Yes, and...
In this season of Lent, we’ve been exploring encounters with Jesus, looking for the Good News in those encounters. And today, we have yet another conversation between Jesus and the religious establishment – this time a scribe, an expert in the Law.
Remember that Jesus is already in Jerusalem at this point in Mark’s gospel. He has ridden up into the Jerusalem to shouts of Hosanna – lauded as a powerful leader, palm branches and cloaks covering the road as he passed.
Just before this conversation you heard today, in and near the Temple, Jesus has been questioned and perhaps baited on a number of topics. Some pharisees and “Herodians” have asked him about paying taxes to Caesar. Some Sadducees have presented him with a tricky case study about marriage and resurrection. These are “gotcha” questions for Jesus as far as the religious authorities are concerned.
Then right AFTER the text read today, Jesus offers a teaching about sacrificial giving and then he specifically criticizes “the Scribes” “who like to walk along in long robes and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues…”
But here in the middle of all of that, there is this respectful dialogue in which a Scribe and Jesus have a meeting of the minds about what matters most.
What they agree upon is the intent of the Law.
The scribe asks Jesus which commandment is “first of all,” or most important.
Jesus takes a little bit of privilege with the question and answers with two commandments.
He begins by quoting the Shema, which in Hebrew means “hear.”
‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
This is quoted from Deuteronomy 6. The Shema is a prayer central to the practice of Judaism. It is prayed in the morning and in the evening. It is spoken over children so that it is some of the first words that they hear. It is written in a scroll tucked into the Mezuzah found on the door frames of Jewish homes. So this would have been a common understanding among the Jewish community at this time.
Jesus goes on to say that the second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The Scribe affirms this answer. Then he goes a little further than Jesus did to say that this is more important that all of the ritual practices of the tradition.
Jesus acknowledges the wisdom of this answer and goes another step in his affirmation – You are not far from the Kingdom of God.
Remember that Jesus, in all of his arguments with the Jewish religious authorities, is not arguing against Judaism. Jesus is Jewish. His teaching throughout his ministry is rooted in Jewish scripture and tradition. He is arguing with religious leaders about the priorities – the ways that the law is lived out, the way that people are cared for and respected.
Sometimes we bring our Christian worldview to the conversation and assert that Jesus was offering himself as an alternative to Judaism. But Jesus was seeking a reform – so that the people of God were honoring God with their whole lives – with their heart, mind and strength. And from that love of God, they would naturally be behaving in ways that resulted in the love of neighbor. In this way, the two commandments Jesus offers really work in unity.
Why, in the middle of so many tense debates between the religious leadership and Jesus, do we get this particular, especially civil, heart to heart exchange?
At least, that is how I read this text – a thoughtful, respectful exchange.
I believe that this conversation reveals the possibility that the religious elite were not ALL in disagreement with what Jesus was teaching and doing. And Jesus was not always in disagreement with the religious leaders just because of the office they held as religious leaders.
In our world that seems very divided these days, in a political climate where folks want to demonize entire political parties, entire income groups, entire races, Jesus and the Scribe here are setting an example for us.
They are asking from a place of curiosity.
They are listening to one another.
They are reflecting what they hear.
They are affirming common ground.
Isn’t that refreshing?
As I was thinking about this during the week, I just kept coming back to the practice of “yes, and…” which is an exercise used in improv.
The exercise is described in the “open practice library” this way:
Often when presented with a new idea, or suggestion, our natural response is to critique that idea, to review, refine, or reject it.
"Yes! And… " encourages people to accept the idea as it is, and build upon it. It can be reviewed and refined later, and compared or combined with other ideas generated during the session.
The “Yes! And…” improv principle helps teams build on other people’s ideas.
We accept ideas without judgement. Ideas are considered as stepping stones, not judged or rejected as final products.
So…to kind of recast this dialogue, the Scribe asks Jesus what commandment is most important.
Jesus replies with two – love God and love your neighbor as yourself.
The scribe responds, yes…and this is more important than all of the burnt sacrifices.
And Jesus responds, yes…and you are not far from the Kingdom of God.
Now…I know that this isn’t exactly how the exchange between Jesus and the Scribe unfolded. But my sense was an openness to the common ground between them – listen and expand on what they can agree upon.
Seems like a pretty amazing way to find common ground and move forward in that spirit.
Make no mistake that this is a “resting place” this week amid exchanges that will continue to grow more and more intense. But we must take rest where we can find it. And we ought to pay attention to an exchange so different from those that come before and those that follow.
Where are the places you might practice a little “yes, and…” this week?
Because it seems like “yes, and” might be an excellent way to actively practice loving our neighbor as ourselves.
May it be so.
Amen.
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