Prophecy or Polemic?

Thursday, December 21, 2006 -- Week of 3 Advent -- (St. Thomas)

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117
An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 938)
Psalms 50 (morning) // [59, 60] or 33 (evening)
Isaiah 9:18 - 10:4
2 Peter 2:10b-16
Matthew 3:1-12

What is prophecy and what is polemic?

Today we read two kinds of oracles from Isaiah. Both bear the marks of traditional prophecy. The first set of verses describe suffering and violence that afflicted Ephraim and Samaria ( the northern kingdom of Israel) during the first half of the eighth century BCE. Isaiah describes the wickedness like fire that burns up people on all sides. He declares this violence to be the judgment of God.

A second set of prophecies condemned the injustice of the rich and powerful "who write oppressive statutes, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right." Isaiah says that God will punish them for their greed and pride.

These passages speak of powerful and violent judgment. And there is little doubt that they bear the character of classical prophecy.

The chapter we are reading in 2 Peter is also full of judgment language. The writer speaks from the perspective of the fourth generation of Christians, when various debates over theological positions and church practices are threatening to divide the church. Writing in the form of a "last will and testament" from the dead hero Peter, an unknown church leader attacks those who he believes are threatening the church because of their skepticism about the Lord's return.

He doesn't mince words. He calls his enemies "bold and willful, ...slanderous, ...irrational animals, mere creatures of instinct, born to be caught and killed, ...blots and blemishes, ...eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin, ...hearts trained in greed, accursed children!" For me, this is polemical language, not prophecy. We will read another stomach full of it tomorrow.

The liturgical calendar regularly calls forth readings from Isaiah, and rarely from 2 Peter. Our liturgical practice seems to mark the difference.

Now we come to John the Baptist. He seems to be a combination of both prophecy and polemic. He speaks with the power and authority of an Isaiah or another of the great prophets. But his expectations of the Messiah were not lived out in Jesus. His picture of the Messiah is of one whose ax is ready to cut down and burn from the root those who do not bear good fruit. "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his thrashing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." That's not what happened.

Jesus came healing and forgiving, living the values of compassion and unqualified love. Later, a hopeful but confused John will send messengers to Jesus to ask, "Are you the one?" Jesus answers with words from the prophets that describe his ministry of compassion.

In times of conflict like ours, how do you tell the difference? When you hear powerful language, is prophecy or is it polemic?

Lowell
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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, AR