A debate worth our time

On Tuesday, tens of millions of Americans watched a debate between the two major party political candidates who want to serve as president for the next four years: President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.

There has been as much talk about how they talked to one another -- interruptions, name-calling, talking over one another -- as there has been about the substance of their respective positions.

To be fair, the buzz on social media has been more about the tenor of the debate than about what each man actually said about how to lead the country.

As I watched, my mind went to where it often goes: to the experience of Jesus during his earthly life.

There were no podiums to stand behind and no moderator to try to keep order in first century C.E. Judea.

But the Master had a number of impactful and often tense talks with others.

Jesus was continually challenged throughout his earthly ministry, leading to what could be construed as "debates" with his would-be opponents.

Interestingly, Jesus was not above using derogatory references to opponents.

The other night, we heard words such as "liar" and "clown."

Two millennia ago, Jesus used words such as "hypocrites," "brood of vipers" and "whitewashed tombs." (Matthew ch. 23)

(I understand the last term doesn't make a lot of sense in the 21st century, but the reference was in fact intended to brace and upbraid the adversary.)

Mainly, Jesus' "debates" were effectively high-level conversations. In this time of intense political theatre in America, with 30 days to go before Election Day, it might be helpful to consider how Jesus talked to his opponents.

In Matthew 12, we read Jesus healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath day when the Law of Moses forbade any work.

We know this as the fourth of the ten commandments.

Technically, in the minds of the Pharisees, even though Jesus' act was compassionate, the healing was considered work and therefore in their thinking, unlawful.

Challenged for this infraction, the debate ensued between the two parties.

Using logic, Jesus countered his opponents by offering a comparison which took the form of a question.

"Which of you, if your sheep fell into a pit on the Sabbath, would not lift it out?

"If, then, it is lawful to relieve the misery of a sheep on the Sabbath, how much more it is lawful to receive the misery of a fellow human being who is more valuable than a sheep?"

If this conversation had been a cross-examination debate, the form used by most U.S. high schools, you have to award the points to Jesus.

Let's look at another "debate."

In Luke 20, Jesus is teaching in the temple in Jerusalem and he is approached by the chief priests, scribes and elders -- in other words, by the Jewish establishment - and is asked the question: "By what authority are you doing these things?"

Instead of a direct reply, Jesus deflects by turning the tables and asking his interrogators: "Did the baptism of John (the Baptist) come from heaven or was it of human origin?"

After some private discussion among themselves, the establishment's answer was they didn't know.

Because his opponents were not able to give answer, Jesus similarly declined to answer them.

Don't know if you award points here but if you do, at least some go to Jesus for his ability to elude a trap and turn the tables on those who wished to diminish him.

The New Testament "debate" that came to mind most vividly as Trump and Biden engaged Tuesday in what former Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder described to me later as "a donnybrook," is the calm back-and-forth in John 18 between Jesus and Pontius Pilate, the provincial governor of Judea.

Pilate literally held Jesus' earthly fate in his hands as Rome ceded all power of life and death to those who ran the provinces.

"Are you the king of the Jews?" Pilate asked.

"Did you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?" Jesus replied.

This is verbal fencing.

Pilate gets down to brass tacks next.

Aware of the desire of Caiaphas and other members of the Jewish leadership to be rid of this nettlesome itinerant carpenter, the governor ramps up the tete-a-tete.

"What have you done?" Pilate asks.

"My kingdom is not of this world -- for if it were of this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.

"But as it is, my kingdom is not from here."

"So, you are a king, then?" Pilate queries.

"You say so," Jesus answers and jumps ahead to the heart of the matter.

"For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.

"Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

Pilate asks him simply, "What is truth?"

The question goes unanswered by Jesus -- or, at least, John doesn't tell the reader what the Master said.

What we know is Pilate is impressed by Jesus' debate performance, telling the crowd, "I find no case against him."

You know how it all turns out, of course, but don't miss the top-notch level of discourse.

Two men actually listening to one another and responding to what the other has said. What a concept!

I give points to both men here.

We can only hope and pray Messrs. Trump and Biden move closer to this ideal during the two presidential debates remaining between now and Nov. 3.