Where The Bible Is Silent

It is a slogan we hear, “where the Bible is silent, we are silent.” It is never true. There are a lot of topics and issues where the Bible is says nothing. But that never keeps people from speaking about them. Too often I hear the argument made, “Jesus never said anything about abortion or homosexuality.” It is apparent that argument never settles anything. The Bible is silent about abortion. Yet, people try to make the Bible speak on the issue using obscure interpretations of otherwise clear texts. The Bible says nothing about a lot.

Jesus Is Silent

Jesus says nothing about homosexuality. He also says nothing about rape. His silence does not make either one permissible. But we can say the same for modern issues. Jesus says nothing about white supremacy. Why? Because white supremacy was invented centuries later. It is Paul who says in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek. Such a statement opposes any form of racial or cultural superiority including Christian culture. However that does not mean Jesus does not take sides in many disputes.

A former colleague who is now part of the Global Methodist Church declared after Charlottesville, Jesus would not take sides. Jesus is not oppose anti-Semites? She argued Jesus is only concerned about saving individual people. Somehow, in her mind, anti-Semitism is a purely political issue on which Jesus is silent.

Silence Is Not Always Golden

Silence is often taken for tacit consent. The United Methodist Church in Germany is dealing with Methodists giving tacit consent to Nazi actions. They did not do anything. How does one repent and perform acts of reconciliation when one has done nothing. Ultimately, southern Methodists did not keep silent on the issue of slavery. They gave support to it. Yet, many white southern Methodists maintain they have no reason to offer reconciliation and restoration. These folks apparently have in mind, that it is up to the descendants of slaves to forgive unconditionally. One group struggles with a history of permission by silence. The other decides to continue perpetuating evil with a new one.

The Cowardly Silent

Many people accept the logical fallacy of silence when it comes to biblical literalism. Someone asks where in the Bible does it say being gay is okay? Without such a statement, the person refuses to speak on inclusion. That is cowardly silence. Such an individual adds to the slogan, “Where the Bible speaks, we speak.” They feel like Biblical silence lets them off the hook. Speak out against an apparent evil? No direct statement from scripture condemns business leaders underpaying and mistreating their workers in other ways. Christian leaders usually say nothing about this issue. Historically speaking, they take the employer’s side by arguing the Bible upholds the value of honest labor. Wage-slavery becomes a non-issue by hiding behind the Bible. Preachers know very well what happens to those who take on the bill-payers of the local church.

The Principle Or The Text

Philemon is a personal letter to a slave owner whose slave is returned by Paul. The apostle sees returning Onesimus as the right thing to do. Pro-slavery preachers were correct that Paul upheld the law in the matter. Yet, Paul wants Philemon to be subversive on the issue. Onesimus is a slave who should be treated as a brother. Paul does not say it directly that it would be good for Philemon to release Onesimus. He should be treated with honor, has been useful to Paul, and that Paul considered keeping Onesimus with him.

Preachers misuse Philemon to support slavery and oppose labor organizing. “The Bible clearly says…” Jesus teaches the text can contradict the principle. Moses permitted divorce because of the hardness of male hearts. But the principle from the beginning married men were to regard their wives as part of their own flesh. They cannot easily discard a piece of their own bodies. The letter of the law kills. Whereas the principle gives life.