The Egalitarian Gospel

Earlier (a lot earlier) on the this blog, I held forth about the famous Matthew 23 passage likely being a corrective that Matthew wished to send in Paul's direction seeing how he indulged in all sorts of patriarchal top down directives vis-à-vis church structure and the relationship of the sheep to shepherds i.e. believers to overseers. I think I made a worthwhile case, but I've been rethinking my emphasis on that passage as representing the moment that frees us from the tyranny of the clergy, the leaders, the covering -- or whatever oppressive structure your church holds to. Because it really isn't. But before all the Catholic/Orthodox people who might read this give off a sigh of relief, and truthfully, speaking to those people, you can sigh if you like, because you don't have to trot out your tired objections to readers capturing the emphatic language used by Jesus in these passages and taking his general condemnation of titles (using two examples) seriously and you don't have to put yourself in the questionable position of saying he really didn't mean that. Because this passage doesn't really set things straight in that sense at all. They didn't need setting straight. All it's doing is applying something that was central to the Gospel from the beginning, which is, "We are all equal."

Let's start with the Kingdom of God. Sounds like a hierarchy, right? Well, no. In this kingdom, everyone, least to greatest (using a human yardstick) has direct access to the King of all Kings. And no matter how the human authority structures -- from the slave owners who only let the slaves have part of the bible to the priesthood who have, for years tried to interpose themselves as mediators in people's spiritual lives -- try to tell you different, everyone gets to make a friend out of the Creator of all. It's apparently in the design from the start. It's why he created us. It's why he saved us. And it's the single most important fact of our existence. If that is so, then there is no up or down between us. I am loved by God and invited to know God. You are loved by God and invited to know God. What other criteria of human worth could there be?

On to Jesus' ministry. A few great moments: 

"Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven."

 "I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!"

"You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. Not so with you!"

What these passages emphasize is that the gateway to the Kingdom of God is the same for all (absolute humility and trust) and once you are in, there is no going back to the up-down top-down structures of the past. Those who have become like little children are not to be abused. Yes, it's tempting for those used to leading. Repent and stop it. Lay down your titles. Divest yourself (i.e. of your vestments.)

But, but, if all are equal, what will happen to our church? Indeed, what? If I am equal to the New Testament writers and greater than all the writers in the Old Testament all the way up to John the Baptist, then I can read the Bible as teaching by my peers. I can ask questions. I can disagree. If I am equal to the leaders in my church (thankfully, this is not in question at the church I attend) then I do not need them to validate anything that I believe or do. I can trust the Holy Spirit and can lean on them as equals for counsel, should I need it. 

Understanding the above, in my times of consternation at the hierarchy of these 'ancient' churches people seem to need to resort to these days, I need never to desperately wave 'Call no man father' in their faces as if it's a last ditch effort, before I see the light and convert. No need at all.