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Reflection for January 9, 2005

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Without context - we end up very much alone.

Let me quote some passages from four poems. First from Julia Ward Howe's "Battle Hymn of the Republic": I have read the fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel, / "As ye deal with my contemners, So with you my grace shall deal;" / Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel / Since God is marching on.

And now this one by Emily Dickinson: I took my Power in my Hand - / And went against the World - / 'Twas not so much as David - had - / But I - was twice as bold - // I aimed my Pebble - but Myself / Was all the one that fell - / Was it Goliath - was too large - / Or was myself too small?

And now one by the British soldier Wilfred Owen: So Abram rose, and clave the wood, and went / And took the fire with him, and a knife. / . . . And . . . Isaac the firstborn spake and said, My Father, / . . . where the lamb for this burnt offering? / Then Abram bound the youth . . . / And builded parapets and trenches there, / . . . When lo! An angel called him . . . / Saying, lay not thy hand upon the lad, / . . . Offer the Ram of Pride instead of him. / But the old man would not so, but slew his son, / And half the seed of Europe, one by one.

And finally a lighter one by G. K. Chesterton: But Noah he sinned, and we have sinned; on tipsy feet we trod, / Till a great big black teetotaler was sent us for a rod, / . . . For the curse of Water has come again because of the wrath of God, / And water is on the Bishop's board and the High Thinker's shrine, / But I don't care where the water goes if it doesn't get into the wine.

Now what are all these poets talking about? Julia Ward Howe is writing about the Civil War as a struggle to end slavery. Emily Dickinson is writing about having steeled herself to overcome life's problems only to discover she wasn't strong enough. Wilfred Owen is writing about the First World War in which, by the way, he was killed in action. Finally Chesterton is writing about an imminent Temperance Movement in England that threatens to outlaw alcohol. So they all talk about different events current in their lives.

But what do they all have in common? Each places its problem within the context of some biblical event. Julia sees the Civil War as one more of those biblical battles in which God liberates humanity. Emily sees her personal struggle within the context of David's confrontation with Goliath - except she doesn't do as well. Wilfred Owen views the First World War as one more European attempt - like Abram - to sacrifice its sons instead of its Pride. And finally G. K. Chesterton compares the Temperance Movement to another watery Deluge such as Noah experienced and hopes the teetotalers won't dilute his wine.

Referring the events of our own life and times back to the Bible is a quite common reflex among us heirs to that tradition. Why? Because the Bible has seen it all! It's full of typical events and people, defeats and victories that can throw light on our own experiences and help us better understand what's going on (except we tend to ignore its wisdom). The Gospel writers did the same thing. They could have given us a "factual" report of Jesus' career in the manner of a newspaper report or modern biography. But such a document would have left us in the dark as to who he really was. So they told his story always in the context of Old Testament precedents and images. In other words they made of it a poem, an epic. Today's passage about his baptism offers us one such example of how they did this - upon which I shall elaborate next week.

To be continued.

-- Geoff Wood