Why are "wisdom" teeth called so? Is just because they typically arrive in adulthood, after the naivity of childhood? Perhaps instead they are teeth for kings. The sleep-suffering experience through which we must be subjected to have them extracted bears wisdom in some cosmic existential sense. A sacramental surgery in which the four outermost teeth correspond to the four corners of the earth. Four corners were given to man, the territorial boundaries "good for food" in the realization of his image-bearing great commission project (Gen 1:28ff). Thus, man was not only called upon to put all things under his feet, but in the maturation of that kingdom-glory expansion, to enjoy all that the earth would yeild for him to eat.
The Garden was man's throne room from which he would rule the world under God's royal banner. The tree of knowledge of good and evil in its midst was to make one wise. Why would God call man to fast from the very fruit which would empower him to extend kingdom rule beyond the Garden to the ends of the earth? The serpent says, "take & eat. finish what you were called to be, God-likeness in all its fulness can be yours now. Death isn't necessary."
Extracting wisdom teeth is a rehearsal of Adam's exile from the Garden. God likeness is for God's giving. Even if it means accepting wisdom through death. We give up our perogative to enjoy the final fruits of ends of the earth according to the time table of our own stomachs and the lust of our eyes to own its glory. Eschatalogical communion and dominion must come through fasting before it can come through complete consumption.
Posted by Eric Pyle at September 10, 2006 2:43 PM
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Passing Thoughts
I am further tempted to put some eschatological spin on the whole "tooth fairie" thing. Each loss of baby teeth is a kind of death and rebirth experience. Baby teeth are temporary, good for use when we are children, but wholly inappropriate for the strength and size of the adult jaw. Adam, likewise, had a full set of ribs to begin with, but had to lose bone to gain for himself something entirely more fitting bone-frame for his future.
When children hide their teeth under their pillow, they are burying themselves. They in effect are sowing their bones, as we do with the bones of our dead ones into the ground. Thus kids identify with their own mortality. When children "sow" their teeth under their pillow in hope to reap a treasure, they are reenacting the resurrection hope of Adam's death-sleep. The angelic monetary treasure they discover upon awaking is a divine downpayment for the permanent body they shall receive when they awake into the final frame of adulthood.
Posted by: Eric | September 16, 2006 9:42 PM