Augustine and Anselm help us in how to do theology.
I do not try, Lord, to attain Your lofty heights, because my understanding is in no way equal to it. But I do desire to understand Your truth a little, that truth that my heart believes and loves. For I do not seek to understand so that I may believe; but I believe so that I may understand. For I believe this also, that ‘unless I believe, I shall not understand’ [Isa. 7:9].
Anselm of Canterbury, Proslogion, ‘The Major Works,’ 87
We don’t know exactly how the ‘woman at Bethany’ looked. Matthew, Mark, and John tell us about this woman [Mary] who poured the very expensive ointment over Jesus’ head. Our default would be to imagine a solemn moment—something like a quiet scene where the woman, with a serious face, is in slow motion as she reservedly dripped the ointment upon Jesus’ head. Perhaps there is even the light sound of a violin in the background.
We would think this way because of how we view humility. We would import the world’s misconceptions of humility that Pastor John debunked in this week’s sermon. The woman at Bethany is being humble and so she must be gloomy and timid. Right?
Revisit the scene and imagine it differently. Jesus and disciples were at a leper’s house hanging out (Matt. 26:6). The house was probably crowded with hosts and guests. Instead of a violin, the ambience was a clatter of conversations. And in came this woman, a very happy woman. She approached Jesus with a smile and dumped the costly ointment over his head with joy. It was like a party and she was reveling in showing honor to Jesus. She was caught up in the festivities so much that she was even accused by the disciples to be careless (v. 8). Jesus rebuked them, said the woman’s act was beautiful, and ensured that we’d be talking about it thousands of years later.
Humility is glad and bold and it makes us do things like this.
The ultimate manifestation of hypocrisy is to withhold the heart of God from desperate people, all the while pretending to extend it.
Richard Ganz, “Shutting Up the Kingdom” in Table Talk, Oct 2009, 15
The man who studies theology, and especially he who studies dogmatics, might watch carefully whether he increasingly does not thinik in the third rather than in the second person. You know what I mean by that. This transition from one to the other level of thought, from a personal relationship with God to a merely technical reference, usually is exactly synchronized with the moment that I no longer can read the word of Holy Scripture as a word to me, but only as the object of exegetical endeavors. This is the first step towards the worst and most widespread ministers’ disease.
Helmut Thielicke, A Little Exercise for Young Theologians, 33
May Jesus protect us from this disease. May He grant that our study be before and unto Him, that our readings be attentive to His voice, and that our papers be like prayers.
