{"id":1284,"date":"2019-06-05T17:02:25","date_gmt":"2019-06-06T00:02:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/divergence\/?p=1284"},"modified":"2019-06-05T17:02:25","modified_gmt":"2019-06-06T00:02:25","slug":"some-of-my-best-friends-are-the-least-of-these","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/divergence\/2019\/06\/05\/some-of-my-best-friends-are-the-least-of-these\/","title":{"rendered":"Some of my Best Friends are the Least of These"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

With conferences like this one<\/a> still in existence, there is no respite for the weary.\u00a0 Those still residing in the two-story universe of modernity are, again, making sure we are aware of our folly.\u00a0 They need us to know that an emphasis upon caring for the physical needs of the poor and marginalized, will almost certainly compromise, ironically, the Good News<\/em>.<\/p>\n

We will say again, however, that the Good News is<\/em> social justice<\/a> and is such before it is ever anything about a life in the sweet ever-after.\u00a0 The Gospel is first what is noted in Luke 4: 14-22, before it is ever anything about going to heaven\u2014which, as NT Wright has noted<\/a>, is mostly misunderstood to begin with, anyway.<\/p>\n

I would like to consider the area of social justice (bad words to conservative evangelicals\u2014for many, it gets them more upset than the word Trump used to describe what he liked to grab when, \u201ccourting\u201d women), in the light of Matthew 25:31-46, the well known \u201cleast of these\u201d passage\u2014because it is so pertinent to the discussion.\u00a0 There is a common refrain from conservative evangelicals when it comes to this passage.\u00a0 They are quick to point out that the \u201cleast of these\u201d means either Christians or missionary Christians.\u00a0 Then, they are quick to do something else.<\/p>\n

Knowing full well this appears to be a rather self-centered reading and one indifferent to non-Christians, they let us know that, yes, everywhere else in the Bible we are told to care for the poor and marginalized, regardless.\u00a0 Still, they just don\u2019t want us to read this passage<\/em> that way.\u00a0 This always strikes me as the type of qualification we might hear from the self-unaware white guy, who, when caught in a prejudicial remark or objection, assures us that some of their best friends are, non-white.\u00a0 \u201cBut still\u2026,\u201d they add.<\/p>\n

To me, the objection seems disingenuous and self-unaware\u2014especially in light of current events and disagreements over how we should understand social justice.\u00a0 This may be the real objection: I don\u2019t like the fact this passage seems to bolster the progressive case for the priority of social justice\u2014a priority mind you\u2014even linked to our salvation.<\/em>\u00a0 No, the person objecting always wants us to know, they just really-really care about correct and proper interpretation.\u00a0 Oh, okay.\u00a0 Got it.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s consider such, then.\u00a0 There are several reasons to believe the passage is speaking of people in general, and not just Christians.\u00a0 These reasons are echoed in other sources, but I\u2019ve taken these primarily from this one<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Reason 1<\/strong>: The interpretation the least of these<\/em> are Christians\/missionaries is, textually, based upon making connections between the terms \u201cleast of these\u201d and \u201cbrothers and sisters\u201d and similar terms elsewhere in Matthew and the New Testament.\u00a0 However, as noted by Hultgren:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile cross-referencing is essential in the study of terms, it should be subservient to the study of the overall structure and content of the text at hand.\u201d (Pg. 321) And then in a footnote, Hultgren quotes E. Watson:<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one, reading Matt 25:31-46 in isolation, would suppose that its subject is the treatment of Christian evangelists.\u201d\u00a0 And, I would add, or Christians in general.\u00a0 Side note: Please then, don\u2019t make much about a, \u201cplain reading of the text,\u201d in other cases, unless one is willing to make it here.<\/p>\n

Reason 2<\/strong>:\u00a0 The term \u201cleast\u201d of these (\u03ad\u03bb\u03ac\u03c7\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03da) can be used of a disciple or Christ follower, but it is better suited to denote anyone, who, in the estimation of people in general are considered small in rank and importance.\u00a0 This would include those in need physically, who, for whatever reason, find themselves on the outside, the unfortunate ones.\u00a0 Hultgren writes:<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026it is precisely because they are not his disciples in any obvious way that Jesus can call them \u2018the least\u2019 of his \u2018brothers.\u2019\u00a0 They are \u2018the least\u2019 purely because of God\u2019s special favor for them, which Jesus here declares.\u00a0 It is certainly much simpler\u2014looking for the plainest meaning of the text\u2014to consider \u2018the least\u2019 as referring to persons who are actually and continuously despised and neglected in the course of common life, and then declared Jesus\u2019 brothers by grace alone, than to think of them as disciples of Jesus, who may or may not be despised at any time or place.\u201d (Pg. 322)<\/p>\n

The point of the first two reasons is that the interpretation conservatives are trying to make based on how the terms are used elsewhere, the textual case, is not as strong a case as they seem to think.\u00a0 And, this is the primary reason<\/em> for their interpretation.<\/p>\n

Reason 3<\/strong>:\u00a0 A common defense of the interpretation the least of these<\/em> refers only to Christians, is that the interpretation is the most common in antiquity.\u00a0 Hultgren responds:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been said that the interpretation favored here\u2026 [that the least of these are people in general] \u2026is actually not very old, and that it became important only in the nineteenth century.\u00a0 That in itself would not be cause for rejecting it.\u00a0 But it should be pointed out that it has been expressed from early times, for example, in the writings of Cyprian, Commodianus, and John Chrysostom, in the Rule<\/em> of St. Benedict, and occasionally in the works of Jerome.\u201d (Pg. 324)<\/p>\n

Reason 4<\/strong>:\u00a0 In relation to reason 3, Hultgren also points out that the interpretation the least of these<\/em> refers to all people and not just Christians, \u201cprevails in various studies of NT ethics.\u201d (Pg. 318)<\/p>\n

Reason 5<\/strong>:\u00a0 Finally, here is, I think, the strongest reason for the interpretation the least<\/em> are people in general and not just Christians.\u00a0 I will quote Hultgren at length:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe persons on the right and left are astonished to hear that they have, or have not, served the king who speaks to them.\u00a0 If the persons on the right had served the representatives of the king\u2014feeding them, clothing them, welcoming them (regardless of their being strangers), and visiting them while sick or in prison\u2014and if the representatives had been missionary disciples of Jesus, why would those on the right find that out only at the last judgment?\u00a0 If we are to adopt the view that \u201cthe least\u201d are disciples, it follows that the last judgment passage portrays a scene in which the Son of man rewards those who knowingly served him in the world, that is, those who had received and served disciples who came in his name.\u00a0 But that is precisely what we do not have<\/em>.\u201d (emphasis added)<\/p>\n

He goes on in the same section:<\/p>\n

\u201cThey did not know that the persons they neglected to serve came to them in the name of Jesus.\u00a0 And if the unfortunates never identified themselves, how are they to be distinguished from any other unfortunates of the world?\u201d\u00a0 (Pg. 322)<\/p>\n

Any textual or exegetical case, the use of terms, would have to give way to what is clearly the best, and most cogent, hermeneutical understanding of the text given the, \u201coverall structure and content of the text\u2026\u201d\u00a0 I would suggest then, that content, interior consistency, structure, and context, should over-ride conclusions derived\u00a0mostly<\/em> from the comparison of terms and their usage elsewhere.\u00a0 Further, conclusions, which go against the entire scope of Scripture when it comes to the identification of the poor and marginalized.<\/p>\n

There are many other reasons to believe the least of these<\/em> refers to people in general, in all times and places, and not just<\/em> or only<\/em> Christians.\u00a0 However, the above five are some of the more compelling.\u00a0 I readily admit the passage could be read the way conservative evangelicals believe it should be read, and such is a reasonable interpretation.\u00a0 I just don\u2019t think it the best one or, indeed, the correct one for all the reasons noted and others.<\/p>\n

Conservative evangelicals protest, it seems to me, a little too much when it comes to this text.\u00a0 On one hand, they are quick to qualify their objection by telling us they know the preponderance of Scripture compels us to do what is spoken of in Matthew 25: 31-46, for all<\/em> people, not only Christians or the \u201cGodly.\u201d\u00a0 But, on the other hand, even admitting such, they assert Matthew 25:31-46 is the exception<\/em>.<\/p>\n

To such, we should point out, not only the inconsistency and not very subtle attempt to slight the social justice movement, but also that their interpretation is not very compelling in most respects, including textually.\u00a0 But, more importantly, it is not very compelling hermeneutically, nor if we compare it to the entire ethical sweep and arc of Scripture as a whole.<\/p>\n

I have a Patreon<\/a> Page\u2014please consider supporting my writing.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With conferences like this one still in existence, there is no respite for the weary.\u00a0 Those still residing in the two-story universe of modernity are, again, making sure we are aware of our folly.\u00a0 They need us to know that an emphasis upon caring for the physical needs of the poor and marginalized, will almost […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3524,"featured_media":1290,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[605,729,732,726,602],"class_list":["post-1284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-gospel","tag-matthew","tag-parables","tag-poverty","tag-social-justice"],"yoast_head":"\nSome of my Best Friends are the Least of These<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With conferences like this one still in existence, there is no respite for the weary.\u00a0 Those still residing in the two-story universe of modernity are,\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/divergence\/2019\/06\/05\/some-of-my-best-friends-are-the-least-of-these\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Some of my Best Friends are the Least of These\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With conferences like this one still in existence, there is no respite for the weary.\u00a0 Those still residing in the two-story universe of modernity are,\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/divergence\/2019\/06\/05\/some-of-my-best-friends-are-the-least-of-these\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Divergence\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-06-06T00:02:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/1004\/2019\/06\/Poor-boy.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"426\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Darrell Lackey\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@darrelllackey1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Darrell Lackey\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/divergence\/2019\/06\/05\/some-of-my-best-friends-are-the-least-of-these\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/divergence\/2019\/06\/05\/some-of-my-best-friends-are-the-least-of-these\/\",\"name\":\"Some of my Best Friends are the Least of These\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/divergence\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2019-06-06T00:02:25+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-06-06T00:02:25+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/divergence\/#\/schema\/person\/d88a32b8d4b5f40fbd6ccbfce4e0f813\"},\"description\":\"With conferences like this one still in existence, there is no respite for the weary.\u00a0 Those still residing in the two-story universe of modernity are,\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/divergence\/2019\/06\/05\/some-of-my-best-friends-are-the-least-of-these\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/divergence\/2019\/06\/05\/some-of-my-best-friends-are-the-least-of-these\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/divergence\/2019\/06\/05\/some-of-my-best-friends-are-the-least-of-these\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/divergence\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Some of my Best Friends are the Least of These\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/divergence\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/divergence\/\",\"name\":\"Divergence\",\"description\":\"Commentary Regarding Fundamentalism - 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