Was Jesus not always offensive to the religious establishment?
7/21/24
Lightly edited transcript:
Were Jesus' words, was Jesus, ever not profoundly offensive in the eyes and ears of the scribes and Pharisees?
According to the Gospels, always or practically always, Jesus, his words, his instructions, his example were consummately offensive to the scribes and Pharisees.
Was this deliberate on the part of Jesus? One can only estimate, and the estimate of James here is no. It was not Jesus' objective to offend the scribes and Pharisees.
It was Jesus' decision to be grasped by the important truths. And if that was going to offend some people or everyone, then he was going to offend, because his hope for helping anyone was in grasping, embodying, being grasped by, presenting the essential truths.
In listening just now to the first two Reflections on Jesianity pages, it becomes obvious to James how offensive to the ears of all but the rarest Christian leader would be those pages. How offensive and how threatening they would be to the livelihood, the careers of all Christian leaders As Jesus' words and example were threatening to the livelihood, the structure of prestige and prominence and power within which the scribes and Pharisees existed.
It has been said that it is very hard It is very hard to convince someone of something that is a threat to their livelihood. And that's the story of Jesus.
And Christianity is a reconstitution of the power structure of the scribes and Pharisees, just as threatened by Jesus, straight up, full strength, as the scribes and Pharisees were threatened by his truth, exemplified then.
Has James made any progress in understanding that those that find him offensive, Those that might endlessly work to have him see things, to see things a different way, to see things their way, to change James' mind... Has he made any progress in realizing at the time that what might be going on is not a lack of clarity on James' part, but that the truth or the view being expressed by James is a threat to the very way of life of the reader, their pleasures, the one questioning, the one challenging, the one finding offensive? Has james made any progress toward this? If so, it is marginal. you're doing your best. Maybe you can do better on this. And maybe James can.
What was stated in this log just now, that embracing Jesus is pretty much by definition to surrender one's current worldview upon which their way of life is based materially, psychologically, socially, spiritually, emotionally.
James, you can probably remember this now and maybe you should find a device to periodically remind yourself because almost always challenges, questions, and resistance will be Because the worldview upon which the one in front of you, James, is being threatened by you.
And we are masters at avoiding understanding that which threatens our worldview, our pleasures. Truth be damned.
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