|
Sign Up for Series Updates |
|
I'm grateful that so many of you have made reading my blog a regular habit. My plan is to continue to put up stand-alone blog posts, as well as series of posts when I'm addressing topics that cannot be covered in one post. If you would like me to notify you when I start a new series and/or when I finish one, you can enroll in my "Series Update List." Be assured that I will not give or sell your e-mail address to anyone, ever. I will not use it myself other than to notify you when I begin or complete a blog series. You can remove your name from the list at any time. To sign up, click here and type "sign up" in the subject line.
|
The Daily Blog
Reflection: Passion Items Worth Noting 
Posted at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 28, 2004
I’ll get back to the question of how the kingdom of God is coming soon. But I thought I’d blog today on four items related to The Passion of the Christ. The first of these items has received a fair amount of attention, but it involves an ironic twist that you may not have heard much about. The other three items have been underreported in the press.
The Passion Motivates Murder Confession
Dan Leach was so moved after seeing The Passion of the Christ that he went to the local police and confessed to having committed a murder – a murder that had been officially classified up to that point as a suicide. All by itself, this would be a fascinating story. But what makes it all so much more interesting is the fact that, according to Dan, the woman he killed was pregnant with his child. If this turns out to be true, Dan may be the first person to be prosecuted under a new Texas state law that defines a fetus as a person.
Was the Violence in The Passion too Extreme? An Expert Weighs in
One of the most common criticisms of The Passion from secular and some Christians was that the violence, especially the flogging of Jesus, was far too extreme. The movie has more to do with Mel Gibson’s sadism, we’ve been told, than what really happened to Jesus. Now an internationally-renowned expert weighs in on the matter. Dr. Alex Metherell, who earned a Ph.D. in engineering in addition to an M.D., is best known for his contribution to The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel. Metherell concludes that, among other things, “Gibson’s depiction of [the flogging of Jesus], as gruesome as it was, was not as horrible as the reality.”
Poll Finds The Passion Movie Makes Christians Less Anti-Semitic
In my in-depth review of The Passion of the Christ, I suggested that this movie, “far from instilling anti-Semitic feelings, might actually bode well for Jewish people today.” A recent survey by the Institute for Jewish and Community Research indicates that I may have been right. Demographer Gary Tobin concludes that “In general, people are less inclined to see Jews as responsible for killing Christ” after seeing the movie. Although the number of people sampled by Tobin’s group seems rather small to me, I’m still encouraged by what his research shows. It’s not that I particular care about being right. But I care deeply about erasing lies Christians believe about Jews and about eliminating anti-Semitism.
Rabbis Warn that Passion Film Might Entice Jews toward Jesus
| Several weeks ago I found a fascinating story in the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz. (It’s now available from Haaretz for a fee, but you can find a free copy online.) According to this story, the Orthodox Union, an American Jewish body, issued a warning to Jews that seeing The Passion of the Christ might actually weaken their faith. The portrayal of Jesus in the movie is so compelling, the Orthodox Union believes, that Jewish people might feel drawn to identify with Jesus. Talk about a back-handed compliment to Mel Gibson! Unfortunately, this story received almost no coverage in the United States. I wonder why. . . . |
 |
Tomorrow I’ll return to my series, “What Was the Message of Jesus?” I’ll be addressing the crucial question of how the death of Jesus was related to the coming of the kingdom of God.
 |
If you are looking for scholarship on Jesus that is careful and yet readable, you might find my book Jesus Revealed to be helpful. Each chapter summarizes historical evidence that helps us to understand Jesus, yet in a way that is meant for non-specialists. Plus, each chapter also connects the historical discussion to our personal faith today.
For more information on this book, click here. |
Home
Reflection: God’s Great and Mysterious Faithfulness
Posted at 9:55 p.m. on Saturday, March 27, 2004
If you’ve been following my “How is the kingdom of God coming?” series, I’m sorry to leave you hanging for a couple of days. But I think you’ll find this post and tomorrow’s worthwhile. I’ll get back to answering the question of how Jesus’ death leads to the coming of the kingdom on Monday. |
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-33)
| Today I performed the wedding for my friend Troy. It was a classically charming wedding: gorgeous bride, handsome groom, loving family, stunning flowers, four flower girls cuter than cute, lots of laughter, lots of tears, etc. etc. Troy and his bride chose for their Scripture reading the passage I printed above, a popular tribute to God’s faithfulness. Such a happy day to celebrate God’s love. And now, as Paul Harvey would say, for the rest of the story . . . . |
 |
I’ve known Troy for thirteen years. When I first met him he was a precocious young teenager: brilliant, creative, hard-working, and solid in his Christian faith. As Troy grew up, we was active in church, always seeking to live as a disciple of Jesus, even in the very pagan environment of his secular university. But Troy suffered from significant health problems, nothing that came from abuse of chemicals or anything like that. It’s just that some of his internal organs were highly dysfunctional and forced Troy to live with dreadful discomfort. Eventually Troy had to have major surgery – more than once – in order to have a shot at a normal life. I remember praying with Troy many times, asking the Lord to heal him, sharing his frustration and confusion. Indeed, I wondered myself why God was allowing such terrible things to happen to such a fine young man. It didn’t seem right. Where was God’s faithfulness for Troy and his dear family?
I still don’t know exactly how to answer that question. God’s ways are not my ways. I believe his ways are always better than mine, but sometimes it’s hard to hang on to that belief. Yet as I look back on Troy’s life, I see God’s mysterious faithfulness at work.
After his last major surgery, Troy was tended by a young nurse named Nora. She was chatty with Troy as she was with all her patients. During their conversation Troy asked Nora about her faith and found out that she was a Christian in search of a new church. Troy suggested his church and Nora said she might check it out. Meanwhile, she took care of him in all the ways that nurses serve people recovering from serious surgery. In time, Nora did check out Troy’s church (where I’m pastor), and she and Troy became friends. Well, one thing led to another, and, as I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, they fell in love. Today they were married.
As I led them through their vows, we got to the standard line, “in sickness and in health.” Usually couples in their twenties have no idea what this really means. But for Troy and Nora, this line had deep significance. In their promise to be husband and wife “in sickness and in health,” I heard both a chuckle and a sob. The chuckle said, “Yes, we know something about ‘in sickness’.” And the sob said, “O Lord, how amazing it is that sickness brought us together.” I know Troy was thinking, “Yes, Nora, you have already loved me ‘in sickness’.”
In my wedding homily I reminded Troy and Nora that the verses they had selected from Lamentations 3 were read out of context. No criticism here, because these verses almost always lifted from their original setting. But in this case the context was especially relevant, so I added a couple of verses to the reading:
The though of my affliction and my homelessness,
is wormwood and gall!
My soul continually thinks of it
and is bowed down within me.
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end . . . . (Lam 3:19-22)
The writer of this beloved biblical passage of about God’s love and faithfulness wasn’t rejoicing in the midst of blessing, but lamenting in the midst of suffering. Yet in his pain and discouragement, he remained committed to a God who seemed, at that moment, terribly distant. His confession of God’s steadfast love feels so different, and touches us so deeply, when we realize what his life was like at the time.
Troy remained faithful to God throughout his suffering. Never in those difficult days did Troy realize that his sickness would put him in just the right hospital at just the right time to just the right woman to become his wife. As I watched Troy beam with joy today, I couldn’t help but thank God for his astounding faithfulness. I don’t always understand it. It often doesn’t make sense to me why God lets bad things happen to good people. But, as step back to gain perspective, I see the astounding mercy of God.
Though we often can’t fathom your ways, Lord, and though sometimes we question your goodness, nevertheless your steadfast love never ceases. Great is your faithfulness, Lord, great is your faithfulness! Amen.
In tomorrow’s post I’m going to summarize several fascinating items related to The Passion of the Christ, along with links, of course. I think you’ll want to check these out.
|
If you are looking for scholarship on Jesus that is careful and yet readable, you might find my book Jesus Revealed to be helpful. Each chapter summarizes historical evidence that helps us to understand Jesus, yet in a way that is meant for non-specialists. Plus, each chapter also connects the historical discussion to our personal faith today.
For more information on this book, click here. |
Home
Reflection: How is the Kingdom of God Coming? (cont)
Part 14 in the series, “What Was the Message of Jesus?” 
Posted at 10:30 p.m. on Friday, March 26, 2004
Any consideration of how the kingdom of God is coming must grapple with one of the most striking and surprising passages in the New Testament. The first chapters of the Gospel of Mark chronicle Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, parables, and controversies. Through his words and works, his true identity is seen, but not seen; it is revealed, and yet secret.
In Mark 8 Jesus asks his disciples “Who do people say that I am?” (8:27). Some think that Jesus is John the Baptist reborn. Others think he is Elijah, the prophet whose return signals the coming of the kingdom. Others regard Jesus as “one of the prophets” – a label Jesus himself accepts (see Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24; 13:33). After warming up his disciples with a safe question about what others think, he becomes much more direct and personal: “But who do you say that I am?” (8:29). Peter, always the impetuous one, sticks his neck out with a bold answer: “You are the Messiah” (8:29). In the amplified version we’d read, “You are the one anointed by God to establish the kingdom. You’re the one who will lead the Jews in expelling the Romans from Judea.” Finally the secret is out. Jesus is the Messiah. Peter hit the bull’s eye, well, sort of.
But, no sooner does Peter finish than Jesus shocks him and his colleagues with unprecedented news: “Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again” (8:31). Peter is so unsettled by this that he actually takes Jesus aside, no doubt to keep Jesus from being embarrassed, and begins to rebuke him. Though Mark doesn’t provide the transcript of this conversation, it isn’t hard to imagine how it might have gone: “Now, c’mon Master. The Son of Man will bring God’s judgment upon the wicked and inherit God’s glorious kingdom (Daniel 7). No suffering and dying here. And the Messiah will lead us to victory over the Romans. Don’t talk about this suffering and dying stuff. It makes no sense.”
Jesus’ responds by rebuking Peter, and in language that is rather blunt, to say the least: “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things” (8:33). Yeow! This is not what you’d want Jesus saying to you, that’s for sure.
It’s easy for us to look down on Peter as hard-headed, given what we know of Jesus and his ultimate fate. But we must be fair here. What Jesus said about the Son of Man was utterly unexpected. It seemed completely backwards to Peter and the other disciples. The glorious one to be humiliated? God’s victor to be killed? The healer to undergo great suffering? The king of the Jews to be rejected by the Jewish leaders? Peter’s response to Jesus wasn’t foolish or narrow-minded. In fact, it’s the response that I’m quite sure I would have made, if I’d even had the courage to speak up at all.
| Given how hard it is for us to grasp the radical and apparently ridiculous nature of what Jesus said about the suffering Son of Man, let me offer the following analogy. As you know, we’re already in the middle of a hot and heavy presidential election. For the next seven months we’ll hear two candidates flaunt their own distinctions while flogging the deficiencies of their opponent. That’s what candidates do ad nauseam, like it or not. But suppose that George W. Bush called together Karl Rove and his campaign staff. And suppose the President said something like this: “Friends, we’re going to run a very different kind of campaign this year. Instead of blasting away at my opponent, we’re going to praise him. We’re going to highlight everything good about him. Moreover, we’re going to admit all of my mistakes, without evasions or excuses. The best thing for the country will be doing everything we can to help John Kerry get elected.” Don’t you think at this point Karl Rove would take the President aside and rebuke him? Maybe suggest that he needs some serious rest, or perhaps electroshock therapy? This is akin to Peter's reaction to Jesus' incredible suggestion that his calling as Son of Man includes suffering and dying. |
|
|
Jesus appears to accept Peter’s confession “You are the Messiah,” even as he refers to himself as “The Son of Man.” But then Jesus redefines the mission of the Messiah/Son of Man in a radically new way. He will bring the kingdom of God, to be sure, but only through suffering and dying. This is how the kingdom will come.
But this answer begs another question: How will the death of Jesus be a pathway for the coming of the kingdom of God?
I’ll pick this up in my next post. Stay tuned . . . .
Home
Reflection: How is the Kingdom of God Coming? (cont)
Part 13 in the series, “What Was the Message of Jesus?”
Posted at 9:40 p.m. on Thursday, March 25, 2004
In my last post I outlined some of the ways Jews in the time of Jesus answered the question: How is the kingdom of God coming? Though there were a variety of answers to that question, most all Jews in the first century agreed that the coming of God’s kingdom would include the expulsion of Rome from Judea. The Zealots and others of revolutionary ilk were convinced that this would happen as human beings did the heavy lifting, with some help from the Lord. Others preferred to wait for God to lead the charge. (In the end, the Zealot-option prevailed as the Jews waged war against Rome in A.D. 66-70. The end of this effort, of course, was the utter destruction of the temple and the devastation of the Jewish people.)
Jesus perplexed many of the Jews in his day by his unwillingness to support a revolt against Rome. He healed the servant of a Roman centurion (Matt 8:5-13), praising this leader in the oppressor’s army as a paragon of faith (v. 10). He hung out with Jewish tax collectors who had collaborated with Rome in order to become rich (Luke 19:1-10). He even appeared to support paying taxes to Rome (Matt 22:15-22).
| But, far more confusing than this was what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount. God will bless those who are meek, merciful, peaceful, and persecuted, not those who use human strength to fight against Rome (Matt 5:3-10). Moreover, Jesus taught that one should “not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile” (Matt 5:39-41). More troubling still, Jesus called his fellow Jewish to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (Matt 5:44). In context, there could be no question in the mind of Jesus’ audience to whom he was referring in all of this: the Romans. Don’t fight against the Romans, he said, but love and pray for them. |
|
|
This is the kind of coin that Jesus used to make his point about giving to Caesar what is owed to Caesar, and to God what is owed to God. Curiously, the Latin around the head of Tiberius Caesar reads TI CAESAR DIVI AUG F AUGUSTUS, or Tiberius Caesar Divi Augusti Filius Augustus, in English, Tiberius Caesar the August Son of the Divine Augustus. |
Can you imagine how controversial this must have been? Here was Jesus, proclaiming the kingdom of God, doing miraculous works to prove that God’s reign had arrived, and yet opposing what most of his peers believed to be an essential element of the kingdom’s coming – the expulsion of Rome and the punishment of all who had oppressed Israel.
For us this can seem very theoretical, far removed from real human experience and emotion. But suppose Jesus appeared on the scene right now in Israel. Suppose he went around telling Israeli fathers whose children had been killed in suicide bombings that they should turn the other cheek and love their enemies, and that this was somehow the way to peace. When we put matters in these terms, it's easier to understand not only why so many people were confused by Jesus, but also why many were so angry at him.
Jesus seemed to be saying that the kingdom of God would come, not through human strength, but through weakness, not through military victories, but through apparent defeat, not through hatred, but through sacrificial love. How could this be possible?
I’ll continue to work on this question in my next post.
Home
