Sometimes I wish Jesus were more fond of bullet points and less fond of obtuse parables. Now, I’ll grant that the parables are fun and all. Who doesn’t love reading something and deciding you know exactly what it means, and then hearing a sermon preached that says it means something entirely different. And the real kicker is that you both could be right. Fun, right? Parables, by their very nature, are open to interpretation. (Except, obviously, the ones where He just went right out and said what they meant after giving them. Those are pretty clear… well, clearish.)
But if he used bullet points or flow charts or a numbered outline format, just think how much clearer it would all be. Instead of just saying, “If you love Me, follow my commandments,” he would have said, “If you love me, follow my commandments which I’ve conveniently written down in this 5,000 page manifesto.” Sure, it might have been less popular – people have never been fond of reading manifestos – but think of all the debates it would have ended. Calvinism versus Armenianism? No argument anymore. Just read paragraph 6.7.8.56(a) which clearly states…
I don’t really want bullet points though. Not really. In an ideal world, Jesus being forthright and specific would work. In other words, bullet points would work. But this world, if you hadn’t noticed, is not ideal. People read what they want to read, see what they want to see, and do what they want to do. I work with technical paperwork on a daily basis, and it’s all bullet points, numbered paragraphs, “shalls,” “shall nots,” and “verbatim compliance,” but that doesn’t seem to help any. People still pretty much do what they want to. Language isn’t specific enough to remove interpretation from the mix.
So, if we’re interpreting anyway, why not condense that 5,000 page manifesto into a few short books with a few parables that show the heart behind the Savior? Which is, of course, what He did. I think Jesus said what He said the way He said it because His way showed intent, showed the kind of heart that a person wanting to live up to a 5,000 page manifesto would need. And He didn’t even need the manifesto to do it.
And that’s all well and good, but today I’m tired and confused by the people around me and all I really want is something in my life to be mind-numbingly simple. Obviously, that simple thing won’t be God. Bummer, no?
But if he used bullet points or flow charts or a numbered outline format, just think how much clearer it would all be. Instead of just saying, “If you love Me, follow my commandments,” he would have said, “If you love me, follow my commandments which I’ve conveniently written down in this 5,000 page manifesto.” Sure, it might have been less popular – people have never been fond of reading manifestos – but think of all the debates it would have ended. Calvinism versus Armenianism? No argument anymore. Just read paragraph 6.7.8.56(a) which clearly states…
I don’t really want bullet points though. Not really. In an ideal world, Jesus being forthright and specific would work. In other words, bullet points would work. But this world, if you hadn’t noticed, is not ideal. People read what they want to read, see what they want to see, and do what they want to do. I work with technical paperwork on a daily basis, and it’s all bullet points, numbered paragraphs, “shalls,” “shall nots,” and “verbatim compliance,” but that doesn’t seem to help any. People still pretty much do what they want to. Language isn’t specific enough to remove interpretation from the mix.
So, if we’re interpreting anyway, why not condense that 5,000 page manifesto into a few short books with a few parables that show the heart behind the Savior? Which is, of course, what He did. I think Jesus said what He said the way He said it because His way showed intent, showed the kind of heart that a person wanting to live up to a 5,000 page manifesto would need. And He didn’t even need the manifesto to do it.
And that’s all well and good, but today I’m tired and confused by the people around me and all I really want is something in my life to be mind-numbingly simple. Obviously, that simple thing won’t be God. Bummer, no?
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