In the world of manuscripts, papyri and scrolls, material before the printing press, I have mentioned on numerous occasions that I’d like to be the one who wandering some cave or antique store in Turkey came across a pretty well preserved copy of the letter Paul wrote to the Laodiceans! (He told the Christians at Colossae to get it and to have the Laodiceans read his letter to them [the Colossians] – see Colossians 4:16.) Maybe it would be a type of Dead Sea Scrolls 2.0 except that the material was Christian of the 1st and 2nd centuries! Ah, one can dream!
We’ve been looking at the 2nd century document ‘The Didache’ in Bible Study – and yes, we know that this document – found in the 19th century – isn’t biblical or canonical but it has so much material that reminds us of many parts of the New Testament – particularly the Sermon on the Mount – that it gives us insights how 2nd century Christians saw their discipleship and what their behaviour in their time and place should be. I think you get a sense of how the wrestling was already happening about how to behave with regards to giving to the poor and needy and what to do about rogue itinerant teachers / prophets and ‘testing’ them (against the apostolic teaching). It also gives us insights how they taught, understood, and practised Baptism and Holy Communion. I think it is a fascinating little document.
And what comes home to us, I think, is how wonderful and active the Holy Spirit is in keeping people – no matter their language, time, or place – focused on what is important – how we are before God (sinful) – what God has done about it (through Jesus) – and how we live in this world of judgements following Jesus while confident that the final judgement is already known (‘not guilty’ for all in Jesus). We don’t have to learn the language of the time a religion came into being but Pentecost like, the Holy Spirit, keeps us anchored in the truth, keeps our eyes on Jesus. Yes, the languages of the first revelation are known and not ignored and they are translated – the Holy Spirit keeps us grounded in truth – so that we today are meeting the same Jesus who died and rose again – who comes to us through words, water, bread and wine.
Yes, there are many spins and messages about Jesus. There have been for 2,000 years. But the Holy Spirit never tires of drawing us again and again to Jesus’ cross and empty tomb, to what Jesus actually said and did, and to the apostolic messages that came from that time and which are now authoritative for us. In the 21st century we can look back and survey the teachings and meanderings of Church and, as Lutherans, see in the 16th century how important it is to keep central or foundational what Jesus did for us on the cross. That is what the Holy Spirit never wants us to lose sight of all the time – and each morning and evening as we follow Jesus.
GS