That’s where I am tonight. I looked at Matthew 9 and I have a question and I don’t have my commentaries.

I usually try to check my interpretations. That’s important when you look at things from odd angles as I frequently do. I read the text, I reflect, I check a couple translations, I may check a commentary or two, I talk with the author. I want to be sure that I’m not making things up.

As followers of Jesus we often get ahead of the text. Which means that we are ahead of the one we are to be following.

So one principle guiding this post is the principle of study.

A second principle tonight is the principle of stepping back.

There is in the text a peculiar idea. I want to explore it. I’m looking forward to wrestling. But tonight, I’m too tired to give it the attention that it deserves. I’m afraid that I could get clever, that I could get silly, that I could get out on a limb without any safety net.

Sometimes we need to not give our opinion, to close our mouths. It’s hard, and the more tired or stressed we are, the harder it is. And the more important it is.

The third principle guiding this post is accountability. It’s actually a two part principle.  I have to give an account for my words, for what I tell you is okay to do with my words. As a result, I can’t make a guess at interpretation and say, “here’s what following means.”

The second part of accountability is letting people know when you are making things up, when you are at the edge of your understanding. This part of accountability is particularly hard. It means not pretending sometimes.

Which is why this post.