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Biblical Texts (cont.)
Careless/Misleading Proof Texting
In addition to all the examples where all the significant figures are made out to be poor and oppressed discussed earlier, Claiborne and Haw quote a number of texts in ways that are misleading.
Luke 19:11-27 -- Political Satire?
The parables of the minas and the talents are very difficult for those who try to hold God accountable to human standards of fairness. In the gospel of Claiborne, there is great difficulty with teachings about taking from those who have few and giving to those who have many. Claiborne and Haw handle it in JFP with this footnote:
In light of this little fiasco in Rome, take a look at Jesus’ political satire in Luke 19:11-27. The powerful figure in Jesus’ parables doesn’t always represent God or how the kingdom works but sometimes represents the way of the world, which is why Jesus doesn’t begin this parable with the phrase “the kingdom of God is like …” (JFP 78).
At first glance, they have a point; this parable does not begin that way. But if we go over and look at the parable of the talents, that teaches the same story, we see that it does say it is like the kingdom of God. Just follow the pronouns.
ESV Matthew 25:1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom… 14"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property…
2 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles 26 -- Horrible King Uzziah
This misleading use of the text is only included because it is presented in a way that could lead readers to have their confidence shaken in the text as a “contradiction.”
There are many different perspectives on what makes a good king, and many contradictions. For instance, 2 Kings 15 says ”that Uzziah was a good king and “did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.” But flip a few pages to 2 Chronicles 26 and we hear that Uzziah was a horrible king and that the Lord struck him with leprosy, which he had “until the day he died”! (JFP 39).
Actually, 2 Chronicles 26:4 also says “And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.” There is no mention of Uzziah being anything other than a great king. His pride cost him dearly when he took it upon himself to offer incense where only a priest was allowed. This act of disobedience, paling in comparison to what good King David did, is what caused him to be stricken with leprosy.
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