudent and looking after only number one. “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you[2].”

[1] Matthew 5: 7-16.


[2] Matthew 6:33.