A man said to him: Talk to my brothers so that they will divide my father's property with me. Jesus replied: Man, who made me a divider? He turned to his disciples and asked them: Really, am I a divider? Saying 72, The Gospel of Thomas
This saying has been interpreted as Jesus being somewhat sarcastic, not so much from his reply to the man wanting Jesus's persuasive power to work in his behalf, but from his remark to his disciples, as if this is an inside joke and Jesus and his disciples can laugh together, leaving the questioner shut out and embarrassed. I do not see this as consistent with Jesus's way of being.
My intuition is that one or more of the disciples had been approached by the man seeking resolution of this domestic dispute, did not know what to say to him, and told him to ask Jesus for help. Jesus's reply (Man, who made me a divider?) shows that Jesus was immediately aware of the inadequacy of understanding of his disciples, his students.
This dialogue is not between Jesus and the man who felt wronged, but between Jesus and his disciples. First he wonders aloud who made him a divider, which may have set off some nervousness amongst those who did. Jesus taught unification, not division ("If one is unified one will be filled with light, but if one is divided one will be filled with darkness.").
Then Jesus focuses full attention on his disciples (those who accepted his discipline)with a strong and true teaching question, the best kind of question, one they have to answer themselves. "Really, am I a divider?"
The very question itself shows that Jesus was not trying to make fun of the man by dividing him from the disciples as an ignorant man not in the know with the "in" crowd. The question was designed to get the disciples to think and to understand.
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This saying, more than almost any other you've interpreted, shows how a single word in the translation can change the whole tone. Puzzled, I looked up this saying in Jean-Yves Leloup's translation (which is my favorite) and he has: "Turning to his disciples, he said: Who am I, to divide?"
ReplyDeleteLeloup then explains how Jesus here is intent on avoiding dualistic, judgmental thinking, by avoiding the request to "divide." Not a heck of a lot different than your own interpretation, George.
It's the word "Really" that changes the whole tone here and makes Jesus's statement more idiomatic with today's speech. Take out "Really" and the sarcastic tone disappears along with any need to explain it.
divided? divisions?
ReplyDeleteit sounds like how the Native peoples don't have a word or concept or owning or dividing land. it speaks to the lack of need for division in a world of botherhood and community.
my thoughts, geo.