As Jonah went down into the belly of the whale, then reappeared, so Jesus will disappear in death and rise again to offer salvation. What seems ironic in this short passage from Mark is that though Jesus says he will not give them a sign, he is already preparing to reveal the messianic secret of the Paschal Mystery. They focus on abstract questions but are blind to Jesus’ sincerity and empathy, his obvious holiness and his ease at instilling joy in ordinary people. These sophisticated scholars and models of legal perfection are eager to test his theology, his grasp of the Scriptures and the Law, but they ignore his acts of love and deep compassion for the suffering of people. Jesus’ response to this deliberate conundrum is one of profound frustration. Acceptance of Jesus’ teachings is secondary to accepting Jesus himself and entering into a relationship with him. They want a no-risk guarantee, which obviates the essence of real trust, that what you say and who you are is true because you say it is. They want faith without faith, to believe but only after they are certain. But they will not trust him unless he gives them some irrefutable sign. The Pharisees approach Jesus to test his claim that he is from God. No act of virtue, sacrificial offering or church ritual can make us worthy of God’s pure gift. For Luther, faith alone is the foundation of salvation. Thus begins the debate that led Martin Luther to drop the Letter of James from the New Testament. Our relationship with God depends on two things: unwavering trust and an openness to show our faith in good works. God wants us to pray and is ready to bless us, but if we keep hesitating, doubt interrupts our faith and our prayer goes unanswered. James begins his letter to the churches with a similar image. The waitress stands at the table with the carafe ready to pour, but he keeps withdrawing his cup, then offering it., then withdrawing it. “Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters” (James 1:2).Ī man is in a diner trying to decide if he wants a coffee refill.
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