Obstinacy

 

The day after Jesus had been in the Temple and drove the money changers out telling them, “Is it not written: ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples’? But you have made it a den of thieves.”, the religious leaders of the day were outraged, and they immediately began to discuss how they could put Jesus to death (Mark 11:11-26).  They approached Jesus in the Temple area and asked Him by what authority He did the things He did (Mark 11:27-33).

Consider, first, the tension in the air. They literally were plotting to put Jesus, the Son of God, to death. They were filled with hatred and jealousy and refused to believe in Him.  Jesus saw their hardness of heart and put them on the spot to first answer His question before He would answer theirs.  

“I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin?  Answer me.” Mark 11:29–30

The question Jesus asked them was actually an act of great mercy on His part.  He gave them an opportunity to repent.  If they had only answered His question with humble faith and honesty, they could have saved their lives.  Instead, they discussed among themselves His question and gave the politically correct answer.  If they had said John’s baptism was of human origin, and not from God, they were afraid that the people would turn on them.  So they simply said, “We do not know.”  But imagine if they would have given the right answer.  What if they had discussed it among themselves and concluded that John’s baptism truly was from God and that they should have believed in him?  If they would have only humbled themselves, admitted that they had gravely erred in regard to John, then Jesus would have answered their question, and their life of true faith could have begun.  But they didn’t.  They remained obstinate. They couldn’t admit they were wrong.

I can’t help but compare the religious leaders of this gospel to our current politicians in government today.  Even some of the most obvious and compassionate solutions to many of our modern-day crises are not even rationally discussed, much less acted upon, because of the obstinacy of one political party or the other.   Or maybe it’s cowardice.  I don’t know the hearts of anyone else as Jesus does, so I’ll leave that judgement up to Him.

Obstinacy is among the most dangerous of sins.  It’s a sin that can’t be forgiven, because, in essence, it’s a refusal to change.  And when a person refuses to admit their sin, and refuses to change, then God can’t help them.  They remain lost in their sin and suffer the consequences. 

Today is a good day to reflect on our own obstinacy.  Are there matters of faith that I refuse to believe?  Are there broken relationships that I refuse to humbly restore?  Do I justify my sin and refuse to admit my guilt and need to change?  Humility, in many ways, is nothing other than being completely honest with yourself and others before God.  Don’t follow the example of these religious leaders.  The better course is to humbly seek to remove all obstinacy from our heart so that Our Lord can enter in and bring His mercy into our life.