Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped
This bit from Isaiah is challenging for me. It’s a lot of predictions of doom and goat-demons, and barren lands, and worst of all, complacent women. I don’t know what to make of it. I’m sure it’s deeply meaningful, if I did the homework to figure out what they’re talking about. But I’m not doing that this morning.
Instead, I gleaned a line from Handel’s Messiah. As I read this line, could hear the throaty alto singing it. I wonder if Handel read through Isaiah and wandered through the bits about the jackals and buzzards and Lilith, and plucked out this line, just like I did.
I genuinely don’t understand what this section is about. The commentary entirely sidesteps this as well, focusing instead on praying with scripture. In any case, George and I are picking a line out this section of Isaiah and calling it good.
In this case, I think it makes sense. God is returning, and from that the eyes of the blind will be opened. I think it makes sense, but I’m not entirely certain since I don’t truly understand the context of this section of Isaiah.
Present example included, it makes me nervous when a single line is cited as explanation or defense of anything. It is so easy to take things out of context, or to even throw up your hands not even try to understand the context.
On the other hand, to use Scripture to support loving God and loving your neighbor, even out of context might be ok. If we believe Jesus simplification of what we’re called to do, then it seems anything we find that supports that, should be ok. Right? Love God. Love your neighbor. Maybe those are the only instances where it’s acceptable to pluck snippets from Scripture and use them to support your case.
Perhaps what makes me nervous is when single lines or quotes are used to exclude or hate or deny or exert power or anything that isn’t love. This morning, I’m thinking about how dangerous it is to pick out lines from Scripture out of context, except if it unequivocally supports Jesus’ commandment to love God and love our neighbor.
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