The Absentee Landlord.

In the opening scene of Husbands and Wives, Woody Allen’s character references something Albert Einstein once said, “God doesn’t play dice with the universe,” then adds his own snarky, “no, he just plays hide and seek.” Indeed people often cite God’s invisibility or his absence as grounds for disbelief. While classic Christian Theology has made of God’s invisibility a divine attribute, in the Biblical text, God appears when he wants to appear and is absent when he wants to be absent. His invisibility is a function of his primary role as judge. He issues a command, and then voluntarily disappears to test the resolve of the hearer to do his will. Also, he is not absent from a lack of interest, but rather as an act of mercy: the longer the judge delays his return, the more opportunity the hearer has to learn his will and change his behavior. Join me in a discussion of Matthew 25:14-30, the second of two parables which precede the coming of the Son of Man in glory to judge all the nations of the earth. References:Scripture readings from King James Translation Genesis 2:16-17Luke 19:23τράπεζαν - table, bank τραπεζίταις - table fellows, bankersThe Rise of Scripture by Paul Nadim Tarazi (OCABS, 2017)Intro from the film Husbands and Wives; the albums Jesus Wept by P.M. Dawn and The Rainbow Children by Prince; outro from “Why God Loves You” by P.M. Dawn.