“The problem of corporate guilt”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Thursday, December 26, 2024

Matthew 23: 34-39 (Forward, p. 58) CEV p. 1014

Here is one of those conundrums that the Bible sets forth but never totally resolves. To begin with, on several occasions, we hear that a certain proverb is often quoted as being authoritative: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge” (Jeremiah 31: 29 and Ezekiel 18:2). That idea harkens back to the old covenant that God had made with His people Israel and speaks of how God reserved unto Himself the right to punish the rebellion of the parents even to the third or fourth generation (see Exodus 20:5; 34: 7; Numbers 14:8; Deuteronomy 5:9). That is why this proverb speaks of the parents eating the sour grapes but their impact being felt even unto future generations. We see some vivid illustrations or examples of this in the Hebrew Scriptures. For instance, the sin of Achan was visited even upon his entire family (see Joshua 7).

But then the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel tell us that this will no longer be the case with the new covenant that God is establishing with Israel.

Everyone will be held accountable only for their own sins, their own deeds.

So, then, what about Jesus’ words in today’s denunciation of Jerusalem and its people? He is holding them accountable for a whole raft of errors and inequities, even of all the murders of good persons from the time of Abel to the time of Zechariah. So, how can this be? It is precisely because they are continuing in the very same pattern and behaviour as their ancestors, as is evidenced precisely in the incident that we remember today, namely the martyrdom of St. Stephen.

How, then, can this apply to us? Or indeed, should it? Often today we hear of the descendants of the ‘settler’ generation being blamed for their ancestors’ behaviours and policies, so, in light of what Jeremiah and Ezekiel said and what Jesus exemplified, should this be? Should people in this present generation be blamed, or share the guilt, for things that happened so long ago?

I think that the answer lies in Jesus’ words to the people of Jerusalem, namely, in His suggestion that they were merely continuing with the policies and behaviours of their ancestors. So, what about us? Here some very searching historical and personal examination is necessary, for the answers are not necessarily simple or easy to ascertain. Here are some things to consider:

Our ancestors are labelled as racist, and in terms of much of modern

thinking this would be true. However, two things need to be

considered if we are to bring this into a proper perspective:

-thinking that the British Empire, the British civilization and way

of life, and the British people themselves were superior was

the name of the game back then. It was merely assumed in

much of the world, even by those who were in its colonies.

Many of its practices were merely taken up and practiced by

them as a matter of course.

-almost every cultural or ethnic group feels itself to be better or

superior in some way, those from India for instance, or the

Japanese or the Chinese. Even here in Canada with my work

on a Native Youth Committee of the Alberta government, I

noticed a distinct sense of pride in one’s own tribe or people,

and certain distain toward certain others (the Blackfoot and

the Cree, for instance, with the Slavies).

-so, here then, is a difficult question, something to agonize

over: how do were maintain, and celebrate our ethnic or

cultural traditions without somehow thinking they’re better

and without diminishing the others.

-here, perhaps, what we need to do is to listen, to listen

carefully, and to learn to understand and appreciate other

cultures and their perspectives on life.

Our Christian religion is attacked for being arrogant and unaccepting of other faith traditions, and yet almost every faith tradition in the world thinks that theirs is best, and seeks to propagate it--or at very least to preserve it. One of our problems the world over today is that

certain faith groups feel under attack (the Hindus in India, for

instance, or Buddhists in Myanmar (Burma), or Jews in Israel or elsewhere, or evangelical Christians in the United States) and so try

to establish ways to inhibit other faith groups in the practice of their

religion.

-here, then, careful listening is probably in order. An amazing

thing that we might find in so doing is that God has a voice,

speaks, through various traditions—and was often there long

before our Christian witness ‘came on board’. Indeed, we

learn something therein, and even grow in our faith!

In like manner, our legal system, and much else, is attacked for being

colonial and racist but, once again, can this be substantiated? Being

tried in a court of law, or presenting evidence and being subject to cross examination and questioning, or having counsel, or being tried by a jury of one’s peers, are these in themselves racist or colonial? They may need to be adjusted, but are they actually intended to favour some, privilege some, and marginalize or exclude or discriminate against others? It would be a good thing to carefully look at such matters.

But the issue that is bigger than all this is the sad fact that underlies Jesus’ words to Jerusalem. It is the sad fact that they, by and large, have failed to listen to Him, failed to accept His message, and spurned His offer of love and care and protection. Like a mother bird He has yearned to gather them under His protective wings, but they would not let Him. That is their primary failing, and for that, they will be held accountable. And so it is with us as well—we fail to accept that, His loving offer, then we likewise will be called to account.

Forward notes: “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (verse 37b)

“A flock of chickens live in our backyard. Flock might be a bit of a stretch, but the three hens that roam our backyard have become a part of the family.

“I have learned a lot from watching our chickens. They love to be around each other in a group, which makes them communal in the best and worst ways. Each one has a unique personality and a different way of doing the same thing, but somehow, they all get along—most of the time.

“Our chickens are feisty. One day, a squirrel got into the chicken’s feeding trough and almost didn’t live to tell the tale. One chicken raised the alarm, and they all came running with murder in their eyes. Never cross a chicken! Whenever I head out in the morning to feed them, they are right there, vocally and impatiently waiting to see me. One of them, in particular, loves to climb all over me. Jesus the Mother Hen is not always the first image that comes to mind in church. But perhaps we should look at that image again. There is deep wisdom in a chicken.”

Moving Forward: “What other analogies about Jesus speak to you?”