Psalm 36:5-10

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Do you remember the movie Eat Pray Love? Julia Roberts, one of my favorite actors, stars in this journey to find healing after a devastating divorce.  She portrays Elizabeth Gilbert who travels to three different countries, EXPLORING THE JOY OF EATING (Italy), THE SEARCH FOR FAITH AND MEANING (India) AND POSSIBLY THE HOPE OF TRUE LOVE (Indonesia).  Before seeing the movie I read the book shortly after my divorce and found it enlightening and enjoyable.  So when the sequel came out several years ago, I picked it up straight away.  Interestingly enough it is called Committed, A skeptic makes peace with Marriage.  It is a wonderful book challenging and ultimately supporting marriage in almost a roundabout way.  The premise of the book is that the man she met during the love chapter of the first book is now someone who she shares a committed and loving relationship with.  But since both had endured painful divorces neither one was much interest in marrying a second time.  But Immigration and Home Land Security become involved in the story and this delightful yet doubtful couple find themselves needing to marry in order to reside together within the bounds of the US.

Towards the end of the story after many adventures with cultural ideas about marriage Gilbert explores an intriguing premise – one that I think might be fascinating for us to grapple with.  She proposes two ways of being- traced back to two cultures fundamental to who we are today.  I guess you could call them world views; one taken from the glory days of ancient Athens known as the Greeks and the other coming from a more Hebrew perspective.  Intrigued with these two opposing views which are not only the two languages of the Bible- with the Old Testament written in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greek, but also a two distinct ways of being that seem to dance and collide in our culture all the time.

Let me confess right out front this is out of the norm for me- to start with a cultural worldly idea and then find scripture to inform the topic.  A practice that I was taught at Princeton was not theologically sound.  Yet I do believe that it can shake things up a bit and offer a new way to see the world and hopefully our relationship with God.  You see philosophers have argued about these two world views which are the bedrock of Western Culture.   The one you resonate with most strongly determines how you see and live life.

Gilbert has a way of simplifying philosophy into a very clear dichotomy.  She writes, “We have inherited our ideas about secular humanism and the sanctity of the individual from the Greeks.  They gave us all our notions about democracy, equality, personal liberty, scientific reason as well as intellectual freedom open-mindedness and what we might call “multiculturalism.” The Greeks perspective on life therefore, is sophisticated and exploratory, always leaving plenty of room for doubt and debate” (pg. 250 Committed).

“On the other hand, there is the world view of the Hebrews, not to be mistaken for strictly Jewish, but rather including the ancient world view that is all about tribalism, faith, obedience and respect.  This way of thinking is clannish, patriarchal, authoritarian, moralistic, ritualistic and suspicious of outsiders.  Hebrew thinkers see the world as clearly between good and evil, with God always firmly on “our” side.  Human actions are either right or wrong.  There is no gray area.  The collective is more important than the individual, morality is more important than happiness and vows are inviolable” (pg. 251 Unbreakable).

She goes on to argue that “modern Western culture has somehow inherited both these views even though they are not reconcilable.  American society is therefore a funny amalgam of both Greek and Hebrew thinking.  Our legal code is mostly Greek; our moral code is mostly Hebrew.  Our sense of fairness is Greek and our sense of justice is Hebrew.”  Then as she tries to put this all together around the issue of marriage she declares: “The perfect Greek lover is erotic; the perfect Hebrew lover is faithful.  Passion is Greek; fidelity is Hebrew.”  Even our vows around marriage are based on faithful lifelong commitment- a Hebrew concept- but the prevalence of divorce states we are still quite Greek in our individualistic thinking.

Which are you- are you finding yourself more in the Greek camp, or are you more attuned to the Hebrew way of thinking?   Of course there is no right or wrong only preference and when we understand how we see the world and maybe even how our close relatives do as well, we might discover some insight into how to get along better.

Of course this way of thinking affects other areas of our life as well.  I remember a time when two friends had been working on a project together and they got a request for two specific and identical items to be made and sold to the person asking for the items.   It was a very straightforward business  deal.  But into the mix relationship, favoritism, and personal preference came to the fore when someone else wanted one of the new items being offered.  Now the question at hand was do we honor the first agreement, be faithful to our word, be Hebrew, or does the person who made the item have the right to sell them to whomever he wants, because in the end he had made it and it belonged to him- Greek thinking.  Well I must tell you that simple discussion over how to handle that concern blew up in their faces causing tension for all concerned.   I would venture to guess this was not the first time this dichotomy played out between these two friends.  I think one thinks more like a Hebrew and the other more like a Greek.  Both sides have merit, but what we are really discussing here are world views starting from two very different perspectives.

Our Psalm lesson speaks about this cohesive relationship with God and God’s people, the Hebrews.  Did you hear the steadfast, faithful, righteous and caring relationship between God and the whole people?  In the passage- it is not about the individual, but about all those who are faithful to God and how God offers the fountain of life for all.   But there is a proviso all must be faithful, united, and obedient to God.  It really does speak to this Hebrew way of thinking.  But there is a great deal of comfort and clarity in the absolutes of knowing- right from wrong, good from evil, part of God’s people or not.  Most of us want this kind of faithfulness and loyalty in our lives, but it does not always work that way.

A friend of mine told me about a family crisis.  Her father-in law is leaving his wife for another woman.  Now this happens often enough, but the twist to the story is that his wife has Alzheimer and he cared for his wife for several years but has now started dating someone else.   My friend felt betrayed and like her father–in-law abandoned the family. I reminded her that I am sure to his very Greek way of thinking he is simply looking out for himself.  He is placing personal needs ahead of loyalty and faithfulness and that is not sitting well with my friend.  Now most of us would expect the husband to be loyal, but what is at issue is the world view, more than a moral fiber.

Please don’t take the Greek view to be simply selfish, but to see the value it brings to the table.  But this Greek /Hebrew dichotomy can also play out in the political realm, where some see every decision only in the way it would affect them- a very Greek way of thinking.  While others see a more holistic community and ask what might be better for all concerned, thereby favoring the Hebrew way.

Finally let us look at our New Testament lesson.  If we use the “Hebrew” instead of “Jew” for the larger world view, then the Hebrews demand signs, meaning show us what is right and wrong, prove to us that you are our God and then we will be obedient.  But the Greek want wisdom- looking for answers, debate and pursuit of knowledge, rather than faithfulness.  But in the end, no matter which side of the coin you fall, Greek or Hebrew, neither of them matter when you have been claimed by Christ.  For Christ crucified is a stumbling block of the Jews and foolishness for the Gentiles.   What are your stumbling blocks to faith?  What stands in your way of truly turning your will and your life over to God through Christ?  Maybe you are more Greek in nature and see following Christ with complete abandon as a threat to your individuality and personal autonomy.  Maybe you would rather trust in your own smarts, your own wisdom on how to live your life.  But hear the powerful words of scripture- “God’s foolishness is wiser than any human wisdom and God’s weakness is stronger than any human strength.”   When we stand in the shadow of the cross all our individual and personal power is naught- rather we are to live in the light and love of God through Jesus Christ.  But those who do not have faith, don’t know Jesus, then the cross is only foolishness.  Thank God that is not so for us.  We live in God’s wisdom and we know that when we come to God with our weakness we will be made strong- maybe not in a worldly sense but certainly in a spiritual way.

No matter if you are more Greek or Hebrew one thing is certain, God is faithful and strong, just and loving.  God also appreciates and knows who you are as an individual and invites you into the community of faith.  God is beyond labels, and devoting oneself to God through Christ is anything but foolishness.

 

Let us Pray:  God of Wisdom and God of Justice hear our prayer.  Help us to be able to trust in you completely- letting go of our fierce individualism and becoming even more deeply devoted and faithful to you.  Amen.