Whoever Is Not With Me Is Against Me

This meditation is based on a passage for October 25, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).

Text: Luke 11:14-26

Reflection and Question: In my youth the conclusion here totally confused me because it’s message, “Whoever is not with me is against me,” clashes with Jesus’ words in Luke 9:50, “Whoever is not against you is for you.” I even created an independent study in college to penetrate conundrums in Scripture like this one. After years of Sunday school Bible study, I was introduced to historical-criticism with its attention to context. Jesus always speaks to specific people and circumstances. Here He claims His place with God and with what is good. Check out the context in Luke 9 — it’s quite different. How do you harmonize Jesus’ words when they seem to conflict?

Prayer: Blessed Jesus, though we do not always understand You, we do always want to be with You. We know that You overpower all that comes before You. We want to gather with You. We want to be in Your kingdom. Make it so, we pray. Amen.