Justify

It happened that when He went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching Him closely. And there in front of Him was a man suffering from dropsy. And Jesus answered and spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?" But they kept silent. And He took hold of him and healed him, and sent him away. And He said to them, "Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?" And they could make no reply to this. Luke 14:1-6 NAS95

Recently I sat in a church service where the pastor was speaking along the lines of Job’s statement “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” His message was missing the point altogether, but that is another subject. He was trying to apply the principle to something unrelated to the passage.

Today I was talking to an individual about doing something later today. It is Sunday and we both agreed that we would have to get the “ox out of the ditch. Then they said something odd, they said or the lamb. I was taken back by the comment “or lamb.” I asked where they had heard “lamb” as an animal in the ditch? They asserted it was while listening to a Bible app as they read.

I was intrigued by this possibility, so I asked a few more questions and then got into the office and began searching. I looked for the translation that had done this dubious translation of the Greek. I was ready to write a scathing letter to the translators. I was irate. The Greek is clear, sort of anyway, in that there are two possible texts for the first of the two listed lifeforms that fall into the pit, or well. In fact, it is not even a ditch as I have heard so often in my life. The two possible scenarios are “son” or child and donkey. The third is clearly the ox.

I spoke to the individual again and let them know there were no sheep in the story. Then the justifications began. “I know the reader said sheep,” they declared. Then it was “Maybe I heard wrong, but I am sure they said “sheep.”” Then, “I could be wrong, but it is an interesting idea.” Then we discovered it wasn’t the Luke passage at all they were referring to, it was Matthew 12:11

And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? "How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Matthew 12:11-12 NAS95

By now you might be wondering where I am going in all this, I understand. Here is what is behind this tale, just like the pastor in the first paragraph we try to justify ourselves when we are wrong. Myself included. I was wrong about the translation, but I studied to prove my point. My friend whom I declared wrong, wanted to exonerate themselves (I am glad they did).

In politics, it is called “spin.” Retell the information in a new way to make it plausible, or less damaging. Really it is about justifying a mistake. We all make mistakes. Stop trying to justify your mistakes. Own up to them, forget them, and start over with knowledge of how to do it right.

When we think about “justify” in theological terms it is justification. Read Romans 5: 1-21 for a good discourse on being “justified.” When I think in theological terms one of the things that comes to mind is “to be justified is to be “just” as though it never happened.” That is what I was told many years ago, and it is still true today. When we are justified by faith it wipes the past away, and we get a clean slate.

When we are trying to justify our position, like the preacher in paragraph one, or me with the “lamb” we are looking for a way to make ourselves “right.” I owed an apology to my friend, which I gave. The preacher? I gave him grace. I have been there when preaching a sermon before, and maybe I missed something.

Rather than trying to justify ourselves, I challenge you to “own it,” and move on. It is a whole lot easier to admit a mistake than trying to justify yourself.