The Cotton Patch Gospel (Clarence Jordan c.1969)

[struggle4progress]

Introduction to The Cotton Patch Version of Matthew and John

... Matching present-day people, groups and settings with their biblical counterparts involves a good bit of guesswork ... For example, I have paired the Pharisees with church members, and the scribes with theologians and seminary professors. This may pinch ...

Likewise, there just isn’t any word in our vocabulary which adequately translates the Greek word for "crucifixion" ... I have translated it as "lynching," well aware that this is not technically correct. Jesus was officially tried and legally condemned, elements generally lacking in a lynching. But having observed the operation of Southern "justice," and at times having been its victim, I can testify that more people have been lynched "by judicial action" than by unofficial ropes. Pilate at least had the courage and the honesty publicly to wash his hands and disavow all legal responsibility. "See to it yourselves," he told the mob. And they did. They crucified him in Judea and they strung him up in Georgia, with a noose tied to a pine tree ...

http://rockhay.tripod.com/cottonpatch/intro-mattjohn.htm

Matthew 23

Then Jesus opened up on the crowds and to his students:

The theologians and the preachers plant their feet in the Bible; therefore, listen to all they tell you and live by it. But don’t you act like them, because they are forever talking and never doing. They sack up heavy loads and strap them on men’s backs, but they themselves won’t lift a little finger to carry them. Their every action is for show. They strut in their robes and display their degrees. They love the seats at the speaker’s table at banquets, and the pulpit chairs in the churches, and the back-slapping at civic clubs. They like to be called ‘Reverend.’ But don’t let yourselves be called ‘Reverend,’ for you have but one pastor and you all are brothers. And don’t call a human being ‘father,’ for you have but one spiritual Father; neither be called ‘doctor,’ for you have but one Doctor—the Leader. Your top man shall be your houseboy. The fellow who promotes himself will get bumped, and whoever bumps himself will get promoted.

It will be hell for you, theologians and preachers — phonies, because you lock men out of the God Movement. You not only won’t enter yourselves, but you slam the door on those who do. It will be hell for you, theologians and preachers — phonies, because you send missionaries around the world to make one convert, and when you win him you make him double the devil’s son that you are ...

It will be hell for you, theologians and preachers — phonies, because you tithe your pennies, nickels, and dimes, and pass up the more important things in the Bible, such as justice, sharing, and integrity. You ought to practice these without neglecting those. You addlebrained leaders, you fence in a flea and let your horse escape. You save your trading stamps and throw your groceries in the garbage.

It will be hell for you, theologians and preachers — phonies, because you trim the lawn and paint the house, but inside there is nothing but greed and selfishness. Blind ecclesiastic, first clean up the inside of the house, that the outside too might be neat.

It will be hell for you, theologians and preachers — phonies, because you resemble landscaped slaughterhouses, which look beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of blood and entrails. That’s exactly the way you are. Outwardly you impress people as men of justice, but inside you are full of phoniness and fraud ...

http://rockhay.tripod.com/cottonpatch/matthew.htm