I was reading Scot McKnight’s “weekly meanderings” on his blog this morning with a cup o’ joe as I usually do. His Saturday morning posts are short introductions to a hyperlink and another blog he found interesting that week. I found an interesting question, and I want to hear what you think because I, frankly, am not sure what to make of the question. I’ll summarize for you, but here is the link if you want to go to the blog that raised this question for me.
You have all heard about and probably seen Tim Tebow. He is the publicly outspoken Christian that happens to be the quarterback for the Denver Broncos. There are a number of Christians in the NFL, but he is known in particular for his constant statements of “thanks to his Lord Jesus Christ” at the start of every interview and for frequently kneeling to pray on the football field. Is Tim Tebow a hypocrite? Read the following passage of scripture and then respond.
Matthew 6:1, 5-6 Common English Bible
Richard Armour
January 7, 2012 at 9:49 am
Someone as smart as you must know you can’t judge a situation in the light of one passage of scripture. Life is many faceted and we are called to do different things and to make different statements. I seem to recall a prophet called by God Himself to marry a whore. Try judging that with one passage.
mahoneyrm5150
January 7, 2012 at 10:12 am
So what other passages would you need to bring to bear? And how would this passage apply in our day?
Scott William Bryant
January 7, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Fair enough. At the same time, we cannot afford to neglect relevant passages simply because we like a certain individual and what he stands for.
I’d be curious to know what other passages you would bring to bear on this question. And that’s not to say that there aren’t appropriate passages. I’m just asking which ones you think outweigh the warnings in this passage Ryan cited above.
James
January 7, 2012 at 10:42 am
I would say no for a few reasons….if Jesus was referring to the Pharisees then that was different because they really were hypocrites…i think that this passage is talking to people who are faking not genuine if it is then almost anyone who prays in public is a hypocrite. and if you r right i wouldnt say he is a hypocrite I would say he is just naive…or ignorant
mahoneyrm5150
January 7, 2012 at 10:50 am
Thanks for your thoughts. What if the passage is making a universal statement about how we practice our faith and it is only citing the Pharisees as an example? Also, my family prays at a meal in public because we pray at meal times, not to be seen by others, as appears to be the case with Tebow. Please keep in mind I have not resolved the question either way in my mind yet.
Thanks for reading and posting.
Jen Eaby
January 7, 2012 at 10:47 am
Mahoney,
I have understood that passage as addressing the use of prayer and other religious actions to garner praise or admiration of men (or in the least to give the impression of one’s goodness) rather than to give true praise to God or have honest communion with him. So, when Scot asks this question, I don’t think the correct response is a yes/no answer, but instead, the answer should address the heart/the motive behind Tim’s actions. Is Tim doing those things for the praise of men or for the true praise of God. Only Tim can answer that question.
mahoneyrm5150
January 7, 2012 at 10:59 am
Good point Jen, and I agree that motivation is a huge issue. But could behavior be part of it as well? Could an “innocent” heart do something unwise or wrong without “meaning” to do so? Could an “in your face” public demonstration of faith speak to an immature behavior that this passage might be addressing?
Jen Eaby
January 7, 2012 at 11:35 am
I think “innocent” hearts do that all the time. And immaturity is everywhere. I guess there’s a fine line between “letting your light shine before men so that they can see your good works and glorify your God in heaven” and an “in your face” public demonstration. Where that line is in this case, I cannot tell you. But were I to hazard a guess, I’d say he’s crossed it given our current political, religious and philosophical climate. I think actions of love speak more to our culture than words or knee bends of prayer. I personally, do not appreciate Tebow’s public demonstrations, but that’s because it’s not how I would express my faith were I in his shoes. I think his actions are, as you say, immature. When I read this passage in its entirety, I understand it as addressing motives of impressing others, rather than addressing immature behaviors, but I may be missing something you see. All that said, the two are probably closely aligned in many circumstances.
mahoneyrm5150
January 7, 2012 at 11:47 am
I am with you, regarding how you would conduct yourself if you were in the NFL. I just wonder if his immaturity is somehow desiring to be noticed for this behavior thus falling under this passages warning?
Thanks for reading and posting your thoughts.
Richard Armour
January 7, 2012 at 1:39 pm
I am always uncomfortable with criticizing someone who is a part of the Bride of Christ when I don’t know them personally, have no authoritative influence into their life, and certainly have no way to know their heart. It seems unproductive to me without this personal knowledge yet Mr. Tebow is thought here to be a hypocrite at worst or immature and or ignorant at best. The thing is, we just don’t know because no sin is obvious here so why criticize Christ’s bride? We have the whole world system to do that.
Scott William Bryant
January 7, 2012 at 2:00 pm
Very dangerous position to take. Consider Martin Luther, father of the Protestant Reformation. Later in life, he writes a couple of works that argue for the following:
1. Synagogues should be set on fire
2. Jewish homes should be burned to the ground, the people kept in stables like horses
3. They should be deprived of prayer books and Scriptures in which is found lies, curses and blasphemy
4. he rabbis must be forbidden under the threat of death to engage in teaching
5. Jews should be forbidden passports and not allowed to travel
6. All their money and valuables of silver and gold should be confiscated and kept by the governmen
7. Let the young and strong, male and female alike, be given garden implements to work the land for food
As you can see, this laid the foundation for Nazi Germany. Indeed, in his book “Mein Kampf,” Hitler openly praises Luther and his work.
So are you saying that Christians should not have openly challenged Luther even if they didn’t know him personally?
mahoneyrm5150
January 7, 2012 at 2:00 pm
Good point about the heart, but the passage is addressing what we do. And we are looking at Tebows actions. No?
Eric Rowe
January 8, 2012 at 2:44 pm
We are looking at both the heart and the actions. In Mark 7:6 Christ says “this people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” What Christ was saying is that what they were doing with their actions did not reflect their heart. They were being hypocritical.
What Christ was talking about in Matthew 6 is not that we should be doing our righteousness in private, but that we “Beware” the motives as to why we are doing it in public. If you are doing them for your own glory, then you are a hypocrite.
Scripture clearly proclaims that we are to do righteous acts before men. In Matt. 5:16, Christ teaches that “in the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” See also Psalm 106:3; Isaiah 58:2; Galatians 1:23-24 and I John 2:29.
So Christ in the Sermon on the Mt. is teaching that we must practice our righteousness (Matt. 5:16), but we must make sure that our motives are clear when we do practice it in public (Matt. 6:1)
Who is there better to look to for our model than Christ himself? His whole ministry was public and he was tempted in the same way as we. He performed miracles and wonders and signs for all to see. Are we to say that he should have done his ministry in private? I think not. How then do we know that he was not a hypocrite. We know because we know his actions were not done for his own glory but the glory of Him who sent him. His actions were motivated by His submission to the will of his Father. His actions were a reflection of his sinless heart.
As far as the Martin Luther reference above. It is clear that his actions (words) were wrong and should have been rejected whether I know him or not. It clearly reflected his sinful heart in this area. The actions of Tim Tebow, however, are not clearly wrong. Tebow gives glory to God in his interviews and kneels in silent prayer. Neither of those actions is wrong. It is only when we know his motives and for whose glory he seeks do we know the answer. So it is not a dangerous position to take to reserve judgement on someone when the actions are not clearly wrong and your relationship does not afford you insight into their character and motives.
To take that a step further, if we were to criticize someone solely on their actions without knowing their motives and their heart, I would be criticizing the following:
1. The Worshiper who raises their hand during a song- Is the hand raising saying look at me I am a great worshiper, or are the truths of the song spurring in them a response of worship?
2. The pastor who preaches a good sermon;
3. The Christian band that performs on stage;
4. The family that prays at dinner in public – Is the Duggar family hypocrites?;
5. The Christian blogger who has something profound to write – Is it for God’s glory or for the writer’s glory?
6. Someone who responds to a blog post – Is it for my glory or the glory of God?;
7. Anyone who attends a church service – Do I go to be seen as a Christian and because this is what I am suppose to do as a Christian? Or am I there to worship in fellowship with the body of Christ for His Glory?
I could go on an on with examples, but I think you get the point.
To summarize. We must practice our righteous deeds before all, but we must beware that our actions are more than just theater for a watching audience.
Richard Armour
January 7, 2012 at 3:43 pm
Wow, I went from defending a fellow believer who from all reports lives his faith and also trusting that he has enough good guidance surrounding him, to having dangerous positions and being as those who set the stage for the Third Reich. He took a knee and prayed in public. He didn’t advocate burning Synagogues. I may not be a Bonhoeffer but I think I know when it’s time to speak out.
Scott William Bryant
January 7, 2012 at 4:19 pm
Richard … I don’t know you, so if I caused any offense, I do sincerely apologize. Please don’t let those words simply slip by. I honestly mean it. If I offended you, I am genuinely sorry.
My point was simply to say, I think your reticence to openly critique a Christian who is in the public eye can be very dangerous. I think, as Christians, we have an obligation to be taking a hard look at those that use “the platform” (Tebow’s words) to speak for Christ. And when we fail to do so, we leave the Church open to unnecessary attack from the outside. It’s been 400 years since Luther’s gross misconduct, and yet his behavior is still used in arguments against Christianity.
As for you “defending a fellow believer,” I’m not sure he was being attacked. Mahoney raised a question about Tebow’s public acts of faith in light of Scripture that openly condemns such acts. That’s a valid question, not an assault.
So back to your original comment. You suggested that Ryan should not use one passage to judge Tebow’s actions. My follow-up questions to you are these:
1. What other passages would you bring into the conversation?
2. From your perspective, why would these passages carry more weight than the passage Mahoney cited?
Respectfully submitted for you consideration,
Scott
mahoneyrm5150
January 7, 2012 at 4:41 pm
@Richard…I know Scott was not trying to compare the content of what Luther wrote and what Tebow does; he was taking your statement about critiquing someone you don’t know personally and putting into another context to see if it works as a valid principle. In other words, it was a critique of the method of your reasoning not the content.
But I think his follow up questions are good and still stand.
Richard Armour
January 7, 2012 at 5:03 pm
Offense is to strong. Irritation maybe
I think the conversation was taken up too many notches is all. Hey, if we were talking about Jimmy Swaggart or Jim Bakker I would say forgive them and then run them out of the ministry and never give a dime or listen to another word they have to say again. They have dragged the Name of the Lord through the swamp and injured many lives. I think Tim Tebow’s situation is very different. My bigger point is that we seem a little to quick to criticize seemingly 24/7 what after all is the Bride of Christ. I have done it myself. Evangelicals seem to take a beating every day from the world and from other, more learned, older brother Christians. I look at it like this: If I treated my wife the way we all treat the Bride, we might not be married for 35 wonderful years. I don’t think she would like all that perfecting love. Peace Brother!
Richard Armour
January 7, 2012 at 6:59 pm
@Ryan… I know my method of reasoning is lacks scholarly underpinning to my own discredit. That’s a long story of my misspent youth. What I try to bring to the table in these discussions is my 59 years of life experience, 40 of those walking with Christ, and 35 years of a great marriage. I did go to a small Bible College in my early 20′s and I do try to say things that can be backed up by my understanding of scripture but I know I’m somewhat “folksy” in my reasoning. Also, I figure if I’m lucky I got 20-25 years left so my thinking is going more and more to what I think is important and what I can have a positive effect on and much less to what I cannot change. As you remind me often, my time is short so I better make the best of it.
mahoneyrm5150
January 7, 2012 at 7:16 pm
I enjoy your input and the spark of conversation you bring. Let me know how that Keller material works out in the marriage group.
Richard Armour
January 8, 2012 at 5:18 pm
It’s confirmed. God approves of Tim Tebow’s public display of prayer! Oh wait….It’s only half time.
mahoneyrm5150
January 8, 2012 at 5:45 pm
:>
Richard Armour
January 8, 2012 at 7:18 pm
All kidding aside I’m glad to see him and the Bronco’s win in that way and the display was every bit as appropriate as a spike or whatever he wanted to do. How else would a Christian celebrate in such a high moment?
mahoneyrm5150
January 8, 2012 at 7:56 pm
High five?
mahoneyrm5150
January 8, 2012 at 5:27 pm
@Eric…thanks for reading and posting. For some reason your comment is appearing in an odd place, out of order, and without a reply button. Hmmm.
Very thoughtful answer to the question. I am landing not the side of no, but with more qualification. I don’t think Matthew is only addressing the interior of our being, but our actions as well. The entire chapter is addressing how we pray and fast in public. While I cannot read Tebow’s intention, his actions do communicate some intention. Let me give an example.
I used to practice law, as you know. Imagine after arguing a motion before a judge and having the judge rule in my favor I “Tebowed.” Imagine again after finishing a well-crafted letter to the client and handing it to my secretary I “Tebowed” in the hall of my office.
Let’s pretend that some attorneys in the office began to point out, through humor and sarcasm, the oddity of my behavior. Let’s further imagine in response to their criticism to my odd behavior I continued to “Tebow.” In addition, I now begin to answer all of my bosses inquiries during our weekly calendar meeting with the phrase, “I’d first like to thank Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior.”
At some point people would rightly question my motives. Why the socially odd behavior? Why the need to constantly genuflect in front of everyone? If I am trying to communicate my faith; I think they got the point already. If I am spontaneously thankful to God, fine, go into my office, say it silently or go to the water closet. But, why would I continue to perform these unique actions in public, actions that are even unusual for many of my fellow believers to witness publicly?
At some point it begins to look like I am performing for the crowd and their sake. Even if that is not fully my intent, it is certainly how it is being read, and to persist I think gives reason to wonder if Matt. 6 applies.
Richard Armour
January 8, 2012 at 5:56 pm
Tried to lighten it up while watching the game with my post above. Didn’t know there was a serious thread still going. Have to say I’m with Eric. Wish I was that eloquent. Also, I don’t think the analogy between Football players and Lawyers works. There are very different expectations of behavior between the two. Athletes are always thanking the Lord for their performance, etc. Personally I like Tebow’s quiet reflection of who gets the glory much better. I think he does it as much for himself, (so his head does not swell), as he does for the public statement that Christ is his Lord.
Debra
January 9, 2012 at 7:47 am
Richard, I m with u re: tim guarding against fat head; however, I do see another distinction. Tim performs well and the public eye is already on him. He then points to God, redirecting our eye. The public prayer/boast of righteous actions passages tend to ask the public to take there eye from where ever and look at MY righteousness. Aren’t I great?
To me that is the distinction, BUT I still don’t love what he does for other reasons. I have concerns that celebrating blessings sends a properity Christianty msg. The casual nonbeliever sees that if u believe in God u too can play in the NFL.
Or if Tim has a bad game does the focus go to God again? It should but in a clumsier way/msg so it wont get picked up by the media.
mahoneyrm5150
January 9, 2012 at 7:57 am
Debra, that’s funny because last night I had a similar thought. It would probably concern me less that Tebow “Tebowed” during a game if he did it after an interception.