"If you should have a sapling in your hand when they tell you that the Messiah has arrived, first plant the sapling and then go to greet the Messiah."
-- Yochanan ben Zakkai (as quoted by Rabbi Nathan, Abot, 31b)
I came across this quote while reading Stuart Sacks' book, Hebrews Through a Hebrew's Eyes, and found it intriguing. Stuart used the quote to show that "the idea of Messiah's priestliness has not been part of Jewish thought." (page 54) I looked the quote up online and came across various other interpretations including the idea that the quote was indicative of a cynical attitude regarding the number of pretenders claiming to be the Messiah.
I've never heard of Yochanan ben Zakkai before and I really have no idea where he was really coming from when he made this statement, nor do I have any sense of the context. But I really like the quote itself.
In my mind, making a statement such as this points toward an understanding that the Christ is not coming to take us "away from it all," but he's coming to restore not only us but the world in which we live. 2 Peter 3:13 pops to mind in which the "new heaven and new earth" are mentioned. I would still plant the sapling not because I want to delay in seeing the Messiah face to face, but because I understand that the new Earth is a part of the plan. God is bringing about a restoration of not only our souls, but of our bodies, of the earth, of all of creation as well.
I suppose I also like the quote because between Mary and Martha, I've always seen myself as a Martha. Martha would plant the sapling. Mary would throw it aside and run on to see Jesus. Perhaps Mary was the one that did right when she sat at Jesus' feet while Martha worked in the kitchen. But it was Martha who understood that Jesus could raise her brother, Lazarus, from the dead. Mary had already forgotten the bigger picture of who Jesus was. Planting the sapling seems to me to be an action based upon seeing the bigger picture.
How about you? Would you plant the sapling or toss it aside at the news?
~*Smiles*~... luv it
ReplyDeleteamen
ReplyDeleteI am really glad to read this
also see
19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
[Rom. 8]
I like that, as I always have sympathy [understanding] for Martha..and feel a cross between the two is best lol
ReplyDeleteto answer the question..I would run [or be raised - metaphorically ;) ] quickly to meet Messiah
then, later, would plant the sapling :)
we are promised that we will all 'sit under our own vine,' or tree, or something, in the prophets in the new age to come, aren't we?
Maybe that sapling will grow quickly into that :)
good question. I think a lot of it would depend on who it is that's saying Messiah is coming - like the rabbi in the quote, I'm aware of the human tendency to make false claims, so that would temper my mary-like tendency to drop everything and rush off to see him...
ReplyDeletebut then I'm thinking, what if it wasn't someone else saying Messiah has returned, what if it was Jesus himself turning up right where I was and saying hello? but then I think I'd be too awestruck to even think, let alone do anything practical...
just in case you want to know a bit about this guy:
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yochanan_ben_Zakai
I think considering the time he lived in, he probably was a bit cynical about people claiming Messiah has come.