The Milky Details
I saw an article the other day that explained the symbolic meaning of drinking milk in movies.
I guess I’ve never really thought about this much. I had just assumed that directors needed something for actors to drink and milk was handy.
But, come to find out, what a character drinks says a lot about them.
For example, even if you’re not a James Bond fan, you probably know that his drink of choice is a martini, shaken not stirred.
This may seem insignificant–after all, what difference does it make what 007 drinks if he’s able to save the world?–but details like this tell us a lot about the sort of person he is.
The martini signals that he’s suave and sophisticated. He’s just the sort of person who will be able to outsmart the villain.
Milk, on the other hand, is a symbol of youthfulness and purity. So, if an adult villain drinks milk in a movie, it ends up making the villain creepier … a villain, after all, isn’t innocent or pure in the slightest!
What this article taught me was that the small details of a story can have a big impact on our understanding of that story, and it’s this sort of eye for detail we have to bring to today’s gospel reading.
More than a Cute Story
The story of the boy Jesus in the temple may seem like a nice story about Jesus’s boyhood. But the mistake we usually make is seeing it simply as a cute story about how smart Jesus was as a kid.
There’s actually a lot more going on, and we discover what by paying attention to the details.
Just this week, in a Facebook sermon group, a friend of mine asked a question about the last sentence int today’s reading, “The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.”
If Jesus is co-eternal with the Father, how could he grow in God’s favor? What’s going on?
This is indeed telling us something about Christ, something important, but to get at it, lets take a look at what “favor” means in the ancient world—and I’ll do so by telling a short story.
Who Serves as First Priest?
When I was a young priest, after leaving Duluth, I wasn’t sure how handle guest priests when they came to visit me in Dubuque. Since I was newly ordained, I assumed that if anyone came to visit me, they’ll have been ordained much longer than me.
In my mind they had seniority, so if they were to visit, I thought I should step aside and let them serve as the “first priest.”
I asked my bishop about this sort of situation—I’ve found it’s best to ask questions rather assume. The answer I got surprised me.
My bishop said that as the assigned priest in the parish, I’m the proistamenos, that is the “first priest.”
As the proistamenos, appointed by the bishop, I represent the bishop in my assigned parish. Therefore, I “outrank” any visiting priests who may come. So, I should, technically, serve first. (Though, I can always give up my spot out of respect, if I so desired.)
What’s important is that I didn’t “outrank” visiting priests because of anything I had done, or any length of time I had served as a priest. I outranked them because I “represented” the bishop.
In other words, his “favor” extended to me; it elevated me to “first priest.”
You also see this at work with visiting dignitaries. They are treated respectfully because of whom they represent. Their boss’s favor extends to them.
God’s Favor on Jesus
So, when Luke says “the favor of God was upon Jesus,” he’s saying that God’s honor and status extends to his Son, Jesus.
This isn’t meant to be a theological statement about the nature of Christ and the nature of the Father. It’s a practical statement that serves the story.
This is important: as a child, and soon to be young man, Jesus’s contemporaries would only think of him as an inexperienced youngin’.
They would be hesitant to listen to him, especially since what Jesus had to say will challenge a lot of their religious assumptions; assumptions backed by powerful authorities.
To give weight to the gospel coming from Jesus’s mouth, Luke is trying to tell us that Jesus is, indeed, the Son of God and speaks with God’s authority.
Having God’s favor upon him, is the summary of the entire story. A story where Jesus doesn’t just “sit at the feet” of the authorities, but “among them,” equal to them. A story where Jesus amazes everyone who listens to him. A story that has him found in his “Father’s” house.
In short, Jesus is actually greater than all the other teachers of the Law.
One with Authority
Jesus is the teacher of teachers. So, when there’s a conflict over the Law, it’s Jesus we should pay attention to and not other authorities.
This still speaks volumes today, because Jesus’s teachings still challenges us. For example:
“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy …”
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again.”
“Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
“Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!”
“Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.”
And, there are many other examples.
Jesus’s words cut across our egos, wants, and desires. When they do, we want to find another authority to listen to, one that agrees with what we want.
But, it’s Jesus, and Jesus only, who has ultimate authority, and this is good news, because it’s only someone with God’s authority who can guide us to a loving relationship with the Father. It’s only someone with God’s authority who can save us.
So, it may seem like a small detail to say that Jesus has God’s favor, but it’s an important detail that should give us comfort and the courage to turn to Christ as our Savior no matter what the authorities of the world are telling us.
Amen.