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Papal Adviser: Jesus Needed Conversion from ‘Rigidity,’ ‘Nationalism’

1LoverofGod

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ROME — Close papal confidante Father Antonio Spadaro has launched the unusual hypothesis that Jesus Christ needed to be converted from a rigid, nationalistic Judaism to a more inclusive religiosity.

Commenting last week on the gospel passage narrating the healing of the daughter of a Canaanite woman (Matt. 15:20-28), Jesuit Father Spadaro said that initially “Jesus does not care” about the woman or her problems and he answers her in an “angry and insensitive” manner.

“The Master’s hardness is unshakeable,” the priest declared, because mercy “is not for her. She is excluded. There is no discussion.”

When she desperately appeals to him again, Jesus “replies in a mocking and disrespectful way” because he is “blinded by nationalism and theological rigor,” Spadaro asserted.

When the woman abases herself still further, she finally manages to get through to Jesus, breaking through his “rigidity” so as to “convert” him, the priest added.

So yes, the woman’s daughter is healed of her complaint but perhaps more importantly “Jesus also appears healed, and in the end shows himself free from the rigidity of the dominant theological, political and cultural elements of his time,” he proposed.

“Here is the seed of a revolution,” Spadaro concluded, as the Canaanite woman succeeds in opening Jesus to an inclusive vision of a church reaching the peripheries.

Continued:

 
Jesus was the fulfillment of Jewish law and in his ministry was trying to help Israel as a nation to move into inclusivity for everyone who believes in Jesus Christ, as the Old Testament predicted:


He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me.
I will make you a light to the Gentiles,
and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.

Isaiah 49:6



And He was a light:


When Jesus heard this [the faith of a gentile Roman Officer], he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 8:10-11


And He is love:


“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.


“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
John 3:16-21


And Jesus invites all:

But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
Acts 9:15



The inclusive 'religion' (rather invitation for relationship with God, Jesus Christ) is already here, been here for approximately 2,000 years, all are invited, they just need to accept this invitation via simple, dependent faith in Jesus Christ.


We see the beginnings of this in this story, where Jesus, who's ministry was to the Jew first (with the plan to be Christ's light through them to the whole world...which some were, like the Apostle Paul) took some time for a break and in His grace and mercy healed a Gentile woman's daughter, even though his earthly ministry focus was for the nation of Israel..at the time.... (after, while in heaven, His ministry continues through His Church, inviting all to come to Him who are thirsty for His righteousness). This exchange is not a harsh master, who's unfeeling but rather Jesus is cultivating and bringing out the faith of this woman. For in Hebrews 11:6, God says it's faith that's pleasing to God And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him:


The Faith of a Gentile Woman​

21 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.”


23 But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.”


24 Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”


25 But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!”


26 Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”


27 She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”


28 “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.

Matthew 15:21-28


Notice the tender address of Jesus to this woman.... 'Dear woman'. And, keep in mind the fact that Jesus, a man (and God) in this time period, speaking to a woman was a very respectful, gracious and kind act....women were not treated respectfully and that included even talking to them. It was the disciples (still needing the Holy Spirit yet to come to have more compassionate hearts) that were were urging Jesus to tell her to go away....but Jesus ignored them, their suggestions and instead began to converse with her. He stayed, He saw her, He listened to her....He cared, there was a discussion and while her daughter was healed, you better believe this woman's heart was transformed as well. Her story probably prepared her town and all who encountered her for the Gospel that most likely made it's way there through the Apostles and the church.

It's always Jesus who does the transformation of the heart, never the other way around. To reverse this is to demean Jesus and His deity.... and any attempt to do so is a red flag of a false prophet.



This article reminds me of Jesus warning his disciples of the blind leading the blind and boy, is there major blindness here if not demonically inspired slandering of Jesus Christ! It's interesting that Jesus is described as a harsh master by this person, Jesus spoke of one who said something similar in Matthew:

“The one who had received one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a harsh and demanding man, reaping [the harvest] where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed. So I was afraid [to lose the talent], and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is your own.’


“But his master answered him, ‘You wicked, lazy servant, you knew that I reap [the harvest] where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter seed. Then you ought to have put my money with the bankers, and at my return I would have received my money back with interest. 28 So take the talent away from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’


“For to everyone who has [and values his blessings and gifts from God, and has used them wisely], more will be given, and [he will be richly supplied so that] he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have [because he has ignored or disregarded his blessings and gifts from God], even what he does have will be taken away. And throw out the worthless servant into the outer darkness; in that place [of grief and torment] there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].

Matthew 25:25-30 AMP
 
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