Faith, Grace, and Hope

The other week in the Thursday Bible study, the question of why bad things happen came up. As often happens when this issue arises, no one had a satisfactory answer. From the time we are toddlers to our years as elders, “I don’t know” is the least comforting answer to the question, “Why?” The problem with “why” is not in the asking; sometimes it is in the idea that the question has an answer we can know in this life. As Jesus and his disciples walk along, they encounter a man who has been blind from birth. For the disciples, his blindness is a puzzle to be solved. He isn't a person to them yet; he is a theological case study. "Rabbi," they ask, "who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" It is such a tidy question. It assumes a universe that functions like a vending machine: you put in a certain amount of sin, and you get out a certain amount of suffering. If you can just find the cause, you can justify the effect. This is the snare in the pur...

In the musical and film versions of   Jesus Christ Superstar , there is a dramatic song-and-dance number in the first act called “Simon Zealotes.” This follows “Hosanna” (the triumphal entry into Jerusalem) and is immediately followed by “Poor Jerusalem.” “Simon Zealotes” is a very energetic song with catchy lyrics, but most of us don’t have enough historical context to understand why Simon’s proposal is a problem. On the surface, and without the details, Simon sings of the crowd’s intense devotion to Jesus: “Christ, you know I love you / Did you see, I waved / I believe in you and God / So tell me that I'm saved.” Whether acknowledging Jesus in the triumphal entry via a wave should count as belief is a whole other essay. Simon is hyped up by the people's enthusiasm for Jesus. He goes on: “There must be over 50,000 (50,000) / Screaming love and more for you (Love, love, love) / And every one of 50,000 / Would do whatever you asked them to (Ever and ever).” Is there actually a p...