Mark 2:1-12, Let’s Dialogue! Or Not! (1)

The Greek term dialogizomai (v) / dialogismos (n) we should understand.  The act of dialogue and the subject of a dialogue is something we do a lot.  We dialogue about the weather, politics, what to have for dinner, the Dodgers, religion, philosophy, and much more.  By definition “dialogue” requires 2 sides (two people, or two viewpoints in my brain, etc.).  A review of Scripture will show us that dialogue often (usually?) had a negative side.  The verb is defined as to consider, ponder, reason; consider & discuss, argue; the noun refers to a thought, opinion, reasoning, design; doubt, dispute, argument.

·       Mt 15:19; Mk. 7:21(nn): From the heart comes evil thoughts, and other things.  The first potential problem is that our “reasonings” may be faulty, concluding that we should make choices that are evil.  Remember that when this word is translated “thoughts” these are thoughts that we have after some degree of back-and-forth consideration in our minds.  Our hearts are sinful, thus our reasonings will tend towards sinful conclusions.  We might, for example, make lists of the positives and negatives about an issue, but forget that the general pride that pervades the natural mind has torpedoed the whole dialogue from the start.

·       Matt 16:7f; Mk. 8:16f(vvvv): Jesus’ disciples reasoned among selves about the "leaven of the Pharisees, Sadducees"; Christ asks them why they reason about it.  Ah!  Here is a dialogue, among the disciples, that we sometimes call “pooling the ignorant.”  This happens often in discussions at “Bible” studies and Sunday School classes.  They were trying to figure out what Jesus was talking about without simply asking Jesus.  So Jesus entered the dialogue by Himself.

·       Matt: 21:25; Mk. 11:31(vv): Jesus asked the leaders about baptism of John, from "heaven or men"? They reasoned, "if we say this, etc, if we say that, etc."  Sometimes dialogue is faulty because we are limited to only two possible ideas.

·       Mark 2:6,8; Lk. 5:22(vvv): Jesus forgave the paralytic; some scribes reasoned among themselves how He could do this. Jesus perceived their reasoning.  This dialogue was good in the sense that it was prompted by Jesus, to get them to think.  It at least says they were listening and thinking. 

·       Mk 9:33(v): Jesus asked what His disciples had reasoned about (who is greatest).  Quite possibly this discussion was prompted by pride. 

·       Lk 2:35(n): Christ for falling and rising of many that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.  This is a critically important passage.  Jesus was the “revealer of hearts,” and one major purpose of His teaching was to make people dialogue (with themselves and among themselves).  As you read the Gospels you should keep this in mind.  He made people think, and the outcome of their thinking reveals what is actually in their hearts.

(We will need another post to conclude this.)