Prescriptive vs Descriptive (A few words on New Testament passages about conflict)

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This week I'm preparing a sermon for our series studying what God's Word in the Bible has to say regarding the question "What is the Church?"

Last Sunday the topic and question was introduced, and next Sunday we are jumping right into the thick of the "deep end" of relational realities. This week the question at hand is "How did the early church handle conflict?" Another way to think about this question is "What differences are there between the prescriptions for Christians and descriptions of Christians in the New Testament experiencing conflict?"

The prescriptive passages of the New Testament regarding conflict help inform, rebuke, and teach in the midst of contemporary conflicts at the time. These prescriptions were not (for the vast majority) hypothetical in nature, but were substantively rooted with specific situations in mind. The descriptive passages in the New Testament about conflict help provide context, assurance, and examples of both wise and unwise courses of action in the midst of disputes. 

We may sometimes conflate, confuse these two things. Interpretation of the Bible matters! If we begin interpreting from a prescriptive passage a description, we will miss out on the riches of wisdom, grace, and holy instruction God has intended for us as his people. In this case we've taken something away from God's Word that was meant to be included. If we begin interpreting from a descriptive passage a prescription, we will make all sorts of laws, rules, rubrics, and moral obligations which have no foundation in truth. In this case we've added something to God's Word that was never meant to be included. God's people are called to neither add, nor take away from God's Word (Deuteronomy 4:2, 12:32, Revelation 22:18). 

One other wrench to throw in our interpretive struggle is that there are times when a passage is both descriptive and prescriptive! 

In our efforts to faithfully understand and apply (in other words, interpret) God's Word we need to avoid the pitfalls of conflation and confusion, while also submitting to the reality that a passage may both descriptive and prescriptive. Some passages about conflicts are intended to give an account (describe) about conflict, and some descriptions are intended to provide a template for future wise action in the midst of conflict (prescriptive). A quick example of this can be observed in Jesus' teaching on forgiveness in Matthew 18:

23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. (Matthew 18:23-27)

Jesus here describes a situation. The situation itself is not a prescription. Jesus doesn't command his followers to "go become kings" or "acquire servants who indebt themselves to you". We recognize that Jesus here is telling a fictional story and describes the setting of the story to then drive home the lesson to be applied (prescription). 

Another example of a descriptive passage is found in Acts 15:

1 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. (Acts 15:1-2)

We shouldn't read this passage and think "I must move to Antioch and begin teaching about circumcision!" The description of the conflict includes the details of the nature of the dispute. While some of the passage is descriptive, there is a prescription here that shows at least one wise approach in the midst of disagreements in the church. In the midst of dispute and debate the church in Antioch appointed representatives (Paul and Barnabas) to seek another authority in regards to the question. There is good, biblical, godly wisdom in taking a question "up the chain" to seek the best course of action. The church didn't lock Paul, Barnabas, and these guest teachers from Judea into a "Thunderdome". They took the dispute to a group of mediators who they hoped could provide guidance, direction, and wisdom on the topic. 

The "Thunderdome" as depicted in the 1985 Mad Max movie

Both the description of the conflict, and the prescription regarding the conflict are needed for us to understand the wise courses of action available to Christians when in conflict. 

Some descriptions of conflicts in the New Testament overlap with our own experiences. I've had a couple experiences very similar to Acts 15 where conference speakers or guest preachers have taught one thing, which seemed to be very contrary to what had previously been taught. I've also had the opportunity to be forgiven much (like the servant of the king in Matthew 18) and had the opportunity to forgive much (like the servant to his debtor later in Matthew 18). Sometimes a direct overlap makes it easy for us to match up our own conflicts presently, with conflicts in the scripture. In these scenarios it is often easier to arrive at a conclusion about how the conflict should be managed. The difficulty in overlapping scenarios is not in knowing what is best, but rather often in our own attitude in carrying out the course of action that we know is right. 

The Bible is overflowing with examples of individuals, families, groups, and organizations in conflict. Even with the host of biblical examples, we cannot always draw a one to one comparison between the conflicts of our daily life and the conflict descriptions of scripture. 

What do we do when our situation doesn't line up easily with a biblical description? Does the Bible still offer prescriptions for Christians in conflict? Yes! In situations where a conflict doesn't necessarily line up with biblical examples we must rely on wisdom, witness, and the Word. Tomorrow we will take a look at what it means to rely on wisdom, witness, and the Word in conflict situations.