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March 11, 2001 2nd Sunday in Lent Commentary by John B. Cobb, Jr.

See also: [Year C Archive] Lenten Candle Liturgy Lent Benedictions Preaching Lent/Easter I Preaching Lent/Easter II Preaching Lent/Easter III

Psalm 27
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
Philippians 3:17-4:1
Luke 13:31-35

For process theologians, passages like these are particularly difficult. The apocalyptic element in the Bible makes little sense to us. But that does not mean that it should be denied or even belittled. We need to
recognize how important it was for many early Christians to believe that soon Christ would come again in glory and that they would be vindicated whereas their enemies would suffer the fate they deserved. It seems that only an assurance of this kind could keep many faithful in the context of suffering and oppression.

Bultmann thought that this apocalypticism was a central part of Jesus' message. Since for him, as for us, this could not be believed literally today, the task was to discover its existential meaning.

Today many biblical scholars believe that this was not a part of Jesus' own message, but a later development. Even so, noone can question that it was present in Paul and in much of early Christianity. How can we today respond to the texts, such as those for today, in which it is so prominent?

Our moves will be somewhat different from Bultmann's. Apocalypticism arises from an understanding that seeks meaning in the course of public history and not only in individual existence. Process theologians share that concern. Finding meaning in history is not easy for us, as it was not easy for the early Christians.

One way of finding meaning is to see history as ongoing progress. Even if there is no final end, the sense of being part of an improving situation and of contributing to that improvement can give meaning to individual lives.

There are those today who see the economic globalization of the planet as such a process. They think that as time passes, prosperity can come to all and our planetary problems will be solved. Many of us, however, are far less sanguine. We are more impressed by the danger of growing catastrophes as human activity undermines the habitability of the planet. We feel ourselves part of a decaying world rather than an
improving one. How can we find meaning in that?

The answer is that we live in hope. We do not project current trends into the future as some form of fate. Instead, we note that history is replete with surprises. The relatively bloodless transition of South Africa to majority rule was one such surprise. In process interpretation, God worked through some remarkable individuals to bring about an unforeseeable historical development. Because God is working in the world, we need not despair.

When we come to this position, we are not so far, after all, from our texts. The early Christians lived by hope. What they saw and felt was profoundly discouraging about the course of events. But they were assured that the deeper reality was invisible and surprising. God was acting for their good.

It is important not to obscure the difference. Although the Lucan passage could be read in a way that is fairly congruent to our present hope, the Pauline one cannot. Here there is a radical dualism of the believers and the unbelivers with drastically different destinies. The action of God appears to be quite supernatural, not working in and through creatures.

Perhaps in situations where people feel wholly powerless, this is the only way they can find hope. Perhaps they must picture God as overwhelming creaturely resistance. But we know too much today of the destructive consequences of apocalyptic thinking to allow this picture to go unchallenged.

For that reason, it is important that preachers preach against, as well as with and from, the text. Of course, in doing so, one can appeal to much else in scripture, and especially to Jesus himself. Our lay people need to know that the presence of an idea or an image in the Bible does not mean that Christians are bound to accept it today.

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