Wouldn’t You Love to Know?
Delving into the Bible is a wonderful way to stay connected with God, our Creator. It is a source of wonder, comfort and enlightenment. It has been described as “God’s love letter” to us. However, sometimes I find it tantalizingly cryptic. I am certainly not questioning God’s wisdom, and my intention is not to be sacrilegious, but there are many times when what is not written leaves me with the desire to flesh out the story.
For instance, in Genesis 3, when Eve is beguiled by the serpent, what was Adam doing while she was being tempted? We are told (verse 6) that he was there with her, but there is no mention of him saying anything. Eve is the guilty party, but I would like to think that he might have reminded her what God had said to him (2:17) before she came along: “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” I wish I knew why he kept silent. Wouldn’t you love to know?
In Matthew’s gospel, when Joseph becomes aware of Mary’s pregnancy and he is visited by an angel of the Lord in a dream, he obediently complies with the instruction to take her as his wife. In spite of the important role he is to play in bringing up God’s Son, he remains a shadowy figure and we never hear one word from him. What did he say to the angel, and what did he say to Mary? Wouldn’t you love to know??
We know almost nothing about Jesus’ youth, apart from the one account of him at the age of twelve when he astounded the teachers in the temple with his questions. How about an account of him working with Joseph in their workshop, or what he said to his parents when he left home to begin his ministry? Wouldn’t you love to know?
We know that Jesus and John the Baptist were related, and Luke’s gospel gives us a detailed account of Mary’s visit to John’s mother Elizabeth when they were both pregnant. The only encounter recorded between the two cousins is when John baptized Jesus in the Jordan. How about their childhood? Did they play together sometimes? Did they get along? Wouldn’t you love to know?
Something which has intrigued scholars for two thousand years is what Jesus wrote on the ground after the woman caught in adultery had been brought to him by the Pharisees and the scribes. Was it just a doodle, or something significant? Wouldn’t you love to know?
The story of the feeding of the 5000 appears in all four gospels, and there are common elements in every account. There was lush grass to sit on, there were five loaves and two fish, all ate and were satisfied…and there were twelve baskets of leftover food. So, where did the baskets come from and what did they do with the food fragments? Wouldn’t you love to know?
Of course, the God-breathed words of the Bible are perfect as they are, and I am not suggesting otherwise. I believe my curiosity is simply a way of reflecting upon scripture, and at times it can be fun to let one’s imagination go. However, we don’t need to wrestle with difficult concepts on our own. Digging into a passage with others is a great way to ask questions and share insights. We do not need to be experts, but simply need to be open to listening and participating. Opportunities to gather in person or on Zoom are part of life at All Saints’, and well worth the effort to take part. Check out the ASW Event Details and Resources page for future group studies… you won’t regret it.
PRAYER
Grant to me, O Lord, to know what is worth knowing, to love what is worth loving,
To praise what delights you most, to value what is precious to you,
And to reject what is evil in your eyes.
Give me true discernment, so that I may judge rightly between things that differ.
Above all, may I search out and do what is pleasing to you; through Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen.
(Thomas A Kempis C1389-1471)
