Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.” – Acts 15:5

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 23, 2017): Acts 15

In hindsight, the presence of the Magi in Bethlehem was signaling something that would take years for us to really understand. And we still struggle with the message. It was also part of the angel’s words to the shepherds. “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10). The radical idea exists at the tail end of the sentence – “all the people.” Judaism had become entrenched both in its racial and socio-economic traditions. Gentiles, which includes the Magi of Bethlehem, were not welcome participants in religious activity of Israel; unless they were willing to convert to Judaism and submit to the Law of Moses, which included circumcision, something that was considered to be immodest to many Gentile cultures. In the same way, Judaism’s strict series of laws had become so overwhelming that unless you were a person of wealth, it was impossible to keep all of the Law. This concept is presented in the song “If I Were a Rich Man” from “Fiddler on the Roof.”

If I were rich, I'd have the time that I lack
To sit in the synagogue and pray.
And maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall.
And I'd discuss the holy books with the learned men, several hours every day.
That would be the sweetest thing of all.

Judaism had become a system of exclusions. The Magi, representing the Gentiles, and the Shepherds, representing the poor, both being invited to witness the birth of the child who was the Messiah threatened to upset all of the exclusions that had been built into Judaism. And we still struggle with the idea of combining inclusion and faith.

After the inclusion present in the early days of Jesus life, and the message of inclusion preached by Jesus during his ministry, the Council at Jerusalem marks a radical new beginning for the Christian Church. It is interesting to note that at least some of the Pharisees who had fought against Jesus during his ministry, had accepted Jesus as Messiah and were now working inside the Christian Church. But the idea of exclusion was still present.

As the Council of Jerusalem begins, the stakes were extremely high. There were two possible outcomes to this battle. One was that the Pharisees would win the war and Christianity would forever exist as a subset within Judaism. This result would mean that all of the exclusions that had been built into Judaism would also remain in force in Christianity. The inclusion that Jesus had lived and taught would be forever lost.

Or, Christianity would be removed from the exclusions of Judaism and be able to practice a radical inclusion that, 2000 years later, we are still trying to figure out how to do. This movement would be led by a former Jewish Pharisee named Paul. In the end, it is Paul who wins the day. And a radically inclusive church that would dare to welcome both shepherds and magi becomes a real possibility, although it is an idea for which we still need to be willing to enter the battle.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Acts 16