Nadab & Abihu and The Terrorism of Pattern Theology

Leviticus 10:1-11

What if I said to you that I feel peace and comfort when I think of Nadab and Abihu?

If you've been taught a legalistic pattern theology, then you may respond with:

"What? Those dudes were put to death by fire from God Himself! Are you kidding me?"

No. I'm not. Bear with me.

In Philippians 4:4-8 Paul instructs Christians to think positive and healthy thoughts:

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

Painting by Noah Bradley

We can't follow Paul's instructions to rejoice and avoid living anxiously while thinking about God damning us to Hell if we disobey one command of God for worship like Nadab and Abihu. 

A while back, I came across three articles that I think, when all put together, will bring us some comfort as we better understand our blessings in Christ and that even Nadab and Abihu can bring in spite of the fact they have been used to terrorize faithful Christians for decades in Churches of Christ.

This peace and comfort comes from a better interpretation that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable and excellent.
 

FIRST ARTICLE

The first article came up when I was searching for information on demonizing one's enemy. It had to do with jumping to conclusions why the Boston Marathon Bombers killed civilians. 

No one really knew at that time, and the article's point was to explain that not all acts of violence are "terrorism," and that many of our freedoms have been infringed upon because the media immediately characterizes every act of violence as "terrorism" based on the U.S. Government's definition "which often expands... to demonize violence originating from ideologies and movements that oppose U.S. hegemony."

Having become aware of this controlled and narrowly defined interpretation from the U.S. Government which it uses to justify its mass surveillance and ever present controlling laws, I applied this mentality to those in church government who insist on defining and enforcing a specific form of pattern worship in the assemblies of churches of Christ.

Big Brother Church

I think the comfort we can receive from a better interpretation of Leviticus 10 (Nadab & Abihu) exposes the current system of church government, especially, as our awareness increases on how the western church is really a religious version of the state and has been for a long time.

The ways and means committees of man's government behaviors of intimidation, control, and fear for your good are not God's ways of approachable, freedom giving, and grace in Christ. Hegemony, or control of a group of people, is really what is being protected all the while claiming that it is for you.

If we have the courage to face the fact that it is we who give our power away to governments, then as soon as we declare our independence their will be a war, because the status quo loses their resources (July 4, 1776). We can win this war through our faith, or commitment, to Christ because we have accepted our God-given and personal responsibility of obeying God directly through Christ and not through a man made and man-imposed hierarchy or oligarchy.

The second article I read provides the basis for a peace and comfort through a better interpretation of Leviticus 10 and begins with this:

"There are many wonderful Churches of Christ. However approximately 20% of Churches of Christ teach painful doctrines."

One of these "painful doctrines" involves Nadab & Abihu.

Fifteen years ago, I began my Christian life and chose to enter the church through the 20%! Ughh! Perhaps you were born or married into one of these 20% churches of Christ. If so, this new found interpretation which I believe is more sound or "Scriptural" will bring you comfort, too.

SECOND ARTICLE

This second article, when combined with the first article that limited the definition of words and behaviors to protect its hegemony all the while claiming that it is for others, provides an alternative interpretation of Nadab and Abihu. It is based on Hebrews 13:10-12 that is a comforting interpretation of a passage most often taught and interpreted in a emotionally terrorizing way. One often used to influence Christians into believing that if they do not repeat a  pattern 5 acts of worship perfectly every Sunday, then God will ultimately kill them in hell one day. 

Beliefs Change As We Grow

This control tactic is obvious, especially, when I have shown in numerous posts that churches of Christ DO NOT keep the supposed "pattern of first century worship" themselves. The lack of integrity on the part of those claiming to be the first century church is astounding.

Here is the interpretation of Nadab & Abihu:

"Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10) are an example of how we will be punished for wrong worship. Nadab and Abihu were instructed to take coals of fire from the altar to burn incense before God. They took coals from a different fire. The symbolism is clear: The altar represents Jesus' sacrifice (Hebrews 13:10-12) and incense represents prayer (Rev. 5:8)."

"The symbolism of this passage only teaches that our prayers are unacceptable to God unless we go through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is a teaching in humility. It is not our own obedience that is acceptable to God, but Christ's sacrifice and Christ's obedience through which we find access to God. This passage is actually comforting when we realize that our own efforts are not what put us in a right relationship with God, but it is what God has done for us, and our simple acceptance of that fact, that brings us to God."

Doesn't that make you feel great? It does me!  But that is certainly not how a terrorizing pattern theology interprets it. It interprets this passage and similar ones like Cain & Abel, Uzzah, Ananias and Saphirra as "You're going to hell if you violate the 5 acts of worship on Sunday."

Don't get me wrong. I realize that the OT has specific and detailed patterns on how to approach God, but I am also aware that people are not perfect, and therefore cannot approach God in a sinless way without Christ.

Pattern theology, however, interprets the NT with the same legalistic interpretations of the OT and really goes as far as to claim the Bible interprets itself, thereby absolving any personal responsibility. Pattern theology also divides the NT with the dualism of worship being separate from the rest of life. 

Dependency on Authority Hinders Maturity & Freedom

Christians are commanded by God to mature in Christ and grow in grace and knowledge (2 Pet. 3:18)--not remain dependents by claiming we have all the truth, denying we even interpret the Bible.

Pattern theology compartmentalizes through a cut & paste interpretation method and institutionalizes portions of the NT into "acts of worship." The remaining moral and amoral commands are cut, pasted, compartmentalized and institutionalized into "the rest of life." All unchangeable and therefore hindering God commanded growth.

THIRD ARTICLE

The third article reinforces the second being from the same book of Hebrews. It answers these projections of pattern theology onto the text as usually done with any NT passage that has the word "copy," "pattern," and/or "type."

It states:

"Doesn't Hebrews 8:5 say that there is a pattern we must follow? Lets look at this passage..."

'Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, 'See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.'

"The patternist will zero in on the last part of verse 5 ("See that you make everything according to the pattern...") without giving full consideration to the context. The context reveals that the "he" of verse four is Jesus. The Hebrew writer states that Jesus could not be a priest on Earth because the Law of Moses stipulated that only a Levite could serve as a priest. Jesus was not a Levite but was descended from Judah. The Hebrew writer says that there were already people who fulfill the priestly roles and offer gifts according to the law."

"Here is the main point of verse five - these Earthly priests served at a place that was merely an imitation of that which is in Heaven (They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things). To back up this statement, the Hebrew writer refers to an Old Testament passage (Exo. 25:40) which says that when Moses was about to erect the tabernacle, God reminded him to make everything according to the pattern (or design) that God revealed to Moses on the mountain. Hebrews 9:23-24 expands upon this concept by affirming that the Earthly tabernacle (and later the Temple) were mere copies or simulations of Heaven."

"Far from teaching that we are bound by some pattern today, the Hebrew writer (in verse five) uses Exodus 25:40 to make the point that the pattern God gave Moses was not the real thing (Heaven) but merely a shadow or replica of the real thing. Since the tabernacle and the things in them were used to represent various aspects of Heaven, then Moses was to take the utmost care to follow and respect the design which God gave him."

The Christian Altar is the Lord's Supper

The part of the article that I would like to call attention to is "the pattern that God gave Moses was not the real thing but merely a shadow or replica of the real thing."  

This reinforces the point of the second article on Nadab and Abihu which is that "there is no other way to approach God" except through the "altar" of Christ's sacrifice.

And when Hebrews 13:10-12 says, "We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat" this symbolism and typology makes sense to me. 

I believe that the "altar" from which we eat is the Lord's Table (13:11; cf. 1 Cor. 10:21; 11:17-34), so I do not separate the "physical" from the "spiritual" here. I am calling attention to the symbolism used in Hebrews 8:5 and 13:12 which provides a comforting interpretation/typology of a more loving, forgiving God in Christ that pattern theology/typology does not offer.

Now, this is a "thing" that I can "always rejoice" in, think of that is "lovely," "noble," "true," "right," and "excellent!"

I hope that you can, too!