I’ve been thinking a lot about stones lately.
I’m uncovering many stones while translating Luke’s Greek into English. Some come to the surface sooner than others. Others imbedded deep in the text surface only after I’ve walked repeatedly down the path of translation work.
Bent over the text, I turn the words over again and again—when lo and behold a stone or two protrudes out of the pericope. It’s all I can do not to stumble over them. Slowing my pace, I kneel and sweep the soil away from around the stone. In no time at all, I discover it’s much larger and deeper than I thought. This will take time. If stones can talk what might this one say?
Sadly, my familiarity with Luke’s gospel has been superficial—a consequence of shallow reading and skipping over the text. There’s only so much Scripture one can digest in a 10-minute quiet time at the start of the day or so much meaning a Sunday School class can unearth in fifty-minutes. Many of us are satisfied to scoop up a few phrases—like pebbles placed in our pocket—for the occasional rainy day.
John the Baptist, the one who is to clear the pathway for Jesus, warns the desert audience whom he calls a brood of vipers, to repent! Imagine his bare arms sweeping to the left and right, his voice booming forth an unbelievable warning: if you continue living duplicitous lives God will raise-up children for Abraham from the very stones found in the desert. Can you hear me? You are replaceable, dispensable! See Luke 3:3-9.
The narrative moves quickly. John baptizes Jesus. A voice declares Jesus to be God’s beloved son. Luke’s genealogy begins with verifiable persons, whom he may have met personally, then traverses slowly back to the ancient story of Adam, God’s first created son as the text says. (Luke 3:21-38)
As if right on cue, the Duplicitous One, the father of Vipers, struts into the story to do what he does best. He sets up scenarios to entrap, to cause a stumbling, to create doubt in one’s new identity, and particularly to disqualify the Beloved Son of God.
It is easy to miss the irony of the first temptation. The diábolos chooses to test the ability of this newly crowned Son of God. Can he change stones into bread? If, as John had earlier proclaimed, God could turn stones into believing and faithful humans, surely God’s newly crowned Son could tackle the tiny miracle of speaking stones into simple bread! How difficult could that be?
If he is unable to accomplish a task as easy as this, how could he possibly “reign over the house of Jacob forever” (Luke 1:33), “bring down the powerful from their thrones … feed the hungry (Luke 1:52-53), or fulfill the role of “Savior…Messiah…Lord (Luke 2:9)? Jesus didn’t fall for the trap, Instead he wisely responded, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’” (Luke 4:1-4).
In the final temptation (Luke 4:9-12) I easily surmise the diábolos has placed Jesus on the capstone of the temple, even though it’s not explicitly stated. From this pinnacle, Jesus is tested: “If you are the Son of God,” the diábolos hisses, “lean forward and let yourself freely fall. If it’s true that God is your father, God will send angels to rescue you, catching you before your precious foot even touches a stone on the ground!”
In a subtle theological move, Luke, early in the gospel has prepared his readers/listeners to not only anticipate the tragedy of misplaced trust, but to also experience the tragedy of bungled Scriptural teaching as the story of Jesus unfolds. Teachers of the law, the Pharisees, and many others who failed to heed the warnings put God to the test. The consequences were tragic as history revealed. Not one stone was left standing upon another when Rome destroyed the Temple, just as Luke has Jesus predict (Luke 21:5,6).
Decades later Peter—echoing the warnings of John and Jesus—reminded the believers scattered throughout Asia Minor that as living stones, they must be genuine. The warning is clear—God is impartial and will not tolerate duplicity. Out of our mouth we worship and bless the Lord, but out of that same mouth we curse others, our neighbors, those we disagree with, anyone who thinks differently than we. Our hearts have deceived us into complacency: Surely, as God’s beloved children, the church, there will be no judgment. We dare not put God to the test!!
Be forewarned: Rainy days are coming. The pebbles in our pockets may not be sufficient to tide us through the waters when they come. We too may be swept away in the cleansing waters and that’s a frightening thought. But, be assured, when all is said and done, God is still able to raise up worshippers who will be true and faithful—from the very stones on the ground!
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