Poets are really philosophers, even theologians, sometimes capable of humor for depth of feeling and thought, but they do not quite qualify for appointments to philosophy chairs, so they are claimed by the English Departments of our colleges. They do not otherwise qualify because they permit their carefully chosen words, expressing their personal beliefs, feelings and observations in such a way that readers must interpret them in the beliefs, feelings and observations of their own. Philosophers serve purpose when they feel they have hit upon the answers to the questions addressed, and students concentrate on interpretation. When reading poetry as The Sonnets from the Portuguese, by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the reader is carried well along in the love Elizabeth had for Robert, but also is carried by one’s own feelings, perhaps analysis, of self and love quotients. The best poet may be more exact in language than the scientist, but the result may not be as firm. Poetry permits the reader some interpretation. Certainly I am here referring to those who have command of both language and the realities of life, death, aspirations, imagination, fear, love – the list grows long. At their best, poets speak to human experience and concerns: scientists speak to measurable details of nature. The two groups are friends, but they may not know it.
The Greek meaning of poets, in the New Testament period, carried something of the idea of doers. In some way the serious and worthy poet has lived, and thought through experience, in such a way that he or she has broken through some of the mystery that attends or characterizes the theme. The Apostle Paul spoke from the Mars Hill pulpit in Athens. In the introduction he did not refer to Scripture, but to the Greek poets: For we are his [God’s] offspring. The Apostle noted in his first statements that God is not very far away from mankind. Paul sought common ground with his listeners so to go on with what we now know as the Mars Hill address. By quoting favorably the pagan poets, he was acknowledging that there is truth and aspiration outside a private context of life and belief. One is impressed that the Apostle knew something of Greek poetry. He had walked through the area, and noted as any alert person might, that there was a statue to an Unknown God. His rhetoric permitted him to make an illustration of it. He wanted to identify, to clarify. He did not want to fail in presenting his case, a case he believed fervently that they needed to hear. He made his witness as palatable as he could in anticipating the questions they might have as he summarized the general history of the human race that included all peoples. He noted truth found in the poetry: in art and man’s devices. He then noted the call of God to repentance and the certainty of resurrection. The message was heard, and understood. Some listeners thought Paul crazy, others wanted more information. The event was a microcosm of what has happened in the preaching of the gospel in the centuries since. The event strikes as modern in nature – persons of a culture, interpreting differently.
Much of the Scripture, principally in the Poetic Books, is written in Hebrew poetry. It strikes at the human mind and consciousness, to human strengths and weaknesses, to aspiration and devotion. The Psalms, in poetic power, provide both the idealism and the depravity of the human race. Partly hidden there is the word picture of Christ on the Cross (Psalm 22), partly the shepherd analogy of God to persons (Psalm 23), and so the story goes. It is helpful to bring to Scripture what we already know of mankind, our yearnings, aspirations, weaknesses and sins. Lifted in hope the biblical poets make clear that mankind’s lostness is resolved in God’s willingness, even eagerness, to be found by those in whom belief is born. If the believer needs a lift, it is good to read biblical poetry. The writer tends to accent that no matter how difficult the situation may be from self or others, that God is close by, and able to meet the person above the fray, above even one’s own failures. David, having done the worst that man can do, wrote poetically the 51st Psalm. What a gift to the believer to have a person remembered most for his writings about God, so to learn that his failure did not take from him the forgiveness and restoration of God. If I were to offer a name for God from the poetry of David it would include the name, Forgiver. We may wonder if God permitted one of his favored servants to fail so often to prove his forgiveness to doubters. For a person who has lived long and tried the options for solutions, none served me better than forgiveness. It belongs with the nature of God as does: love, peace, wisdom, knowledge, holiness, and other attributes. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020