Dilemmas in living: Goethe’s Faust and the Bible contrasted: How then shall you live?
Faust's example Restless activity is good (F.Z. 1693-1706) In the beginning was the deed (F.Z. 11241237) Bible teaching Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10) Meditate on God’s word day and night (Psalm 1:2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Psalm 1:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 1 Live in peace. All striving is vanity! (Ecclesiastes 1 Verse 2) The world of the flesh is sin. See also 1 John 2:15 and James 4:4 on not loving the world. You shall flee the world of the flesh. Romans Chapter 8: 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature,[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in sinful man,[d] 4in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. 5Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6The mind of sinful man[e] is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7the sinful mind[f] is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
Always unsatisfied (F. Z.11433--11452, 11573-11586) Experience everything to the limits of existence—suffering and love (F. Z. 11101125, 1660-87, 1751-59, 1765-85) F.Z. 1766-75: The reeling whirl I seek, the most painful excess, Enamored hate and quickening distress. Cured from the craving to know all, my mind Shall not henceforth be closed to any pain, And what is portioned out to all mankind, I shall enjoy deep in myself, contain Within my spirit summit and abyss, Pile on my breast their agony and bliss, And thus let my own self grow into theirs, unfettered, Till as they are at last I too, am shattered.
Is Faust interested in partnering with God in making a better world? See lines 354-385. Note particularly lines 371-373.
A consideration: The Bible also teaches that God created the world and found it good and that He created man in his image. See Genesis 1:31. In this sense we are partners with God in making the world a better place for His glory.
Travel everywhere possible (F.Z. 418-429, 1120-25) Knowledge is important but we cannot know everything. (F.Z. 355-97, 1740-59). Faust is not a believer in God (F. Z. 765, 3414-68). He was earlier in his life (F. Z. 1022-30). Now he curses life (F.Z. 1583-1606
Be still and know that I am God! (Ps 46 v.10) Belief is more important than knowledge. Knowledge passes away (Proverbs 1 v. 2 und 18). Compare also to 1 Cor 13 v. 8 Hebrews 3:18-19 (New International Version) 18And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed[a]? 19So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. (John 3 v. 36.) Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."[a]
Expand the individual Self as far as possible (F.Z. 390-7, 1770-5)
A person should be the director of his own life—captain of his soul (F.Z. 575-579) Man should strive to be like God (F. Z. 44798, 602-22. 652-3, 712-13, 1810-15, und 2048-2050 (spoken mockingly by Mephisto).)
The goal of life is to love God and then our neighbor as ourselves. We should put of our neighbor before ourselves. We should have a humble spirit and a contrite heart. “The first shall be last and the last shall be first." (Matt 20 v. 16) God shall direct the lives of men and women. Proverbs 16:9. It is a sin to wish to be like God. We must believe and obey. It was a sin to eat from the Tree of Life since it opened man’s eyes to the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3 v. 5) Isaiah Chapter 14 (Lucifer tried to be like God and was destroyed) 2 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. [c] 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." 15 But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.
People should not desire to know what afterlife may be like. Don't struggle to know what you cannot know. Make the most of your time on earth. Stand confident and press on in your endeavors (F.Z. 1660-70, 114405). Comment: But even if our "endeavors" are good, how can we be sure they are good enough? Perhaps we are only polishing our self-perceived grandeur.
Life on earth is short and full of woe but life in heaven is eternal. We should ever yearn for our afterlife in heaven. I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven. Psalm 123:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 123 (Whole Chapter) Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11-13 (in Context) Matthew 5 (Whole Chapter) The New Jerusalem ] Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. Revelation 21:1-3 (in Context) Revelation 21 (Whole Chapter) Luke 18:22—sell your earthly goods, follow Jesus and have treasure in heaven Philippians 3:20—our citizenship is in heaven
People can be justified, saved through restless activity without God (F.Z. 1692-8, 11934-41)
People can only be saved through faith in God. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen What does Faust say about his faith (F.Z. 762- was not made out of what was visible.
766)?
The Bible is sterile—all is black and white. There is no opportunity for creative genius! (See Kaufmann p. 55). The Bible is old-fashioned. Modern wisdom is more relevant. Mephisto's tone is mocking (F. Z. 296,353)
Hebrews 11:2-4 (in Context) Hebrews 11 (Whole Chapter) James 2:17-20 tells faith without works is dead. Even so, faith is an important element! But man’s works are inferior to God’s and born of sin. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of understanding. Proverbs Chapter 3 5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. One who mocks the Lord shall be in eternal hell where the worm dieth not and the fire is never quenched (Mark 9, v. 48) The Bible alone has ultimate wisdom for us on earth. One dare not add or subtract a jot or tittle. (Revelation 22:18-19
Mephisto speaks ironically (F.Z. 1983-92): about the study of theology leading to the Temple of Certainty. Certainty is seen as negative. What modern person dare be so certain?
The certainty of eternal life with God in heaven is seen as fully positive. Dogmatism is good! Our job is to believe, love our neighbor and walk humbly with our Lord. Mankind must believe and then God will guide. (Proverbs 3 v 5) Proverbs 1:24-31 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
Questions for Discussion (As teacher I see my task in illuminating and exploring the above dilemmas, not in resolving them. I'm still working on that.)
1. Do you have to decide whether you'll follow the Faust model or the Bible's? 2. Is this question relevant to your life? 3. Is a compromise possible? Where would you draw a boundary for your compromise? 4. Would you have saved Faust? 5. If you live like Faust, would you deserve salvation? 6. Did Faust lose/win the bet on a technicality? (see lines 11580-11586) 7. Are there any similarities between the world view of Goethe and that of the Bible? 8. Is the message of Faust related to the "American Dream"? (hard work, persistence, optimism =success) 9. What thoughts did Goethe himself have about religion? 10. What would a religious conservative think of Faust? 11. Could a liberal Christianity envision Faust's salvation? If so, how was the more liberal criterion for his salvation different?