According to N.T. Wright,[1] as he explains in his book, Simply Jesus, we belittle Jesus’ death, when we try to make it all about the injustice done to an innocent man (1Peter 3:18), or theologically all about God’s love for mankind (John 3:16). We also belittle his death, when we try to make it all about him, giving us an example that we should follow (John 13:15; 1Peter 2:21). Finally, we belittle Jesus’ death, when we try to make it all about God needing to punish mankind for their sins, but concedes to punish Jesus instead (Galatians 1:4; Romans 8:32).
Jesus’ death is all of these, but much more. Yet, too often it is the much more that gets ignored by both scholars and disciples alike. Throughout Jesus’ public ministry he is accused of being a blasphemer by the Jewish authorities (Matthew 9:3; 26:65; John 10:33), of being out of his mind by his own family (Mark 3:20-21, 31-32), and even accused by his own disciples of taking his Messianic office to a wrong conclusion (Matthew 16:21-22). Thus, as all these accusations, which, by the way, should accuse the world, fall upon Jesus, and he is condemned, as he faces the prince of the world. In other words, Jesus bears the judgment the belongs to the world and takes that judgment to the cross. It has become, for us, the Goliath that David faced, and David’s five stones become, in Jesus, four nails and a spear!
Throughout his public ministry, Jesus accepted the daily Table of the Lord without complaint, just as he taught us to pray (Matthew 6:11). Indeed, what was done to Jesus was unjust, but he accepted it all without a fight (Acts 8:32). Moreover, what he did, did express the love of God for mankind (John 3:15; 15:13), but it wasn’t done in a macho sort of way (cp. Matthew 26:52-54), but in weakness and submission (Matthew 5:39; Romans 12:19; Philippians 2:7-8). Jesus’ love for mankind was expressed in weakness (2Corinthians 13:4; 1Peter 2:21-23), so some could say he failed.
Similarly, Jesus did give us an example to follow, counting the old man dead, while we live in newness of life in him (Romans 6:1-6), but, once more, this is done through weakness, by submitting to the Table of the Lord, not by choosing the battles we fight, but by daily accepting our fate in Christ. Finally, Jesus did, indeed, take upon himself the judgment for the sins of the world, the innocent for the guilty (1Peter 3:18), and he has satisfied the justice of God (John 6:38; Galatians 1:4; Romans 8:32). Yet, he didn’t accomplish this priestly role through the sacrifice of anything or anyone but himself (Hebrews 10:5-7). All things were done in weakness, because it is the Weakness of God in the man, Jesus (Philippians 2:7), that overcomes the world (1Corinthians 1:25).
I believe we often overlook the conclusion to which these scriptures point; I know I often do. What if Jesus meant exactly what he said, when he told his disciples: “Do not resist the evil doer!” (Matthew 5:39)? How can victory be gained in pacifism such as this? How far should we take this: not resisting evil doing? Should we seek justice from secular authorities (1Corinthians 6:1, 6-7)? Admittedly, Paul is speaking of taking a brother to court, but he tells us that the courts, the best of them, are unjust and will not adjudicate according to our faith. While some of us may get a favorable ruling, what would such a thing accomplish that would advance the Gospel? Wouldn’t it have been better had we borne the wrong? Would it have been better, if we permitted ourselves to be cheated (1Corinthians 6:7)? Isn’t our weakness, not our victories, that shames the world for what it does (Titus 2:6-8; 1Peter 3:16)?
When I look at Jesus, I see his words and his labor unveil the way of the Gospel, meaning, Jesus accepted his daily bread from the Father, vis-à-vis the Table of the Lord, and so should we. Let our patience and our faith witness to the world that trusting our God will, indeed, eventually right any wrong. Being a disciple of Jesus, a disciple of the cross, seems to be to accept what comes our way, vis-à-vis including all of its evil, and look to the Lord to vindicate us in his own time. It is difficult to refrain from self-defense, but I have come to believe this is the way of Jesus, the way of the cross.
____________________________________________
[1] I didn’t see it this way at first, but I’ve come to believe it. However, I’ve taken this further than Dr. Wright does in his book. Therefore, I’m uncertain that he would agree with the conclusion I’ve drawn in this study.
Smoodock's Blog 