Hey friends!
A lot of great questions and observations from the other night. Here's what I have:
Is pain the punishment for sin?
This idea has run throughout Christianity and Judaism. We see it reflected most poignantly in the book of Job. For several chapters Job's so-called-friends accuse him of a moral failing. Job was suffering so of course he did something wrong, right? It is acutely heard in the accusation found in Job 22:5-11. Doesn't God espouse such logic as well? Stories throughout the Hebrew scriptures seem to indicate suffering because of sin (see Exodus 32, Numbers 21, etc.). Yet Jesus seems to directly confront this idea with an emphatic, "No!" (Luke 13, John 9). The story of Jonah also underscores that this correlation is not true. Poets and Prophets cry out that such a simple equation is bankrupt (Psalm 73, Jeremiah 12). So...what's the answer? The scriptures resist a definitive, all-encompassing answer to the question of why we suffer. They do seem to draw connections between sin and separation (ie separation from community, from oneself, from an abiding peace and joy, etc) yet this does not fully answer the question. The only question the scriptures do seem to answer emphatically in regards to suffering is how. How do we suffer? With God. We do not suffer alone. Regardless of the cause, we are not abandoned in our pain. In Hebrew scriptures, on the cross, in the epistles, we are told again, and again that God suffers with us.
When did Christianity become a separate religion?
Tough to say because it's tough to define when it becomes a religion. There are markers along the way that we can point to but no clear exact date.
- Early 4th Century The Council of Nicea creates the first uniformly accepted (mostly) statement of Christian doctrine and sets the date for the celebration of Easter, the highest of holy days in the church. Articulated Doctrine
- 90 - 100 AD The Gospel of John is written. John 16:1-2 seems to clearly point to antagonism between Jews and Christians. Differentiation from Judaism
- 80 - 90 AD The Gospel of Matthew is written. Matthew 28:16-20 (the Great Commission), sounds like a calling to a uniquely Christian mission. Articulated Mission
- 64 AD The Roman historian, Tacitus, says the Nero singled out Christians for persecution in response to a fire in Rome. Recognition by Government
- Mid-50s AD The first letter to the Corinthian church is written. 1 Corinthians 15:3-6 expresses a succinct Christology that includes a strong element foreign to Jewish beliefs about the Messiah. Differentiation from Judaism (kind of)
- 50 AD(-ish) The Council of Jerusalem decides that gentiles looking to follow Jesus don't have to follow (most) of the law of Moses. Sighs of relief heard universally from gentile men. Differentiation from Judaism (kind of)
When would you call it separate?
What's the deal with Jesus at the end of chapter 3? He seems off his game.
Yeah, he's definitely acting counter culturally in regards to his family. Throughout the gospel Jesus is looking to disorient and reorient the people of God. He is calling into question identity derived from the established institutions and constructs (eg religious, ethnic, familial, etc) and looking to create something new. I think Paul sums it up when he says,
"There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." - Galatians 3:28
Hello Pastor Brandon,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments re Christianity becoming a religion distinct from Judaism. I realize now that it is more important to understand how the differentiation unfolded instead of searching for a “sudden split”,
The process may have been started by Jesus during his Sermon on the Mount. In “Walking with God” the authors (Tim Gray & Jeff Cavins) note how in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus redirects Moses’ “Big 10” by saying (six times) “..you have heard that it was said…but I say to you..”. The authors’ view is that while the law of Moses dealt with exterior actions (e.g. adultery), Jesus new law probes deep into the heart e.g. “..(he) who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart..” Mt 5:27 -- (President Carter famously admitted to having sinned this way). Jesus also overturns the theology of kosher food (Mk 7:18-19, 22-23).
Bible narratives often focus on food and circumcision as tangible elements in defining Judaism. Acts 10:10-15 describe Peter’s vision of animals that are unclean according to Jewish tradition, and a voice that commands him to slaughter and eat the animals. Peter is horrified and ponders what the vision means. He realizes the vision means kosher laws are now obsolete and that it was God’s desire to bring a new table fellowship between Gentile and Jew -- i.e. God is incorporating Gentiles into his covenant people. God also directs Peter to baptize Gentiles without having to be circumcised. Acts 11:16-18. This is huge!
A reflection on the paralytic being healed by Jesus, we too can often find ourselves "paralyzed" by anxiety, fear, etc. But maybe we can just ask Jesus for mercy as our souls and body are one. This may lead us to feeling liberated more often which leads to joy!
ReplyDeleteAmen to that! Great reflection to bring this ancient story to life in our contemporary unfolding story.
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