See, the
day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be
stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will
leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who revere my name the sun of
righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings.
Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific
Revolutions brought the concept of paradigm change into our lexicon.
Kuhn argued that scientific revolutions occur when society’s prevailing paradigm (a
theory and its accompanying assumptions) becomes unable to adequately explain what is
observed. The paradigm becomes more and more complex in an attempt to explain
discrepancies in its predictions. The existing paradigm is then replaced by a new
paradigm.
When Christ was born, the Jewish people were facing challenges to their
faith, and they sought a variety of means by which they hoped to earn back God’s
favor and gain liberation from Roman occupation. Some hoped this would happen because the
Temple had been rebuilt. The Pharisees hoped to earn salvation by intensely studying and
following the Law. Their interpretations of how to follow the Law became more and more
complex.
Christ turned these existing paradigms on their heads by teaching a new
covenant, and thus a new path to salvation. I offer below two different interpretations of
today’s meditation passage. One is written in the context of a pre-Christian paradigm
and the second from within the Christian paradigm.
Old Testament Interpretation:
God is angry with his people for their failure to follow his
instructions. They have broken their covenant and he will punish them accordingly. In
order to avoid this punishment, people must learn and obey the Law.
New Testament Interpretation:
Christ turned this teaching over dramatically by dying to save us. In
his crucifixion he accepted the punishment in our place. Because of this, we can achieve
salvation not by earning it through obedience to the Law, but rather by receiving it as an
unmerited gift from Christ.
Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ to offer us
salvation. Help us to accept this gift he gave us, through our faith in him.
