Thoughts on Patriarchs Part One

Hi ladies!

So, I am hoping that this post is finding everyone already deep into the readings for the next session: PATRIARCHS--Part TWO, which carries us from where we left off last class in Genesis 24/25 (the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah and the death of Abraham) and brings us all the way to the end of Genesis (chapter 50!). But before we leave behind the incredible narratives of Abraham's life, I wanted to go ahead and summarize some of the important Truths that have come out in our discussions over the past two weeks. 

(Remember that these are the questions and Truths that popped for me, and are not necessarily the ones that popped for you. So, PLEASE add your own comments and aha! moments in a new Post or added to a new Comment to share with all of those who have not been able to join us in person!)

The most intriguing one for me so far is discovering that in particular, these chapters in Genesis from the Creation narrative all the way through the life and times of Abraham, have been the subject of fascinating theological debate, interpretation, re-interpretation and sometimes quarrelsome parlaying--both formal and informal--for...well, for EVER.  These have occurred (and continue to occur) between and among the greatest philosophers, teachers, and apologists throughout all religions and even amongst the most distant scholars of secular thought, anthropology, literature and science!  And so it seems true that, in the words of our rabbi friends: "...there is no right answer--it is ALL speculation!! Every last one of them..."  

And that's ok.

Over these past two weeks, I've begun to grasp--and maybe even despair a little--that, when it comes to understanding what "really" happened in the Garden and then progressively "east of Eden", upon the mountains of Moriah, in the lands of Nimrod and Shinar and Shechem and Ur...when or why or for how long, I may never know. Even if I were to gain the knowledge of all the "giants" of all the church that have gone before me--those great men and women of truly enviable intellect, experts of ancient languages, lost cultures, social-political history, and long-forgotten practices...I may still never "get it right."

And that's ok.

For awhile there, I have to be honest that I was getting a bit lost in the forest for the trees. As Lorraine can attest to (from the many long and whiny phone calls I made to her), I was truly anguished in my incapability to fully uncover, to fully "understand", to get a solid grasp on what really happened in the Garden of Eden--like, honestly, what did Adam and Eve do that was so heinous that would deserve being booted out of Paradise and literally kickstart humankind's long spiral downward...in life span, in health, harmony, and hope in God...? and What was so "wrong" with Cain's offering and so "right" with Abel's that it resulted in a raging brother-feud ending in mortal conflict and exile--what is that "something" now instilled in us (or maybe "lost" by us) from our breakdown in the Garden, that will cause this scene to be repeated over and over again (in heart and in act!) throughout the history of mankind's furious battle of brother against brother? Oh and what the heck did Ham do to the stuporous Noah that caused Noah to wake up and curse his grandson Canaan?? Like, I can totally imagine the shocked look on Canaan's face when he heard HE was the one being cursed by his granddad. But then again...maybe he wasn't so shocked because, like some teachings in the Talmud infer, maybe Canaan himself was intimately involved too (sodomous orgy with daddo and granddaddo??) or maybe not even there yet (progeny of incestual act between Ham and his...MOM???...well, now, the shocked look was definitely on my own face when I read that one...)  Oh and How did Abraham manage to find the One True God amongst the HUGE plethora of pagan gods in his own world--and then stick with Him even to the point of willingly bringing his long-awaited and promised son to death's door...by his own sword? I totally get that God will speak to whomever is listening but...was no one else listening? Were Noah and Shem and Abram-before-he-was-Abraham all just amazing lone rangers in an otherwise completely messed up world? And what about our Isalmic brothers who believe Ishmael was the promised-almost-sacrificed-on-Moriah son--and not Isaac? Whoa...is this all merely convenient-for-us story-telling? or is there a deeper thread that courses through--and beyond--it all...? 

So, in lieu of dismissing everything as poorly written literary fable (and thus dangerously risk dismissing all or even part of the rest of Scripture as such as well), I finally came to terms with the fact that I, in my wee little brain, will never fully know--nor need to know--exactly where these stories come from, nor do I need to know the explicit (albeit interesting!) historical or political details from which they formed. In fact, the only thing I DO need to grasp from these narratives is that, like throughout ALL of God's love-inspired words to us, there are so many many HolySpirit pearls pouring from them--pearls about life and relationship, about mind sets and perspectives, about falling and getting up again then falling and being lifted instead, about deception and trust, about death and life, about despair and true hope in the midst of confusion and misunderstanding and loss...about God and about man, and about man with (and without!) God, but most importantly about God with man...no matter through which man, in what era, through what event.

And that is SO ok!

I came across a story I had heard long ago--about one of the greatest apologists of all time, St Augustine of Hippo. Here is a part of the article and short commentary:

As the legend goes, once St. Augustine was walking on the beach, contemplating the nature of the Holy Trinity. He had been working for over thirty years on a grand treatise, De Trinitate, in which he sought to explain the rationality of the Trinity. After all, the Holy Trinity is a difficult subject that many people simply have a hard time grasping. And he, being a rational person who was one of the best apologists that the Catholic Church has ever had, hoped that he could be the one to explain it!

As he was walking along the beach, he saw something a bit odd and he stopped to take a look. A boy was running back and forth from the ocean to a spot on the beach, carrying water in a seashell, and dropping the water in a little hole in the sand not too far off.

“My boy,” said St. Augustine. “What are you doing?”

“I am trying to bring all the sea into this hole!” the boy said with a big smile.

St. Augustine looked at the hole, which was tiny, and said, “But that is impossible, my dear child. The hole cannot contain all that water. It is too small.”

“It is no more impossible than what you are trying to do — comprehend the immensity of the mystery of the Holy Trinity with your small mind!”

St. Augustine stopped at his words and glanced away from the boy, surprised by the boy’s response. When he turned back to the boy, he had vanished.

Some say that the child was an angel sent by God to give St. Augustine a reality check...

There is something to be said about letting go and trusting in God, even though there are some things that you just don’t understand! As much as I like apologetics and reasoning through the faith, and as much as I adore the scientific method...God sometimes works in supernatural ways that our brains, which are wired for the natural way of life, have difficulty of even conceiving.

For example, just consider the idea of eternity. Our lives are so dependent on time that it is hard for us to think of God being outside the dimension of time. So, we’ll say things like, “God was here for me at this time of my life… why is He not here for me at this time?” But for God, time doesn’t really mean anything. If He’s there for you at one time, that might mean that He’s there for you for all time! Is that confusing enough? And then one of the most common questions that many agnostics and atheists who struggle with Christianity ask is, “Why did Jesus choose to come at that point of time and let so many suffer in the meantime?” And the answer? Only God knows… because time for Him, an eternal being, is different for us to even try to comprehend.

And so is it with many things about God. We simply can’t understand some things… though we may wish we can...

And perhaps this is a good thing. After all, yes, reason can carry us through a huge amount and help guide us through many tough situations. For many of us who have struggled with questions of doubt about God, like myself, reason has helped bring us closer to God. It is absolutely necessary for us to do our best to develop ourselves intellectually and to use our God-granted intelligence to guide us through certain situations that may not be completely clear.

Yet, at the same time, we should never forget that, at the end of the day, we need to trust in God. Because there will always be something that we cannot understand.

And so, for me, the biggest Truth I came to for these past sessions is this: will I ever be able to fully understand or grasp every nuance and teaching and implied meaning behind the narratives in Genesis or throughout the many stories, parables, events, teachings found in Scripture? No. Absolutely not. But I can listen to what Truths the HolySpirit is speaking INto me through them for my circumstance right now...and listen to what Truths He is speaking into and through every one of us as well.  And in that way, maybe we can all get just a little better understanding of the God who loves us enough to stick with US...even to the point of dying...for us.

And that is an awesome Truth indeed. In the wonder-filled words of David, I find myself asking:

'Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that Thou hast brought me thus far?'

Ok, enough for now. I guess I'll stop here and let everyone else share what has hit you "thus far" these past few weeks? Share! don't forget that there are many of us who cannot join in on our classes each week and are hoping to hear a little of what HolySpirit pearls we might have uncovered along our journey together!

Love, love love

maggie